Word Study

schadenfreude

noun: joy from watching the suffering of others The world expressed sympathy as well as a bit of schadenfreude, at the news Trump tested positive for coronavirus.

rarefied

of high moral or intellectual value

ambulatory

of or for walking; capable of walking

hedonist

one who believes that sensual pleasure is the sole aim in life; pleasure seeker

prevaricator

one who evades the truth; a liar

dissembler

one who hides himself or puts on a false appearance; a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives ex: Cure #10: Active Verbs Passive verbs are the province of dissemblers. Sometimes the dissemblers are genuine believers in what they say, even if they marshal non-factual evidence for their arguments. Now those who wear the habit of holiness, without attaining the merit of perfection, are dissemblers, since the outward habit signifies works of perfection.

maverick (noun)

one who is independent and resists adherence to a group;

libertine

one who leads an immoral life syn: hedonist; glutton; epicurean If you drink a lot, eat a lot, and live a wild and unrestrained life, you might be called a libertine.

equivocal

open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous; uncertain or ambiguous; open to question If you ask your teacher what's on an upcoming test and she gives you an ________ answer, you won't be able to narrow down your studying. when something is too close to call. An editorial in your local newspaper might make a strong case for new taxes on soda, while another editorial is more ________. ex: "an equivocal response to an embarrassing question" "popularity is an equivocal crown" "aliens of equivocal loyalty" "Trump offered several equivocal answers"

pompous

person who is arrogant or conceited, who would walk into a party with an inflated ego, ready to tell anyone who will listen that "I'm kind of a big deal."

Syphilitic

pertaining to syphilis which involves lumps and open sores

forlorn

pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely

dissimulate

pretend; conceal by feigning; dissemble

Palacial

resembling a palace in being spacious and splendid

putrid

rotten and foul smelling

Waterlog

saturate with water

intone

say or recite with little rise and fall of the pitch of the voice; to utter in musical or prolonged tones : recite in singing tones or in a monotone

furtive ***

secret, stealthy, sneaky

upend

set or turn (something) on its end or upside down

Extra mundane

situated in or relating to a region beyond the material world

glutton

someone who consumes too much food or drink, who

interdiction

something authoritatively forbiddenl

leaden (color)

something is the color of lead — a dull gray — that's also leaden, like the leaden, stormy sky"the sky was leaden"

defunct

something that used to exist, but is now gone; no longer in force or use; inactive; inoperative A magazine that no longer publishes, like Sassy, the girl-power mag from the '90s ex: "a defunct law" "a defunct organization" "transforming the dark shell of a defunct bodega into a minimalist white dining room." "accusing the defunct for-profit chain of steering students into predatory loans." "a defunct railroad" "She wrote for the now-defunct newspaper."

attenuated (adj)

something weakened, thinned, decreased; reduced in strength; long and slender from or as if from having been stretched syn: faded, decreased, reduced, ex: "Even an attenuated solution will remove the stain." "In America, where midnight approached, an attenuated version of the drama unfolded for viewers watching on bright screens in dark rooms." "Their faces, bathed in the attenuated December light from the tall windows, appeared quiet and even faintly reverent." "And the risk to your health, though attenuated, is real." "It wasn't that there was less effect, or an attenuated effect. There was no effect at all." "impossibly graceful with their attenuated figures, long necks, and slender arms." What can become attenuated? Radio waves, friendship,

niggle

spend too much time on minor points (esp. when finding fault); find fault to argue over petty things, like battling over who gets the front seat or bickering about who's turn it is to take out the garbage. to squabble over something silly or even to persistently nag or worry someone to death. syn: fret, fuss, bicker, quibble ex: Yes, there it was: the niggling, tickling feeling of belonging. Olive put in a word: "I dislike all those niggling formalities." She tries to ignore "the niggling sense of something wrong."

bristled

stiff and prickly

bristle

stiffen with fear or anger, to have one's hair stand up

roiling

stirred up, agitated

cordon off

stop people from entering an area by puting a rope around it Police had cordoned off the area.

uncanny

strange, mysterious, weird, beyond explanation; so remarkable as to seem unnatural; extraordinary Strange/mysterious in an unsettling way "his uncanny sense of direction" "An uncanny resemblance to his late wife" "Uncanny similarities" "Uncanny conditions"

obstinate

stubborn; unyielding; Beyond stubborn; of a person, an action

putative

supposed; reputed

disgorge

surrender something (stolen); eject; vomit; OP. gorge

mutter

talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice

malignancy

tending to produce death or deterioration; tending to infiltrate, metastasize, and terminate fatally a malignant tumor evil in nature, influence, or effect passionately and relentlessly malevolent But oncologists say that for most cases of breast cancer, unlike more aggressive malignancies, there is no harm in waiting for surgery, because the regimen can be changed. The sunny logic of consumerism can veer, without warning, into malignancy — white supremacy, for instance, or apocalyptic Christianity.

