Smart Words to use Accolade - sound of praise, public recognition, knighting, curved molding Acrimony - bitterness Angst - existentialist

dread, anxiety Anomaly - irregularity, peculiarity, angle in planet's orbit antidote n. substance that counteracts poison avant-garde n. artists with new ideas and methods baroque n. flamboyant style of architecture and art, highly ornamented 17C music bona fide a. authentic, sincere and honest boondoggle n. wasteful pursuit, politically motivated government project bourgeois a. conventional, capitalist, affluent middle-class people bravado n. boldness or courage, audacity, daring, bluster, boasting brogue n. regional accent brusque a. abrupt, blunt, or curt in manner or speech byzantine a. of Byzantium, of eastern Roman Empire, of Byzantine art of architecture cacophony n. unpleasant noise, use of jarring sounds camaraderie n. friendship, amity, companionship, solidarity, company, comradeship capricious a. given to sudden change carte blanche n. freedom to act, free rein, complete freedom/discretion, full authority catch-22 n. absurd situation or its cause caustic a. sarcastic, corrosive n. substance that corrodes, curve formed by reflections

charisma n. personal magnetism, divine gift, charm, personality, appeal, allure

cloying v. weary with excess dj vu n. feeling of reliving something, boredom dichotomy n. separation of different or contradictory things, branching of plants dilettante n. dabbler in art or knowledge, art lover

disheveled a. with messed-up hair or clothes, untidy

lan n. vigor and enthusiasm, flamboyance, flair, style, confidence, elegance

ennui n. boredom from lack of interest, languor, tedium, world-weariness

epitome n. typical example, summary of a written work

equanimity n. calm temperament equivocate v. be deliberately unclear, to speak vaguely or ambiguously in order to mislead esoteric a. restricted to initiates, abstruse, secret euphemism n. less offensive synonym, use of inoffensive words fait accompli n. something already cone fastidious a. demanding, delicate faux pas n. social blunder -> an embarrassing mistake that breaks a social convention fiasco n. humiliating failure, straw-covered wine bottle finagle v. get something by trickery, to trick, cheat, or manipulate somebody Freudian slip n. psychologically significant slip of tongue glib a. slick, superficial, casual and relaxed gregarious a. friendly, living communally, growing together harbinger n. somebody or something that foreshadows or anticipates a future event hedonist n. seeking of pleasure, philosophy of pleasure heresy n. unorthodox religious opinion, holding of unorthodox religious belief/opinion idiosyncratic n. quirk, unusual response to something idyllic a. serenely beautiful and happy indelicate a. tactless or offensive, physically unrefined infinitesimal a. tiny, close to zero insidious a. gradual and harmful, slowly and subtly harmful or destructive junket n. expense-paid trip, entertainment, set milk dessert kitsch n. artistic vulgarity(sentimentality, tastelessness, or ostentation in any of the art litany n. long repetitious list, prayers during worship

lurid a. horrifying or shocking, unattractively bright, glowing unnaturally, pallid Machiavellian a. cunning and unscrupulous, relating to Machi.. malaise n. feeling of illness, general feeling of discontent malinger v. feign illness (pretend to be ill in order to avoid work), shirt, truant, play hooky mantra n. holy word in meditation, often repeated expression or idea maudlin a. sentimental, overly or tearfully sentimental esp. because of affected by alcohol mercenary n. fighting for money, somebody interested only in profit, motivated on by money minimalist n. advocate of smaller role for government, practitioner of artistic minimalism misnomer n. unsuitable name, calling something by wrong name narcissist n. self-admiration, personality disorder nirvana n. spiritual enlightenment, completely enjoyable experience non sequitur n. incongruous(unrelated to next) statement, unwarranted conclusion nouveau riche n. somebody with newly acquired wealth who likes to display it oblivion n. state of being forgotten, overlooking of past offenses ogle v. stare at somebody desirously for sexual enjoyment or showing sex interest ostentatious a. rich and showy, marked by vulgar display of wealth and success to impress ostracize v. exclude from society or a group in/formal, banish by a popular vote panacea n. supposed cure-all for all diseases or problems paradox n. something absurd or contradictory, self-contradictory statement

peevish a. irritable, bad-tempered, or tending to complain perfunctory a. done routinely/hastily/superficially without thought, attention or genuine feeling philistine n. somebody from ancient Philistia, indifferent to intellectual matters precocious a. mentally advanced for age, blossoming or ripening early propriety n. quality of being socially appropriate, socially correct or appropriate behavior quid pro quo n. something done in exchange, returning a favor quintessential n. embodiment, extract, fifth element (after earth, air, fire, water) red herring n. misleading clue, smoked herring, preliminary business prospectus revel v. take pleasure, enjoy party for good time in company of others rhetoric n. persuasive speech or writing, pretentious words, empty talk, skill w/ language scintillating a. possessing/displaying a dazzling impressive liveliness, cleverness, or wit spartan n. marked by stern discipline, austerity, frugality, simplicity, or courage stigma n. sign of social unacceptability, spot on butterflies stoic n. impassive who is unemotional, showing patience & endurance during adversity suave a. charming, pleasingly dressed, well groomed, polite Svengali n. evil manipulator controls and manipulates somebody else for evil purposes sycophant n. a servile or obsequious person flatters somebody powerful for personal gain teetotaler a. resolved to abstain from alcoholic beverages, total (complete and absolute) tte--tte n. intimate conversation for two, type of sofa tirade n. long angry speech of criticism or denunciation, outburst, rant, harangue

tryst n. arrangement to meet, secret meeting between lovers ubiquitous a. existing everywhere at once, or seeming to be unrequited a. not reciprocated, or not returned in the same way/degree, unavenged untenable a. not defendable (lacking sound reasoning to make defense possible) vicarious a. experienced thru another by imagining, delegated, endured for somebody else vile a. disgusting, abhorrence, wicked, very unpleasant, worthless waft v. float gently, something carried through air, waving motion, light breeze white elephant n. something costly to maintain, possession of questionable value zealous a. full of zeal (actively and unreservedly enthusiastic)