abjure : to renounce, avoid/shun accede : to yield to, assume an office/dignity alacrity : cheerful readiness, brisk/ action antipathy : strong dislike, hostile feeling antithesis : direct opposite, sharp contrast assiduous : persistent, attentive, diligent bellicose : warlike in manner/temperament, quarrelsome beset : to attack from all sides, to surround/hem in; harassed, troubled, studded (as with jewels) buffet : to slap/cuff, strike repeatedly, to drive/force with blows, force one's way with difficulty; a slap/blow cogent : forceful, convincing, relevant, to the point commissary : one delegated by a superior, a place where supplies are distributed, lunchroom complacent : self-satisfied, overly content compunction : remorse, regret concur : to express agreement, approve conflagration : large destructive fire contentious : quarrelsome, inclined to argue convocation : a meeting, esp. of members of college/clergy dissidence : disagreement in opinion/belief, dissent dissonant : not in harmony, disagreeing, at odds duress : compulsion by threat, forcible confinement edict : an order issued by someone in authority endemic : native or confined to a particular region/people, characteristic of/prevalent in a field equivocal : open to two or more interpretations, ambiguous, uncertain or doubtful in nature expunge : to erase, obliterate, destroy exponent : one who advances, speaks for, explains, or interprets; explanatory extirpate : to tear up by the roots, destroy totally factitious : produced by humans rather than by natural forces, formed by/adapted to an artificial or conventional standard, produced by special effort, sham fallow : plowed but not seeded, inactive, reddish-yellow; land left unseeded fortitude : courage in facing difficulties fracas : noisy quarrel or brawl garrulous : given to much talking, tediously chatty gibe : to utter taunting words; an expression of scorn heteronym : homographs pronounced differently homograph : word that has same spelling as another word but different meaning imbibe : to drink, take in/absorb indelible : not able to be erased or removed, memorable indemnity : payment for damage or loss ingenuous : innocent, simple, frank, sincere insuperable : incapable of being overcome inter : to bury, consign to oblivion inveterate : firmly established, long-standing, habitual invoke : to petition for support, to appeal to or cite as authority, to call forth by incantation, to make an earnest request for, to put into effect or operation, to cause limpid : clear, transparent, readily understood loquacious : talkative, wordy, fond of talking magnanimous : generous in forgiving, above small meannesses manumit : to free from slavery/bondage martinet : strict disciplinarian, stickler for rules militate : to have effect or force on or against someone/something multifarious : having great variety, numerous and diverse obviate : to anticipate and prevent, to remove/dispose of officious : meddling, excessively forward in offering services or assuming authority parsimonious : stingy, miserly, meager, poor, small patent : exclusive rights over an invention, copyright; to arrange or obtain such rights; plain, open to view, copyrighted pejorative : having negative connotations phlegmatic : slow-moving, sluggish, unemotional platitude : commonplace/stale/trite remark pretext : false reason, deceptive excuse profess : to affirm openly, to state belief in, to claim/pretend quiescent : inactive, at rest raucous : disagreeably harsh-sounding, disorderly recalcitrant : stubbornly disobedient, resisting authority redress : to set right, remedy; relief from wrong or injury remiss : neglectful in performance of one's duty, careless remission : let-up, abatement repose : to rest, lie, place; relaxation, peace of mind, calmness rescind : to repeal/cancel skulk : to move about stealthily, to lie in hiding sojourn : temporary stay; to stay for a time somnolent : sleepy, drowsy, inducing sleep sonorous : full, deep, or rich in sound, impessive in style sophomoric : immature but overconfident, conceited stentorian : extremely loud stolid : not easily moved, dull/unresponsive stultify : to make ineffective/useless, cripple, to have a dulling effect on subsidiary : furnishing aid or support, of secondary importance, a thing or person that assists or supplements supercilious : proud and contemptuous, showing scorn due to feeling of superiority supersede : to displace in favor of another, replace, force out of use tactile : or or relating to sense of touch, perceptible to touch tangent : an abrupt change in course, touching at only one point tangential : barely touching, only superficially relevant, digressive temerity : rashness, boldness