acquisitive
(adj.) able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property.
arrogate
(v.) to claim or take without right
banal
(adj.) hackneyed, trite, commonplace
belabor
(v.) to work on excessively; to thrash soundly
carping
(adj.) tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairsplitting way; (n.) petty, nagging criticism
coherent
(adj.) holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful
congeal
(v.) to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid
emulate
(v.) to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model
encomium
(n.) a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute
eschew
(v.) to avoid, shun, keep away from
germane
(adj.) relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting
insatiable
(adj.) so great or demanding as not to be satisfied
intransigent
(adj.) refusing to compromise; irreconcilable
invidious
(adj.) offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness or resentment
largesse
generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions
reconnaissance
(n.) a survey made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination
substantiate
(v.) to establsih by evidence, prove; to give concrete or substantial form to
taciturn
(adj.) habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little
temporize
(v.) to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision; to compromise
tenable
(adj.) capable of being held or defended
cavort
(v.) to romp or prance around exuberantly; to make merry
credence
(n.) belief, mental acceptance
decry
(v.) to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate
dissemble
(v.) to disguise or conceal, deliberately give a false emotion or mental conflict
distraught
(adj.) very much agitated or upset as a result of emotion or mental conflict
eulogy
(n.) a formal statement of commendation; high praise
evince
(v.) to display clearly, to make evident, to provoke
exhume
(v.) to remove from a grave; to bring to light
feckless
(adj.) lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable
murky
(adj.) dark and gloomy, obscure; lacking in clarity and precision
nefarious
(adj.) wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards
piquant
(adj.) stimulating to the taste or mind; spicy, pungent; appealingly provocative
primordial
(adj.) developed or created at the very beginning; going back to the most ancient times or earliest stage; fundamental, basic
propinquity
(n.) nearness in place or time; kinship
substantive
(adj.) real, having a solid basis; considerable in number or amount; meaningful and on topic
unwonted
(adj.) not usual or expected; not in character
utopian
(adj.) founded upon or involving a visionary view of an ideal world; impractical
verbiage
(n.) language that is too wordy or inflated in proportion to the sense or content, wordiness; a manner of expression
verdant
(adj.) green in tint or color; immature in experience or judgment
viscous
(adj.) having a gelatinous or gluey quality, lacking in easy movement or fluidity
accost
to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way
animadversion
a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval
avid
desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager
brackish
having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink
celerity
swiftness, rapidity of motion or action
devious
straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhanded way
gambit
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
halcyon
a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher; (adj.) of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent
histrionic
pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic
incendiary
deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion; (n.) one who deliberately sets fires, arsonist; one who causes strife
maelstrom
a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction
myopic
nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment
overt
open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized
pejorative
tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling
propriety
the state of being proper, appropriateness; (pl.) standards of what is proper or socially acceptable
sacrilege
improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred
summarily
without delay or formality; briefly, concisely
suppliant
asking humbly and earnestly; (n.) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor
talisman
an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish
undulate
to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form
