Panacea:

noun
1. a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.
Universal cure or remedy, Cure-all, wonder drug
Technology is not a panacea for all our problems
However, treatment is not a panacea: reinfection can occur within months or even
weeks from the time of treatment.

‘the time-honoured panacea, cod liver oil’

he proposal is not a panacea for Britain's economic problems. [+ for]

Western aid may help but will not be a panacea.

Aberration:
a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically an unwelcome one.
"they described the outbreak of violence in the area as an aberration"
a temporary change from the typical or usual way of behaving:
In a moment of aberration, she agreed to go with him.
I'm sorry I'm late - I had a mental aberration and forgot we had a meeting today.
The definition of an aberration is something that is abnormal or unexpected such as a
strange action or mental state. An example of a mental aberration is schizophrenia

Alacrity:
speed and eagerness:
She accepted the money with alacrity.
brisk and cheerful readiness.
"she accepted the invitation with alacrity"
synonyms
eagerness, willingness,
:

Arcane:
understood by few; mysterious or secret.
"arcane procedures for electing people"
synonyms
mysterious, secret, hidden, concealed, covert, clandestine, enigmatic,
:
mysterious and known only by a few people:
He was the only person who understood all the arcane details of the agreement.
This argument may seem arcane to those not closely involved in the world of finance.

Avarice:
n extremely strong wish to get or keep money or possessions:
Her business empire brought her wealth beyond the dreams of avarice (= an extremel
ylarge amount of money).
Synonyms
cupidityFORMAL
He paid a month's rent in advance, just enough to satisfy the landlord's
avarice.

Brazen: /ˈbreɪz(ə)n/

obvious, without any attempt to be hidden:

brazen cheating

LITERARY made of or covered in brass (= a bright yellow metal):

What lies beyond the brazen gates of the palace?

f you describe a person or their behaviour as brazen, you
mean that they are very bold and do not care what other
people think about them or their behaviour.
They're quite brazen about their sexuality, it doesn't worry them.
brazenly adverb [usually ADVERB with verb, oft ADVERB adjective]
He was brazenly running a $400,000-a-month drug operation from the
prison.
Phrasal verbs:

Brusque:

quick and rude in manner or speech:

His secretary was a little brusque with me.
quick and direct in manner or speech, and often not polite:
As the president’s chief of staff, he offended many with his brusque manner.
Abrupt or offhand in speech or manner.
‘she could be brusque and impatient’

Cajole:
persuade (someone) to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery.
"he hoped to cajole her into selling the house"
synonyms
persuade, wheedle, coax,
:
to persuade someone to do something they might not want to do, bypleasant talk and
(sometimes false) promises:
He really knows how to cajole people into doing what he wants.
I managed to cajole her out of leaving too early.
The most effective technique is to cajole rather than to threaten.

to try to persuade someone to do something by saying things

that please theperson or make the person feel important:
She is constantly cajoling her fellow citizens to adopt modern ideas and methods.

Candor:
the quality of being open and honest; frankness.
"a man of refreshing candour"
the quality of being honest, sincere, and kind in dealing with other people:
"We want to help but really don’t know how," she said with surprising candor.

freedom from prejudice or malice : FAIRNESS… a heavy

accusation … from a gentleman of your talents, liberality,
and candor.— Noah Webster
3aliterary : BRIGHTNESS, BRILLIANCEthe sun poured with a
more golden candor
Chide:
scold or rebuke.
"she chided him for not replying to her letters"
scold or rebuke.
"she chided him for not replying to her letters"

Circumspect:
wary and unwilling to take risks.
"the officials were very circumspect in their statements"
synonyms: cautio
us,
ts paragraphs are longer and it is altogether more quantitative, more rigorous and
more circumspect than the rest of the report.

his is a very sensitive case requiring extreme circumspection.

Clandestine:
planned or done in secret, especially describing something that is notofficially allowed:
The group held weekly clandestine meetings in a church.
He has been having a clandestine affair with his secretary for three years.
She undertook several clandestine operations for the CIA.

he virus clandestinely burrowed its way into computers across the globe.

Complacency:

a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.

"the figures are better, but there are no grounds for complacency"
synonyms
smugness, self-satisfaction, self-approval, self-approbation, self-admiration,
:
a feeling of calm satisfaction with your own abilities or situation thatprevents you
from trying harder:
What annoys me about these girls is their complacency - they seem to have
no desire to expand their horizons.
There's no room for complacency if we want to stay in this competition!

