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462 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
abscond (v)
to depart clandestinely; to steal off and hide
clandestine (adj)
keep secret or done secretively
aberrant (adj)
deviating from the norm
alacrity (n)
eager and enthusiastic willingness
anomaly (n)
deviation from the normal order, form or rule; abnormality
approbation (n)
an expression of approval or praise
arduous (adj)
strenuous, taxing; requiring significant effort
assuage (v)
to ease or lessen; to appease or pacify
audacious (adj)
daring and fearless; recklessly bold
austere (adj)
without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic
axiomatic (adj)
taken as a given; possessing self-evident truth
canonical (adj)
following or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards
capricious (adj)
inclined to change one's mind impulsively; erratic, unpredictable
censure (v)
to criticize severely; to officially rebuke
chicanery (n)
trickery or subterfuge
subterfuge (n)
deceit used in order to achieve one's goal
connoisseur (n)
an informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert
convoluted (adj)
complex or complicated
disabuse (v)
to undeceive; to set right
discordant (adj)
conflicting; dissonant or harsh in sound
disparate (adj)
fundamentally distinct or dissimilar
effrontery (n)
extreme boldness; presumptuousness
eloquent (adj)
well-spoken, expressive, articulate
enervate (v)
to weaken; to reduce in vitality
ennui (n)
dissatisfaction and restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy
equivocate (v)
to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent
ambiguous (adj)
open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning
erudite (adj)
very learned; scholarly
exculpate (v)
exonerate; to clear of blame
exigent (adj)
urgent, pressing; requiring immediate action or attention
extemporaneous (adj)
improvised; done without preparation
filibuster (n)
intentional obstruction, esp. using prolonged speech making to delay legislative action
fulminate (v)
to loudly attack or denounce
ingenuous (adj)
artless; frank and candid; lacking in sophistication
inured (adj)
accustomed to accepting something undesirable
irascible (adj)
easily angered; prone to temperamental outbursts
laud (v)
to praise highly
lucid (adj)
clear; easily understood
magnanimity (n)
the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, esp. in forgiving
martial (adj)
associated with war and the armed forces
mundance (adj)
of the world; typical of or concerned with the ordinary
nascent (adj)
coming into being; in early developmental stages
nebulous (adj)
vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form
neologism (n)
a new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses
noxious (adj)
harmful, injurious
obtuse (adj)
lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression
obviate (v)
to anticipate and make unnecessary
onerous (adj)
troubling; burdensome
paean (n)
a song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving
parody (n)
a humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect, esp. in literature and art
perennial (adj)
recurrent through the year or many years; happening repeatedly
perfidy (n)
intentional breach of faith; treachery
perfunctory (adj)
cursory; done without are or interest
perspicacious (adj)
acutely perceptive; having keen discernment
prattle (v)
to babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner
precipitate (adj)
acting with excessive haste or impulse
precipitate (v)
to cause or happen before anticipated or required
prescience (n)
foreknowledge of events; knowing of events prior to their occurring
prevaricate (v)
to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
qualms (n)
misgivings; reservations; causes for hesitancy
recant (v)
to retract, esp. a previously held belief
refute (v)
to disprove; to successfully argue against
relegate (v)
to forcibly assign, esp. to a lower place or position
reticent (adj)
quiet; reserved; reluctant to express thoughts and feelings
solicitous (adj)
concerned and attentive; eager
sordid (adj)
characterized by filth, grime or squalor; foul
squalor (n)
a state of being extremely dirty and unpleasant
sporadic (adj)
occurring only occasionally or in scattered instances
squander (v)
to waste by spending or using irresponsibly
static (adj)
not moving, active, or in motion; at rest
stupefy (v)
to stun, baffle or amaze
stymic (v)
to block; thwart
synthesis (n)
the combination of parts to make a whole
torque (n)
a force that cause rotation
tortuous (adj)
winding, twisting; excessively complicated
truculent (adj)