Atrophy
(n) The wasting away of a body organ or tissue; any progressive decline of failure; (v) to waste away
Bastion
(n) A fortified place, strong hold
Concord
(n) A state of agreement, harmony, unanimity, a treaty, pact, covenant
Consummate
(adj) complete or perfect in the highest degree; (v) to bring to a state of completion
Disarray
(n) Disorder, confusion; (v) to throw into disorder
Exigency
(n, often pl) Urgency, pressure; urgent demand, pressing need; an emergency
Flotsam
(n) Floating debris; homeless, impoverished people
Frenetic
(adj) Frenzied, highly agitated
Glean
(v) To gather bit by bit; to gather small quantities of grain left in a field by the reapers
Grouse
(n) A type of game bird; a complaint; (v) to complain, grumble
Incarcerate
(v) To imprison, confine, jail
Incumbent
(adj) Obligatory, required; (n) one who holds a specific office at the time spoken of
Jocular
(adj) Humorous, jesting, jolly, joking
Ludicrous
(adj) Ridculous, laughable, absurd
Mordant
(adj) Biting or caustic in thought, manner, or style; sharply or bitterly harsh
Nettle
(n) A prickly or stinging plant; (v) to arouse displeasure, impatience, or anger; to vex or irritate severely
Pecuniary
(adj) Consisting of or measured in money; of or realated to money
Pusillanimous
(adj) Contemptibly cowardly or mean-spirited
Recumbent
(adj) In a reclining position, lying down, in the posture of one sleeping or resting
Stratagem
(n) A scheme to outwit or deceive an opponent or to gain an end
acuity
(n.) sharpness [particularly of mind or senses]
delineate
(v.) to portray, sketch, or describe in accurate and vivid detail; to represent pictorially
depraved
(adj.) marked by evil and corruption, devoid of moral principles
enervate
(v.) to weaken or lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor of; enfeeble, hamstring
esoteric
(adj.) intended for or understood by only a select few, private, secret
fecund
(adj.) fruitful in offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive
fiat
(n.) an arbitrary order or decree; a command or act of will or consciousness
figment
(n.) a fabrication of the mind; an arbitrary notion
garner
(v.) to acquire as the result of effort; to gather and store away, as for future use
hallow
(v.) to set apart as holy or scared, sanctify, consecrate; to honor greatly, revere
idiosyncrasy
(n.) a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify
ignominy
(n.) shame and disgrace
mundane
(adj.) earthly, worldly, relating to practical and material affairs; concerned with what is ordinary
nuance
(n.) a subtle or slight variation [as in color, meaning, quality], delicate gradation or shade or difference
overweening
(adj.) conceited, presumptuous; excessive, immoderate
penchant
(n.) a strong attraction or inclination
reputed
(adj.) according to reputation or general belief; having widespread acceptance and good reputation; (part.) alleged
sophistry
(n.) reasoning that seems plausible but is actually unsound; a fallacy
sumptuous
(adj.) costly, rich, magnificent
abject
(adj.) degraded; base, contemptible; cringing, servile; complete and unrelieved
ubiquitous
(adj.) present or existing everywhere
agnostic
(n.) one who believes that nothing can be known about God; a skeptic; (adj.) without faith, skeptical
complicity
(n.) involvement in wrongdoing; the state of being an accomplice
derelict
(n.) someone or something that is abandoned or neglected; (adj.) left abandoned; neglectful of duty
diatribe
(n.) a bitter and prolonged verbal attack
effigy
(n.) a crude image of a despised person
equity
(n.) the state or quality of being just, fair, or impartial; fair and equal treatment; something that is fair; the money value of a property value of a property above and beyond any other mortgage or other claim
inane
(adj.) silly, empty of meaning or value
indictment
(n.) a act of accusing; a formal accusation
indubitable
(adj.) certain, not to be doubted or denied
intermittent
(adj.) stopping and beginning again, sporadic
moot
(adj.) open to discussion and debate, unresolved; (v.) to bring up for discussion; (n.) a hypothetical law case argued by students
motif
(n.) a principal idea, feature, theme, or element; a repeated or dominant figure in a design
neophyte
(n.) a new convert, beginner, novice
perspicacity
(n.) keenness in observing and understanding
plenary
(adj.) complete in all aspects or essentials; absolute; attended by all qualified members
surveillance
(n.) a watch kept over a person; careful, close, and disciplined observation
sylvan
(adj.) pertaining to or characteristic or forest; living or located in a forest; wooded, woody
