allege
to assert without proof or confirmation
arrant
thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant
badinage
light and playful conversation
conciliate
to overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent
countermand
to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first
echelon
one of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement
exacerbate
to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful
fatuous
stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way
irrefutable
impossible to disprove; beyond argument
juggernaut
a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path
lackadaisical
lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted
litany
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
grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject
paucity
an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth
portend
to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of
raze
to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out
recant
to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract
saturate
to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully
saturnine
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