headstrong
determined to have one's own way; stubbornly willful
euphony
pleasing sound, esp. of words
vortex
a flow of fluid around an axis, like a whirlpool
aviary
a large enclosure for keeping birds
incipient
beginning to appear or be noticed
medley
a mixture; an arrangement of songs performed together
amenity
pleasantness; something increasing comfort
acrid
harsh; sarcastic; bitter to the taste
infatuated
experiencing an unreasonable passion or attraction
parched
very thirsty; dried up because of the heat
affluence
wealth
spat
a small argument or dispute
reminisce
to recall the past, esp. fondly
keen
having a sharp edge; perceptive
verbatim
word for word
pompous
characterized by excessive self importance or exaggerated dignity
pithy
relating to the central part of something; economically phrased
methodical
done in an orderly, systematically way
obfuscate
to make difficult to understand; to make indistinct
desist
to cease; to stop
penchant
a strong liking
fastidious
showing or acting with careful attention to detail; not easy to please; very critical or discriminating
malaise
a vague feeling of physical discomfort or uneasiness
sporadic
occurring irregularly
concave
hollowed out; curved inward
condescend
to lower oneself to a less formal or less dignified level
enigma
something that is puzzling, ambiguous, mysterious
plight
a sad situation
impasse
a dead end
ostensible
outwardly appearing as such
sluggish
lazy; lacking energy
bland
having a moderate, undisturbed quality
hovel
a small, miserable dwelling
compel
to cause to occur by pressure; to force
artisan
a worker trained or skilled in some manual trade
impeccable
flawless
surmount
to overcome; to climb to the top of
pastoral
relating to country life, esp. of the herds; rustic
superfluous
unnecessary; extra
avert
to turn away
mandate
a command; an order
proscribe
to prohibit or forbid; to denounce
consanguinity
blood relationship
prone
tending or likely to do something; lying face down
credible
capable of being believed
complicity
involvement as an accomplice in a crime or wrongful act
kudos
glory; fame
fruitless
without results
paucity
smallness of number; scarcity
sycophant
one who seeks favor by flattering people of wealth or influence
tractable
easily managed or controlled
holistic
dealing with something as a whole rather than by its individual parts
verdant
green
promulgate
to make known by official announcement
skeptical
tending to question or doubt
forte
something at which a person excels at
harbinger
someone or something that indicates what is to come
annul
to make void or invalid
adversity
misfortune; trouble
castigate
to criticize severely, esp. in public
oratory
public speaking, esp. marked by pompous rhetoric
conduit
a channel for conducting fluids; a means by which something is transmitted
bolster
to support or strengthen
wont
accustomed
recur
to repeat; to occur again
brook
to tolerate
consecrate
to make or set apart as sacred
espouse
to give loyalty or support to; to adopt
dispose
to give a tendency or inclination to
modicum
a small quantity
composed
calm and self-possessed
edifice
a building; architectural monument
reserved
self restrained and withdrawn in speech and manner
translucent
letting light through, but no visual details
endeavor
a serious attempt or effort
glib
easy and fluent in conversation or writing; often suggesting insincerity or deceitfulness
subtle
not immediately obvious; hard to understand
scurry
to move with light running steps
rabble
a noisy crowd; the lowest, coarsest class of people
tenuous
weak; thin
glutton
one who eats too much
frenetic
wildly excited or active
forthright
direct and without evasion; honest
nominal
appearing in name only; negligible or of low amount
savant
a well educated person; a scholar
coerce
to force by threat or intimidation
prescient
knowing things before they occur
concise
brief and to the point
opaque
not letting in light; unintelligible
excise
to remove by or as if by cutting
dossier
a group of documents
culminate
to reach
allot
to distribute; to assign as a portion
conundrum
a riddle or puzzle, esp. one without a solution
bevy
a group, esp. of birds
frowzy
having an uncared-for appearance
diminution
a decrease of diminishing
aplomb
self assurance; self confidence; poise
cower
to draw back out of fear
affable
friendly; easy to talk to
foliage
leaves
prerogative
an exclusive right or privilege, esp. one that is the result of heredity or official position
capricious
erratic; tending to change abruptly
unilateral
one sided; unequal
crux
an essential or pivotal point; a perplexing difficulty
manuscript
a book or other document written by hand; an author's regional copy of a document submitted for publication
segue
an easy, effective, or uninterrupted transition
supple
easy to bend
civil
observing accepted social customers; not rude
callous
lacking pity or mercy; unfeeling
procure
to obtain or acquire
apprise
to inform or notify
niche
a place or situation suited for a person or thing; a recess in a wall
creed
a system of beliefs, principles, or opinions
discord
conflict or disagreement
parameter
one of a set of measurable factors that determine a system's behavior and are varied in an experiment
denomination
a name or a special class of persons, such as a religious group
obviate
to stop from occurring; to prevent or make unnecessary
aggravate
to worsen
replete
well filled; abundantly supplied
forbidding
disagreeable; menacing
improvise
to do without preparation
proceeds
money derived from some activity; price or profit
hyperbole
exaggeration
relentless
harsh; pitiless; persistent