irenic

tending to promote peace or reconciliation; peaceful or conciliatory. "an irenic attitude toward former antagonists"

gravamen

the essential part of an accusation

bray

the loud, harsh cry of a donkey or mule. Laugh loud or harshly To utter or play loud or harshly a loud unpleasant way of talking or laughing " Trump brayed about his wall, his followers, his invincibility, his endurance, his incredibility—yet..."

measured

the quality of being calm and restrained; unhurried and deliberate; having a slow, deliberate pace

Dreg

the waste material at the bottom of a vessel after the liquid has been taken off; or the most worthless part of anything

refute

to actually prove incorrect; means to disprove something straight up. If you __________ something, you successfully win the argument: ex: "The hearing was unfortunately based on hearsay evidence that we were not able to refute by cross-examining anyone. (Eagle Tribune)" "Daly refuted the report Monday, saying that only one general manager had expressed concern. (New York Times)"

prevaricate

to avoid giving a direct answer to a question in order to hide the truthSYNONYM beat about the bush

brood

to be deep in thought; to think over moodily and at length

Buckle (v)

to bend under compression; To distort or collapse under physical pressure; especially, of a slender structure in compression. To give in; to react suddenly or adversely to stress or pressure (of a person).

beleaguer

to besiege; beset, surround, harass, circle with army

vaunt

to boast; to brag about

Wittle

to carve or shape

arrogate

to claim without justification; to claim for oneself without right arrogate something (to yourself) to claim or take something that you have no right to I do not arrogate to myself the right to decide. To arrogate is to take over. When the teacher steps out of the classroom and some bossy student marches up to the chalkboard and begins scolding the other kids? The student is trying to arrogate the teacher's authority. When someone takes control of something, often without permission, such as when a military general assumes the power of a country's government after getting rid of the previous leader, they arrogate power or control to themselves. Occasionally the verb arrogate means something like "assert one's right to," or take something that is deserved, but more often it implies a taking by force.

cast aspersions

to criticize harshly or unfairly; to say harsh critical things about someone or someone's character; questioning someone's abilities or doubting them. ex: "He tried to discuss his political opponents respectfully, without casting aspersions." Finding out that a field-hockey coach had never played the sport might cast aspersions on her ability to coach it. "Trump supporters continue to live in fear of attacks and aspersions for simply wearing one of the Trump campaign's signature red hats in public." "Casting aspersion on all police officers based on the actions of a few is not only unfair, it is also damaging to us."

excoriate

to criticize severely

harangue (v)

to deliver a forceful or angry speech; ranting speech or writing

exact

to demand and obtain by force or authority

abnegate

to deny oneself things; to reject; to renounce

enjoin

to direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit Forbid, Prohibit ex: If the government tells loggers to stop cutting down trees, they are enjoining the loggers to stop. If your doctor enjoins you to stop smoking, he is suggesting strongly that you quit. "Even her efforts to enjoin the audience in singing the chorus to her hit Woodstock seemed to fall flat." "The Empress was fascinated by his genius, and enjoined him to visit Russia without delay." "was enjoined by conscience from telling a lie" "enjoined us to be careful"

festoon (v)

to drape or adorn festively

aspirate

to draw back or to draw within; also, to swallow or inhale

desiccate

to dry out thoroughly

gorge

to eat or swallow greedily

gird

to encircle as with a belt; to prepare as for action

reproach

to find fault with, blame

ingratiate

to gain another's favor by flattery or false friendliness "The president expressed his disgust at the intern's attempts to ingratiate him. syn: butter up, kiss ass

sashay

to glide, move, or proceed easily or nonchalantly

gnash

to grind or strike one's teeth together

waylay

to interrupt or attack unexpectedly, ambush

elide

to leave out To elide something is to omit it or get rid of it. If your parents are especially strict, you might tell them about the A you got on your English essay and elide the fact that you failed your math quiz.

stultify

to make ineffective or useless, cripple; to have a dulling effect on

blunt

to make less sharp, definite, or forceful

Muss

to make somebody's clothes or hair untidy "the wind mussed up my hair" " He forced open the door, and there he was in a mussed suit"

occlude

to obstruct or block

outfox

to outwit; to overcome by cunning or cleverness

deploy

to position or arrange; to utilize; to form up

dissemble

to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character ex: He had dissembled about the risks involved he dissembled happiness at the news that his old girlfriend was getting married—to someone else

maraud

to roam in search of plunder

cull

to select, weed out

croon

to sing or hum in a soft, soothing voice

snivel

to speak or act in a whining, sniffling, tearful, or weakly emotional manner; MOSTLY: self-pitying whining

exclaim

to speak suddenly and with strong feeling

stipulate

to specify as an essential condition; eX: "The treaty stipulated a cease-fire." "Tenants must also stipulate that eviction would be likely to leave them homeless or force them to live with others at close quarters."

