delectable – (n)1 : highly pleasing : DELIGHTFUL <a delectable melody>

2 : DELICIOUS <a delectable meal>

(adj.) something that is delectable

uncanny - 1 a : seeming to have a supernatural character or origin : EERIE,

MYSTERIOUS b : being beyond what is normal or expected : suggesting
superhuman or supernatural powers <an uncanny sense of direction>

unfaltering - not wavering or weakening : FIRM <unfaltering loyalty>

unction - (n) 1 : the act of anointing as a rite of consecration or

healing
2 : something used for anointing : OINTMENT, UNGUENT
3 a : religious or spiritual fervor or the expression of such fervor b :
exaggerated, assumed, or superficial earnestness of language or manner :
UNCTUOUSNESS

anoint - 1 : to smear or rub with oil or an oily substance

to designate as if by a ritual anointment <critics anointed the author as
the bright new talent>

unfledged - 1 : not feathered : not ready for flight

2 : not fully developed : IMMATURE <an unfledged writer>

fledge - intransitive verb of a young bird : to acquire the feathers necessary

for flight or independent activity; also : to leave the nest after acquiring such
feathers
transitive verb
1 : to rear until ready for flight or independent activity

ungainly – CLUMSY; UNWIELDY

unwieldy - CUMBERSOME

unimpeachable - not impeachable: as a : reliable beyond a doubt

<unimpeachable evidence> <an unimpeachable source> b : not liable to
accusation : IRREPROACHABLE <an unimpeachable reputation>

impeach – bring an accusation against; cast doubt on

prepossess - (vt) 2 : to cause to be preoccupied

3 : to influence beforehand especially favorably

prepossessing - 2 : tending to create a favorable impression :

ATTRACTIVE

tenable - capable of being held, maintained, or defended

: DEFENSIBLE, REASONABLE
 1. <the soldiers' encampment on the open plain was not tenable, so
they retreated to higher ground>
2. <the tenable theory that a giant meteor strike set off a chain of
events resulting in the demise of the dinosaurs>

upbraid - 1 : to criticize severely : find fault with

2 : to reproach severely : scold vehemently

ursine – BEARLIKE; 2 : suggesting or characteristic of a bear

<a lumbering ursine gait>

vegetate - (vt) 2 : to lead a passive existence without exertion of

body or mind
(vi) : to establish vegetation in or on

ravenous -

corvine - (adj.) of or relating to the crows : resembling a crow

voracious -

veracious - 1 : TRUTHFUL, HONEST

2 : marked by truth : ACCURATE

verisimilar - 1 : having the appearance of truth : PROBABLE

2 : depicting realism (as in art or literature)

virtuoso - 1 : an experimenter or investigator especially in the arts and

sciences : SAVANT
2 : one skilled in or having a taste for the fine arts

vindicate – (vt) 2 : AVENGE

3 a : to free from allegation or blame b (1) : CONFIRM, SUBSTANTIATE (2) :
to provide justification or defense for : JUSTIFY c : to protect from attack or
encroachment : DEFEND
4 : to maintain a right to
1. To clear from an accusation, suspicion or criticism.
to vindicate someone's honor

2. To justify by providing evidence.

to vindicate a right, claim or title

3. To maintain or defend a cause against opposition.

 to vindicate the rights of labor movement in developing countries

vindictive – VENGEFUL; SPITEFUL

salable - capable of being or fit to be sold : MARKETABLE

vociferous - marked by or given to vehement

insistent outcry

1. He is her most vociferous critic.

2. He was vociferous in his support of the proposal.
3. The decision was made over their vociferous objections.

CLAMOROUS, BLATANT,STRIDENT, OBSTREPEROUS

vintner – wine merchant

dyke - 1 : an artificial watercourse : DITCH

2 a : a bank usually of earth constructed to control or confine water : LEVEE

causeway - 1 : a raised way across wet ground or water

2 : HIGHWAY

wastrel - 1 : VAGABOND, WAIF

2 : one who expends resources foolishly and self-indulgently : PROFLIGATE

wangle - transitive verb : to resort to trickery or devious methods

intransitive verb
1 : to adj.ust or manipulate for personal or fraudulent ends
2 : to make or get by devious means : FINAGLE <wangle an invitation>

finagle - transitive verb

1 : to obtain by indirect or involved means <finagle a ride home>
2 : to obtain by trickery <finagled his way into the concert>
intransitive verb : to use devious or dishonest methods to achieve one's ends
welt (also wheal)- 3 a : a ridge or lump raised on the body (as by a blow or
allergic reaction) b : a heavy blow

whelp - 1 : any of the young of various carnivorous mammals and especially of

the dog
2 : a young boy or girl

whinny – neigh in a low or gentle way

whit - the smallest part or particle imaginable : BIT <what some people will
do for a whit of publicity — Patrick Quinn>

whittle - transitive verb

1 a : to pare or cut off chips from the surface of (wood) with a knife b : to
shape or form by so paring or cutting
2 : to reduce, remove, or destroy gradually as if by cutting off bits with a knife
: PARE <pare apples> <paring his nails>

wisp - 1 : a small handful (as of hay or straw)

2 a : a thin strip or fragment b : a thready streak <a wisp of smoke> c :
something frail, slight, or fleeting <a wisp of a girl> <a wisp of a smile>

welter - 1 a : WRITHE, TOSS; also : WALLOW b : to rise and fall or toss

about in or with waves
2 : to become deeply sunk, soaked, or involved
3 : to be in turmoil

nostrum - a usually questionable remedy or scheme : PANACEA

forestall - 4 : to exclude, hinder, or prevent by prior occupation or

measures
5 : to get ahead of : ANTICIPATE

stave off – ward off; fend off; FORESTALL

nepenthe - something capable of causing oblivion of grief or suffering

trampoline - a resilient sheet or web (as of nylon) supported by
springs in a metal frame and used as a springboard and landing area in
tumbling

springboard - 1 : a flexible board usually secured at one end and used for
gymnastic stunts or diving

seethe - 2 a : to be in a state of rapid agitated movement b : to churn or

foam as if boiling
3 : to suffer violent internal excitement <seethe with jealousy>
tumulus - an artificial hillock or mound (as over a grave);
especially : an ancient grave : BARROW

distraught – agitated with doubt or mental conflict

accost – to approach and speak often in a challenging or aggressive way

adjure - 1 : to command solemnly under or as if under oath or

penalty of a curse
2 : to urge or advise earnestly

<He adjured his followers to remain faithful to the cause.>

<adjured them not to break the drug laws of any of the countries they would
be visiting>

abjure - 1 a : to renounce upon oath b : to reject solemnly

2 : to abstain from : AVOID <abjure extravagance>

sedition - incitement of resistance to or insurrection against

lawful authority

paradigm - 1 : EXAMPLE, PATTERN; especially : an

outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype
rind - 1 : the bark of a tree
2 : a usually hard or tough outer layer : PEEL, CRUST <grated lemon rind>

ambit - 1 : CIRCUIT, COMPASS

2 : the bounds or limits of a place or district
3 : a sphere of action, expression, or influence : SCOPE

reckon - 1 a : COUNT <reckon the days till Christmas> b : ESTIMATE,

COMPUTE <reckon the height of a building>
2 : to regard or think of as : CONSIDER;THINK

reckoning noun
reck·on·ing | \ ˈre-kə-niŋ , ˈrek-niŋ \
1 : the act or an instance of reckoning: such as
a : account, bill
b : computation
c : calculation of a ship's position
2 : a settling of accounts <day of reckoning>
3 : a summing up
pummel - POUND, BEAT

cantaloupe - MUSKMELON

smidgen – small amount : BIT

denouement - 1 : the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a

literary work

conscientious - 1 : governed by or conforming to the dictates of

conscience : SCRUPULOUS <a conscientious public servant>
2 : METICULOUS, CAREFUL <a conscientious listener>

celerity - (n) rapidity oft motion or action

drudgery – dull, irksome, and fatiguing work

deadbeat - 1 : LOAFER
2 : one who persistently fails to pay personal debts or expenses

loafer – IDLER

ingénue - 1 : a naive girl or young woman

ingenuous –

magnanimous – (adj.) 1 : showing or suggesting a lofty and courageous spirit

<the irreproachable lives and magnanimous sufferings of their followers —
Joseph Addison>
2 : showing or suggesting nobility of feeling and generosity of mind <too
sincere for dissimulation, too magnanimous for resentment — Ellen Glasgow>

magniloquent – (adj.) speaking in or characterized by a high-flown often

bombastic style or manner <magniloquent boasts>; BOASTFUL

grandiloquence –(n) a lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic

style, manner, or quality especially in language;
grandiloquent (adj.) rhetorical

