1. INDELIBLE : (of ink or a pen) making marks that cannot be removed.

Eg; To avail
these discounts at select commercial establishments, whose names will be announced
soon, all that voters need to show is the indelible ink mark on their fingers.
2. ALLEGED : said, without proof, to have taken place or to have a specified illegal or
undesirable quality.
3. REFERENDUM : a general vote by the electorate on a single political question which
has been referred to them for a direct decision.
4. DAUNT: make (someone) feel intimidated or apprehensive. Eg; "some people
are daunted by technology"
5. SANCTION : a) a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule.eg; "a range of
sanctions aimed at deterring insider abuse" b) official permission or approval for
an action

6. BALK: hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking. Eg. "he balked

at such a drastic solution" synonyms: eschew, resist, refuse to

7. ENVISAGE : contemplate or conceive of as a

possibility or a desirable future event.
"the Rome Treaty envisaged free movement across frontiers"

8. ALBEIT: though. "he was making progress, albeit rather slowly"

9. REPUGNANCE: intense disgust. "our repugnance at the bleeding carcasses"
10. COLLEGIUM : a group of officials with equal rank and power.
11. TALISMAN : an object, typically an inscribed ring or stone, that is thought to have
magic powers and to bring good luck.
12. cross the Rubicon ( idiom): to make a decision that cannot be changed later. E.g: ‘When I
quit editing and decided to be a writer, I had crossed the Rubicon to an uncertain future.’
13. NAMBY-PAMBY : Lacking vigor or decisiveness; spineless. E.g: ‘Many have voted for
him because he was seen as a strong leader after namby-pamby rule and
consequent drift in UPA-II’.
14. VIGILANTE : a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law
enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the
legal agencies are thought to be inadequate. E.g: ‘Kalabalge trader Ajid Musa
said that after residents organized the vigilante group, “it is impossible” for
militants to successfully stage attacks there’.
15. COHORT: a group of people with a shared characteristic. E.g: ‘"a cohort of civil
servants patiently drafting legislation’.
16. IDIOSYNCRASY : a mode of behaviour or way of thought peculiar to an individual.
In medicine; an abnormal physical reaction by an individual to a food or drug.
e.g: ‘Shaukeen’s greatest assets, it goes without saying, are its three leading men played
by Ashok Kumar, Utpal Dutt and A K Hangal. The troika’s individual idiosyncrasies
coupled with a transparent chemistry works like a dream.’
 17. MANDARIN: 1. A member of any of the nine ranks of high public officials in the Chinese
Empire.

2. A high government official or bureaucrat.

3. A member of an elite group, especially a person having influence or high status in intellectual or
cultural circles.
4. Mandarin The official national standard spoken language of China, which is based on the principal
dialect spoken in and around Beijing
Eg: CPM mandarins in Alimuddin Street are not sure how far Bhattacharjee would
engage himself in policy-making in the days to come.

17. LABYRINTH: a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is

difficult to find one's way; a maze. E.g: ‘For the past few years, Bengal seems to be
caught in the labyrinth of archaic laws and infrastructure’.
18. ADJUDICATE: make a formal judgement on a disputed matter. E.g.: “The Supreme
Court on Wednesday decided to adjudicate the legality of active and passive
euthanasia and the emerging concept of `living will' after shying away for
decades from examining this highly emotive and legally complicated issue.”
19. Dismay: concern and distress caused by something unexpected; verb- cause
(someone) to feel concern and distress:: "to his dismay, she left him" ; "they were
dismayed by the U-turn in policy" (verb).
20. Clemency: mercy; lenience.
21. Samaritan: a member of a voluntary organization (the Samaritans) which offers counselling to
people in despair, esp bytelephone
22. Myriad: a countless or extremely great number of people or things. Eg: "he gazed at the
myriad lights of the city", "myriads of insects danced around the light above my head"