Confidant:
a person with whom one shares a secret or private matter, trusting them not to repeat it
to others.
"a close confidante of the princess"
synonyms
close friend, bosom friend, best friend, close associate,
:
Her brother is her closest confidant.
A confidant or confidante is someone to whom private matters are confided. (The
words confidant and confidante are interchangeable, but strict grammarians
reserve confidant for males and confidante for females.) Confident means being
certain or assured; e.g., I am confident it will rain.

Connive:
to plan secretly and dishonestly for something to happen that will be
to youradvantage:
Officials were accused of conniving with the company in the supply of arms to Sierra
Leone.
They connived to break the school rules at every opportunity.

to allow something bad to happen although you know about it:

She had murdered or connived at the murder of one of her lovers.
He called for an independent investigation to find out whether corrupt officials are
being bribed to connive in shoddy construction.

Cumulative:
increasing or increased in quantity, degree, or force by successive additions.
"the cumulative effect of two years of drought"
increasing by one addition after another:
The cumulative effect of using so many chemicals on the land could be disastrous.

No single development is causing the company’s financial trouble – it’s the

cumulative effectof years of weak leadership.
Simple pleasures, such as a walk on a sunny day, have a cumulative effect
on our mood.
The benefits from eating fish are cumulative.
 Debase:
reduce (something) in quality or value; degrade.
"the love episodes debase the dignity of the drama"
synonyms degrade, devalue, demean, lower the status of, reduce the status
: of, cheapen, prostitute, discredit, drag down, drag through the
mud, tarnish, blacken, blemish; More

 lower the moral character of (someone).

"war debases people"
synonyms degrade, devalue, demean, lower the status of, reduce the status
: of, cheapen, prostitute, discredit, drag down, drag through the
mud, tarnish, blacken, blemish;More

 HISTORICAL
lower the value of (coinage) by reducing the content of precious metal.
"the King was forced to debase the coinage"

Politicians have debased the meaning of the word 'freedom'. [VERB noun]
He said parliament and the process of democracy had been
debased. [VERB noun]

Deconstruction:
noun
1. a method of critical analysis of philosophical and literary language which
emphasizes the internal workings of language and conceptual systems, the relational
quality of meaning, and the assumptions implicit in forms of expression.

the act of breaking something down

into its separate parts in order tounderstand its meaning, especially when this is
different from how it waspreviously understood:
her complex deconstruction of the Asian stereotype

SPECIALIZED literature detailed examination of a text in order to show there is

nofixed meaning but that it can be understood in a different way by each reader:
 verb
In philosophy and literary criticism,
to deconstruct an idea or text means
to show the contradictions in its meaning, and to show how it
does not fully explain what it claims to explain.
[technical]
She sets up a rigorous intellectual framework to deconstruct various
categories of film.[VERB noun]
deconstruction (diːkənstrʌkʃən ) uncountable noun
...the deconstruction of the macho psyche. [+ of]
Verb:
analyse (a text or linguistic or conceptual system) by deconstruction.
"she likes to deconstruct the texts, to uncover what they are not saying"
 reduce (something) to its constituent parts in order to reinterpret it.
"I want to deconstruct this myth that poverty breeds crime"
to break something down
into its separate parts in order to understand itsmeaning, especially when this is
different from how it was previouslyunderstood:
We should deconstruct the Western myth of human rights.

SPECIALIZED literature to examine a text in detail in order to show there is

nofixed meaning but that it can be understood in a different way by each reader:
He likes to deconstruct obscure religious texts.

Decry:
verb
1. publicly denounce.
"they decried human rights abuses"
synonyms
denounce, condemn, criticize,
:
to publicly criticize something as being undesirable or harmful:
Mitchell decried the high rate of unemployment in the state.
verb
If someone decries an idea or action, they criticize it
strongly.
[formal]
He is impatient with those who decry the scheme. [VERB noun]
People decried the campaign as a waste of money. [VERB noun + as]
 Synonyms: condemn, blame, abuse, blast

Deferential:

showing deference; respectful.

"people were always deferential to him"
synonyms
obsequious, humble, respectful,
:
polite and showing respect:
She is always extremely deferential towards anyone in authority.
showing or expressing respect and high regard due a superior
or an elder : showing or expressing deferencelistened
with deferential attention to his grandfather deferential to the
judge's decision

Demure:

(of a woman or her behaviour) reserved, modest, and shy.

"I shared a compartment with a child and his demure governess"
synony modest, unassuming, meek, mild, reserved, retiring, quiet, shy, bashful, diffident, reticen
ms: t, timid, timorous, shrinking; More

 (of clothing) lending a modest appearance.

