GRE Vocabulary — Set 151

Set 151 of GRE Vocabulary covers 5 words: atone, brood, arbitrate, ascribe, bask. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. atone · verb/əˈtoʊn/

   to make amends or reparation for an offense or crime

   After realizing the hurt he caused, he sought to atone for his mistakes by volunteering at the local shelter.

   Synonyms: redeem, make up for, compensate

   Origin: Middle English 'atounen', from 'a-' (on, in) + 'tone' (to make one).

2. brood · verb/brud/

   to think deeply about something that makes one unhappy

   After the argument, she spent the whole night brooding over their conflicting opinions.

   Synonyms: mope, sulk, ponder

   Origin: Middle English 'broden', from Old English 'brōdian', meaning to breed or to beget, influenced by the sense of worrying or contemplating, particularly in a negative way.

3. arbitrate · verb/ˈɑr.bɪ.treɪt/

   to settle a dispute or argument between parties by making a decision

   The two neighbors had a longstanding feud over property boundaries, so they decided to arbitrate their differences with the help of a mediator.

   Synonyms: adjudicate, mediate, negotiate

   Origin: from Middle French 'arbitrer', from Latin 'arbitrari', meaning 'to give judgment'

4. ascribe · verb/əˈskraɪb/

   to attribute something to a specific cause or source

   Many researchers ascribe the rise in global temperatures to human activities such as industrialization and deforestation.

   Synonyms: attribute, assign, credit

   Origin: from Latin 'ascribere', from 'ad-' meaning 'to' + 'scribere' meaning 'write'

5. bask · verb/bæsk/

   to lie in or be exposed to warmth or light for relaxation or enjoyment

   After a long hike, we decided to bask in the sun on the beach and enjoy the beautiful view.

   Synonyms: revel, lounge, bask

   Origin: Middle English 'baske', originally meaning to bask or to bathe, likely derived from the Old Norse word 'baskr' meaning to bathe.