fierce and cruel; eager to fight
veracity (n)
truthfulness, honesty
virulent (adj)
extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
voracious (adj)
having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous
waver (v)
to move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in opinion
abate (v)
to lessen in intensity or degree
accolade (n)
an expression of praise
adulation (n)
excessive praise; intense adoration
aesthetic (adj)
dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
ameliorate (v)
to make better or more tolerable
ascetic (n)
one who practices rigid self-denial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
avarice (n)
greed, esp. for wealth
axiom (n)
a universally recognized principle
burgeon (v)
to grow rapidly or flourish
bucolic (adj)
rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
cacophony (n)
harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
canon (n)
an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
castigation (n)
severe criticism or punishment
catalyst (n)
a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change
caustic (adj)
burning or stinging; causing corrosion
chary (adj)
wary; cautious; sparing
cogent (adj)
appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
complaisance (n)
the willingness to comply with the wishes of others
contentious (adj)
argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
contrite (adj)
regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
culpable (adj)
deserving blame
dearth (n)
smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
demur (v)
to question or oppose
didactic (adj)
intended to teach or instruct
discretion (n)
cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
disinterested (adj)
free of bias or self-interest; impartial
dogmatic (adj)
expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or unprovable principles
ebullience (n)
the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
eclectic (adj)
composed of elements drawn from various sources
elegy (n)
a mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead
emollient (adj/noun)
soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smoothes the skin
empirical (adj)
based on observation or experiment
enigmatic (adj)
mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
ephemeral (adj)
brief; fleeting
esoteric (adj)
intended for or understood by a small, specific group
eulogy (n)
a speeh honoring the dead
exonerate (v)
to remove blame
facetious (adj)
playful; humorous
fallacy (n)
an invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief
furtive (adj)
marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious
surreptitious (adj)
to keep secret, esp. because it would not be approved of
gregarious (adj)
sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people
harangue (v/n)
to deliver pompous speech or tirade; a long, pompous speech
heretical (adj)
violating accepted dogma or convention
hyperbole (n)
an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech
impecunious (adj)
lacking funds; without money
incipient (adj)
beginning to come into being or to become apparent
inert (adj)
unmoving; lethargic; sluggish
innocuous (adj)
harmless; causing no damage
intransigent (adj)
refusing to compromise
inveigle (v)
to obtain by deception or flattery
morose (adj)
sad; sullen; melancholy
odious (adj)
evoke intense aversion or dislike
opaque (adj)
impenetrable by light; not reflecting light
oscillation (n)
the act or state of swinging back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm
penurious (adj)
penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
pernicious (adj)
extremely harmful; potentially causing death
peruse (v)
to examine with great care
pious (adj)
extremely reverent or devout; showing strong religious devotion
precursor (n)
one that precedes and indicates or announces another
preen (v)
to dress up; to primp; to groom oneself with elaborate care
prodigious (adj)
abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
prolific (adj)
producing large volumes or amounts; productive
putrefy (v)
to rot; to decay and give off a foul odor
quaff (v)
to drink deeply
quiescence (n)
stillness; motionlessness; quality of being at rest
redoubtable (adj)
awe-inspiring; worthy of honor
sanction (n/v)
authoritative permission or approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance; to give permission or authority to
satire (n)
a literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision
squalid (adj)
sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect
stoic (adj)
indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast
supplant (v)
to take the place of; supersede
torpid (adj)
lethargic; sluggish; dormant
ubiquitous (adj)
existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encounter; wide spread
urbane (adj)
sophisticated; refined; elegant
vilify (v)
to defame; to characterize harshly
viscous (adj)
thick; sticky
acumen (n)
keen, accurate judgment or insight
adulterate (v)
to reduce purity by combining with inferior ingredients
amalgamate (v)
to combine several elements into a whole
archaic (adj)
outdated; associated with an earlier, perhaps more primitive, time
aver (v)
to state as a fact; to declare or assert
bolster (v)
to provide support or reinforcement
bombastic (adj)
pompous; grandiloquent
diatribe (n)
a harsh denunciation
dissemble (v)
to disguise or conceal; to mislead
eccentric (adj)
departing from norms or conventions
endemic (adj)
characteristic of or often found in a particular locality, region or people
evanescent (adj)
tending to disappear like vapor, vanishing
exacerbate (v)
to make worse or more severe
fervent (adj)
greatly emotional or zelous
fortuitous (adj)
happening by accident or chance
germane (adj)
relevant to the subject at hand; appropriate in subject matter
grandiloquence (n)
pompous speech or expression
hackneyed (adj)
rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
halcyon (adj)
calm and peaceful
hedonism (n)
devotion to pleasurable pursuits, esp. to the pleasures of the senses
hegemony (n)
the consistent dominance of one state or ideology over others
iconoclast (n)
one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions
idolatrous (adj)
given to intense or excessive devotion to something
impassive (adj)
revealing no emotion
imperturbable (adj)
marked by extreme calm, impassivity and steadiness
implacable (adj)
not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
impunity (noun)
immunity from punishment or penalty
inchoate (adj)
in an initial stage; not fully formed
infelicitous (adj)
unfortunate; inappropriate
insipid (adj)
without taste or flavor; lacking in spirit; bland
loquacious (adj)
extremely talkative
luminous (adj)
characterized by brightness and the emission of light
malevolent (adj)
having or showing often vicious ill will, spite or hatred
malleable (adj)
capable of being shaped or formed; tractable; pliable
mendacity (n)
the condition of being untruthful; dishonesty
meticulous (adj)
characterized by extreme care and precision; attentive to detail
misanthrope (n)
one who hates all other humans
mitigate (v)
to make or become less severe or intense; to moderate
obdurate (adj)
unyielding; hardhearted; intractable
obsequious (adj)
exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
occlude (v)
to obstruct or block
opprobrium (n)
disgrace; contempt; scorn
pedagogy (n)
the profession or principles of teaching or instructing
pedantic (adj)
overly concerned with the trivial details of learning or education; show-offish about one's knowledge
pervasive (adj)
having the tendency to permeate or spread throughout
pine (v)
to yearn intensely; to languish; to lose vigor
pirate (v)
to illegally use or reproduce
pith (n)
the essential or central part
pithy (adj)
precise and brief
placate (v)
to appease; to calm by making concessions
platitude (n)
a superficial remark, esp one offered as meaningful
plummet (v)
to plunge or drop straight down
polemical (adj)
controversial; argumentative
prodigal (adj)
recklessly wasteful; extravagant; profuse; lavish
profuse (adj)
given or coming forth abundantly; extravagant
proliferate (v)
to grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
queries (n)
questions; inquires; doubts in the mind; reservation
querulous (adj)
prone to complaining or grumbling; peevish
rancorous (adj)
characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment
recalcitrant (adj)
obstinately defiant of authority; difficult to manage
repudiate (v)
to refuse to have anything to do with; disown
rescind (v)
to invalidate; to repeal; to retrat
reverent (adj)
marked by, feeling, or expressing a feeling of profound awe and respect
rhetoric (n)
the art or study of effective use of language for communication and persuasion
salubrious (adj)
promoting health or well-being
solvent (adj)
able to meet financial obligations; able to dissolve another substance
specious (adj)
seeming true, but actually being fallacious; misleadingly attractive; plausible but false
spurious (adj)
lacking authenticity or validity; false; counterfeit
subpoena (n)
a court order requiring appearance and/or testimony
succinct (adj)
brief; concise
superfluous (adj)
exceeding what is sufficient or necessary
surfeit (n/v)