splayed

to spread out, expand, or extend

splayed out

to spread out, expand, or extend

jut

to stick out; to project

hew to; hew closely to

to stick to; to follow and obey. ex: Everyone must hew to the rules/standards. He is a politician who has always hewed closely to the party line.

stanch

to stop or check the flow ofi

stupefy

to stun, baffle, or amaze

intimate

to suggest something subtly

intimate

to suggest something subtly; : to communicate delicately and indirectly syn: SUGGEST, IMPLY, HINT, INTIMATE, INSINUATE mean to convey an idea indirectly.

supplant

to take the place of

wend (v)

to travel; to go on one's way ex: "We wended through the narrow streets." "uncertainty over hundreds of bills that were still wending through the Capitol when lawmakers adjourned in late March" "the Nile wending through 10 African countries before arriving in Egypt." "wend your way through the crowds" "Migration routes wend through a vast wilderness desert region in southern Arizona that puts migrants at great risk of dehydration, heatstroke and starvation." When you wend, you may take curvy, windy roads, a more scenic route, some detours and side alleys, just for fun

Cock

to turn, tip, or tilt upward or to one side

Pad

to walk with or as if with padded feet

dawdle

to waste time, to spend time idly, to move in a lackadaisical manner

vitiate

to weaken, debase, or corrupt; to impair the quality or value of

Snake (v)

to wind (one's way, one's body in crawling, etc.) in the manner of a snake 2 : to move (something, such as logs) by dragging The road snakes through the mountains. Cables snaked across the floor. Technicians snaked cables through the set. He snaked his way through the crowd.

grimace

ugly expression with your face to show pain, dislike, etc. Wrinkled nose, squeezing eyes shut, twisting mouth

implacable

unable to be calmed down or made peaceful

putrescent

undergoing the process of decay; rotting

tacit

understood or implied without being stated; unspoken information that is understood without needing to acknowledge it implied though not directly expressed; inherent in the nature of something implied eX: Lawyers talk about "tacit agreements," where parties give their silent consent and raise no objections. But isn't his letter tacit recognition that current leaders are failing? the blush was a tacit answer tacit admission of guilt This phrase is a tacit acceptance of male violence and the right of men to be violent.

rattled

unnerved, frightened, or confused

maverick (adj)

unorthodox, unconventional, irregular

mendacity

untruthfulness; a tendency to lie. Anyone in the habit of lying frequently has the characteristic of_________. People often accuse government officials of __________, or being less than honest. You're bound to get frustrated by the ________ of your friend who's a pathological liar. But Trump's mendacities — more numerous and more brazen than those of any president before him — are different. "Of course, I didn't really think she was my aunt," he said, with the easy mendacity of childhood. you need to overcome this deplorable mendacity, or no one will ever believe anything you say

Hedging

use of strategic ambiguity and humor to provide a way for both parties to save face when a message fails to achieve its goal

benumb

v. To render inactive; deaden or stupefy

curry favor

v. n. seek to gain favor by flattery

sundry

various or diverse

fastidious

very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail

ardent

very enthusiastic, impassioned

Leaden (weight)

very heavy; like lead Something leaden moves in a heavy, slow way. After a sleepless night, your leadenfeet will walk more sluggishly than usual to the bus stop."leaden steps"

Meagre

very small or not enough

hearty

warm and friendly; healthy, lively, and strong; large and satisfying to the appetite

mucking about

wasting time; puttering around

oppulent

wealthy, luxurious; ample; grandiose

bedraggled

wet and filthy, as though having been dragged through mud

capacious

​having a lot of space to put things in spacious, roomy capacious pockets, syn: roomy,

riven

​riven often as a phrase( riven by/with something) (of a group of people) divided because of disagreements, especially in a violent way ex: a party riven by internal disputes or divided into two or more pieces ex: The wood was riven with deep cracks.

Behemoth

​something that is very big and powerful, especially a company or organization 1: often capitalized, religion : a mighty animal described in Job 40:15-24 as an example of the power of God 2 : something of monstrous size, power, or appearance a behemoth truck a multinational corporate behemoth She works in a seventy-storey behemoth in Manhattan.

Stetson

" he touched the brim of his Stetson" a hat with a high crown and a wide brim, traditionally worn by cowboys and ranchers in the US.