"a demure white lace cap"
(especially of women) quiet and well behaved:
She gave him a demure smile.
Compare
coy

Deride:

verb
1. express contempt for; ridicule.
"the decision was derided by environmentalists"
 o laugh at someone or something in a way that shows you think they arestupid or
of no value:
He derided my singing as pathetic.
This building, once derided by critics, is now a major tourist attraction.
to show that you think someone or something is ridiculous or of no value:
His blustery style is derided by many political pros.
His proposal was quickly derided and dismissed by the great powers.

Empathy:

he ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

"what is really important about learning a language is learning empathy for another
culture

Empathy is the ability to share another person's feelings

and emotions as if they were your own.
Having begun my life in a children's home I have great empathy with the
little ones. [+with/for]

Enmity:
a state or feeling of active opposition or hostility.
"decades of enmity between the two countries"
a feeling of hate:
She denied any personal enmity towards him.
Bitter historical enmities underlie the present violence.

technophobe noun [ ]
C

UK /ˈteknəfəʊb/ US

a person who does not like modern technology and does not want to use it:
Even technophobes will find this new software simple to use.

Erudite

adjective
1. having or showing great knowledge or learning.
"Ken could turn any conversation into an erudite discussion"
 having or containing a lot of knowledge that is known by very few people:
He's the author of an erudite book on Scottish history.

Extol:
having or containing a lot of knowledge that is known by very few people:
He's the author of an erudite book on Scottish history.

to praise something or someone very much:

His book extolling the benefits of vegetarianism sold thousands of copies.
She is forever extolling the virtues of her children.

Feral:
djective
1. 1.
(especially of an animal) in a wild state, especially after escape from captivity or
domestication.
"a feral cat"
existing in a wild state, especially describing an animal that was previouslykept by people:
feral dogs/cats

Flabbergasted:
verb
INFORMAL
past tense: flabbergasted; past participle: flabbergasted
1. surprise (someone) greatly; astonish.
"this news has left me totally flabbergasted"
feeling shocked, usually because of something you were not expecting:
When they announced her name, the winner just sat there, flabbergasted.
She is flabbergasted by the whole affair.

Forsake:
 verb
LITERARY
1. abandon or leave.
"he would never forsake Tara"
synonyms abandon, desert, leave, quit, depart from, leave behind, leave high and dry, turn one's
: back on, cast aside, give up, reject, disown; More

 renounce or give up (something valued or pleasant).

"I won't forsake my vegetarian principles"

LITERARY to leave someone for ever, especially when they need you:

Do not forsake me!

Fractious:
Adjective
1. (typically of children) irritable and quarrelsome.
"they fight and squabble like fractious children"

(of a group or organization) difficult to control; unruly.

"King Malcolm struggled to unite his fractious kingdom"

(of a group or organization) difficult to control; unruly.

"King Malcolm struggled to unite his fractious kingdom"

TETCHY
easily made angry, unhappy, or upset:
Be careful what you say to Anna - she's been a little tetchy lately.

Furtive:
 attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that
discovery would lead to trouble; secretive.
"they spent a furtive day together"
synonyms secretive, secret, surreptitious; Mor
: e

 suggestive of guilty nervousness.

"the look in his eyes became furtive"
of people) behaving secretly and often dishonestly, or (of actions)
donesecretly and often dishonestly:
I saw him cast a furtive glance at the woman at the table to his right.
He made one or two furtive phone calls.
There was something furtive about his behaviour and I immediately felt suspicious.

Blackout
a time when all lights must be hidden by law, or when there is
no light orpower because of an electricity failure:
wartime blackouts
Power lines were blown down and we had a blackout of several hours.

the action taken to make certain that information about something is

notreported to the public:
a news blackout
a short period when someone suddenly becomes unconscious:
He can't drive because he suffers from blackouts.
a period of time when electric power has failed, causing a loss of lights:
A blackout ended the game early.
ountable noun [usually singular]
A blackout is a period of time during a war in which towns
and buildings are made dark so that they cannot be seen by
enemy planes.
...blackout curtains.
2. countable noun [usually singular, usually noun NOUN]
If a blackout is imposed on a particular piece of
news, journalists are prevented from broadcasting
or publishing it.
...a media blackout imposed by the Imperial Palace.
Journalists said there was a virtual news blackout about the rally.
 3. countable noun [usually singular, usually noun NOUN]
If there is a power blackout, the electricity supply to a place
is temporarily cut off.
There was an electricity black-out in a large area in the north of the country.
4. countable noun
If you have a blackout, you temporarily lose consciousness.
I suffered a black-out which lasted for several minutes.

Gratuitous:

1. done without good reason; uncalled for.

