accost
(verb) to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way
syns- buttonhole, approach, confront
ant- evade, avoid, shun
animadversion
(noun) a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval
syn- rebuke, reproof
ant- praise, compliment
avid
(adjective) desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager.
syn- keen, enthusiastic, grasping
ant-reluctant, indifferent, unenthusiastic
brackish
(adjective) having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink.
syn- briny, saline
ant- fresh, clear, sweet
devious
(adjective) straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhanded way
syn- roundabout, indirect, tricky, sly, artful
ant- direct, straightforward, open, aboveboard
celerity
(noun) swiftness, rapidity of motion or action
syn- promptness.alacrity, speed
ant- slowness, sluggishness, dilatoriness
gambit
(noun) in chess, an opening move that involves risk or sacrifice of a minor piece in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of this type
syn- poly, stratagem, ruse, maneuver
halcyon
(noun) legendary bird identified with the kingfisher
(adjective) of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent
(adjective)
syn- tranquil, serene, placid, palmy
ant- turbulent, chaotic, tumultuous
histrionic
(adjective) pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic
syn- affected, stagy
ant- low-keyed, muted, untheatrical, subdued
incendiary
(adjective) deliberately stting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stur up strife or rebellion
(noun) one who delibrately sets fires, arsonist; one who causes strife
syn- (adj) inflammatory, proactove (noun) firebrand
ant- (adj) soothin
maelstrom
(noun) a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction
syn- vortex, chaos, turbulence, tumult
myopic
(adjective) nearsighted, lacking of a broad, a realaistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment
syn- shortsighted
ant- farsighted
overt
(adjective) open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized
sny- clear, obvious, manifest, patent
ant- secret, clanestine, covert , concealed
pejorative
(adjective) tending to make worse; expressing dissaproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling.
ant- complementary, ameliorative
propriety
(noun) the state of being proper, appropriateness
(pl.)standards of what is proper or socially acceptablt
syn- fitness, correctness, decorum
ant-unseemliness, inappropriateness
sacrilege
(noun) improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred
sny- desecration, profanation, defilement
summarily
(adjective) without delay or formalityl briefly, concisely
syn- promptly, peremptorily, abruptly
suppliant
(adjective) asking humbly and earnestly
(noun) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor
talisman
(noun) an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish
undulate
(verb) to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form
syn- ripple, fluctuate, rise and fall