Tap

"the tape are too small and dowdy for the wide sink"

ruddy

(adj.) - having a healthy, reddish color

caustic

(adj.) able to burn or eat away by chemical action; biting, sarcastic marked by incisive sarcasm Chemical: syn: Corrosive Figurative: syn: scathing, sarcastic, acerbic "We remembered his caustic jokes about assassination"

lurid

(adj.) causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint

chary

(adj.) extremely cautious, hesitant, or slow (to); reserved, diffident

auspicious

(adj.) favorable; fortunate His first novel was an auspicious debut SYNONYMS: promising, encouraging, propitious ANTONYMS: ill-omened, sinister

mendacious

(adj.) given to lying or deception; untrue a person is one who tells lies habitually and intentionally. syn: dishonest, untrue, untruthful, deceitful this man who had built his success on the mendacious myth of love. that tabloid routinely publishes the most moronically mendacious stories about celebrities

prurient

(adj.) having lustful desires or interests; tending to arouse sexual desires; having or showing too much interest in sex.

florid

(adj.) highly colored, reddish; excessively ornate, showy

inscrutable

(adj.) incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically

esoteric

(adj.) intended for or understood by only a select few, private, secret

jaunty

(adj.) lively, easy, and carefree in manner; smart or trim in appearance; having a cheerful, lively, and self-confident, stylish air showing that you are feeling confident and pleased with yourself a jaunty smile a hat set at a jaunty angle being lively a jaunty tune A jaunty hat is one that's stylish and cheerful at the same time, a quality that can be accentuated if the person wears it in a jaunty fashion, perhaps off to the side or over one eye.

stalwart (adj)

(adj.) marked by outstanding strength and vigor of body, mind, or spirit Syn: STRONG, STOUT, STURDY, STALWART, TOUGH, TENACIOUS mean showing power to resist or to endure. "Justice Ginsburg, for decades a liberal stalwart of the court," "a stalwart body" "Stalwart men"

dowdy

(adj.) poorly dressed, shabby; lacking smartness and good taste

enigmatic

(adj.) puzzling, perplexing, inexplicable, not easily understood

nimble

(adj.) quick and skillful in movement, agile; clever

curt

(adj.) short, rudely brief Synonyms: rude, brusque, terse, summary Antonyms: civil, courteous, lengthy, detailed to describe a way of speaking that's brief and blunt. (of a person's manner or behavior) appearing rude because very few words are used, or because something is done in a very quick way SYNONYM abrupt, brusque a curt reply A curt note of rejection arrived from the company director. His tone was curt and unfriendly. She dismissed him with a curt nod of the head. She ignored the curt order.

gaunt ( of a person)

(adj.) thin and bony, starved looking; bare, barren "a nightmare population of gaunt men and skeletal boys"

inauspicious

(adj.) unfavorable, unlucky, suggesting bad luck for the future

malady

(n.) a sickness, illness, disease, disorder syn: ailment, affliction ant: health, well-being He suffered from several maladies after his hospitalization that included mini-strokes, the amputation of one of his legs, lung infections and more. . Some bad habits cause maladies, such as never having any money — the malady of people who spend freely, not thinking of the future.

interstice

(n.) a small, narrow space between things or parts of things

pittance

(n.) a woefully meager allowance, wage, or portion

volte-face

(n.) an about-face; a complete reversal

detritus

(n.) loose bits and pieces of material resulting from disintegration or wearing away; fragments that result from any destruction,

glib

(of speakers and speech) using words that are clever, but are not sincere, and do not show much thought or intellectual depth "He had assumed that his glib explanations would convince us." "a glib response to a complex question" "You can't just glibly dismiss centuries of tradition." Syn: superficial, slick, simplistic, hollow, off-hand

bespeak

(v.) 1. be a signal for or a symptom of; 2. express the need or desire for; ask for (syn.) betoken, indicate, point

jettison

(v.) to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome

cajole

(v.) to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice; to deceive with soothing thoughts or false promises to persuade with flattery or gentle urging especially in the face of reluctance : to obtain from someone by gentle persuasion to deceive with soothing words or false promises cajoled himself with thoughts of escape popping up in Georgia to cajole a pair of small-town poll workers

debauch (v)

(v.) to corrupt morally, seduce; to indulge in dissipation; to seduce from chastity

disclaim

(v.) to deny interest in or connection with; to give up all claim to to deny, usually in order to avoid blame ex: "He disclaimed any responsibility" "He attempted, in his own way, to be held accountable for his actions rather than finding ways to disclaim responsibility." "In virtually every settlement, the city disclaims wrongdoing." "Capitalism is usually too modest about its impact - and too quick to disclaim responsibility." "the prisoner disclaimed any part in the prank"

evince

(v.) to display clearly, to make evident, to provoke

capitulate

(v.) to end resistance, give up, surrender, throw in the towel

winnow

(v.) to get rid of something unwanted, delete; to sift through to obtain what is desirable; to remove the chaff from the wheat by blowing air on it; to blow on, fan

exasperate

(v.) to irritate, annoy, or anger SYNONYMS: vex, try one's patience to annoy to the point of impatience, frustration and irritation, like when you ________ a busy waiter by asking questions like "what are all the ingredients in the salad dressing?" and making him repeat the specials five times. comes from the Latin word exasperatus, which means "to roughen," "irritate," or "provoke." to make something that is already bad even worse, like when sitting in traffic that is sure to make you late, you _____ the person who is driving by bringing up an unpleasant topic, or the addition of twenty more students that _______ the crowding in the cafeteria.

