accolade
(n.) praise or approval; a ceremonial embrace or greeting
acerbity
(n.) sourness or bitterness of taste; harshness or severity of manner or expression
attrition
(n.) the process of wearing down by friction or gradual impairment
bromide
(n.) a trite commonplace remark; a tiresome or boring person; a sedative
chauvinist
(adj.) extravagantly patriotic; blindly devoted to a cause; (n.) such a person
chronic
(adj.) continuing over a long period of time or recurring
expound
(v.) to explain in detail
factionalism
(n.) party strife and intrigue
immaculate
(adj.) spotless; without blemish or fault
imprecation
(n.) a curse; the act of cursing
ineluctable
(adj.) not able to be avoided, changed, or overcome
mercurial
(adj.) characterized by rapid and unpredictable changes of mood; fickle or inconstant
palliate
(v.) to make less serious or severe by glossing over; to relieve without actually curing, mitigate
protocol
(n.) customs and regulation dealing with official behavior and etiquette, as in a court or among diplomats; a type of international agreement; a memorandum, official account, or record
resplendent
(adj.) shining or gleaming brilliantly; splendid or magnificent
stigmatize
(v.) to brand or mark as in some way discreditable, disgraceful or ignominious
sub rosa
(adv.) in secret; confidently; privately; (adj.) secretive
vainglory
(n.) excessive pride in and boastfulness about one's own accomplishments or qualities; a vain how or display
vestige
(n.) a trace or visible evidence of something that once existed but now is lost or vanished
volition
(n.) the power to choose, will, or decide; the act of choosing, willing, or deciding