trenchant : incisive, keen, forceful, effective, cutting, caustic, distinct, clear-cut truculent : fierce and cruel, aggressive, deadly, destructive, scathingly harsh urbane : refined in manner or style, suave vanguard : the foremost part of an army, leading position in any field venal : open to or marked by bribery or corruption venial : easily excused, pardonable virulent : extremely poisonous, full of malice, spiteful voluble : characterized by ready flow of words, glib, fluent abate : to make less in amount/degree, to subside/become less, to nullify, to deduct/omit absolve : to clear from blame/responsibility/guilt abstemious : moderate, sparing, characterized by abstinence and self-discipline acculturation : modification of social patterns/traits/structures of one group or society by contact with those of another, the resultant blend acrimonious : stinging, bitter in temper/tone adamant : firm in purpose or opinion, unyielding; an extremely hard surface adventitious : resulting from chance, accidental, not essential, (medicine) acquired/not congenital aggrandize : to increase in greatness/power/wealth, to build up/intensify, to make appear greater akimbo : with hands on hips and elbows turned outwards amnesty : general pardon for offense against a government, any act of forgiveness aplomb : poise, assurance, great self-confidence, perpendicularity ascribe : to assign or refer (as cause or source), attribute aspersion : damaging or derogatory statement, the act of slandering or defaming assay : to analyze ore for its components, to judge the worth of/estimate assuage : to make easier/milder, to quiet/calm, to put end to, appease, satisfy, quench aver : to affirm, declare confidently axiomatic : self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle or rule blatant : noisy in a coarse/offensive way, obvious or conspicuous (unfavorably) brouhaha : confused hodgepodge of sounds, hubbub, uproar/commotion that goes far beyond what is justified bulwark : strong defense/protection, solid wall-like structure for defense; to provide such defense/protection bumptious : offensively self-assertive, excessively and arrogantly self-confident bunkum : empty/meaningless talk, claptrap cadge : to beg, obtain by begging, to sponge off castigate : to punish severely, criticize severely choleric : easily made angry, bad-tempered clangor : a loud ringing sound; to make a loud ringing sound cloy : to spoil/destroy an appetite by too much indulgence, to glut/satiate collate : to compare critically to note differences/similarities/etc, to arrange in order consternation : dismay, confusion contiguous : side by side, touching, near, adjacent in time contingent : likely but not certain to happen, possible, dependent on uncertain events/conditions, happening by chance; a representative group forming part of larger body corpulent : fat, having large/bulky body corroborate : to confirm, make more certain deduce : to reach conslusion by reasoning, to infer from general principle/rule deleterious : harmful, injurious demagogue : leader who exploits popular prejudices and false claims/promises in order to gain power desist : to cease doing something, forbear dilatory : not on time, not prompt, tending to delay disabuse : to free from deception/error, set right in ideas/thinking disavow : to deny responsibility for or connection with disconsolate : deeply unhappy/dejected, without hope, beyond consolation discursive : passing aimlessly from one place/subject to another, rambling, roving, nomadic dispassionate : impartial, calm, free from emotion disquisition : long and formal speech or writing about a subject, discourse dither : to shiver/temple, to act in highly nervous/excited but indecisive way, vacillate donnybrook : a brawl, free-for-all ductile : capable of being drawn out into thin wire, easily led/influenced dun : to demand insistently (esp. payment of debt); a creditor; dark, dull, drab, dingy, blackish egregious : conspicuous, standing out from the mass (unfavorably) egress : an exit elan : enthusiastic vigor and liveliness, spirit, a flair elicit : to draw forth, bring out from some source enjoin : to direct/order, to prescribe a course of action in authoritative way, to prohibit equipoise : state of equilibrium, a counterbalance expatiate : to expand on, write/talk at length or in detail, to move about freely expiate : to make amends, atone, make up for, to ward off/avert expostulate : to attempt to dissuade someone by earnest reasoning expurgate : to remove objectionable passages/words from a text, to cleanse/purify extenuate : to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of offense by making partial excuses extrapolate : to