an overabundant supply; excess; to feed or supply excess
tenacity (n)
the quality of adherence or persistence to something valued; persistent determination
tenuous (adj)
having little substance or strength; flimsy; weak
tirade (n)
a long and extremely critical speech; a harsh denunciation
transient (adj)
fleeting; passing quickly; brief
Books in NT Letters
Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians
1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon

Hebrews, James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude
acerbic (adj)
having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
aggrandize (v)
to increase in intensity, power, influence or prestige
alchemy (n)
a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals, esp. base metals into gold
amenable (adj)
agreeable; responsive to suggestion
anachronism (n)
something or someone out of place in historical or chronological context
astringent (adj/n)
having a tightening effect on lining tissue; hash; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue
contiguous (adj)
sharing a border; touching; adjacent
convention (n)
a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude
credulous (adj)
tending to believe too readily; gullable
cynicism (n)
an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness
decorum (n)
polite or appropriate conduct or behavior
derision (n)
scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment
desiccate (v)
to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
dilettante (n)
one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
disparage (v)
to slight or belittle
divulge (v)
to disclose something secret
fawn (v)
to flatter or praise excessively
flout (v)
to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention
garrulous (adj)
pointlessly talkative, talking too much
glib (adj)
marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
hubris (n)
overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
imminent (adj)
about to happen; impending
immutable (adj)
not capable of change
impetuous (adj)
hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement
vehement (adj)
showing strong feeling; forceful; passionate
indifferent (adj)
having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice
inimical (adj)
damaging; harmful; injurious
intractable (adj)
not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
intrepid (adj)
steadfast and courageous
laconic (adj)
using few words; terse
maverick (n)
an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
mercurial (adj)
characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
mollify (verb)
to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
neophyte (n)
a recent convert; a beginner; novice
obfuscate (v)
to deliberately obscure; to make confusing
obstinate (adj)
stubborn; hardheaded; uncompromising
ostentatious (adj)
characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy
pervade (v)
to permeate throughout
phlegmatic (adj)
calm; sluggish; unemotional
plethora (n)
an overabundance; a surplus
presumptuous (adj)
overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties
pristine (adj)
pure; uncorrupted; clean
probity (n)
adherence to highest principles, complete and confirmed integrity, uprightness
proclivity (n)
a natural predisposition or inclincation
profligate (adj)
excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant
propensity (n)
a natural inclination or tendency; penchant
prosaic (adj)
dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
pungent (adj)
characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste
quixotic (adj)
foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
quotidian (adj)
occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
rarefy (v)
to make or become thin, less dense; to refine
recondite (adj)
hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure
refulgent (adj)
radiant; shiny; brilliant
renege (v)
to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
sedulous (adj)
diligent; persistent; hard-working
shard (n)
a piece of broken pottery or glass
soporific (adj)
causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep
sparse (adj)
thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals
spendthrift (n)
one who spends money wastefully
subtle (adj)
not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern
tacit (adj)
implied; not explicitly stated
terse (adj)
brief and concise in wording
tout (v)
to publicly praise or promote
trenchant (adj)
sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
unfeigned (adj)
genuine; not false or hypocritical
untenable (adj)
indefensible, not viable; uninhabitable
