acquisitive
(adj.) able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property
arrogate
to claim or take without right
banal
hackneyed, trite, commonplace
belabor
(v.) to work on excessively; to thrash soundly
carping
(adj.) tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairsplitting way; (n.) petty, nagging criticism
coherent
(adj.) holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful
congeal
(v.) to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid
emulate
to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model
encomium
a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute
eschew
to avoid, shun, keep away from
germane
(adj.) relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting
insatiable
so great or demanding as not to be satisfied
intransigent
refusing to compromise, irreconcilable
invidious
offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment
largesse
generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions
reconnaissance
a survey made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination
substantiate
(v.) to establish by evidence, prove; to give concrete or substantial form to
taciturn
(adj.) habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little
temporize
(v.) to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision; to compromise
tenable
capable of being held or defended