Bastion
Fortified place or position, stronghold
Consummate (adj)
Complete, perfect, ultimate
Consummate (v)
To make perfect or complete
Conversant
Familiar through use or study
Dissemble
To put on a false appearance; conceal, lie
Enervate
To weaken, sap strength from, lessen vigor or vitality
Entrench
To establish firmly, place oneself in a strong defensive position
Evince
To make evident or manifest; show, reveal
Factotum
Person engaged for all kinds of work; servant, gofer
Feckless
Feeble,worthless, ineffectual
Frenetic
Frenzied, frantic (often used with pace)
Glean
To gather bit by bit, often with care or difficulty
Incumbent (adj)
Obligatory, required as a duty
Incumbent (n)
One who holds an office - esp. if up for reelection
Intractable
Stubborn, resistant to guidance or direction, hard to manage
Jocular
Jolly, full of good humor, given to joking or jesting
Mordant
Biting, sarcastic, caustic
Nefarious
Extremely wicked, depraved
Nettle
To irritate, annoy
Piquant
Agreeably stimulating to taste or mind; sharp, pungent
Propitious
Favorable, promising, auspicious
Pusillanimous
Shamefully faint-hearted; cowardly