yoke

(v.) to join, link (We yoked together the logs by tying a string around them.)

demur

(v.) to object or take exception to; (n.) an objection

rebut

(v.) to offer arguments or evidence that contradicts an assertion more than just "to deny," it's a serious attempt to prove something is false. ex: If your parents say you're too young and irresponsible to drive, you can rebut their claim by ticking off examples of your responsibility. "Baldwin has used his Twitter account to rebut criticism. (Washington Post)" "A Jesuit priest has taken to YouTube and his blog to rebut arguments raised by British physicist Stephen Hawking. (Catholic News Service)"

contrive

(v.) to plan with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan

rummage

(v.) to search through, investigate the contents of; (n.) an active search; a collection of odd items

Diffuse

(v.) to spread or scatter freely or widely; (adj.) wordy, long-winded, or unfocused; scattered or widely spread

saunter

(v.) to stroll; walk in an easy, leisurely way; (n.) a stroll

exhort

(v.) to urge strongly, advise earnestly

feverish

1. showing strong feelings of excitement or worry, often with a lot of activity or quick movements 2. suffering from a fever; caused by a fever

platitude

: the quality or state of being dull or insipid 2 : a banal, trite, or stale remark

ossify

: to become hardened or conventional and opposed to change; to make rigidly conventional and opposed to change "ossified ideologies" "so easy for the mind to ossify and generous ideals to end in stale platitudes Meanwhile, the connection between our government and our largest companies has ossified

Aphorism

A brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life. a succinct, clever saying/proverb something compact and astute eX: The aphorism weighs heavily on those trained to study the behaviors and achievements of past cultures. An aphorism: "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." Twitter's self-care and relationship aphorisms

festoon (n)

A decorative chain of flowers, leaves, or ribbons hung in a curve

Exaction

A demand of something from someone, especially a payment or service.

brogan

A leather shoe, similar to an ankle-high boot, issued to soldiers during the Civil War. Brogans were also popular amongst civilians during the time period.

obscurantism

A policy of withholding information from the public; the practice of deliberately preventing the facts or full details of something from becoming known

Bevel

A shape effect that uses shading and shadows to make the edges of a shape appear to be curved or angled.

pedantic

An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.

Nisus

An effort or endeavor to realize an aim.

invective

An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.

Hedge

Avoid commitment by leaving provisions for withdrawal or changing one's mind; protect a bet by also betting on the other side

bookish

Excessively concerned with details, rules, and intellectualism; used with negative connotation, like being a know-it-all

steel yourself for

Get oneself ready for something difficult or unpleasant syn: brace, poise oneself for

germane to

Having to do with the issue at hand; relevant

Bell-chime laughter

High pitched, drawn out, mouth closed.

Per se

Intrinsically; by itself; in itself

Salve

Save from damage or harm

plume

TO CONGRATULATE ONESELF IN A SELF-SATISFIED WAY

dissolute

The adjective dissolute means unrestrained. If you're a dissolute person, you indulge in gambling, drugs, and drinking and don't care if others disapprove.; loose in ones moral or behavior; devoted to sensual pleasure "the dissolute and degrading aspects of human nature" "And of course, they said things about immigrants—they bring it on themselves, they get it because of their dissolute lifestyle, their poor morality."

placket

The piece of cloth that reinforces a split or opening in a garment; that usually also serves as the closure.

Striate (v)

To Mark with stripes or grooves

adduce

To bring forth as evidence; to use as an example ex: "adduce evidence in support of a theory" "in support of a 12-month school year, the committee adduced data from other school districts" "Divine providence is often adduced when a few faithful people survive a disaster, but all the religious folks who died and atheists who lived are expediently ignored" "No one was ever charged, no motive adduced, and Wong's wife, Leena, who discovered the body and might have known more, is now dead of cancer."

dispel

To clear away; to remove or get rid of, as if by scattering. to get rid of something that's bothering or threatening you, regardless of whether that's warts, worries, or wild dogs. ex: "dispel doubts" "The link is meant to dispel misinformation about mail-in voting leading to fraud" "On Sunday, Cameron dispelled rumors that a decision in the case would be announced this week." "In the early hours of Monday morning, police deployed tear gas in Kenosha, Wisconsin in order to dispel a group of protesters."

confound

To confuse and frustrateo

dogmatic

To follow a set of rules no matter what without questioning; following a doctrine that is passed down without questions; of a person, of a way of life, of a view, of a way of doing things. being certain that your beliefs are right and that others should accept them, without paying attention to evidence or other opinions

Pontificate

To give your opinion in a dogmatic and pompous manner (in a way that shows that you think you are right); to act like a know-it-all with very strong opinions and the urge to share them.

