tiff(TIF) n. 1. a slight fit of ill humor; a huff; 2. a petty argument or fight; spat- When Vicki found that her new MP-3 player didn’t work, she had a tiff.
- Fred and Ethel had a tiffover where they should go on their vacation.
[Syn. spat]
torpor(TAWR puhr) n. 1. a condition of dormancy; sluggishness; temporary
(either partial or total) loss of sensation or motion; stupor; 2. dullness or apathy - After 24 hours of sleeplessness, torporis likely to set in.
- Torporis characteristic among those who spent hours before their TVs in
the old days watching the political conventions from gavel to gavel.
[Syn. stupor]
tranquil(TRAN kwil) adj. 1. peaceful; serene; calm; free from agitation; 2. quiet
and motionless - The tranquilcountryside has been the backdrop to many a violent novel.
- The ocean may be violent on a stormy day but tranquilon a calm one.
- Try to maintain a tranquilattitude, and you’ll have far less heartburn.
[-ly adv.] [Syn. calm]
transgress(trans GRES) vt. 1. to overstep one’s bounds; 2. to violate the law
—vi.to sin - Running a stop sign is a transgressionof traffic law.
- A sin is a transgressionagainst God.
- Eating pork is a transgressionin some religions but perfectly acceptable in
others.
[-ed, -ing, -ion n.] [Syn. sin]
transmutation(TRANS myoo TAY shin) n. 1. a changing of one thing into
another; 2. (medieval) a changing of lead into gold (believed possible then) by
alchemy; 3. (chemistry) a changing of one element into an isotope of itself or
another by nuclear bombardment or by decay, for example, changing U 239 into U 235
or uranium into plutonium - The transmutationof uranium into plutonium is a by-product of some
nuclear reactors. - We now know, through modern chemistry, that the transmutationof lead
into gold is impossible. - A caterpillar’s transmutationinto a butterfly is known as “metamorphosis.”
[Syn. transformation]
tritium(TRI tee uhm) n. an isotope of hydrogen with atomic weight 3 and a
12.5-year half-life, used in thermonuclear bombs - Tritiumoxide is often referred to as “heavy water.”
- Molecules of tritiumare created by bombarding hydrogen atoms with pro-
tons in a particle accelerator.
tyro(TY roh) n. a beginner at learning to do something - Those just learning to play the game of golf are referred to as tyros.
- One can be experienced at something and still do it like a tyro.
[Syn. amateur]
T – U: GRE Words 337