infer unknown value from known one, to project/expand known data/experience into unknown area, to predict by projecting past experience on the future, to draw out, amplify extrude : to force/press/press out, to shape by forcing through die/mold flout : to mock, treat with contempt foist : to impose by fraud, to pass off as worthy or genuine, to bring in by stealth/dishonesty/coercion foment : to promote trouble/rebellion, to aply warm liquids to, warm forbearance : tolerance and self-control, patience, act of refraining, abstinence fractious : tending to be troublesome, unruly/quarrelsome/contrary, unpredictable grandiose : grand in impressive/stately way, marked by pompous affectation/grandeur, absurdly exaggerated heuristic : involving or serving as an aid to learning/discovery/problem-solving by experimental and trial-and-error methods hortatory : giving exhortation, advisory immemorial : extending or existing since beyond the reach of memory/record/tradition impassive : showing no feeling/emotion, inanimate, motionless implicit : implied or understood though unexpressed, without doubts/reservations, unquestioning, potentially contained in impugn : to call into question, attack as false incisive : sharp, keen, penetrating (with suggestion of decisiveness/effectiveness) inculcate : to impress on the mind by repetition, teach persistently and earnestly infer : to find out by reasoning, to arrive at conclusion on basis of thought, to hint/suggest/imply inimical : unfriendly, hostile, harmful, unfavorable iniquitous : characterized by gross injustice/wickedness, vicious inquest : legal inquiry before a jury insular : relating to/characteristic of/situated on an island, narrow or isolated in outlook/experience insurgent : one who rebels/rises against authority; rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority, surging or rushing in/on intrinsic : belonging to someone/something by its very nature, essential, inherent, originating in a bodily part, good for its own sake invective : strong denunciation/condemnation, abusive language; abusive, vituperative inveigh : to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval jejune : lacking nutritive value, lacking in interest/substance, immature, juvenile legerdemain : ("light of hand") trickery, deception, sleight of hand magniloquent : expressed in lofty/high-flown language (pompous/over-elaborate) mawkish : excessively/objectionably sentimental, having mildly sickening flavor megalomania : delusion marked by feelng of power/wealth/talent far in excess of reality meritorious : worthy, deserving recognition/praise mitigate : to make milder/softer, to moderate in force/intensity modicum : small or moderate amount munificent : extremely generous, lavish nomenclature : system or set of technical terms used in particular science/art/trade, the process of naming noncommittal : not decisive or definite, unwilling to take a clear position or say yes/no nonplussed : puzzled, not knowing what to do, at a loss obdurate : stubborn, unyielding odium : hatred, contempt, disgrace or infamy resulting from hateful conduct oligarchy : government by few, gov't in which small group exercises control for corrupt/selfish purposes onus : something that is heavy/burdensome (esp. unwelcome responsibility), stigma, blame orotund : sonorous, pompous ostensible : apparent, appearing to be true/actual, capable of being shown/exhibited parlay : to transform/enlage into something much more valuable, exploit successfully peculate : to steal something that has been given into one's trust, to take improperly for one's own use penury : extreme poverty, barrenness, insufficiency perfidy : faithlessness, treachery pernicious : extremely harmful, deadly, fatal perquisite : extra payment, bonus, anything received for work besides regular compensation petulant : peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated/upset prate : to talk a great deal in a foolish or aimless fashion precept : rule of conduct or action preeminent : superior, outstanding, prominent prerogative : special right/privilege, special quality showing excellence presentiment : vague sense of approaching misfortune profligate : given over to dissipation and self-indulgence, immoral, recklessly extravagant; person given to self-indulgent and wild spending prognosticate : to predict based on present indications/signs, to foretoken prosaic : dull, ordinary, lacking in distinction/originality, characteristic of prose, not poetic providential : happening as though through divine intervention, characterized by good fortune punctilious : very careful and exact, attentive to fine points of etiquette/propriety quail : to shrink back in