23. Geriatrics or geriatric medicine is a specialty that focuses on health care of

elderly people. It aims to promote health by preventing and treating diseases
and disabilities in older adults.
24. A corpse, also called a cadaver in medical literary and legal usage or when intended for
dissection, is a dead human body
25. Sham : a thing that is not what it is purported to be; bogus; false. "our current free
health service is a sham" ; "a clergyman who arranged a sham marriage".
26. Paltry : very small or meagre. "she would earn a paltry £33 more a month"
27. Tepid : (especially of a liquid) only slightly warm; lukewarm ; showing little enthusiasm.
she soaked a flannel in the tepid water". "the applause was tepid"
28. Buffoonery: behaviour that is ridiculous but amusing. "the film is full of wordplay and
buffoonery"
29. Nuance: a subtle difference in colour, meaning, tone, etc; One day a misunderstood
writer encounters someone who appreciates every nuance of what he
writes.
30. Contentious: causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial. Eg: "the socio-
economic plan had been the subject of contentious debate"
31. Etymology: the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have
changed throughout history. E.g.: "the decline of etymology as a linguistic discipline"
32. Ethos:
The disposition, character, or fundamental values peculiar to a specific person, people, culture, o
r movement. Eg: "They cultivated a subversive alternative ethos"
33. Bigotry: extreme intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own. Eg:
34. Sacrosanct: (especially of a principle, place, or routine) regarded as too important or
valuable to be interfered with. Eg: "the individual's right to work has been upheld as
sacrosanct"
35. Narcissism: excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one's physical
appearance; extreme selfishness, with a grandiose view of one's own talents and a
craving for admiration, as characterizing a personality type; self-centred ness arising
from failure to distinguish the self from external objects, either in very young babies or
as a feature of mental disorder.
36. Annals: a record of events year by year. EG: "the annals of the police courts"
37. Heresy: is the act of holding an 'opinion contrary to orthodox or accepted doctrine'
38. Blasphemy: is to 'abuse' or 'speak irreverently of something held to be sacred'
39. Crony capitalism: is a term describing an economy in which success in business depends
on close relationships between business people and government officials. It may be
exhibited by favoritism in the distribution of legal permits, government grants, special tax
breaks, or other forms of state interventionism
40. Cronyism: Cronyism is partiality to long-standing friends, especially by appointing them to
positions of authority, regardless of their qualifications. Hence, cronyism is contrary in
practice and principle to meritocracy. Cronyism exists when the appointer and the
beneficiary are in social contact. Often, the appointer is inadequate to hold his or her own
job or position of authority, and for this reason the appointer appoints individuals who will
not try to weaken him or her, or express views contrary to those of the appointer. Politically,
"cronyism" is derogatorily used.
41. Hagiography: a book about someone's life that makes it seem better than it really is or
was : a biography that praises someone too much ; biography of saints or venerated
persons
42. Visage: a person's facial expression. E.g.: Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
was a president like no other. The floppy silvery mop curling on his forehead,
the twinkling eyes and the ever smiling visage seemed to radiate boundless
infectious energy and positivity.
43. Upheaval: a violent or sudden change or disruption to something.
44. Malevolent: having or showing a wish to do evil to others. E.G.In the 1970s and
early '80s, Indira Gandhi and her inner circle would often raise the bogey of a
mysterious, malevolent and invisible `foreign hand', which was apparently hell-
bent on plunging India into turmoil and trouble
45. Mofussil: (India) Originally, the regions of India outside the three East India Company
capitals of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras; hence, parts of a country outside an urban
centre; the regions, rural areas.
46. Tapestry: a piece of thick textile fabric with pictures or designs formed by weaving
coloured weft threads or by embroidering on canvas, used as a wall hanging or soft
 furnishing. ; used in reference to an intricate or complex sequence of events. eg:
Partition and the 1971 war shredded this multicultural and profitable tapestry.
47. Plutocracy : government by the wealthy. Eg: "the attack on the Bank of England was a
gesture against the very symbol of plutocracy"
48. Hegemony: the social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a
dominant group. Eg: <European intellectuals have long debated the
consequences of the hegemony of American popular culture around the world
49. Somber : dark or dull in colour or tone ; having or conveying a feeling of deep
seriousness and sadness. Eg:"he looked at her with a sombre expression"
50. Sobriquet: a name given to someone or something that is not their or its real or
official name. Eg:
51. Swashbuckle : engage in daring and romantic adventures with bravado or