croon - intransitive verb

1 chiefly Scottish : BELLOW, BOOM
2 : to sing or speak in a gentle murmuring manner; especially : to sing in a
soft intimate manner adapted to amplifying systems
transitive verb : to sing (as a popular song or a lullaby) in a crooning manner

pucker - intransitive verb : to become wrinkled or constricted

transitive verb : to contract into folds or wrinkles

furlough - a leave of absence from duty granted especially to a soldier

misgiving - a feeling of doubt or suspicion especially concerning a future event

paradigm shift - Paradigm shift[p] (sometimes known as extraordinary science

or revolutionary science) is the term first used by Thomas Kuhn in his
influential book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962) to describe a
change in basic assumptions within the ruling theory of science.
traipse -to go on foot : WALK <traipsed over to the restaurant> <children
traipsing at her heels>

windfall - 1 : something (as a tree or fruit) blown down by the wind

2 : an unexpected, unearned, or sudden gain or advantage
<unexpected windfall>

mediate – (adj.) 1 : occupying a middle position

2 a : acting through an intervening agency b : exhibiting indirect causation,
connection, or relation
(v) transitive verb
1 a : to bring accord out of by action as an intermediary b : to effect by action
as an intermediary
2 a : to act as intermediary agent in bringing, effecting, or communicating :
CONVEY b : to transmit as intermediate mechanism or agency
intransitive verb
1 : to interpose between parties in order to reconcile them
2 : to reconcile differences

flex – BEND; USE, DEMONSTRATE

pamper - 2 a : to treat with extreme or excessive care and attention

<pampered their guests> b : GRATIFY, HUMOR <enabled him to pamper his
wanderlust — New Yorker>

condescension - 1 : voluntary descent from one's

rank or dignity in relations with an inferior
2 : patronizing attitude or behavior

constitutive - 1 : having the power to enact or

establish : CONSTRUCTIVE
2 : CONSTITUENT, ESSENTIAL
3 : relating to or dependent on constitution (structure, composition) <a
constitutive property of all electrolytes>

glossophobia - fear of public speaking

sine qua non - something absolutely indispensable or

essential <reliability is a sine qua non for success>
corrigendum - an error in a printed work discovered
after printing and shown with its correction on a separate sheet

pragmatic - dealing or concerned with facts or actual occurrences; practical.

Relating to or being the study of cause and effect in historical or political events
with emphasis on the practical lessons to be learned from them.

foyer - an anteroom or lobby especially of a theater; also : an entrance

hallway : VESTIBULE

portal - DOOR, ENTRANCE

scrounge - 1 : STEAL, SWIPE

2 a : to get as needed by or as if by foraging, scavenging, or borrowing
<scrounging enough money for a bus ticket> b : FINAGLE, WHEEDLE

swipe – (n.) 1 : a strong sweeping blow <a swipe of a paw>

2 : a sharp often critical remark <took a parting swipe at management>
(vb.) intransitive verb : to strike or move with a sweeping motion
transitive verb 1 : to strike or wipe with a sweeping motion
2 : STEAL, PILFER

comely – having a pleasing appearance; not homely or plain

mea culpa - a formal acknowledgment of personal fault or error

antecedent - 1 : a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose

denotation is referred to by a pronoun (as John in <Mary saw John and called
to him>); broadly : a word or phrase replaced by a substitute
2 : the conditional element in a proposition (as if A in <if A, then B>)

substantive - 1 : being a totally independent entity

2 a : real rather than apparent : FIRM <need substantive evidence to prove
her guilt>; also : PERMANENT, ENDURING b : belonging to the substance of
a thing : ESSENTIAL c : expressing existence <the substantive verb is the
verb to be> d : requiring or involving no mordant <a substantive dyeing
process>
3 a: having the nature or function of a grammatical substantive <a substantive
phrase> b: relating to or having the character of a noun or pronominal term in
logic

temperamental - 1 : of, relating to, or arising from temperament :

CONSTITUTIONAL <temperamental peculiarities>
2 a : marked by excessive sensitivity and impulsive mood changes <a
temperamental child> b : unpredictable in behavior or performance <a
temperamental computer>

predicate - 1 a : something that is affirmed or denied of the subject in a

proposition in logic

semantic - 1 : of or relating to meaning in language

2 : of or relating to semantics

hypothecate - to pledge as security without delivery of title or

possession

smorgasbord - 1 : a luncheon or supper buffet offering a

variety of foods and dishes (as hors d'oeuvres, hot and cold meats, smoked and
pickled fish, cheeses, salads, and relishes)
2 : an often large heterogeneous mixture : MELANGE

eave - An eave is the edge of a roof. Eaves usually project beyond the side of
the building generally to provide weather protection. Some buildings, such as
Craftsman bungalows, have very wide eaves with decorative brackets.
historicity - historical actuality

anthropomorph - a stylized human figure (as in

prehistoric art)

infraction - the act of infringing : VIOLATION

acute - 1 a (1) : characterized by sharpness or severity <acute pain>

b : lasting a short time <acute experiments>

ischemia – deficient supply of blood to a body part (as the heart or

brain) that is due to obstruction of the inflow of arterial blood

physiology - a branch of biology that deals with the functions and activities of
life or of living matter (as organs, tissues, or cells) and of the physical and
chemical phenomena involved — compare ANATOMY

ellipsoid – a surface all plane sections of which are ellipses or

circles

spheroid - a figure resembling a sphere; also : an object of

approximately spherical shape

pizzeria - an establishment where pizzas are made or sold

remise – (vt.) to give, grant, or release a claim to : DEED

anachronism – error in chronology

forthcoming - 1 : being about to appear or to be produced or made available
<the forthcoming holidays> <your forthcoming novel> <funds are
forthcoming>
2 a : RESPONSIVE, OUTGOING <a forthcoming and courteous man> b :
characterized by openness, candidness, and forthrightness <not forthcoming
about his memories of medical school — Mark Kramer>

grinch - KILLJOY, SPOILSPORT

mope - 2 : to give oneself up to brooding : become listless or dejected

3 : to move slowly or aimlessly : DAWDLE (to spend time idly)

recount - to relate in detail : NARRATE

-trophy - nutrition : nurture : growth <dystrophy><atrophy>

dystrophy - 1 : a condition produced by faulty nutrition

2 : any myogenic atrophy; especially : MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

Muscular dystrophy (abbreviated MD) refers to a group of hereditary

muscle diseases that weakens the muscles that move the human body. [1][2]
Muscular dystrophies are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle
weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and
tissue

mellow - 1 a of a fruit : tender and sweet because of ripeness b of a wine :

well aged and pleasingly mild
2 a : made gentle by age or experience b : rich and full but free from
garishness or stridency c : warmed and relaxed by or as if by liquor d :
PLEASANT, AGREEABLE e : LAID-BACK
3 of soil : having a soft and loamy consistency

laid-back – (adj) having a relaxed style or character <laid-back music>

distend - transitive verb

1 : EXTEND
2 : to enlarge from internal pressure : SWELL
intransitive verb : to become expanded

frontispiece - 1 a : the principal front of a building b : a

decorated pediment over a portico or window
2 : an illustration preceding and usually facing the title page of a book or
magazine
portico - a colonnade or covered ambulatory especially in classical
architecture and often at the entrance of a building

colonnade - a series of columns set at regular intervals and usually

supporting the base of a roof structure

ambulatory - (n)a sheltered place (as in a cloister or church)

for walking
(adj.) ITINERANT

per- - 1 : through; throughout : thoroughly <peruse>

2 a : containing the largest possible or a relatively large proportion of a
(specified) chemical element <perchloroethylene>

ambulate - WALK

valetudinarian - a person of a weak or sickly

constitution; especially : one whose chief concern is his or her ill health

hypochondria – [hypo- + chondros cartilage] extreme

depression of mind or spirits often centered on imaginary physical ailments;
specifically : HYPOCHONDRIASIS

burly - strongly and heavily built : HUSKY <a burly man>

hurly-burly - UPROAR, TUMULT

thickset - 1 : closely placed; also : growing thickly <a thickset wood>

2 : having a thick body : BURLY

hoity-toity –(n) thoughtless giddy behavior

(adj.) 1 : thoughtlessly silly or frivolous : FLIGHTY
2 : marked by an air of assumed importance : HIGHFALUTIN
contention - (n) 1 : an act or instance of contending
2 : a point advanced or maintained in a debate or argument
3 : RIVALRY, COMPETITION

contend - intransitive verb

1 : to strive or vie in contest or rivalry or against difficulties : STRUGGLE
2 : to strive in debate : ARGUE
transitive verb n
1 : MAINTAIN, ASSERT <contended that he was right>
2 : to struggle for : CONTEST

cenobite - a member of a religious group living together in a

monastic community

beatify - 1 : to make supremely happy

2 : to declare to have attained the blessedness of heaven and authorize the
title “Blessed” and limited public religious honor

accredit - 1 : to give official authorization to or approval of:

evangel – gospel

adduce - to offer as example, reason, or proof in

discussion or analysis
<in support of a 12-month school year, the committee adduced data from other
school districts>

<Little Dorrit, by Charles Dickens.