fear, lose heart in difficult/dangerous situation raffish : marked by/suggestive of flashy vulgarity or crudeness, marked by careless unconventionality recondite : exceeding ordinary knowledge and understanding, profound, abstruse redoubtable : inspiring awe/fear, illustrious, eminent relegate : to place in a lower position, to assign/refer/turn over, to banish remit : to send or hand in (money), to cancel (penalty/punishment)/forgive/pardon, to lessen/diminish, to put off/postpone/defer remonstrate : to argue/plead with someone against something, protest against, object to reprobate : a depraved/vicious/unprincipled person, scoundrel; wicked, corrupt, unprincipled; to disapprove of, condemn reprove : to find fault with, scold, rebuke repudiate : to disown, reject, or deny validity of requisite : needed, necessary, regarded as essential/indispensable restitution : act of restoring someone/something to rightful owner or to former state/position, making good for loss or damage retrench : to cut down, reduce in scope and cost retrograde : having direction contrary to that of general motion of similar bodies, moving/occurring/performing opposite to the usual direction, contrary to normal order salient : leaping/jumping/springing forth, prominent, standing out, conspicuous; a projection/bulge, a land form that projects upward or outward salutary : beneficial, helpful, healthy, wholesome sangfroid : composure or coolness sartorial : pertaining to a tailor or his work, having to do with (men's) clothes or dress scurrilous : coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (esp. language), foul-mouthed seditious : resistant to lawful authority, having purpose of overthrowing existing government sedulous : persistent, showing industry and determination sententious : self-righteous, characterized by moralizing, given to use of maxims/adages, saying much in few words, pithy sinecure : position requiring little/no work, an easy job soporific : tending to cause sleep, relating to sleep/lethargy; something that induces sleep spartan : person of great courage and self-discipline; marked by self-discipline and self-denial, marked by simplistic/frugal avoidance of luxury/comfort specious : deceptive, apparently good/valid but lacking real merit spate : large number/amount, a sudden/strong outburst, a rush stanch : to check/stop the flow of something or something in its course (blood from wound), to make watertight, to stop up supposition : something that is assumed or taken for granted without conclusive evidence surfeit : excess or overindulgence, causing disgust; to feed or supply with anything to excess sybaritic : devoted to pleasure and luxury tenuous : thin/slender, not desnse, lacking in clarity or sharpness, of slight importance or significance, lacking a sound basis, poorly supported torpid : inactive, sluggish, dull traduce : to slander, to speak evil of, to betray turgid : swollen, bloated, filled to excess, overdecorated or excessive in language umbrage : foliage giving shade, shade cast by trees, an overshadowing influence/power, offense, resentment, vague suspicion unctuous : fatty/oily/pliable, excessively smooth or smug, trying too hard to give impression of earnestness/sincerity/piety unequivocal : leaving no doubt, clear, unambiguous, unquestionable untoward : difficult to guide/manage/work with, unruly, marked by trouble/unhappiness, unlucky, not favorable, improper, indecorous vapid : dull, uninteresting, tiresome, lacking in sharpness/flavor/liveliness/force vitriolic : bitter, sarcastic, highly caustic or biting vouchsafe : to give or furnish condescendingly, to grant alma mater : ("nourishing mother") school from which a person graduated alter ego : ("another I") a second self, double casus belli : ("cause of war") act/development justifying declaration of war caveat : warning et al : and others et cetera : and so forth ex officio : by virtue of holding a certain office exempli gratia : for example id est : that is modus operandi : ("means of doing") method of working/operating, esp. for criminal non sequitur : a response that does not follow logically from anything previously said persona non grata : ("person not welcome") an unacceptable/unwelcome person; unwelcome prima facie : ("at first sight") based upon a first impression, apparent, self-evident pro tempore : ("for the time") temporary, for a short time status quo : ("state in which") the existing state of affairs/conditions novice, neophyte, tyro pretentious, ostentatious predilecton, penchant, proclivity, propensity conjecture, surmise ephemeral, evanescent, transient provincial, insular sepulchral, macabre impassive, dispassionate amenable, agreeable, tractable