allay
to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve
The politician made a speech in order to allay his constituents' fears
bestial
beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility
In beating their prisoner, the guards were guilty of a truly bestial act
convivial
festive, sociable, having fun together, genial
Thanksgiving dinner at Grandmother's house is always a convivial family gathering
coterie
a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest
Robert Browning and his coterie had ideas about poetry that seemed revolutionary in their day
counterpart
a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complement
I have to admit I was frightened of my counterpart on the other team because she held the high-jump record
demur
to object or take exception to - an objection
The rank and file will demur if they are not consulted regularly by the union leadership
effrontery
shameless boldness, impudence
After having been suspended for disrespectful behavior, the student had the effrontery to talk back to his teacher again
embellish
to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details
The best storytellers embellish their tales in ways that help readers visualize the setting
ephemeral
lasting only a short time, short-lived
Only the greatest of writers and artists achieve anything other than ephemeral popularity
felicitous
appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy
In view of the high prices for home heating oil, the mild winter was a felicitous turn of events
furtive
done shyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen
The girl was caught taking a furtive glance at the test paper of the student sitting next to her
garish
glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way
The storefront was painted in garish colors so that it would attract the attention of passersby
illusory
misleading, deceptive; lacking in or not based on reality
Police state tactics provide an illusory sense of security in an unjust society
indigent
needy, impoverished
The number of homeless and indigent persons has increased since the economy took a downturn
inordinate
far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive
The press showered the popular actor with inordinate praise for what seemed a rather ordinary performance
jettison
to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome
The captain ordered the crew to jettison the ballast so the ship could move more quickly through the water
misanthrope
a person who hates or despises people
The millionaire misanthrope left all her money to an animal shelter and not a penny to a single human being
pertinacious
very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied
The defense attorney was as pertinacious as a bulldog in his cross-examination of the witness
picayune
of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded
A supervisor who fusses about every picayune fault of the workers will lower morale and productivity
raiment
clothing, garments
When the chorus in the Greek tragedy hears that the king has died, they tear their raiment in anguish