"As it was, Mr Barnacle, finding his gentlemanly residence extremely
inconvenient and extremely dear, always laid it, as a public servant, at the door
of the country, and adduced it as another instance of the Country's
parsimony.">

pontifex - plural a member of the council of priests

in ancient Rome

pontifex maximum – head of the council

desacralize - to divest of sacred qualities or status

desecrate - 1 : to violate the sanctity of : PROFANE <desecrate a shrine>

2 : to treat disrespectfully, irreverently, or outrageously <the kind of shore
developmentTthat has desecrated so many waterfronts — John Fischer>

canon - an accepted principle or rule

cannon – gun

edict - 1 : a proclamation having the force of law

2 : ORDER, COMMAND <we held firm to Grandmother's edict — M. F. K.
Fisher>

extrapolate -

pantheism - a doctrine that equates God with the forces and

laws of the universe

apodictic - also apodeictic (adj.)

expressing or of the nature of necessary truth or absolute
certainty
<"There was such apodictic certitude Khader's every pronouncement, such a
decisive, incontrovertible assurance in the man, that it informed and composed
even his stillnesses and silences." In Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts.>

incontrovertible - not open to question (not open to

controversy) : INDISPUTABLE <incontrovertible facts>
recourse - noun 1 a : a turning to someone or something for help or
protection <settled the matter without recourse to law> b : a source of help
or strength : RESORT <had no recourse left>

fiduciary – (n) one that holds a fiduciary relation or acts in a

fiduciary capacity
(adj.) of, relating to, or involving a confidence or trust: as a : held or founded
in trust or confidence b : holding in trust c : depending on public confidence
for value or currency <fiduciary fiat money>

specie – money in coin

–in specie : in the same or like form or kind <ready to return insult in
specie>; also : in coin

facies - 1 : general appearance <a plant species with a

particularly distinct facies>
2 : an appearance and expression of the face characteristic of a particular
condition especially when abnormal <adenoid facies>

3 : a part of a rock or group of rocks that differs from the whole formation (as
in composition, age, or fossil content)

agog - full of intense interest or excitement : EAGER <kids all agog over
new toys>
hunky-dory - quite satisfactory : FINE

Actual conversation I heard today:

1st person: "How are you today?"
2nd person: "Just hunky dory".
1st person: "That's a racist comment!"
Me: "Seriously? You've never heard that before?"
1st person: "No, isn't that really racist? What does it mean then?"
Me: "Fine, wonderful, peachy, alright".
Thought to myself: How on earth can you say something or someone is racist when you
don't even know what it means?

chock-a-block – (n) 1 : a wedge or block for steadying a body (as a

cask) and holding it motionless, for filling in an unwanted space, or for blocking
the movement of a wheel
(adv.) as close or as completely as possible
(vt.) to stop or make fast with or as if with chocks

saunter - to walk about in an idle or leisurely manner : STROLL

<sauntered slowly down the street>

arid - 1 : excessively dry; specifically : having insufficient rainfall to support

agriculture
2 : lacking in interest and life : JEJUNE

codicil - 1 : a legal instrument made to modify an

earlier will
2 : APPENDIX, SUPPLEMENT

subjoin - ANNEX, APPEND <subjoined a statement of expenses to her

report>

ebony – (n) 1 : a hard heavy blackish wood yielded by various tropical

chiefly southeast Asian trees
(adj.) 2 : BLACK, DARK

bedraggle – to wet thoroughly

bastille – PRISON, JAIL

aureate - 1 : of a golden color or brilliance <aureate light>

2 : marked by grandiloquent and rhetorical style <aureate diction>

impudence - the quality or state of being impudent

impudent - 2 : marked by contemptuous or cocky boldness or disregard of
others : INSOLENT

imprudent - not prudent : lacking discretion, wisdom, or good judgment <an

imprudent investor>

amnesty - the act of an authority (as a government) by which

pardon is granted to a large group of individuals

sequin - 1 : an old gold coin of Italy and Turkey

2 : a small plate of shining metal or plastic used for ornamentation especially
on clothing

frigate -
valise - SUITCASE

bravura - 2 : a florid brilliant style

3 : a show of daring or brilliance

florid – ORNATE; RUDDY

familial - 1 : tending to occur in more members of a family than

expected by chance alone <a familial disorder>
2 : of, relating to, or suggestive of a family <has familial ties to the area> <a
familial atmosphere>

Fabian – (adj.) 1 a : of, relating to, or in the manner of the Roman

general Quintus Fabius Maximus known for his defeat of Hannibal in the Second
Punic War by the avoidance of decisive contests b : CAUTIOUS, DILATORY

debouch - transitive verb : to cause to emerge :

DISCHARGE
intransitive verb
1 : to march out into open ground <troops debouching from the town>
2 : EMERGE, ISSUE <rivers debouching into the sea>

debauch - 2 a : to lead away from virtue or excellence b : to corrupt

by intemperance or sensuality

liege - 1 a : having the right to feudal allegiance or service <his liege lord> b
: obligated to render feudal allegiance and service
2 : FAITHFUL, LOYAL
(n) b : a loyal subject
2 : a feudal superior to whom allegiance and service are due

NON BARRON WORDS

aleatory - 1 : depending on an uncertain event or
contingency as to both profit and loss <an aleatory contract>
2 : relating to luck and especially to bad luck
3 : ALEATORIC

anomie/anomy - (n) social instability resulting from a

breakdown of standards and values; also : personal unrest, alienation, and
uncertainty that comes from a lack of purpose or ideals

Anomie is a term meaning "personal feeling of a lack of social norms; normlessness". It describes
the breakdown of social norms and values.[1] It was popularized by French sociologist Émile
Durkheim in his influential book Suicide (1897). Durkheim borrowed the word from French
philosopher Jean-Marie Guyau.

knave – deceitful fellow

bailiwick - 1 : the office or jurisdiction of a bailiff

2 : a special domain

Beau Brummel - DANDY, FOP (DANDY - 1: a man who gives

exaggerated attention to personal appearance also: FIRST RATE)

bon mot – [French – “good word”]A clever saying, phrase or witticism; often, a
witty riposte in dialogue.

bootless - USELESS, UNPROFITABLE <a bootless attempt>

bourn – STREAM, BROOK

bourne - 1 : BOUNDARY, LIMIT

2 : GOAL, DESTINATION

catatonic - 2 : characterized by a marked lack of movement, activity, or

expression

catchpenny – (adj.) using sensationalism or cheapness for appeal <a

catchpenny newspaper>

chattel - 1 : an item of tangible movable or immovable property

except real estate and things (as buildings) connected with real property
2 : SLAVE, BONDSMAN
cockade - an ornament (as a rosette) usually worn on a hat as a
badge

confrere - , COLLEAGUE, COMRADE

cranny - 1 : a small break or slit : CREVICE

2 : an obscure nook or corner

dalliance - an act of dallying: as a : PLAY; especially : amorous

play b : frivolous action : TRIFLING

debouch - transitive verb : to cause to emerge :

DISCHARGE
intransitive verb
1 : to march out into open ground <troops debouching from the town>
2 : EMERGE, ISSUE <rivers debouching into the sea>

decamp - 1 : to break up a camp

2 : to depart suddenly : ABSCOND

1. She took the papers and decamped.

2. He decamped to Europe soon after news of the scandal broke.

depilation - the removal of hair, wool, or bristles by chemical

or mechanical methods
depilate

disaffect - to alienate the affection or loyalty of; also : to fill with

discontent and unrest
doughty - marked by fearless resolution : VALIANT <a doughty
warrior>

eke – (vt.) 2 : to get with great difficulty — usually used with out <eke
out a living>
eke out - : to make up for the deficiencies of : SUPPLEMENT <eked out his
income by getting a second job>
2 : to make (a supply) last by economy

escrow - 1 : a deed, a bond, money, or a piece of property held in trust

by a third party to be turned over to the grantee only upon fulfillment of a
condition
2 : a fund or deposit designed to serve as an escrow
–in escrow : in trust as an escrow <had $1000 in escrow to pay taxes>

gloaming – (n) TWILIGHT, DUSK

goldbrick - 1 a : a worthless brick that appears to be of gold b : something

that appears to be valuable but is actually worthless
2 : a person who shirks assigned work

grist – (n) 1 a : grain or a batch of grain for grinding

4 : something turned to advantage or use — used especially in the phrase grist
for one's mill

honorarium - a payment for a service (as making a speech) on which custom

or propriety forbids a price to be set

imprimatur - 2 a : SANCTION, APPROVAL b : IMPRINT

c : a mark of approval or distinction

incommunicado - without means of communication : in

a situation or state not allowing communication <a prisoner held
incommunicado> <remained incommunicado while working on her book>

truckle - to act in a subservient manner : SUBMIT

labial – relating to lips

interlocutor - 1 : one who takes part in dialogue or

conversation
2 : a man in the middle of the line in a minstrel show who questions the end
men and acts as leader

locution - 1 : a particular form of expression or a peculiarity of

phrasing; especially : a word or expression characteristic of a region, group,
or cultural level
2 : style of discourse : PHRASEOLOGY

métier - 1 : VOCATION, TRADE

2 : an area of activity in which one excels : FORTE

misprision – (n) 1 a : neglect or wrong performance of

official duty b : concealment of treason or felony by one who is not a
participant in the treason or felony c : seditious conduct against the
government or the courts
2 : MISUNDERSTANDING, MISINTERPRETATION