Mew

To make a high-pitched crying noise like a seagull

lurch

To move forward or to one side suddenly and unexpectedly

tarmac

a black material used for making road surfaces, that consists of small stones mixed with tar

trove

a collection of objects, especially valuable ones

spitoon

a container that people spit into

Finial

a distinctive ornament at the apex of a roof, pinnacle, canopy, or similar structure in a building.

Calumny

a false and malicious accusation; misrepresentation; slander

pretext

a false reason, deceptive excuse

ostentatious

a fancier way to say flashy, showy; a cousin of the word: pretentious, flamboyant, and gaudy; of a person, an act. Think: someone crying loudly at a funeral --> _________ display of sorrow

plume (n)

a feather; a rising column of smoke, dust, or water;

scruple

a feeling of uneasiness that keeps a person from doing something;

contingent (n)

a gathering of people who represent a larger group; a representative group Syn: delegation " each nation sent a contingent of athletes to the Olympics " a noticeable contingent of Seahawks fans"

boon

a gift or blessing; a timely benefit

Coffle

a group of animals, prisoners, or slaves chained together in a line

supposition

a guess or a hypothesis; something that is considered as a possibility suggested or an idea or plan proposed An assumption is an idea or theory that is usually made without proof. A _________, on the other hand, has the connotation that the idea or theory is testable and provable.

candelabra

a large branched candlestick or holder for several candles or lamps

passel

a large number or amount; a large but vague number of things or people, like a passel of cousins at Thanksgiving or a passel of puppies at the local animal shelter (usually more than can be counted)

barge

a large, long boat with a flat bottom

Apodictic Law

a law that is set out in the form of a command or prohibition, such as "You shall..." or "You shall not..."

harange (n)

a lengthy and aggressive speech, noisy; a verbal attack that doesn't let up, delivered as a verb or received as a noun. Syn: rant

bough (noun)

a main branch of a tree A bough is a large branch from a tree. You know: "When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall..."

gambit

a maneuver or action used to gain an advantage; like the first move in chess

haranguer

a person who delivers lengthy aggressive ranting speeches or writing

pedant

a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning

carpe diem

a rich, friable soil containing a relatively equal mixture of sand and silt and a somewhat smaller proportion of clay.

dullard

a slow or stupid person

tussock

a small area of grass that is thicker or longer than the grass growing around it

Spat

a small argument or dispute

covey

a small flock of birds; a small group of people or things

stalwart (n)

a stalwart person an unwavering partisan a loyal, reliable, and hardworking supporter or participant in an organization or team. " A liberal stalwart" "Our constitutional Stalwarts"

attenuate (v)

a verb that means to make or become weaker; a weakening in amount, intensity, or value syn: refine The effects of aging may be _______ by exercise — or by drinking from the fountain of youth. "To attenuate something isn't to stop it, just to tone it down." ex: "This tanning process tends to attenuate the deer hide, making it softer." "The rain attenuated, ending the storm." "Politics are never far from any global festival although, with its insistent emphasis on glamour, Cannes does its best to attenuate life's harsher truths."

panama hat

a wide-brimmed hat of strawlike material, originally made from the leaves of a particular tropical palm tree, worn chiefly by men.

Metonym

a word, name, or expression used as a substitute for something else with which it is closely associated

pullet

a young hen less than one year old

emaciated

abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of food. An emaciated person or animal isn't just thin. They're bony, gaunt, and most likely undernourished, often from illness. He was thirty, but looked fifty, with pale skin, hopeless eyes and an emaciated body, covered in sores.

unequivocal

absolute; certain If there is no doubt about it, it's.... An unequivocal response to a marriage proposal? "Yes. Yes! A thousand times yes!" unmistakable, unambiguous, without question. There might be ____________ evidence tying a suspect to a crime, or _________ support for a popular leader. If you explain something in ____________ terms, then your words should be clear to everyone.

