Disparagement (noun)
a communication that belittles somebody or something; aspersion; It is no disparagement to point out that the recognition he obtained was due not only to his published work, but also to his success as a teacher.
Enmity (noun)
hatred; bitterness; It is stated that the enmity against him was so great that now, as on other occasions, attempts were made to assassinate him.
Heretics (noun)
those who hold to a belief opposed to the established teachings of a church; apostate; He is the first to bring all the culture of the Greeks and all the speculations of the Christian heretics to bear on the exposition of Christian truth.
Prodigious (adjective)
remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree; monumental; He had a prodigious appetite, being able to consume nine pounds of steak at a meal.
Loathe (verb)
to hate or dislike greatly; despise; I loathe these horrible roads, but I love the places they take you.
Chide (verb)
scold or rebuke; reprimand; Mom always chided me for making a fuss about the eye drops because I used to struggle.
Feign (verb)
pretend to be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury); simulate; If you're feeling down, feign a quick smile to help boost your mood.
Lament (verb)
a passionate expression of grief or sorrow; regret; It's at times like this I lament the loss of people like Robin Cook.
Abhor (verb)
to regard with horror or loathing; to hate deeply; detest; Out of fear of drowning, some children abhor the thought of swimming.
Thwart (verb)
prevent (someone) from accomplishing something; obstruct; But a conqueror came who had no empresses to thwart him.
Inauspicious (adjective)
unfavorable; ominous; You can have a perfectly designed feng shui home but if the vicinity of your home is inauspicious, cures will only be temporary solutions and difficult to maintain.
Peruse (verb)
to read carefully; analyze; Make a reservation to ensure a table during busiest times, and peruse the wine list featuring hundreds of wines priced from $20 to $1000 per bottle.
Haughty (adjective)
arrogantly superior and disdainful; snobbish; They described the natives as very proud and haughty.
Fickle (adjective)
likely to change on a whim or without apparent reason; unpredictable; Sasha's moods were varied and fickle, never lasting too long.
Pensive (adjective)
dreamily thoughtful; contemplative; Xander spent another moment in pensive silence before he rose.
Prudent (adjective)
acting with or showing care and thought for the future; cautious; Now as he sat and waited he wondered if the decision had been a prudent one.
Beguiled (verb)
charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way; deceive; Men are easily beguiled by attractive women.
Rancor (noun)
bitter resentment or ill-will; harshness; He almost winced at the rancor in her tone.
Sallow (adjective)
of a sickly, yellowish color; wan; He had lost weight and his skin had a sallow look.
Choler (noun)
anger, irritability; wrath; He felt his choler rising and choked back an angry reply.
Transgression (noun)
a violation of a law, command, or duty; wrongdoing; A minor transgression that the other person may not even remember is probably not important enough to warrant a full-blown revenge prank.
Oppression (noun)
prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control; persecution; The cause of oppression and tyrany is often a corrupt and power-hunger ruler.
Augment (verb)
to make larger, increase; develop; The budget was augmented by various donations.
Pernicious (adjective)
having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way; dangerous; The pernicious weed has spread all through the flower bed.
Reconcile (verb)
restore friendly relations between; resolve; The second group, comprising the next four names, attempts to reconcile the conflicting data by emending the figures.