CONTEMPT, SCORN

''This is how culture progresses -- through reinterpretation, seizure,

misprision.'' (Robert Christgau in msn Inside Music).

seizure - 1 a : the act, action, or process of seizing : the state of being

seized b : the taking possession of person or property by legal process
2 a : a sudden attack (as of disease); especially : the physical
manifestations (as convulsions, sensory disturbances, or loss of
consciousness) resulting from abnormal electrical discharges in the brain
(as in epilepsy) b : an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain

moraine - an accumulation of earth and stones carried and finally

deposited by a glacier

mufti - ordinary dress as distinguished from that denoting an occupation or

station <a priest in mufti>; especially : civilian clothes when worn by a
person in the armed forces

mummery - 1 : a performance by mummers

2 : a ridiculous, hypocritical, or pretentious ceremony or performance

necrology - 1 : OBITUARY
2 : a list of the recently dead

FRETFUL-------------------------------
pettish – FRETFUL, PEEVISH
<a pettish baby who always seemed to be crying>

peevish - 1 : querulous in temperament or mood : FRETFUL

2 : perversely obstinate <a peevish child>
3 : marked by ill temper

querulous - 1 : habitually complaining

2 : FRETFUL, WHINING <a querulous voice>

fretful – disposed to fret, IRRITABLE, RESTLESS

yawp - 1 : to make a raucous noise : SQUAWK

2 : CLAMOR, COMPLAIN

---------------------------------------------------------
pirouette - a rapid whirling about of the body; especially : a full
turn on the toe or ball of one foot in ballet

plenipotentiary – (adj.) invested with

full power
(n) one invested with full power

procrustean - 2 : marked by arbitrary often ruthless disregard

of individual differences or special circumstances

quondam – (adj.) FORMER, SOMETIME <a quondam friend>

rara avis - RARITY

hew – (vt.) 1: to cut with blows of a heavy cutting instrument

2 : to fell by blows of an ax <hew a tree>
(vi.) 2 : CONFORM, ADHERE <hew to tradition> — often used in the phrase
hew to the line <no pressure…on newspapers to hew to the official line —
New York Times Magazine>

tenebrous - 1 : shut off from the light : DARK, MURKY

<tenebrous depths>
2 : hard to understand : OBSCURE <a tenebrous affair>
3 : causing gloom

Tenebrous Cavern (World of Warcraft)

roil – to make turbulent by stirring up the sediment or dregs

satrap - 1 : the governor of a province in ancient Persia

2 a : RULER b : a subordinate official : HENCHMAN

scullion - a kitchen helper

haberdasher - 2 : a dealer in men's clothing and accessories

senescence - (n) 1 : the state of being old : the process of

becoming old
2 : the growth phase in a plant or plant part (as a leaf) from full maturity to
death

seneschal - an agent or steward in charge of a lord's estate in

feudal times

sidle - intransitive verb : to go or move with one side foremost

especially in a furtive advance
transitive verb : to cause to move or turn sideways

snappish - 1 a : given to curt irritable speech b : arising from annoyance or

irascibility <a snappish remark>
2 : inclined to bite <a snappish dog>
syn. PETULANT, WASPISH, TERSE, BRUSQUE
solarium - a glass-enclosed porch or room; also : a room (as in
a hospital) used especially for sunbathing or therapeutic exposure to light
also: tanning bed

spiel - intransitive verb

1 : to play music
2 : to talk volubly or extravagantly
transitive verb : to utter, express, or describe volubly or extravagantly
(n) a voluble line of often extravagant talk : PITCH

stripling - noun YOUTH

supernal - 1 a : being or coming from on high b : HEAVENLY,

ETHEREAL <supernal melodies> c : superlatively good <supernal trumpet
playing>
2 : located in or belonging to the sky

swath - 1 a : a row of cut grain or grass left by a scythe or mowing

machine

symposium - 2 a : a formal meeting at which several specialists

deliver short addresses on a topic or on related topics — compare
COLLOQUIUM

colloquium - a usually academic meeting at which specialists

deliver addresses on a topic or on related topics and then answer questions
relating to them

synesthesia - 1 : a concomitant sensation; especially : a

subjective sensation or image of a sense (as of color) other than the one (as of
sound) being stimulated
2 : the condition marked by the experience of such sensations

concomitant - accompanying especially in a

subordinate or incidental way
tertian - recurring at approximately 48-hour intervals <tertian
fever>

xenophile - one attracted to foreign things (as styles or

people)
xenophobia - fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything
that is strange or foreign

infectious - 1 a : capable of causing infection <viruses and other infectious

agents> b : communicable by infection <an infectious disease> — compare
CONTAGIOUS

contagious - 1 : communicable by contact : CATCHING <contagious

diseases>
2 : bearing contagion <contagious people>

redemption - the act, process, or an instance of redeeming

redeem - 1 a : to buy back : REPURCHASE b : to get or win back

d : to free from the consequences of sin
3 : to change for the better : REFORM
4 : REPAIR, RESTORE

cogito - 1 : the philosophic principle that one's existence

is demonstrated by the fact that one thinks
2 : the intellectual processes of the self or ego

garrote - 1 a : a method of execution by strangulation b : the

apparatus used
2 : an implement (as a wire with a handle at each end) for strangulation
(vt.) to strangle with or as if with a garrote

scrawny - exceptionally thin and slight or meager in body or size <scrawny

scrub cattle><You sure got some scrawny shpulders>

consensus - 1 a : general agreement : UNANIMITY <the consensus of

their opinion, based on reportsTfrom the border — John Hersey> b : the
judgment arrived at by most of those concerned <the consensus was to
go ahead>

purgatory - 1 : an intermediate state after death for

expiatory purification; specifically : a place or state of punishment
wherein according to Roman Catholic doctrine the souls of those who die
in God's grace may make satisfaction for past sins and so become fit for
heaven
2 : a place or state of temporary suffering or misery

copious - 1 a : yielding something abundantly <a copious

harvest> <copious springs> b : plentiful in number <copious
references to other writers>
2 a : full of thought, information, or matter b : profuse or exuberant in
words, expression, or style <a copious talker>
3 : present in large quantity : taking place on a large scale <copious
weeping> <copious food and drink>
syn. PLENTIFUL

profuse - \ prə-ˈfyüs  , prō- \ EXTRAVAGANT, BOUNTIFUL

itemize - to set down in detail or by particulars : LIST <itemized all

expenses>

electorate - 1 : the territory, jurisdiction, or dignity of

a German elector
2 : a body of people entitled to vote

cronyism - partiality to cronies especially as evidenced in the

appointment of political hangers-on to office without regard to their
qualifications

quasi - (adj.) 1 : having some resemblance

usually by possession of certain attributes <a quasi corporation>
2 : having a legal status only by operation or construction of law and
without reference to intent <a quasi contract>

quasi- - 1 : in some sense or degree <quasiperiodic> <quasi-judicial>

2 : resembling in some degree <quasiparticle>

repetend - a repeated sound, word, or phrase;

specifically : REFRAIN
procrustean - 1 : of, relating to, or typical of Procrustes
2 : marked by arbitrary often ruthless disregard of individual differences
or special circumstances

1 : of or like Procrustes or his actions

2 : designed or acting to secure conformity at any cost; drastic or

ruthless

procrustean bed - a scheme or pattern into which someone or

something is arbitrarily forced

Procrustes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Theseus and Procrustes, Attic red-figure neck-amphora, 570–560 BC, Staatliche

Antikensammlungen (Inv. 2325)