flamboyance. Eg: The players displayed a swashbuckling confidence . , a band of
swashbuckling young crusaders
52. Circumvent : Find a way around (an obstacle). E.g: "if you come to an obstruction in a
road you can seek to circumvent it"
53. Rendition : a performance or interpretation, especially of a dramatic role or
piece of music. E.G: "a wonderful rendition of ‘Nessun Dorma’"
54. Impeach : to make a formal statement saying that a public official is guilty of a
serious offence in connection with their job, especially in the US: E.G: The
governor was impeached for wrongful use of state money
55. Inadvertent : not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning. E.G: "an
inadvertent administrative error occurred that resulted in an overpayment"
56. Incumbent: the holder of an office or post. E.g: "the present incumbent will soon be
retiring"
57. Burgeon: begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish. E.g: "manufacturers are keen to
cash in on the burgeoning demand"
58. Expatriate: a person who lives outside their native country. (Noun) . eg: "American
expatriates in London".
send (a person or money) abroad ( Verb). E.g: "we expatriated the prisoners of war
immediately after the end of the war"
59. Surreal: Very strange or unusual, having the quality of a dream. E.G : Driving through
the total darkness was a slightly surreal experience.
60. Grotesque : comically or repulsively ugly or distorted. E.G: a figure wearing a grotesque
mask"
61. Maverick: an unorthodox or independent-minded person. E.G: Maverick Republican
presidential nominee Donald Trump attempted to steady his floundering White House
bid on Monday with sweeping economic proposals even as moderate GOP lawmakers,
foreign policy stalwarts, and long time party loyalists publicly renounced him and polls
showed him falling behind Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
62. Peccadillo: a relatively minor fault or sin. E.G: Many US politicians have been felled
on account of their peccadilloes.
63. Transgression: an act that goes against a law, rule, or code of conduct; an offence. Eg:
"I'll be keeping an eye out for further transgressions"
64. Rogue: An unprincipled, deceitful, and unreliable person; a scoundrel or rascal. E.g:
There is no ready answer to why we failed for 26 years to get the international
community to label Pakistan a rogue state.
65. Annul: declare invalid (an official agreement, decision, or result). E.G: "the elections
were annulled by the general amid renewed protests"
66. Attrition: the process of reducing something's strength or effectiveness through
sustained attack or pressure.
67. Retrenchment: Forced lay-off of employees by a firm, usually to cut down its payroll.
a cutting down or off, as by the reduction of expenses.
68. Pluralism: a condition or system in which two or more states, groups, principles,
sources of authority, etc., coexist. Eg: I have been consistently saying that
uniform civil code is not good for the diversity and pluralism of this great nation
of ours and diversity and pluralism are the ethos of this country.
69. Leviathan: a thing that is very large or powerful, especially an organization or
vehicle. Eg: BCCI's sordid reign over the moneymaking leviathan that is Indian
cricket ended long ago whatever remained of the “moral lessons “inherent in
Indian cricket.
70. Sordid: involving immoral or dishonourable actions and motives; arousing moral
distaste and contempt.
71. Amicus Curiae: Literally, friend of the court. An amicus curiae (literally, friend of
the court; plural, amici curiae) is someone who is not a party to a case and is not
solicited by a party, but who assists a court by offering information that bears on the
case. E.g: Amicus curiae Gopal Subramaniam is right that the constant to and fro
between BCCI and state association is a “charade“ in which “Mr Jekyll is indeed Mr
Hyde“.
72. Hinterland: the remote areas of a country away from the coast or the banks of
major rivers. E.G: "the hinterland of southern Italy"
73. Bedlam: a scene of uproar and confusion. E.G: "there was bedlam in the
courtroom"
74. Moot: subject to debate, dispute, or uncertainty. E.G: "whether the temperature
rise was mainly due to the greenhouse effect was a moot point"
75. Unequivocal: leaving no doubt; unambiguous. E.G: The prime minister, he said,
had the party's unequivocal support.
76. Incarcerate: to put in prison. imprison or confine. E.G: "many are incarcerated
for property offences"
77. Sagacious: having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgement;
wise or shrewd. E.g: "they were sagacious enough to avoid any outright
confrontation"
78. Gauntlet : the part of a glove covering the wrist; A challenge: throw down the
gauntlet; take up the gauntlet. E.g: BJP threw down the gauntlet before
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday , saying his allegations
against Prime Minister Narendra Modi are a “damp squib“ and that he is acting
out of frustration.
79. Vanguard: a group of people leading the way in new developments or idea; The
foremost part of an advancing army or naval force. E.G: Speaking from a small
area still under rebel control, father of five Abu Ibrahim, said he knew of two
families executed by the advancing militias that have formed the vanguard of
the assault on Syria's second city.
80. inter alia: among other things. E.g: "the study includes, inter alia, computers,
aircraft, and pharmaceuticals".
