abeyance
a state of being temporarily inactive, suspended, or set aside
ambivalent
having opposite and conflicting feelings about someone or something
beleaguer
to set upon from all sides; to surround with an army; to trouble, harass
carte blanche
full freedom or authority to act at one's own discretion
cataclysm
a sudden, violent, or devastating upheaval; a surging flood, deluge
debauch
(v.) to corrupt morally, seduce; to indulge in dissipation; (n) an act or occasion of dissipation or vice
eclat
dazzling or conspicuous success or acclaim; great brilliance
fastidious
overly demanding or hard to please; excessively careful in regard to details; easily disgusted
gambol
to jump or skip about playfully
imbue
to soak or stain thoroughly; to fill the mind
inchoate
just beginning; not fully shaped or formed
lampoon
(n.) a malicious satire; (v.) to satirize, ridicule
malleable
capable of being formed into different shapes; capable of being altered, adapted, or influenced
nemesis
an agent or force inflicting vengeance or punishment; retribution itself; an unbeatable rival
opt
to make a choice or decision
philistine
lacking in, hostile to, or smugly indifferent to cultural and artistic values or refinements
picaresque
involving or characteristic of clever rogues or adventurers
queasy
nauseated or uneasy; causing nausea or uneasiness; troubled
refractory
stubborn; hard or difficult to manage; not responsive to treatment or cure
savoir-faire
the ability to say and do the right thing in any situation; social competence
aberration
a departure from what is proper, right, expected, or normal; a lapse from a sound mental state
ad hoc
for this specific purpose; improvised; with respect to this
bane
the source or cause of fatal injury, death, destruction, or ruin; death or ruin itself; poison
bathos
the intrusion of commonplace or trite material into a context whose tone is lofty or elevated; grossly insincere or exaturated sentimentality; the lowest phrase, nadir; and anticlimax, comedown
cantankerous
ill-tempered, quarrelsome; difficult to get along or deal with
casuistry
the determincation of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by the application of general ethical principles; specious argument
de facto
actually existing or in effect, although not legally required or sanctioned; in reality, actually
depredation
the act of preying upon or plundering
empathy
a sympathetic understanding of or identification with feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of someone or something else
harbinger
a forerunner, herald
hedonism
the belief that the attainment of pleasure is life's chief aim
lackluster
lacking brilliance or vitality; dull
malcontent
discontented with or in open defiance of prevailing conditions
mellifluous
flowing sweetly or smoothly
nepotism
undue favoritism to one's relatives
pander
to cater to or provide satisfaction for the low tastes or vices of others
peccadillo
a minor sin or offense, a trifling fault or shortcoming
piece de resistance
the principal dish of a meal; an outstanding accomplishment
remand
to send or order back, in law to send back to jail or a lower court
syndrome
a group of symptoms or signs that collectively characterize a disease, disorder, abnormality, etc.
beatitude
a state of perfect happiness or blessedness
bete noire
some or something that one especially dislikes, dreads or avoids
bode
to be an omen of
dank
unpleasantly damp or wet
ecumenical
worldwide or universal in influence or application
fervid
burning with enthusiasm or zeal; extremely heated
fetid
having an unpleasant or offensive odor
gargantuan
of immense size,volume, or capacity
heydey
the period of greatest power, vigor, success, or influence
incubus
a demon or evil spirit; a nightmare
infrastructure
a basic foundation or network
inveigle
to entice, lure, or snare by flattery or artful inducements
kudos
the acclaim, prestige, or renown that comes as the result of some action or achievement
lagniappe
an extra or unexpected gift or gratuity
prolix
long-winded and wordy; tending to speak or write in such a way
protege
someone whose welfare, training, or career is under the patronage of an influential person
prototype
an original pattern or model
sycophant
someone who attempts to win favors or advance him- or herself by flattery or servile behavior
tautology
needless repetition of an idea by using different but equivalent words
truckle
to yield or submit tamely or submissively