In Greek mythology Procrustes (Προκρούστης) or "the stretcher [who

hammers out the metal]", also known as Prokoptas or Damastes
(Δαμαστής) "subduer", was a rogue smith and bandit from Attica.
Procrustes was a son of Poseidon with a stronghold on Mount Korydallos,
on the sacred way between Athens and Eleusis. There, he had an iron
bed in which he invited every passer-by to spend the night, and where
he set to work on them with his smith's hammer, to stretch them to fit.
In later tellings, if the guest proved too tall, Procrustes would amputate
the excess length; nobody ever fit the bed exactly because secretly
Procrustes had two beds.[1] Procrustes continued his reign of terror until
he was captured by Theseus, travelling to Athens along the sacred way,
who "fitted" Procrustes to his own bed:

"He killed Damastes, surnamed Procrustes, by compelling him to make

his own body fit his bed, as he had been wont to do with those of
strangers. And he did this in imitation of Heracles. For that hero
punished those who offered him violence in the manner in which they
had plotted to serve him."[2]

Killing Procrustes was the last adventure of Theseus on his journey from
Troezen to Athens.

enjambment - the running over of a sentence from one

verse or couplet into another so that closely related words fall in
different lines — compare RUN-ON

The following lines from Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale (c. 1611) are
heavily enjambed:

I am not prone to weeping, as our sex

Commonly are; the want of which vain dew
Perchance shall dry your pities; but I have
That honourable grief lodged here which burns
Worse than tears drown.

Meaning flows as the lines progress, and the reader’s eye is forced to
go on to the next sentence. It can also make the reader feel
uncomfortable or the poem feel like “flow-of-thought” with a sensation
of urgency or disorder.

bowdlerize - 1 : to expurgate (as a book) by omitting

or modifying parts considered vulgar
2 : to modify by abridging, simplifying, or distorting in style or content

convalesce - to recover health and strength gradually

after sickness or weakness

passé - 1 : past one's prime

2 a : OUTMODED b : behind the times

passe-partout - 1 : MASTER KEY

2 a : 5MAT b : a method of framing in which a picture, a mat, a glass,
and a back (as of cardboard) are held together by strips of paper or cloth
pasted over the edges
3 : a strong paper gummed on one side and used especially for mounting
pictures

emote - to give expression to emotion especially in acting

snappy - 1 : SNAPPISH 1
2 a : quickly made or done <a snappy decision> b : marked by vigor or
liveliness <snappy dialogue> c : briskly cold d : STYLISH, SMART <a
snappy dresse>

concede - transitive verb

1 : to grant as a right or privilege
2 a : to accept as true, valid, or accurate <the right of the state to tax
is generally conceded> b : to acknowledge grudgingly or hesitantly
<conceded that it might be a good idea>
intransitive verb : to make concession : YIELD
synonyms see GRANT

accede - 1 a : to become a party (as to an agreement) b :

to express approval or give consent : give in to a request or demand
3 : to enter upon an office or position
accede
We both accede for once in our lives.

To accede to something is to agree to it: I accede to your request (I accept

it);

to concede something is to accept it grudgingly or reluctantly: I concede

your superiority (I have to admit you are better). Spelling: remember the
ending -cede. (BEGRUDGE)

embroil - 1 : to throw into disorder or confusion

2 : to involve in conflict or difficulties <a program embroiled in
controversy>

curmudgeon - 2 : a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old

man
bouquet - 1 a : flowers picked and fastened together in a bunch :
NOSEGAY b : MEDLEY <a bouquet of songs>
2 : COMPLIMENT
3 a : a distinctive and characteristic fragrance (as of wine) b : a subtle
aroma or quality (as of an artistic performance)
arcadia - a region or scene of simple pleasure and quiet

inunction - an act of applying oil or ointment :

ANOINTING

erstwhile – (adj.) in the past : FORMERLY <cultures,

erstwhile unknown to each other — Robert Plank>
(adv.) FORMER, PREVIOUS <erstwhile enemies>

hitherto - up to this or that time

scallywag (also scalawag) - 1 : SCAMP, REPROBATE

2 : a white Southerner acting in support of the reconstruction
governments after the American Civil War often for private gain
2. (Historical Terms) (after the US Civil War) a White Southerner who
supported the Republican Party and its policy of Black emancipation. Scallywags
were viewed as traitors by their fellow Southerners Also scalawag scalawag

novelty - 1 : something new or unusual

2 : the quality or state of being novel : NEWNESS
3 : a small manufactured article intended mainly for personal or
household adornment — usually used in plural
4 : something (as a song or food item) that provides often fleeting
amusement and is often based on a theme — often used attributively

red tape - "Red tape" is a derisive term for excessive regulation or rigid
conformity to formal rules that is considered redundant or bureaucratic and
hinders or prevents action or decision-making. It is usually applied to
government, but can also be applied to other organizations like corporations.

fisticuff - a fight with the fists

elitism - 1 : leadership or rule by an elite

2 : the selectivity of the elite; especially : SNOBBERY <elitism in
choosing new members>
3 : consciousness of being or belonging to an elite

devolve - transitive verb : to pass on (as responsibility, rights, or

powers) from one person or entity to another <devolving to western
Europe full responsibility for its own defense — Christopher Lane>
intransitive verb
1 a : to pass by transmission or succession <the estate devolved on a
distant cousin> b : to fall or be passed usually as a responsibility or
obligation <the responsibility for breadwinning has devolved
increasingly upon women — Barbara Ehrenreich>
2 : to come by or as if by flowing down <his allegedly subversive
campaignsTdevolve from his belief in basic American rights — Frank
Deford>3 :
to degenerate through a gradual change or evolution <where order
devolves into chaos — Johns Hopkins Magazine>

tavern - 1 : an establishment where alcoholic beverages are

sold to be drunk on the premises
2 : INN

founder - intransitive verb

1 : to become disabled; especially : to go lame
2 : to give way : COLLAPSE
3 : to become submerged : SINK
4 : to come to grief : FAIL
transitive verb : to disable (an animal) especially by excessive feeding

performative - being or relating to an expression that serves to effect a

transaction or that constitutes the performance of the specified act by
virtue of its utterance <performative verbs such as promise and
congratulate> — compare CONSTATIVE

constative - 1 : of, relating to, or being a

verbal form that expresses past completed action
2 : being or relating to an utterance (as an assertion, question, or
command) that is capable of being judged true or false

fructify - intransitive verb : to bear fruit <its seeds shall

fructify — Amy Lowell> <no partnership can fructify without candor on
both sides — D. M. Ogilvy>
transitive verb : to make fruitful or productive

enmesh - to catch or entangle in or as if in meshes <deeply

enmeshed in the plot>

bestiary - 1 : a medieval allegorical or

moralizing work on the appearance and habits of real or imaginary
animals
2 a : a collection of descriptions or representations of real or imaginary
animals b : an array of real humans or literary characters often having
symbolic significance
3 : an unusual or whimsical collection *a truly astounding
bestiary of airplane designs — Peter Garrison*

retainer - 1 a : a person attached or owing service to a household;

especially : SERVANT b : EMPLOYEE
2 : one that retains
*Scottish Thane*
A Thane also called 'thegn' was an attendant, servant, retainer, or official in
Early Medieval Scottish and Anglo-Saxon culture.

3 : a device or structure that holds something in place: as a : the part

of a dental replacement (as a bridge) by which it is made fast to
adjacent natural teeth b : a dental appliance used to hold teeth in
correct position especially following orthodontic treatment

1 : the act of a client by which the services of a lawyer, counselor, or

adviser are engaged
2 : a fee paid to a lawyer or professional adviser for advice or services or
for a claim on services when needed

humongous - extremely large : HUGE <a

humongous building> <humongous amounts of money>

savvy – (vb.) UNDERSTAND

(n) practical know-how <political savvy>

nit-picking - minute and usually unjustified criticism

diaspora – (noun) 1 capitalized a : the settling of

scattered colonies of Jews outside Palestine after the Babylonian exile
b : the area outside Palestine settled by Jews c : the Jews living outside
Palestine or modern Israel

2 a : the movement, migration, or scattering of a people away from an

established or ancestral homeland *the black diaspora to northern
cities* b : people settled far from their ancestral homelands *African
diaspora* c : the place where these people live

garcon - plural garsons WAITER

right on - 1. exactly right or to the point.