Satisfice

accepting solutions that are "good enough"; to choose or adopt the first satisfactory option that one comes across.

buttery ( of an act, speech, etc)

act insincerely complimentary or fawning; unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech "She offered him buttery praise"

Wiry

adj. Thin, but tough and sinewy.

deliterious

adj. injurious to health;harmful

aphoristic

adjective: something that is concise and instructive of a general truth or principle syn: of a proverb, a maxim, ex: Sometimes I can't stand Nathan because he tries to impress everyone by being aphoristic, but he just states the obvious. Sarah Manguso's "300 Arguments," a work of aphoristic nonfiction, is a slim volume that packs a punch. Lessons are delivered in the aphoristic style popular in military and business cultures.

stricken

affected by something overwhelming

exhortation

an address or communication emphatically urging someone to do something

quiver

an archer's portable case for holding arrows

Ochre

an earthy pigment containing ferric oxide, typically with clay, varying from light yellow to brown or red.

inroad

an opening or entry for a new idea or undertaking

windfall

an unexpected, unearned, or sudden gain or advantage

appiration

an unreal figure; a ghost

ire

anger, wrath, rage often: to arouse/raise/provoke/ draw the ire of __________ to draw the ire of local residents The plans provoked the ire of the conservationists.

bombast

arrogant, pompous language

impute

attribute or credit to

rancor

bitter resentment or ill-will

brazen

bold and without shame;impudent

terse

brief and to the point; concise

Garrish

bright and showy

intelligible

capable of being understood or comprehended; speech that is loud and clear "jargon intelligible only to insiders" "the ability to make complex concepts intelligible to the average reader" "very little of the record was intelligible" "She aimed to mkae her writing intelligible to all readers, using clear and precise words

Pudent

cautious, careful

talon

claw of an animal, especially a bird of prey

macrame

coarse lace work made from weaving and knotting cords into a pattern

garboil

confusion, uproar

crude

conspicuously and tastelessly indecent;

debauched (adj)

corrupted; led away from moral excellence; seduced away from Chasity

debauchery

corruption; self-indulgence

exegesis

critical interpretation

rail against

criticize loudly and angrily; to complain about something/somebody in a very angry way SYNONYM rage She railed against the injustice of it all. "She railed against the bad social policies"

friable

crumbly, brittle, easily broken. "friable confidence" "friable soil" "friable bones" " friable cornbread" "in his hands, he had her friable expectation that he might love her back"

chicanery

deceptive trickery for political, financial, legal gain, Synonyms: shenanigans; trickery.

deign

deign to do something to reluctantly agree to do something you consider beneath you. W hen threatened with the loss of her fortune, an heiress might deign to get a job, but she might look down her nose at the people she'd have to work with. SYNONYM condescend, stoop She just grunted, not deigning to look up from the page. you don't feel it's worthy of your lofty stature, but you do it anyway — it's like you're doing someone a really big favor. Instead of admitting his wrongdoing, the politician who is accused of taking bribes might indignantly declare, "I won't deign to dignify your ridiculous accusations with a response!"

contrived

deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously

stringent

demanding strict attention to rules and procedures; TIGHT, CONSTRICTED Syn: demanding; rigid (no flexibility); rigorous (harship or difficulty); strict (conformity to rules/requirements/standards). ex: "stringent safety measures" "stringent health regulations." "demand stringent clean-room requirements" "stringent laws regarding religion" Stringent usually involves severe, tight restrictions or limitations ("the college has stringent admissions rules")

contingent (adj)

dependent on/conditioned by something else; something that depends upon something else happening first "They had a plan contingent on the weather, individual emotions..." "Payment contingent on fulfillment of certain conditions" "The expected Trump, contingent on his re-election Nov 3, to build a southern border wall" Syn: dependent on, conditional upon ALSO: uncertain; possible contingent worker/work/job (business) a person, or work done by a person, who does not have a permanent contract with a company: They had to plan for contingent expenses. the spread of contingent work throughout the economy

fulsome

descibes someone who unpleasantly, excessively, and over-generously praises, thanks, or apologizes another SO MUCH that offends and comes of as insincere. "she offered him with fulsomely praise" "His fulsome apology did nothing to assuage the insult." syn:

abtruse

difficult to understand; obscure

recondite

difficult to understand; profound

gravitas

dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner

dissension

disagreement, sharp difference of opinion

leaden

dull, heavy, or slow; lacking light or life; made heavy or weighted down with weariness; made of lead; darkenend and overcast. Syn: dull, cloudy, heavy, moves in a heavy, slow way. After a sleepless night, your ____ feet will walk more sluggishly than usual to the bus stop. Dull, heavy things can be described as _______ , like a dense, boring novel full of _______ dialog or your fatigued, leaden legs at the end of a full day's hike up a mountain. If something is the color of lead — a dull gray — that's also _____, like the _________, stormy sky. Finally, things made of lead are quite literally ______, the word's original meaning, from a Germanic root meaning "heavy metal." ex: As forests burned in the distance, the leaden sky smelled like a campfire. How wearily Lyra turned the wheels; on what leaden feet her thoughts moved. My heart was light with Hrothgar's goodness, and leaden with grief at my own bloodthirsty ways. Johnson's tale develops with leaden deliberateness, punctuated by full-page slogans printed over wedges of cheese, e.g. "leaden steps" "a leaden conversation" "his leaden arms" "the sky was leaden and thick"