vacillate (v)
to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another; waver
variegated (adj)
multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different color
vexation (n)
annoyance; irritation
vigilant (adj)
alertly watchful
vituperate (v)
to use harsh, condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; berate
volatile (adj)
readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive
alloy (v)
to commingle; to debase by mixing with something inferior; unalloyed means pure
commingle (v)
to mix; blend
appropriate (v)
to take for one's own use; confiscate
arrest, arresting (v/adj)
to suspend; to engage; holding one's attention: as in arrested adolescence, an arresting portrait
august (adj)
majestic, venerable
bent (n)
leaning, inclination, proclivity, tendency
broach (v)
bring up, announce, begin to talk about
brook (v)
to tolerate, endure, countenance
cardinal (adj)
major, as in cardinal sin
chauvinist (n)
a blindly devoted patriot
color (v)
to change as if by dyeing, i.e. to distort, gloss or affect
consequential (adj)
pompous, self-important
damp (v)
to diminish the intensity or check the vibration of a sound
die (n)
a tool used for shaping, as in a tool-and-die shop
essay (v)
to test or try, attempt, experiment
exact (v)
to demand, call for, require, take
fell (v)
to cause to fall by striking
fell (adj)
inhumanly cruel
flag (v)
to sage or droop, to become spiritless, to decline
flip (adj)
sarcastic, impertinent, as in flippant
ford (v)
to wade across the shallow part of a river or stream
grouse (v)
to complain or grumble
guy (n/v)
a rope, cord, or cable attached to something as a brace or guide; to steady or reinforce using a guy. Think guide
intimate (v)
to imply, suggest or insinuate
list (v)
to tilt or lean to one side
lumber (v)
to move heavily and clumsily
meet (adj)
fitting, proper
milk (v)
to exploit, to squeeze every last ounce of
mince (v)
pronounce or speak affectedly, euphemize, speak too carefully
euphemism (n)
a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarassing
nice (adj)
exacting, fastidious, extremely precise
obtain (adj)
to be established, accepted, or customary
occult (adj)
hidden, concealed, beyond comprehension
pedestrian (adj)
commonplace, trite, unremarkable, quotidian
pied (adj)
multicolored, usually in blotches
pine (v)
to lose vigor (as through grief); to yearn
plastic (adj)
moldable, pliable, not rigid
pluck (n)
courage, spunk, fortitude
prize (v)
to pry, to press or force with a lever, something taken by force, spoils
rail (v)
to complain about bitterly
rent (v/n)
torn, past of rend; an opening or tear caused by such
quail (v)
to lose courage, turn frightened
qualify (v)
to limit
sap (v)
to enervate or weaken the vitality of
scurvy (adj)
contemptible, despicable
singular (adj)
exceptional, unusual, odd
stand (n)
a group of trees
steep (v)
to saturate or completely soak, as in to let a tea bag steep
esoteric (adj)
intended for or likely to be understood by a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest
strut (n)
the supporting structural cross-part of a wing
table (v)
to remove from consideration
tender (v)
to proffer or offer
proffer (v)
hold out (something) for acceptance; offer
waffle (v)
to equivocate; to change one's position
equivocate (v)
to use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself
wag (n)
wit, joker
abjure (v)
to renounce or reject solemnly; to recant; to avoid
adumbrate (v)
to foreshadow vaguely or intimate; to suggest or outline sketchily; to obscure or overshadow
anathema (n)
a solemn or ecclesiastical (religious) curse; accursed or thoroughly loathed person or thing
anodyne (adj/n)
soothing, something that assuages or allays pain or comforts
apogee (n)
farthest or highest point; culmination; zenith
apostate (n)
one who abandons long-held religious or political convictions
apotheosis (n)
deification, glorification to godliness, as an exalted example, a model of excellence or perfection
asperity (n)
severity, rigor; roughness, harshness; acrimony, irritability
acrimony (n)
bitterness or ill feeling
asseverate (v)
to aver, allege, assert
aver (v)
state or assert to be the case
assiduous (adj)
diligent, hard-working, sedulous
augury (n)
omen, portent
bellicose (adj)
belligerent, pugnacious, warlike
pugnacious (adj)
eager or quick to argue, quarrel or fight
calumniate (v)
to slander, make a false accusation; calumny means slander, aspersion
aspersion (n)
an attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something
captious (adj)
disposed to point out trivial faults, calculated to confuse or entrap in argument
