Vocabulary words thus far:
adumbrate - to outline; foreshadow
apotheosis - the elevation or exaltation of a person to the rank of God.
ascetic - simple life, denies material satisfaction.
bauble - a showy, cheap ornament, jester's scepter.
beguile - to influence by trickery, flattery
burgeon - to begin to grow or blossom
complement - something that completes, makes up a whole or brings to perfection.
contumacious - disobedient or rebellious
curmudgeon - an ill-tempered person full of resentment and stubborn notions.
didactic - intended to instruct
disingenuous - not straightforward or candid; insincere
exculpate - to clear of guilt or blame
faux pas - a social blunder or indiscretion
fulminate - to explode or detonate
fustian - pretentious speech or writing; pompous, bombastic
hauteur - arrogance, pride
inhibit - to hold back, restrain
jeremiad - a literary work or speech expressing a bitter lament or a righteous prophecy of doom.
opportunist - one who takes advantage of any opportunity to achieve an end with no regard for consequences.
unconscionable - not restrained by conscience; excessive.
accolade - any award, honor or laudatory notice
acerbity - harshness or severity, as of temper or expression.
attrition - a reduction or decrease in numbers, size or strength
bromide - a platitude or trite saying
chauvinist - a person who is aggressively and blindly patriotic.
chronic - constant, habitual
expound - to set forth or state in detail
factionalism - self-interested: partisan
immaculate - free from spot or stain; spotlessly clean; free from blemish
imprecation - a curse; malediction
ineluctable - incapable of being evaded, inescapable
mercurial - changeable, volatile, fickle, flighty, erratic
palliate - to relieve or lessen without curing
protocol - the customs and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality
resplendent - shining brilliantly; gleaming
stigmatize - to mark with a stigma or brand
sub rosa - confidentially, secretly
vainglory - empty pomp or show
vestige - a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence.
volition - the power of willing; will
apostate: a person who forsakes his religion, cause, party, etc.
effusive: unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve.
impasse: a position or situation from which there is no escape.
euphoria: a state of intense happiness and self-confidence.
lugubrious: mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner.
bravado: a pretentious, swaggering display of courage.
consensus: majority of opinion
dichotomy: division into two parts
constrict: to slow or stop the natural course or to contract or shrink
gothic: noting or pertaining to a style of
architecture, originating in France in the middle of the 12th century and existing in the western half of Europe through the middle of the 16th century, characterized by the use of the pointed arch and the ribbed vault, by the use of fine woodwork and stonework, by a progressive lightening of structure, and by the use of such features as flying buttresses, ornamental gables, crockets, and foils.
punctilio: a fine point, particular, or detail, as of conduct, ceremony, or procedure.
metamorphosis: a complete change of form, structure, or substance, as transformation
raconteur: to tell
sine qua non: an indispensable condition, element, or factor; something essential
quixotic: extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable.
vendetta: any prolonged and bitter feud, rivalry, contention
non sequitur: an inference or a conclusion that does not follow from the premises.
mystique: a framework of doctrines, ideas, beliefs, or the like, constructed around a person or object,
endowing the person or object with enhanced value or profound meaning
quagmire: anything soft or flabby
parlous: perilous; dangerous
acumen (noun)- keen insight.
adjudicate (verb)- to settle or determine.
anachronism (noun)- something or someone that is not in its correct historical time.
apocryphal (adj)- of doubtful authorship or authenticity.
disparity (noun)- inequalityThere will always be disparity of wealth within this society.
dissimulate (verb)- to disguise or conceal under a false appearance.
empirical (adj)- derived from or guided by experience or experiment.
flamboyant (adj)- strikingly bold or brilliant; showy
fulsome (adj)- offensive to good taste, especially as being excessive;overdone or gross
immolate (verb)- to sacrifice
imperceptible (adj)- very slight, gradual, or subtle.
lackey (noun)- a servile follower
liaison (noun)- a person who initiates and maintains such a contact or connection.
monolithic (adj)- consisting of one piece; solid or unbroken
mot juste (noun)- the exact, appropriate word
nihilism (noun)- total rejection of established laws and institutions.
patrician (noun)- a person of noble or high rank; aristocrat.
propitiate (verb)- to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate.
sic (verb)-to incite to attack
sublimate(adj)-to make nobler or purer
beatitude- Supreme blessedness
bete noire- a detested person (disliked or avoided)
bode- Be an omen of a particular outcome
dank- Disagreeably damp, musty, and typically cold
ecumenical- Promoting or relating to unity among the world's Christian churches
fervid- Intensely enthusiastic or passionate
fetid- Smelling extremely unpleasant
gargantuan- of great mass
heyday- The period of a person's or thing's greatest success or popularity
incubus- A cause of distress or anxiety like a nightmare
infrastructure- The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation
inveigle- Persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery
kudos- Praise and honor received for an achievement
lagniappe- Something given as a bonus or extra gift
prolix- Using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy
protege- a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career
prototype- A first or preliminary model of something, esp. a machine, from which other forms are developed or copied
sycophant- A person who acts obsequiously toward someone in order to gain advantage; a servile flatterer
tautology- The saying of the same thing twice in different words
truckle- Submit or behave obsequiously
bete noire- a detested person (disliked or avoided)
bode- Be an omen of a particular outcome
dank- Disagreeably damp, musty, and typically cold
ecumenical- Promoting or relating to unity among the world's Christian churches
fervid- Intensely enthusiastic or passionate
fetid- Smelling extremely unpleasant
gargantuan- of great mass
heyday- The period of a person's or thing's greatest success or popularity
incubus- A cause of distress or anxiety like a nightmare
infrastructure- The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation
inveigle- Persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery
kudos- Praise and honor received for an achievement
lagniappe- Something given as a bonus or extra gift
prolix- Using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy
protege- a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career
prototype- A first or preliminary model of something, esp. a machine, from which other forms are developed or copied
sycophant- A person who acts obsequiously toward someone in order to gain advantage; a servile flatterer
tautology- The saying of the same thing twice in different words
truckle- Submit or behave obsequiously
aberration - (noun) an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image; a disorder in one's mental state; a state or condition markedly different from the norm
Ad hoc- (adverb) for the special purpose or end presently under consideration
bane - (noun) something causes misery or death
bathos - (noun) triteness or triviality of style; a change from a serious subject to a disappointing one; insincere pathos
cantankerous - (adj.) having a difficult and contrary disposition; stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate
casuistry - (noun) moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas; argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading
de facto - (noun) in fact; in reality
depredation - (noun) an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding; (usually plural) a destructive action
empathy - (noun) understanding and entering into another's feelings
harbinger - (noun) an indication of the approach of something or someone; verb foreshadow or presage
hedonism - (noun) an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good; the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle
lackluster - (adj.) lacking luster or shine; lacking brilliance or vitality
malcontent - (adj.) discontented as toward authority; noun a person who is discontented or disgusted
mellifluous - (adj.) pleasing to the ear
nepotism - (noun) favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)
pander - (noun) someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce); verb arrange for sexual partners for others; yield (to); give satisfaction to
peccadillo - (noun) a petty misdeed
piece de resistance - (noun) the most noteworthy or prized feature, aspect, event, article, etc., of a series or group; special item or attraction.
remand - (noun) the act of sending an accused person back into custody to await trial (or the continuation of the trial); verb refer (a matter or legal case) to another committee or authority or court for decision; lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
syndrome - (noun) a complex of concurrent things; a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease
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