Malefactions

evil deeds; crimes

scrupulous

exact, careful, attending thoroughly to details; having high moral standards, principled

hubris

excessive pride or arrogance that results in the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy; overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors an excess of confidence: a boxer who shouts "I'm the greatest!" even though he's about to get pummeled by a much stronger opponent is displaying a lot of ___________. from Greek, where it meant "excessive pride, violating the bounds set for humans" and was always punished by the gods. We no longer have the Greek gods, so in English it just refers to over-the-top self-confidence. If you call yourself the best in something, you better have the goods to back it up, since too much _______ can lead to embarrassment and humiliation. It's an age-old human failing: pride goeth before the fall. ex: And I was about to pay the ultimate price for my hubris. hubris about the country's ability to withstand a public-health crisis.

jingoism

extreme, chauvinistic patriotism, often favoring an aggressive, warlike foreign policy

ravenous

extremely hungry

dispondent

feeling hopelessness,discouragement or gloom

solidity

firmness

livid

furiously angry

offal

garbage; waste parts

garrulous

given to much talking, tediously chatty

flounce

go or move in an exaggeratedly impatient or angry manner

grooved

having a long, narrow cut in a surface

acrid

having an irritatingly strong and unpleasant taste or smell

boughed (adj)

having boughs, "Green- boughed firs stretched away in endless, disordered rows, each direction a mirror of the others." "she cleaned with grace. Her twig body, boughed with dancing arms, appeared to glide"

sloe-eyed

having dark, slanted or almond-shaped eyes

prescient

having foresight; having knowledge of events before they occur people like economists, sports commentators, and political analysts often get tagged with this word, because it's part of their job to sift through the data and make predictions — and sometimes they get it right. ex: "The darkly prescient superhero drama "Watchmen" won for limited series" "Extraordinarily prescient, the 1905 book accurately predicted what is going on in today's times."

wistful

having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing

unscrupulous

having or showing no moral principles; not honest or fair

dappled

having spots or patches of color

mottled

having spots or patches of different color

ballast

heavy substance used to add stability or weight; V. supply with ballast

ancillary

helping; providing assistance; subordinate

animus

hostile feeling or intent; animosity; hostility; disposition

unintelligible

impossible to understand; incomprehensible " a song with unintelligible lyrics" "her unintelligible muttering"

saucily

in an impudent or impertinent manner

incorrigible

incapable of being reformed or improved

litigious

inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits ​too ready to take arguments to court

impish

inclined to do slightly naughty things for fun; mischievous

lasciviousness

inclined to lust

extraneous

inessential; not constituting a vital part; irrelevant "all the extraneous information in your long-winded science report" "In the process, you will be forced to trim extraneous content and further hone your main message."

duplicitous

intentionally misleading; deceptive; two faced

exulting

joyful and proud especially because of triumph or success

arcane

known or understood by only a few

intemperance

lack of moderation or restraint

leaden (figurative)

lacking lightness or liveliness "a leaden conversation"

Casuistic Law

law that is set out on the basis of the circumstances of the case, hence "case law;" its usual format appears as "If...then..." or "When...then..."

sinewy

lean and muscular

vociferous

loud and noisy; compelling attention you can hear a _______ person from across the room at a dance party. _____ ex: "a vociferous mob" "a vociferous campaign attacking corruption in Beijing" "a small, vociferous protest movement is arising."

splutter

make a series of short explosive spitting or choking sounds

pad out

make a text longer by including extra content, often content that isn't particularly relevant

manifold

many and various

striated (adj)

marked with thin, narrow grooves or channels; striped; having stretch marks "She resembles a wood carving, shriveled and striated with deep lines."

scanty

meager; insufficient

licentious

morally unrestrained, behaves or speaks inappropriately, usually in regards to sex.

slink

move furtively; ADJ. slinky: stealthy; furtive; sneaky (as in ambush)

natty

neat; dapper; smart Natty means current in style, both of dress and manners. A natty dresser is someone who is very stylish and has a snappy attitude. He may even be wearing a natty fedora.

solecism

nonstandard grammatical usage; a violation of grammatical rules

gaunt ( of a building)

not attractive and without any decoration BARREN, DESOLATE the gaunt ruin of Pendragon Castle

unwitting

not done on purpose; unintended

unwieldy

not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity

intractable

not manageable; of a person, a pain, an issue or a conflict

reticent

not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily

impudent

not showing due respect for another person; impertinent