2. up-to-date; relevant: a right-on movie that shows conditions as they really
are.
An exclamation of enthusiasm or encouragement, as in, “You've said it really
well—right on!”. This interjection has a disputed origin. Some believe it comes
from African-American slang (it was recorded in Odum and Johnson's The
Negro and His Songs, 1925); others feel it is a shortening of right on target,
used by military airmen, or right on cue, theatrical slang for saying the right
lines at the right time. [Slang; first half of 1900s]

My review of your flight performance was right on.

seamless - - 1 : having no seams

2 a : having no awkward transitions, interruptions, or indications of disparity
<a seamless fusion of beauty and intelligence — Jack Kroll et al.> b :
PERFECT, FLAWLESS <a seamless performance>

seam - 1 a : the joining of two pieces (as of cloth or leather) by sewing usually
near the edge b : the stitching used in such a joining
4 : a weak or vulnerable area or gap <found a seam in the zone defense>
–at the seams : ENTIRELY, COMPLETELY <falling apart at the seams>

glace - 1 : made or finished so as to have a smooth glossy surface

<glace silk>
2 also glaceed \: coated with a glaze : CANDIED <glace cherries>

demi-glace - a highly concentrated reduced brown sauce often

used as a base for other sauces

syncretic – (adj.) characterized or brought about by syncretism :

SYNCRETISTIC <a syncretic religion>

syncretism – (n) 1 : the combination of different

forms of belief or practice
2 : the fusion of two or more originally different inflectional forms
syncretistic – (adj.)

Syncretism is the attempt to reconcile disparate or contrary beliefs,

often while melding practices of various schools of thought. This may
involve attempts to merge and analogise several originally discrete
traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, and thus
assert an underlying unity allowing for an inclusive approach to other
faiths.

Syncretism also occurs commonly in literature, music, the

representational arts and other expressions of culture. (Compare the
concept of eclecticism.) Syncretism may occur in architecture as well.
There also exist syncretic politics, although in political classification the
term has a somewhat different meaning.
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a
single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple
theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject,
or applies different theories in particular cases.

Eclecticism in architecture

It can sometimes seem inelegant or lacking in simplicity, and eclectics

are sometimes criticized for lack of consistency in their thinking. It is,
however, common in many fields of study. For example, most
psychologists accept certain aspects of behaviorism, but do not attempt
to use the theory to explain all aspects of human behavior. A statistician
may use frequentist techniques on one occasion and Bayesian ones on
another.

payroll - 1 : a paymaster's or employer's list of those entitled to pay and of

the amounts due to each
2 : the sum necessary for distribution to those on a payroll; also : the money
to be distributed

acumen - keenness and depth of perception, discernment, or

discrimination especially in practical matters
synonym: DISCERNMENT

destine - - (vt) 1 : to decree beforehand : PREDETERMINE

2 a : to designate, assign, or dedicate in advance <the younger son was
destined for the priesthood> <a trait that destines them to failure> b : to
direct, devise, or set apart for a specific purpose or place <freight destined for
European ports>

scion - 1 : a detached living portion of a plant (as a bud or shoot) joined

to a stock in grafting and usually supplying solely aerial parts to a graft
2 a : DESCENDANT, CHILD; especially : a descendant of a wealthy,
aristocratic, or influential family b : HEIR 1 <scion of a railroad empire>
bargain -

en masse - in a body : as a whole <moved the inmates en

masse to the new prison>

 En Masse & Stand Alone Concert Series, 2008.

En Masse (All Together Now) is a concert series that examines the

ways that musicians perform
together, and the ways audiences contribute to the experience. The
series offers non-traditional
and traditional ensembles that perform their own music, or perhaps, do
not perform music at all?

Stand Alone (Lost Solos and Musical Monologues) is a series of

solo presentations exploring
music as a two-way communication between performer and listener,
and music as an activity
experienced in solitude, with or without an audience.

Co-Curated by DB Boyko & Ben Wilson

En Masse by clockblock
dossier - a file containing detailed records on a particular person or
subject

bespeak - (transitive verb) 1 : to hire, engage, or claim beforehand

2 : to speak to especially with formality : ADDRESS
3 : REQUEST <bespeak a favor>
4 a : INDICATE, SIGNIFY <her performance bespeaks considerable practice>
b : to show beforehand : FORETELL

bespoke (adj) 1 a : CUSTOM-MADE <a bespoke suit> b : dealing

in or producing custom-made articles

daedal - - 1 a : SKILLFUL, ARTISTIC b : INTRICATE <the

computer's daedal circuitry>

Daedal - (Greek mythology) an Athenian inventor who built the labyrinth of

Minos; to escape the labyrinth he fashioned wings for himself and his son
 Icarus

2 : adorned with many things <visions of cloud and light and daedal earth are
the airman's daily scene — Laurence Binyon>

behemoth - 2 : something of monstrous size, power, or

appearance <a behemoth truck>

mariner - SAILOR

confirmatory - serving to confirm : CORROBORATIVE <a

confirmatory test>

proprietor - 1 : one granted ownership of a colony (as one of

the original American colonies) and full prerogatives of establishing a
government and distributing land

2 a : a person who has the legal right or exclusive title to something : OWNER
b : one having an interest (as control or present use) less than absolute and
exclusive right

vis-à-vis - (prep.)
1 : face-to-face with
2 : in relation to
3 : as compared with
(n) plural vis-à-vis
1 : one that is face-to-face with another
2 a : ESCORT, DATE b : COUNTERPART
3 : TETE-A-TETE

tete-a-tete - (n)1 : a private conversation between two persons

(adj.) PRIVATE, FACE-TO-FACE

defray - 1 : to provide for the payment of : PAY

He worked hard to defray his debt. Kristen Huyghue

Dwight tried to convince the other workers they could defray company
expenses using "Schrute Bucks"-Polly Weldon
caddish - of, relating to, or being a cad <caddish behavior> <her
caddish husband>

cad - 1 : an omnibus conductor

2 : a man who acts with deliberate disregard for another's feelings or
rights/

21/11/2010

bawl - intransitive verb

1 : to cry out loudly and unrestrainedly : YELL, BELLOW
2 : to cry loudly : WAIL
transitive verb : to cry out at the top of one's voice

Well the First approached the Elephant

And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side
At once began to bawl
"God bless me!
But this Elephant is very like a wall!"

--John Godfrey
flurry - 1 a : a gust of wind b : a brief light snowfall
2 a : a brief period of commotion or excitement b : a sudden occurrence of
many things at once : BARRAGE 2 <a flurry of insults>
3 : a brief advance or decline in prices : a short-lived outburst of trading
activity

whittle - archaic : a large knife

transitive verb
1 a : to pare or cut off chips from the surface of (wood) with a knife b : to
shape or form by so paring or cutting
2 : to reduce, remove, or destroy gradually as if by cutting off bits with a knife
: PARE <whittle down expenses>
intransitive verb
1 : to cut or shape something (as wood) by or as if by paring it with a knife
2 : to wear oneself or another out with fretting

diction - 2 : choice of words especially with regard to correctness,

clearness, or effectiveness
3 a : vocal expression : ENUNCIATION b : pronunciation and enunciation of
words in singing

impuissant – WEAK, POWERLESS

hierocracy /ˌhī(ə)ˈräkrəsē/ Noun

1. Rule by priests.

2. A ruling body composed of priests.

Ballista - an ancient military engine often in the form of a crossbow
for hurling large missiles

egotist - 1 a : excessive use of the first person singular personal pronoun b :

the practice of talking about oneself too much
2 : an exaggerated sense of self-importance : CONCEIT — compare EGOISM 2

egoist – a believer in egoism

egoism - 1 a : a doctrine that individual self-interest is the actual motive of all
conscious action b : a doctrine that individual self-interest is the valid end of
all actions
2 : excessive concern for oneself with or without exaggerated feelings of self-
importance

riffle - intransitive verb

1 : to form, flow over, or move in riffles
2 : to flip cursorily : THUMB *riffle through the catalog*
transitive verb
1 : to ruffle slightly : RIPPLE
2 a : to leaf through hastily

xenophobia - fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or

of anything that is strange or foreign
hobo - 1 : a migratory worker
2 : a homeless and usually penniless vagabond

majuscule - a large letter (as a capital)

majuscular - (adj)

lustrate - to purify ceremonially

cognate - (adj) 1 : of the same or similar nature : generically alike

2 : related by blood; also : related on the mother's side
3 a : related by descent from the same ancestral language b of a word or
morpheme : related by derivation, borrowing, or descent c of a
substantive : related to a verb usually by derivation and serving as its object
to reinforce the meaning
(n) one that is cognate with another

agnate - 1 : ALLIED, AKIN

2 : related through male descent or on the father's side

filicide - the murder of one's own daughter or son

dolour - chiefly British variant of DOLOR : mental suffering or

anguish : SORROW

eudaemonism -
eudaimonism - a theory that the highest ethical goal is happiness
and personal well-being

candour - chiefly British variant of CANDOR(1 a : WHITENESS,

BRILLIANCE b obsolete : unstained purity
2 : freedom from prejudice or malice : FAIRNESS)

malapropos in an inappropriate or inopportune way

lector - a person who assists at a worship service chiefly by reading

the lection

lection - 1 : a liturgical reading for a particular day

2 [New Latin lection-, lectio, from Latin] : a variant reading of a text

epistemology - the study or a theory of the nature and

grounds of knowledge especially with reference to its limits and validity

prologues –

collateral -1 a : accompanying as secondary or subordinate :

CONCOMITANT *digress into collateral matters* b : INDIRECT c :
serving to support or reinforce : ANCILLARY
2 : belonging to the same ancestral stock but not in a direct line of descent —
compare LINEAL 3a
3 : parallel, coordinate, or corresponding in position, order, time, or
significance *collateral states like Athens and Sparta*
4 a : of, relating to, or being collateral used as security (as for payment of a
debt or performance of a contract) b : secured by collateral

bigot - a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own

opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members
of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance

amity - FRIENDSHIP; especially : friendly relations between nations

teleologic - exhibiting or relating to design or

purpose especially in nature

A teleology is any philosophical account which holds that final causes

exist in nature, meaning that design and purpose analogous to that
found in human actions are inherent also in the rest of nature. The word
comes from the Greek τέλος - telos, root: τελε-, "end, purpose."