cavil (v)
to find fault without good reason
celerity (n)
speed, alacrity; think accelerate
chimera (n)
an illusion; originally, an imaginary fire-breathing she-monster
contumacious (adj)
insubordinate, rebellious; contumely means insult , scorn, aspersion
debacle (n)
rout, fiasco, complete failure
rout (n/v)
a disorderly retreat of defeated troops; defeat and cause to retreat in disorder
denouement (n)
an outcome or solution; the unraveling of a plot
descry (v)
to discriminate or discern
desuetude (n)
disuse
desultory (adj)
random; aimless; marked by a lack of plan or purpose
diaphanous (adj)
transparent; gauzy
diffident (adj)
reserved, shy, unassuming; lacking in self-confidence
dirge (n)
a song of grief or lamentation
encomium (n)
glowing and enthusiastic praise; panegyric, tribute, eulogy
panegyric (n)
a public speech or published text in praise of something or someone
eschew (v)
to shun or avoid
excoriate (v)
to censure scathingly, to unbraid
scath (v)
harm; injure
execrate (v)
denounce, feel loathing for, curse, declare to be eil
exegesis (n)
critical examination, explication
expiate (v)
to atone or made amends for
atone (v)
to make amends or reparation
extirpate (v)
to destroy, exterminate, cut out, exscind
fatuous (adj)
silly, inanely foolish
inane (adj)
silly; stupid
fractious (adj)
quarrelsome, rebellious, unruly, refractory, irritable
gainsay (v)
to deny, dispute, contradict, oppose
heterodox (adj(
unorthodox, heretical, iconoclastic
imbroglio (n)
difficult or embarrassing situation
indefatigable (adj)
not easily exhaustible; tireless; dogged
ineluctable (adj)
certain, inevitable
inimitable (adj)
one of a kind, peerless
insouciant (adj)
unconcerned, carefree, heedless
inveterate (adj)
deep rooted, ingrained, habitual
jejune (adj)
vapid, uninteresting, nugatory, childish, immature, puerile
vapid (adj)
offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging
nugatory (adj)
of no value or importance
puerile (adj)
childishly silly and trivial
lubricious (adj)
lewd, wanton, greasy, slippery
lewd (adj)
crude and offensive in a sexual way
mendicant (n)
a beggar, supplicant
supplicate (v)
ask or beg for something earnestly or humbly
meretricious (adj)
cheap, gaudy, tawdry, flashy, showy; attracting by false show
minatory (adj)
menacing, threatening (reminds you of the Minotaur, a threatening creature indeed_
nadir (n)
low point, perigee
perigee (n)
point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite in which it is nearest to the earth
nonplussed (adj)
baffled, bewildered, at a loss for what to do or think
obstreperous (adj)
noisily and stubbornly defiant, aggressively boisterous
ossified (adj)
tending to become more rigid, conventional, sterile and reactionary with age; literally, turned into bone
palliate (v)
to make something seem less serious, to gloss over, to make less severe or intense
panegyric (n)
formal praise, eulogy, encominium
parsimonious (adj)
cheap, miserly
pellucid (adj)
transparent, easy to understand, limpid
peroration (n)
the concluding part of a speech; flowerly, rhetorical speech
plangent (adj)
pounding, thundering, resounding
prolix (adj)
long-winded, verbose
propitiate (v)
to appease; to conciliate; propitious means auspicious, favorable
auspicious (adj)
conducive to success; favorable
puissance (n)
power, strength
pusillanimous (adj)
cowardly, craven
craven (adj)
contemptibly lacking in courage
contempt (n)
the feeling that a person or a thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn
remonstrate (v)
to protest, object
sagacious (adj)
having sound judgment; perceptive, wise; like a sage
salacious (adj)
lustful, lascivious, bawdy
bawdy (adj)
dealing with sexual matters in a comical way; humorously indecent
salutary (adj)
remedial, wholesome, causing improvement
sanguine (adj)
cheerful, confident, optimistic
saturnine (adj)
gloomy, dark, sullen, morose
sententious (adj)
aphoristic or moralistic; epigrammatic; tending to moralize excessively
aphorism (n)
a pithy observation that contains a general truth
epigrammatic (adj)
of the nature or in the style of an epigram; concise, clever, amusing
pithy (adj)
concise and forcefully expressive
stentorian (adj)
extremely loud and powerful
stygian (adj)
gloomy, dark
sycophant (n)
toady, servile; self-seeking flatterer; parasite
tendentious (adj)
biased; showing marked tendencies
timorous (adj)
timid, fearful, diffident
tyro (n)
novice, greenhorn, rank amateur
greenhorn (n)
a person who is new or inexperienced in a particular activity
vitiate (v)
to corrupt, debase, spoil, make ineffective
voluble (adj)
fluent, verbal, having easy use of spoken language