allay
(v.)to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve
bestial
(adj.) beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility
convivial
(adj.)festive, sociable, aving fun together, genial
coterie
(n.) a circleof aquantances; a close knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest
couterpart
(n.) a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complment
demur
(v.) to object or take exception to; (n.) an objection
effrontery
(n.) shameless boldness, impudence
embelish
(v.) to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details
ephemeral
(adj.) lasting only a short time, short-lived
felicitous
(adj.) appropriate, apt well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy
furtive
(adj.) done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen
garish
(adj.) glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated ina vulgar or offensive way
illusory
(adj.) misleading, deceptive; llacking in or not based on reality
allege
(v.) to assert without poof or confirmation
arrant
(adj.) thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant
badinage
(n.) light and playful conversation
conciliate
(v.) to overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent
countermand
(v.) to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first
echelon
(n.) one of a series of grades in an organization or feild of activity; an organizd military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement
exacerbate
(v.) to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful
fatuous
(adj.) stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way
irrefutable
(adj.) immposible to disprove; beyond argument
juggernaut
(n.) a massive and in escapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path
lackadaisical
(adj.) lacking in spirit oor interest, halfhearted
litany
(n.) a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list
macabre
(adj.) grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject
paucity
(n.) an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth
portend
(v.) to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of
raze
(v.) to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out
recant
(v.) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract
saturate
(v.) to saok thoroughly, fill to capacity
saturnine
(adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood
slough
(v.) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if through mud; (n.) a mire; a state of depression
acclamation
(n.) a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal vote of approval
bucolic
(adj.) characteristics of the countryside, rural; relating to shepards and cowherds, pastoral
calumniate
(v.) to slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously
chary
(adj.) extremely cautious, hessitant, or slow (to); reserved, diffident
collusion
(n.) secret agreement or cooperation
dilettante
(n.) a dabble in the arts; one who engages in an activity in an amateurish, trifling way; (adj.) superficial
imperturable
(adj.) not easily excited; emotionally steady
increment
(n.) an enlargement, increase, addition
mandate
(n.) an authoritative command, formal order, authorization; (v.) to issue such an order
paltry
(adj.) trifling, insignificant; mean, despicable; inferior, trashy
paroxysm
(n.) a sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsion
pedantry
(n.) a pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details
peregrination
(n.) the act of traveling; an excursion, especially on foot or to a foreign country
redolent
(adj.) fragrant, smelling strongly; tending to arouse memories or create an aura
refulgent
(adj.) shining, radiant, resplendent
shibboleth
(n.) a word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of persons from all others; a commonplace saying or truism
tyro
(n.) a beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill
unremitting
(adj.) not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless
vacillate
(v.) to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will
vituperative
(adj.) harshly abusive, severely scolding
indigent
(adj.) needy, impoverished
inordinate
(adj.) far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive
jettison
(v.) to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome
misanthrope
(n.) a person who hates or despises people
pertinacious
(adj.) very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied
picayune
(adj.) of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded
raiment
(n.) clothing, garments