Teleology was explored by Plato and Aristotle, by Saint Anselm around

1000 AD, and later by Immanuel Kant in his Critique of Judgement. It
was fundamental to the speculative philosophy of Hegel.

A thing, process or action is teleological when it is for the sake of an end,

i.e., a telos or final cause. In general it may be said that there are two
types of final causes, which may be called intrinsic finality and extrinsic
finality.[citation needed]

 A thing or action has an extrinsic finality when it is for the sake of

something external to itself. For example, Aristotle argued that
animals are for the sake of man, a thing external to them.[1][2]
Humans also exhibit extrinsic finality when they seek something
external to themselves (e.g., the happiness of a child). If the
external thing had not m existed that action would not display
finality.

 A thing or action has an intrinsic finality when it is not for the sake
of something external to itself. For example, one might try to be
happy simply for the sake of being happy, and not for the sake of
anything outside of that.

sham - 1 : a trick that deludes : HOAX <feared that the deal was a sham>
2 : cheap falseness : HYPOCRISY <saw through the hollowness, the sham, the
silliness of the empty pageant — Oscar Wilde>
3 : an ornamental covering for a pillow
4 : an imitation or counterfeit purporting to be genuine
5 : a person who shams

cartel - 1 : a written agreement between belligerent nations

2 : a combination of independent commercial or industrial enterprises designed
to limit competition or fix prices
3 : a combination of political groups for common action

revenant - one that returns after death or a long absence

federate – (adj) united in an alliance or federation : FEDERATED

(vt) to join in a federation

confederate - (adj) 1 : united in a league : ALLIED

2 capitalized : of or relating to the Confederate States of America
(n) 1 : ALLY, ACCOMPLICE
2 capitalized : an adherent of the Confederate States of America or their
cause

debridement - the usually surgical removal of

lacerated, devitalized, or contaminated tissue
<I removed during the debridement procedure – Prison Break Season1e15
41:26>

resect - to perform resection on

resection - the surgical removal of part of an organ or

structure

Resection is another name for any operation that removes tissue or part
of an organ. Bowel resection, also called partial colectomy, for colorectal
cancer removes the tumor and part of the colon or rectum around the
tumor. Both ends of the bowel section being removed are stapled and
cut. Nearby lymph nodes, lymph drainage channels, and blood vessels
are also removed.

bloat - transitive verb

1 a : to make turgid or swollen b : to cause abdominal distension in
2 : to fill to capacity or overflowing
intransitive verb : SWELL
(noun) 1 a : one that is bloated b : unwarranted or excessive growth or
enlargement <bureaucratic bloat>
2 : digestive disturbance of ruminant animals and especially cattle marked by
accumulation of gas in one or more stomach compartments
override - 1 : to ride over or across : TRAMPLE
2 : to ride (as a horse) too much or too hard
3 a : to prevail over : DOMINATE b : to set aside : ANNUL *override a veto*
c : to neutralize the action of (as an automatic control)
4 : to extend or pass over; especially : OVERLAP

override – (n) 1 : a commission paid to managerial personnel on sales

made by subordinates
2 : ROYALTY 5a
3 : a device or system used to override a control
4 : an act or an instance of overriding

royalty - 4 : a right of jurisdiction granted to an individual or corporation by a

sovereign
5 a : a share of the product or profit reserved by the grantor especially of an oil
or mining lease b : a payment to an author or composer for each copy of a
work sold or to an inventor for each item sold under a patent

dither – (v) 1 : SHIVER, TREMBLE

2 : to act nervously or indecisively : VACILLATE
(n) a highly nervous, excited, or agitated state : EXCITEMENT, CONFUSION

Dithering is a technique used in computer graphics to create the illusion of color depth in images
with a limited color palette (color quantization). In a dithered image, colors not available in the
palette are approximated by a diffusion of colored pixels from within the available palette. The
human eye perceives the diffusion as a mixture of the colors within it (see color vision). Dithering
is analogous to the halftone technique used in printing. Dithered images, particularly those with
relatively few colors, can often be distinguished by a characteristic graininess, or speckled
 appearance.

An illustration of dithering. Red and blue are the only colors used, but as the pixels become
smaller, the patch appears violet

defer - 1 : PUT OFF, DELAY

2 : to postpone induction of (a person) into military service

–de-fer-rer (noun )

synonyms DEFER, POSTPONE, SUSPEND, STAY mean to delay an action or

proceeding. DEFER implies a deliberate putting off to a later time *deferred
buying a car until spring*. POSTPONE implies an intentional deferring usually to
a definite time *the game is postponed until Saturday*. SUSPEND implies
temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is
satisfied *business will be suspended while repairs are under way*. STAY often
suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority *the
governor stayed the execution*.

caveat - 1 a : a warning enjoining one from certain acts or practices b : an

explanation to prevent misinterpretation c : a modifying or cautionary detail to
be considered when evaluating, interpreting, or doing something
2 : a legal warning to a judicial officer to suspend a proceeding until the
opposition has a hearing
<Looking at successful blogs in ITToolbox, there seems to be some common
elements. Here are eight of them in case you are thinking of writing one!First,
some caveats! I am still trying to figure out and follow ALL of my own advice.
So I don't claim that mine is the model.>

agenda - 1 : a list or outline of things to be considered or done <agendas of

faculty meetings>
2 : an underlying often ideological plan or program <a political agenda>

hidden agenda - an ulterior motive

fob - 1 : WATCH POCKET

2 : a short strap, ribbon, or chain attached especially to a pocket watch
3 : an ornament attached to a fob chain

fob off - 1 : to put off with a trick, excuse, or inferior substitute

2 : to pass or offer (something spurious) as genuine
3 : to put aside <now fob off what once they would have welcomed eagerly —
Walter Lippmann>

tear down - 1 a : to cause to decompose or disintegrate b : VILIFY,

DENIGRATE <trying to tear down his reputation>
2 : to take apart : DISASSEMBLE <tear down an engine>

critique - (n) an act of criticizing; especially : a critical estimate or

discussion <a critique of the poet's work>
(vt) to examine critically : REVIEW <critique the plan>

apocryphal - 1 : of doubtful authenticity : SPURIOUS

2 often capitalized : of or resembling the Apocrypha
synonyms see FICTITIOUS

serenade - (n) 1 a : a complimentary vocal or instrumental

performance; especially : one given outdoors at night for a woman being
courted b : a work so performed
2 : an instrumental composition in several movements, written for a small
ensemble, and midway between the suite and the symphony in style
(v) intransitive verb : to play a serenade
transitive verb : to perform a serenade in honor of

bode – (vt) 1 archaic : to announce beforehand : FORETELL

2 : to indicate by signs : PRESAGE <this controversy…will bode ill for both of
us — A. H. Lowe>

bode – (past of bide) transitive verb

1 past usually bided : to wait for — used chiefly in the phrase bide one's time
2 archaic : WITHSTAND <two men..might bide the winter storm — W. C.
Bryant>
3 chiefly dialect : to put up with : TOLERATE
intransitive verb
1 : to continue in a state or condition
2 : to wait awhile : TARRY
3 : to continue in a place : SOJOURN

plausible - 1 : superficially fair, reasonable, or valuable but often specious <a

plausible pretext>
2 : superficially pleasing or persuasive <a swindler… , then a quack, then a
smooth, plausible gentleman — R. W. Emerson>
3 : appearing worthy of belief <the argument was both powerful and
plausible>

menagerie - 1 a : a place where animals are kept and

trained especially for exhibition b : a collection of wild or foreign animals kept
especially for exhibition

2 : a varied mixture <a wonderful menagerie of royal hangers-on — V. S.

