Abominate
(v.) To have an intense dislike or hatred for
Acculturation
(n.) The modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or society by contact with those of another; the resultant blend
Adventitious
(adj.) Resulting from chance rather than from an inherent cause or character; accidental, not essential; (medicine) acquired, not congenital
Ascribe
(v.) To assign or refer to (as a cause or source), attribute
Circuitous
(adj.) Roundabout, not direct
Commiserate
(v.) To sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress
Enjoin
(v.) To direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit; to urge someone
Expedite
(v.) To make easy, cause to progress faster, speed up
Expiate
(v.) to make amends, make up for; to avert
Ferment
(n.) A state of great excitement, agitation, or turbulence; (v.) to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action
Inadvertent
(adj.) Resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental
Nominal
(adj.) Existing in name only, not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously
Noncommittal
(adj.) Not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or to say yes or no
Extort
(v.) Blackmail
Proclivity
(n.) A natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior)
Sangfroid
(n.) Composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances
Seditious
(adj.) Resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthrowing an established government
Tenuous
(adj.) Thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity or sharpness; of slight importance or significance; lacking a sound basis, poorly supported
Vitriolic
(adj.) bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or biting (like a strong acid)
approbation
the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval
assuage
to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench
coalition
a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose
decadence
decline, decay or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; excessive self-indulgence
elicit
to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person)
expostulate
to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or descision by earnest reasoning
hackneyed
used so often as to lack freshness or originality
hiatus
a gap, opening, break (in the sense of having an element missing)
innuendo
a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a degogatory sense)
intercede
to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement
jaded
wearied, worn-out, dulled (in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence)
lurid
causing shock, horro, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint
meritorious
worthy, deserving recognition and praise
petulant
peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset
prerogative
a special right or privelege; a special right or privilege; a speacial quality showing excellence
provincial
pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being limited and backward; of a simple, plain design that originated in the countryside; a person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area; a
simulate
to make a pretense of, imitate; to show the out signs of
transcend
to rise above or beyond, exceed
umbrage
shade cast by trees; foliage giving shade; an overshadowing influence or power; offence, resentment; a vague suspicion
unctuous
excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety, fatty, oily; pliable
Wheedle
(v.) To use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end
ameliorate
(v.) to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming
aplomb
(n.) poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity
bombastic
(adj.) pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas
callow
(adj.) without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers
drivel
(n.) saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense; (v.) to let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly
epitome
(n.) a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality
exhort
(v.) to urge strongly, advise earnestly
ex officio
(adj., adv.) by virtue of holding a certain office
infringe
(v.) to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds
ingratiate
(v.) to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense)
interloper
(n.) one who moves in where he or she in not wanted or has no right to be, an intruder
intrinsic
(adj.) belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part
inveigh
(v.) to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval
lassitude
(n.) weariness of body or mind, lack of energy
millennium
(n.) a period of one thousand years; a period of great joy
occult
(adj.) mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means; (v.) to hide, conceal; eclipse; (n.) matters involving the supernatural
permeate
(v.) to spread through, penetrate, soak though
precipitate
(v.) to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height, to give distinct form to; (adj.) characterized by excessive haste; (n.) moisture; the product of an action or process
stingent
(adj.) strict, severely, rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste
surmise
(v.) to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess; (n.) likely idea that lacks definite proof
Affable
(adj.) Courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to
Aggrandize
(v.) To increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater
Amorphous
(adj.) Shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity, or cohesion
Aura
(n.) That which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality
Contraband
(n.) Illegal traffic, smuggled goods; (adj.) illegal, prohibited
Erudite
(adj.) Scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic
Gossamer
(adj.) Thin, light, delicate, insubstantial, (n.) a very thin, light cloth
Infer
(v.) To find out by reasoning; to arrive at a conclusion on the basis of thought; to hint, suggest, imply
Inscrutable
(adj.) Incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically
Insular
(adj.) Relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience
Irrevocable
(adj.) Incapable of being changed or called back
Propensity
(n.) A natural inclination or predilection toward
Querulous
(adj.) Peevish, complaining, fretful
Remonstrate
(v.) to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to
Repudiate
(v.) To disown, reject, or deny the valadity of
Resilient
(adj.) Able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly
Reverberate
(v.) To re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly
Scurrilous
(adj.) Coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language), foul mouthed
Sedulous
(adj.) Persistent, showing industry and determination
Sleazy
(adj.) Thin or flimsy in texture; cheap; shoddy, or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean or disreputable
Amnesty
(n.) a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution
Autonomy
(n.) Self-government, political control
Axiomatic
(adj.) Self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle or rule
Blazon
(v.) To adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely
Caveat
(n.) A warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior
Equitable
(adj.) Fair, just, embodying principles of justice
Extricate
(v.) To free from entanglements or difficulities; to remove with effort
Filch
(v.) To steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts
Flout
(v.) To mock, treat with contempt
Fractious
(adj.) Tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable
Precept
(n.) A rule of conduct or action
Salutary
(adj.) Beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome
Scathing
(adj.) Bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm
Scourge
(v.) To whip, punish severely; (n.) A cause of affliction or suffering; a source of severe punishment or criticism
Sepulchral
(adj.) Funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal
Soporific
(adj.) Tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy; (n.) something that induces sleep
Straitlaced
(adj.) Extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical
Transient
(adj.) Lasting only a short time, fleeting; (n.) One who stays only a short time
Unwieldy
(adj.) Not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity
Vapid
(asj.) Dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force