"gratuitous violence"
synonyms
unjustified, without reason, uncalled for, unwarranted, unprovoked, undue; More
:

2. 2.
given or done free of charge.
"solicitors provide a form of gratuitous legal advice"

of something such as bad behaviour) not necessary, or with no cause:

A lot of viewers complained that there was too much gratuitous sex and violence in
the film.
not necessary; with no reasonable cause:
There were too many gratuitous personal insults throughout the debate.

Impertinent:
rude and not showing respect, especially towards someone older or in
ahigher position than you:
I hope he didn't think I was being impertinent when I asked him about his private life.
an impertinent remark/question
not showing enough respect; rude:
Don’t be impertinent – you’re in no position to tell your boss what to do.
Implacable:
used to describe (someone who has) strong opinions or feelings that
areimpossible to change:
an implacable enemy
implacable hostility

Indolent:
wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy.
"they were indolent and addicted to a life of pleasure"
showing no real interest or effort:
an indolent wave of the hand
an indolent reply

without real interest or effort; lazy:

I was an indolent creature who could not imagine action.

Infamy:
Infamy is the state of being infamous.
[formal]
...one of the greatest acts of infamy in history.
He enjoyed exaggerating his infamy.

he day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, just before the start of World War II, was
described by President Roosevelt as "a day that will live in infamy." Infamycontains
the root word "fame," but rather than meaning "the opposite of famous," itsmeaning is
something closer to "fame gone bad."

Insular:
ignorant of or uninterested in cultures, ideas, or peoples outside one's own experience.
"a stubbornly insular farming people"

interested only in your own country or group and not willing to acceptdifferent
or foreign ideas
If you say that someone is insular, you are being critical of
them because they are unwilling to meet new people or
to consider new ideas.
[disapproval]
...the old image of the insular, xenophobic Brit.
Synonyms: narrow-minded, prejudiced, provincial, closed More Synonyms
of insular
insularity (ɪnsjʊlærɪti , US -sə-) uncountable noun
But at least they have started to break out of their old insularity.

Inveterate:
having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to
change.
"an inveterate gambler
someone who does something very often and cannot stop doing it:
I never trust anything he says - the man's an inveterate liar.

Jubilant:
feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.
"a large number of jubilant fans ran on to the pitch"

feeling or expressing great happiness, especially because of a success:

The fans were jubilant at/about/over their team's victory.

Knell:

the sound of a bell, especially when rung solemnly for a death or funeral.

Death Knell
a warning of the end of something:
The opening of
the superstore will sound/toll the death knell for (= cause the failure of)hundreds
of small independent shops.
a warning of the end of something:
Defeat of this bill sounds a death knell for consumer protection.
Lithe:
especially of a person's body) thin, supple, and graceful.
"she lay gazing up at his tall, lithe figure"
young, healthy, attractive, and able to move and bend smoothly:
He had the lithe, athletic body of a ballet dancer.

Supple:
bending and moving easily and gracefully; flexible.
"her supple fingers"

o not stiff or hard; easily manipulated.

"this body oil leaves your skin feeling deliciously supple"
verb

Lurid:
(especially of a description) shocking because involving violence, sex,
orimmoral activity:
You can read all the lurid details of the affair in today's paper.
She told me all the lurid details of her divorce.
presented in vividly shocking or sensational terms.
"the more lurid details of the massacre were too frightening for the children"

too brightly coloured:

That's a very lurid shade of lipstick she's wearing.

Maverick:

a person who thinks and acts in an independent way,

often behavingdifferently from the expected or usual way:
a political maverick
He was considered as something of a maverick in the publishing world.
 you describe someone as a maverick, you mean that they
are unconventional and independent, and do
not think or behave in the same way as other people.
He was too much of a maverick ever to hold high office.
Synonyms: rebel, radical, dissenter, individualist More Synonyms of
maverick
Maverick is also an adjective.
...a maverick group of scientists, who oppose the prevailing medical opinion
on the disease.
Her independence and maverick behaviour precluded any chance of
promotion.

Meticulous:
Modicum:
Morose:
Nadir:
Nominal:
Nuance:
Obsequious:
Obtuse:
Penchant:
Plethora:
Predilection:
Quaint:
Refurbish:
Repudiate:
Rife:
Salient:
Short-handed
If a company or organization is short-handed, it does not have
the usual or necessarynumber of workers:
Some hospitals are so short-handed that doctors have to work 20-hour shifts.

not having the usual or necessary number of workers:

We’ve got two people out sick so we’re short-handed today.

undermanned
understaffed

Serendipity:
Staid:
Superfluous:
Sycophant:
Taciturn:
Truculent:
Umbrage:
Venerable;
Vociferous:
Wanton: