Bigot
narrow-minded, prejudiced person
Counterfeit
fake; false
Enfranchise
give voting rights
Hamper
hinder; obstruct
Kindle
to start a fire
Noxious
harmful; poisonous; lethal
Placid
calm; peaceful
Remuneration
payment for work done
Talisman
lucky charm
Abrasive
rough; coarse; harsh
Bilk
Cheat; defraud
Covert
hidden; undercover
Engender
cause
Hangar
storage area (like garage) for a plane
Knotty
complex; difficult to solve
Nuance
something subtle; a fine shade of meaning
Plagiarism
taking credit for someone else's writing or ideas
Renown
fame
Tangent
going off the main subject
Abasement
humiliation; degradation
Billowing
swelling; fluttering; waving
Cower
recoil in fear of servility; shrink away from
Enhance
improve; make better or clearer
Harangue
noisy, attacking speech
Labyrinth
a maze
Nullify
to counter, make unimportant
Plaintiff
petitioner (in a court of law)
Replete
full
Tangible
can be touched
Abrogate
cancel; deny; repeal
Blasphemy
speech which offends religious sentiments
Credible
believable
Enigma
puzzle; mystery
Harbingers
indicators; bringers of warnings
Labyrinthine
complicated; highly convoluted
Nuzzle
cuddle; snuggle
plaudit
statement giving strong praise
Reprehensible
shameful; very bad
Tardy
slow; late; overdue; delayed
Absolution
Forgiveness; pardon; release
BLatant
obvious
Creditable
praiseworthy
Ensconce
establish firmly in a position
Hasten
hurry; accelerate; rush
Laceration
a cut
Obdurate
stubborn
Plausible
can be believed; reasonable
Reprieve
a respite; postponement of a sentence
Tawdry
of little value; gaudy
Abstain
desist; go without; withdraw
Blighted
damaged; destroyed; ruined
Credulous
gullible; ready to believe anything
ENshroud
cover
Haughtiness
arrogance; pride
Lachrymose
tearful; sad
Obfuscate
deliberately make something difficult to understand
Plethora
an excess
Repudiate
shun; eschew
Tedium
boredom
Abstemious
self denying; refraining from indulging
Blithe
free-spirited; carefree
Crepuscular
active at dawn and dusk
Enunciation
clear pronunciation; accent; articulation
Headstrong
stubborn; willful
Lackluster
dull; monotonous; bland
Objective
unbiased; not subjective
Pliable
flexible; not stubborn
Rescind
retract; repeal
Temper
to moderate; soften
Abstruse
difficult to understand; obscure
Blunderbuss
1. ancient weapon (type of gun)2. a clumsy person
Cringe
recoil; flinch; shy away
Envenom
to cause bitterness and bad feeling
Hedonism
self indulgence; pleasure-seeking
Laconic
using few words; brief; to the point
Oblique
indirect; slanting
Plumage
feathers of a bird
Resignation
acceptance of fate
Tenacious
stubborn; resolute; holding firm to a purpose
Abhor
hate
Accolade
tribute; honor; praise
Bolster
support; prop up
Cryptic
puzzling; enigmatic
Ephemeral
Short-lived
Hedonist
a pleasure seeker
Lamentation
expression of regret or sorrow
Obliterate
destroy; demolish; eradicate
Plummet
fall suddenly and steeply
Resolution
determination
Tentative
not certain
Acquiesce
to agree to; give in to
Bonbast
arrogant, pompous language
Curtail
cut short
Epicure
someone who appreciates good food and drink
Heed
listen to
Lampoon
ridicule; spoof
Oblivious
totally unaware
Podium
raised platform
Resonant
echoing
Tenuous
flimsy; not solid
Acrid
sharp; pungent (used of smells and tastes)
Boorish
ill-mannered
Cynical
believing that people act only out of selfish motives
Epistle
a letter (form of communication)
Heresy
against orthodox opinion
Lance
spear; spike; javelin
Obscure
difficult to understand; partially hidden
Poignant
deeply moving; strongly affecting the emotions
Respite
a break; intermission
Terse
concise; to the point
Acrophobia
fear of heights
Bourgeois
middle class
Debility
weakness; incapacity
Epistolary
concerned with letters; through correspondence
Hiatus
interruption; pause
Languid
tired; slow
Obscured
hidden; covered; buried
Poised
calm; collected; self-possessed
Resplendent
shining; glowing
Therapeutic
medicinal; curative
Acuity
sharpness (mental or visual)
Braggart
someone who boasts
Debunking
exposing false claims or myths
Epitomized
typified; characterized; personified
Hidebound
rigid in opinions
Languish
decay; fade away; get weaker
Obsequious
servile; submissive
Polemical
causing debate or argument
Restorative
a tonic
Thwart
prevent; frustrate
Adamant
forceful; inflexible
Brawny
muscular
Decathlon
an athletic competition with ten events
Equivocate
speak ambiguously; avoid telling the truth
Hieroglyphics
1. picture writing2. writing which is difficult to read or enigmatic
Larceny
theft; robbery; stealing
Obsession
a dominating concern
Ponderous
weighty; slow and heavy
Retention
preservation; withholding
Timorous
cowardly; fearful
Adroit
skillful
Brevity
being brief
Decorum
dignified, correct behavior [decorous (a)]
Err
make a mistake
Hinder
obstruct
Largess
generosity
Obsolete
no longer valid
Pontificate
speak pompously or dogmatically
Reticent
restrained; holding something back; uncommunicative
Tirade
stream of verbal abuse
Adulation
strong admiration; worship
Bristle
to show irritation
Decoy
lure; trap; trick
Erratic
wandering; irregular
Histrionic
Theatrical; exaggerated
Laud
praise
Obstreperous
noisy and boisterous
Portend
foretell
Retraction
withdrawal; cancellation of a statement
Titter
giggle quietly
Adversity
hardship
Broach
start to discuss; approach
Deference
respect
Esoteric
obscure and difficult to understand
Hoary
old
Lavish
on a grand scale; wasteful
Obtuse
mentally dull
Portent
a warning sigh; omen
Revere
worship
Tome
large book
Advocate
support
Brusque
blunt; abrupt
Defoliate
cause leaves to fall off
Espouse
promote; take up; support
Hone
sharpen; increase; whet
Lax
careless; not strict
Obviate
avoid; make unnecessary
Poseur
someone who puts on an act
Riddled
full of (usually full of holes)
Torpid
inactive; lazy; stagnant
Aesthetic
concerning art or beauty
Bulwark
fortification; barricade; wall
Defunct
no longer in existence
Etymology
the study of word origins
Hyperbold
grossly exaggerated speech
Legend
1. key to map2. myth or story
Odious
hateful
Posterity
future generations
Rife
common
Torpor
dormancy; sluggishness; inactivity
Affable
friendly; social; easygoing
Bureaucracy
officialdom
Degradation
deprivation; poverty; debasement
Eulogy
praise (usually at a funeral)
Hypochondriac
a person obsessed with health; having imaginary illnesses
Legion
in large numbers
Officious
domineering; intrusive; meddlesome
Posthumous
after death
Rigor
thoroughness
Totter
walk unsteadily