testy
(adj.) easily irritated; characterized by impatience and exasperation
travesty
(n.) a grotesque or grossly inferior imitation; a disguise, especially the clothing of the opposite sex; (v.) to ridicule by imitating in a broad or burlesque fashion
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, having fun together, genial
Coterie
(n.) a circle of aquaitances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest
Counterpart
(n.) a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complement
Demur
(v.) to object or take exception to; (n.) an objection
Effrontery
(n.) shameless boldness, impudence
Embellish
(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 in a vulgar or offensive way
Illusory
(adj.) misleading, deceptive; lacking in or not based on reality
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
Allege
(v.) to assert without proof 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 field of activity; an organized military unit; a step like 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.) impossible to disprove; beyond argument
Juggernaut
(n.) a massive force that crushes anything in its path
Lackadaisical
(adj.) lazy, lacking spirit or interest, half hearted
Litany
(n.) a prayer consisting of brief appeals to God recited by the leader and altering 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 advanced 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 soak through thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully
Saturnine
(adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish mood, depressed, sad
Slough
(v.) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if mud; (n.) a mire; a state of depression
Acclamation
(n.) a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal vote of approval
Bucolic
(adj.) characteristic of the countryside, rural; relating to shepherds and cowherds, pastoral
Calumniate
(v.) to slander; accuse falsely and maliciously
Chary
(adj.) extremely cautious, hesitant, or slow (to); reserved, diffident
Collusion
(n.) secret agreement or cooperation
Dilettante
(n.) a dabbler in the arts; one who engages in activity in an amateurish, trifling way; (adj.) superficial
Imperturbable
(adj.) not easily excited; emotionally steady
Increment
(n.) an enlargement, increase, addition
Mandate
(n.) 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
aesthetic
pertaining to beauty; sensitive or responsive to beauty
(syn): artistic
defunct
no longer in existence or functioning, dead
(syn): extinct, nonexistent
discomfit
to frustrate, thwart, or defeat; to confuse, perplex, or embarrass
(syn): nonplus, disconcert, foil
espouse
to take up and support; to become attached to, adopt; to marry
(syn): embrace, wed
fetish
an object believed to have magical powers; an object of unreasoning devotion or reverence
(syn): charm, talisman, obsession
gregarious
living together in a herd or group; sociable, seeking the company of others
(syn): outgoing, extroverted
hapless
marked by a persistent absence of good luck
(syn): unlucky, ill-stirred, unfortunate
impeccable
faultless, beyond criticism or blame
(syn): flawless, spotless, immaculate
importune
to trouble with demands; to beg for insistently
(syn): implore, entreat, dun, tax
interpolate
to insert between other parts or things; to present as an addition or correction
(syn): inject, interpose, introduce
irreparable
incapable of being repaired or rectified
(syn): irremediable
laconic
concise, using few words
(syn): terse, succinct, pithy, compact
languish
to become weak, feeble, or dull; to droop; to be depressed or dispirited; to suffer neglect
(syn): flag, wilt, fade, pine
mendacious
given to lying or deception; untrue
(syn): untruthful, false
nadir
the lowest point
(syn): rock bottom
omnipresent
present in all places at all times
(syn): ubiquitous, ever-present
perfunctory
done in a superficial or halfhearted manner; without interest or enthusiasm
(syn): slapdash, cursory, shallow
plaintive
expressive of sorrow or woe, melancholy
(syn): sad, doleful, lugubrious
requite
to make suitable repayment, as for a kindness, service, or favor; to make retaliation, as for an injury or wrong; to reciprocate
(syn): reinburse, recompense, avenge
tantamount
equivalent, having the same meaning, value, or effect
(syn): indistinguishable from
abrogate
v. to repeal, cancel, declare null and void
ambient
adj. completely surrounding, encompassing
asperity
n. roughness, severity; bitterness or tartness
burnish
v. to make smooth or glossy by rubbing, polish