81. Milieu: a person's social environment. E.G: It is a study of the social and
cultural milieu in which Michelangelo lived and worked
82. Perjury: the offence of wilfully telling an untruth or making a misrepresentation
under oath. E.g: "he claimed two witnesses at his trial had committed perjury"
83. Aspersion: an attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something.
E.g: "I don't think anyone is casting aspersions on you"
84. Vexatious: causing or tending to cause annoyance, frustration, or worry. E.g:
The potential roles that Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared
Kushner, may play in the administration are particularly vexatious. Both have
business operations that could benefit from their government roles.
85. Anecdote: an account regarded as unreliable or hearsay. E.g: “All the stories
about job los ses or businesses suffering losses are anecdotal,“ he added.“This
data is real. This is the money which has come in,“ he said, pointing to the
healthy tax data.
86. Remand: a committal to custody. E.G: A special CBI court in Bhubaneswar has
remanded Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay in CBI custody for
three days till January 12.
87. Gullible: easily deceived or cheated. E.G: "an attempt to persuade a gullible
public to spend their money"
88. Cliché: Stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a
popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and
impact by long overuse as ‘strong as an ox’. E.G: Time has been the best healer
for the pain of loss, just as the old cliché says, but letting go is still difficult.
89. due diligence: Due diligence is an investigation of a business or person prior to
signing a contract, or an act with a certain standard of care. It can be a legal
obligation, but the term will more commonly apply to voluntary investigations.
E.g: People have to exercise due diligence and watch what's being bought on
their credit cards.
90. Dogmatic: To be dogmatic is to follow a set of rules no matter what. The rules
might be religious, philosophical, or made-up, but dogmatic people would never
waver in their beliefs so don’t even think of trying to change their minds. E.G:
91. Filibuster: an action such as prolonged speaking which obstructs progress in a
legislative assembly in a way that does not technically contravene the required
procedures. a person engaging in unauthorized warfare against a foreign state.
E.g: Using the filibuster to delay or block legislative action has a long history.
92. Misogyny: dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women. It is
the hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women or girls.
E.g: Paris was not built on backwardness or barbarism or misogyny; In my opinion, our
professor allows his misogyny to give women lower grades than men despite the work quality.
92. Flummox : perplex (someone) greatly; bewilder. E.g: "I was completely flummoxed by
the whole thing".
93. Purport: appear to be or do something, especially falsely (verb) /as appears or is
stated to be true, though not necessarily so; allegedly; E.g: she is not the person she
purports to be, The photos purportedly show Nina with a lover.
94. Plebiscite: the direct vote of all the members of an electorate on an important public
question such as a change in the constitution.
95. Boisterous: noisy, energetic, and cheerful. E.g: a group of boisterous lads.
96. Appropriate: suitable or proper in the circumstances (adj), take (something) for one's
own use, typically without the owner's permission (verb); E.g: the accused had
appropriated the property.
 97. Heirloom: a valuable object that has belonged to a family for several generations. E.g:
the violin was a family heirloom.
98. Fortnight: a period of two weeks.
99. Atmospherics: effects intended to create a particular atmosphere or mood. E.g: It has
become clear by now that Modi believes hugely in atmospherics.
100. Contemptuous: showing contempt; scornful. E.g: she was intolerant and
contemptuous of the majority of the human race.
101. Suzerain: a sovereign or state having some control over another state that is
internally autonomous / a dominant state controlling the foreign relations of a vassal
state but allowing it sovereign authority in its internal affairs. E.g: There were many who
did not believe in the politics of agitation popularised by Mahatma Gandhi from 1920
onwards which placed the Congress party in the lead position, but who had been looking
at other ways of gaining independence from British suzerainty.
102. Panache: flamboyant confidence of style or manner. E.g: he entertained London
society with great panache.
103. Preposterous: contrary to reason or common sense; utterly absurd or ridiculous.
E.g: Dismissing the conclusion as preposterous, Tharoor said he would contest the
chargesheet and went on to slam the cops’ probe.
104. Antiquity: the ancient past E.g: Observed throughout Japan, the annual Obon festival
marks the return of deceased ancestors to Earth. Beliefs about the bonds between the living and
dead are rooted in antiquity, but most scholars agree the celebration is based on the Buddhist
sutra Urabon-kyō.
105. Ubiquity: the fact of appearing everywhere or of being very common. E.g: the ubiquity
of mobile phones means you don't really need a watch.
106. Ubiquitous: present, appearing, or found everywhere. E.g: his ubiquitous influence was
felt by all the family.
.