cabal
n. a small group working in secret
delectable
adj. delightful, highly enjoyable; deliciously flavored, savory
deprecate
v. to express mild disapproval; to belittle
detritus
n. loose bits and pieces of material resulting from disintigration or wearing away; fragments that result from any destruction
ebullient
adj. overflowing with enthusiasm and excitement; boiling, bubbling
eclectic
adj. drawn from different sources
flaccid
adj. limp, not firm; lacking vigor or effectiveness
impecunious
adj. having little or no money
inexorable
adj. inflexible, beyond influence; relentless, unyielding
moribund
adj. dying, on the way out
necromancer
n. one who claims to reveal or influence the future through magic, especially communication with the dead; in general, a magician or wizard
onerous
adj. burdensome; involving hardship or difficulty
rife
adj. common, prevalent, widespread, happening often; full, abounding; plentiful, abundant, replete
rudiments
n. the parts of any subject or discipline that are learned first; the earliest stages of anything
sequester
v. to set apart, separate for a special purpose; to take possession of and hold in custody
winnow
v. to get rid of something unwanted, delete; to sift through to obtain what is desirable; toremove the chaff from the wheat by blowing air on it; to blow on, fan
askance
adv. with suspicion, distrust, or disapproval
attenuate
v. to make thin or slender; to weaken or lessen in force, intensity, or value
benign
adj. gentle, kind; forgiving, understanding; having a favorable or beneficial effect; not malignant
cavil
v. to find fault in a petty way, carp
charlatan
n. one who feigns knowledge or ability; a pretender, impostor, or quack
decimate
v. to kill or destroy a large part of
foible
n. a weak point, failing, minor flaw
forgo
v. to do without, abstain from, give up
fraught
adj. full of or loaded with; accompanied by
inure
v. to toughen, harden; to render used to something by long subjection or exposure
luminous
adj. emitting or reflecting light, glowing; illuminating
obsequious
adj. marked by slavish attentiveness; excessively submissive, often for purely self-interested reasons
obtuse
adj. blunt, not coming to the point; slow or dull in understanding; measuring between 90 and 180 degrees; not causing a sharp impression
oscillate
v. to swing back and forth with a steady rythm; to fluctuate or waver
penitent
adj. regretful for one's sins or mistakes
peremptory
adj. haing the nature of a command that leaves no opportunity for debate, denial, or refusal; offensively self-assured, dictatorial; determined, resolute
rebuff
v. to snub; to repel, drive away
reconnoiter
v. to engage in reconnaissance; to make a preliminary inspection
shambles
n. a slaughterhouse; a plae of mass bloodshed; a state of complete disorder and confusion, mess
sporadic
adj. occurring at irregular intervals, having no set plan or order
abstruse
extremely difficult to understand
affront
(n.) an open or intentional insult; a slight; (v.) to insult to one's face; to face in defiance , confront
canard
a false rumor, fabricated story
captious
(adj.) excessively ready to find fault; given to petty criticism; intended to trap, confuse, or show up
cognizant
(adj.) aware, knowledgeable, informed; having jurisdiction
contrite
(adj.) regretful for some misdeed or sin; plagued by a sense of guilt; thoroughly penitent
cynosure
(n.) the center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves to guide or direct
decorous
well behaved, dignified, socially proper
deign
to think it appropriate or suitable to one's dignity to do something; to condescend
desiccated
throughly dried out; divested of spirit or vitality; arid and uninteresting
efficacy
the power to produce a desired result
engender
(v.) to bring into existence, give rise to, produce; to come into existence, assume form
ethereal
(adj.) light, airy, delicate; highly refined; suggesting what is heavenly (rather than earthbound)
facade
(n.) the front or face of a building; a surface appearance (as opposed to what may lie behind)
ghoulish
revolting in an unnatural or morbid way; suggestive of someone who robs graves or otherwise preys on the dead
incongruous
(adj.) not in keeping, unsuitable, incompatible
machination
a crafty, scheming, or underhanded action designed to accomplish some (usually evil) end
mesmerize
(v.) to hypnotize, entrance; to fascinate, enthrall, bewitch
opprobruim
(n.) disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach
putative
(adj.) generally regarded as such; reputed; hypothesized, inferred