Pritchett>

hanger-on (n) - plural hangers-on - one that hangs around a person, place,
or institution especially for personal gain

buffet - (n) 1 : a blow especially with the hand

2 : something that strikes with telling force
(vb) transitive verb
1 : to strike sharply especially with the hand : CUFF
2 : to strike repeatedly : BATTER <the waves buffeted the shore>
3 : to drive, force, move, or attack by or as if by repeated blows
intransitive verb : to make one's way especially under difficult conditions

buffet –(n) 1 : SIDEBOARD

2 a : a counter for refreshments b chiefly British : a restaurant operated as a
public convenience (as in a railway station) c : a meal set out on a buffet or
table for ready access and informal service
(adj) served informally (as from a buffet)

sideboard - 1 : a piece of dining-room furniture having

compartments and shelves for holding articles of table service
2 sideboards plural , British : SIDEBURNS
joist - any of the small timbers or metal beams ranged parallel from wall
to wall in a structure to support a floor or ceiling

fiscal - 1 : of or relating to taxation, public revenues, or public debt <fiscal

policy>
2 : of or relating to financial matters
(n) 1 : REVENUE STAMP
2 : FISCAL YEAR

blunt - 1 a : slow or deficient in feeling : INSENSITIVE b : obtuse in

understanding or discernment : DULL
2 : having an edge or point that is not sharp <a blunt instrument>
3 a : abrupt in speech or manner b : being straight to the point : DIRECT
synonyms see DULL, BLUFF

prowl - intransitive verb : to move about or wander stealthily in or as if in

search of prey
transitive verb : to roam over in a predatory manner

pique – (n) a transient feeling of wounded vanity : RESENTMENT <a fit

of pique>
transitive verb
1 : to arouse anger or resentment in : IRRITATE <what piques linguistic
conservatives — T. H. Middleton>
synonyms OFFENSE, RESENTMENT, UMBRAGE, PIQUE, DUDGEON, HUFF mean
an emotional response to or an emotional state resulting from a slight or
indignity.

OFFENSE implies hurt displeasure <takes deep offense at racial slurs>.

RESENTMENT suggests lasting indignation or ill will <harbored a lifelong

resentment of his brother>.

UMBRAGE may suggest hurt pride, resentment, or suspicion of another's

motives <took umbrage at the offer of advice>. PIQUE applies to a transient
feeling of wounded vanity <in a pique I foolishly declined the invitation>.

DUDGEON suggests an angry fit of indignation <stormed out of the meeting

in high dudgeon>.

HUFF implies a peevish short-lived spell of anger usually at a petty cause <in
a huff he slammed the door>.
2 a : to excite or arouse especially by a provocation, challenge, or rebuff <sly
remarks to pique their curiosity> b : PRIDE <he piques himself on his skill as
a cook>
synonyms see PROVOKE
synonyms PROVOKE, EXCITE, STIMULATE, PIQUE, QUICKEN mean to arouse as
if by pricking. PROVOKE directs attention to the response called forth *my
stories usually provoke laughter*. EXCITE implies a stirring up or moving
profoundly *news that excited anger and frustration*. STIMULATE suggests a
rousing out of lethargy, quiescence, or indifference *stimulating conversation*.
PIQUE suggests stimulating by mild irritation or challenge *that remark piqued
my interest*.

QUICKEN implies beneficially stimulating and making

active or lively <the high salary quickened her desire to have
the job>. synonym see in addition IRRITATE

umbrage - noun 1 : SHADE, SHADOW

2 : shady branches : FOLIAGE
3 a : an indistinct indication : vague suggestion : HINT b : a reason for doubt
: SUSPICION
4 : a feeling of pique or resentment at some often fancied slight or insult
<took umbrage at the speaker's remarks>
leery - SUSPICIOUS, WARY — often used with of <leery of
strangers>

astute - having or showing shrewdness and perspicacity <an astute

observer> <astute remarks>; also : CRAFTY, WILY <You are an astute man
Mr. Falzone – Prison Break s1e10 >

synonyms see SHREWD

quaff – intransitive verb : to drink deeply

transitive verb : to drink (a beverage) deeply
We stopped at a bar and quaffed a few beers.
<after digging our car out of the snowdrift, we were ready to quaff some
hot chocolate>

"Indubitably"

When:

Lookups spiked on June 9, 2011, and have

continued for two weeks.

Why:

A contestant on the TV show "So You Think

You Can Dance," Brice "Professor Lock" Johnson, used indubitably as his
catchphrase – and the judges and other contestants started repeating it.
Johnson's dancing did not ultimately survive the competition, but his
word choice made a lasting impact.

Indubitably means "unquestionably" or "without any doubt." It shares

the root word of "doubt," which you can recognize in the middle of the
word.
hinterland - 1 : a region lying inland from a coast
2 a : a region remote from urban areas b : a region lying beyond major
metropolitan or cultural centers

snitch – (n) one that snitches : TATTLETALE : INFORMER

(intransitive verb) INFORM, TATTLE: 1 : idle talk : CHATTER
2 : GOSSIP
(vt) to take by stealth : PILFER

ad hoc (adverb) for the particular end or case at hand without

consideration of wider application
(adjective) 1 a : concerned with a particular end or purpose <an ad hoc
investigating committee> b : formed or used for specific or immediate
problems or needs <ad hoc solutions>
2 : fashioned from whatever is immediately available : IMPROVISED
<large ad hoc parades and demonstrations — Nat Hentoff>

confound - 3 a : to put to shame : DISCOMFIT <a

performance that confounded the critics> b : REFUTE <sought to
confound his arguments>
4 : DAMN
5 : to throw (a person) into confusion or perplexity
6 a : to fail to discern differences between : mix up b : to increase the
confusion of
synonyms see PUZZLE
<The public prosecutor objected to the defence lawyer's deliberate attempt to
confound the witness.>

dire - 1 a : exciting horror <dire suffering> b : DISMAL,

OPPRESSIVE <dire days>
2 : warning of disaster <a dire forecast>
3 a : desperately urgent <dire need> b : EXTREME <dire poverty>

rapprochement - : establishment of or
state of having cordial relations

<The resumption of train services between India and

Pakistan is an indicator of the growing rapprochement
between the two countries.>
Jumping the shark is an idiom, first employed to describe a moment in
the evolution of a television show when it begins a decline in quality that
is beyond recovery.

In its initial usage, it referred to the point in a television program's

history where it has "outlived its freshness" [1] where viewers feel "the
writers have run out of ideas" and that "the series has [lost] what made
it attractive."[2] These changes were often the result of efforts to revive
interest in a show whose audience had begun to decline. [3]

The usage of "jump the shark" has subsequently broadened beyond

television, indicating the moment in its evolution when a brand, design,
or creative effort moves beyond the essential qualities that initially
defined its success, beyond relevance or recovery.

v. In a television show, to include an over-the-top scene or plot twist

that is indicative either of an irreversible decline in the show's quality or
of a desperate bid to stem the show's declining ratings

regale - transitive verb

1 : to entertain sumptuously : feast with delicacies
2 : to give pleasure or amusement to <regaled us with tall tales>
intransitive verb : to feast oneself : FEED
noun 1 : a sumptuous feast
2 : a choice piece especially of food

regalia - 1 : royal rights or prerogatives

2 a : the emblems, symbols, or paraphernalia indicative of royalty b :
decorations or insignia indicative of an office or membership
3 : special dress; especially : FINERY

in tandem - if two things happen or are used in tandem, they happen

or are used at the same time, and if two people do something in tandem,
they do it together (often + with ) The new system is designed to be
used in tandem with the existing communications network. She often
works in tandem with a psychologist, one writing the software and the
other advising on likely user reaction.
Tandem (or in tandem) is an arrangement where a team of machines,
animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same
direction.
peter out - end weakly; "The music just petered out--
there was no proper ending"
fizzle, fizzle out, taper off

attrition - 1 [Middle English attricioun, from Medieval Latin attrition-,

attritio, from Latin] : sorrow for one's sins that arises from a motive
other than that of the love of God
2 : the act of rubbing together : FRICTION; also : the act of wearing
or grinding down by friction
3 : the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse,
or attack *a war of attrition*

4 : a reduction in numbers usually as a result of resignation, retirement,

or death *a company with a high rate of attrition*

lingua franca - 1 often capitalized : a common language consisting of Italian

mixed with French, Spanish, Greek, and Arabic that was formerly spoken in
Mediterranean ports
2 : any of various languages used as common or commercial tongues among
peoples of diverse speech
3 : something resembling a common language <movies are the lingua franca
of the twentieth century — Gore Vidal>

callous – adjective 1 a : being hardened and thickened b : having calluses

<callous hands>
2 a : feeling no emotion b : feeling or showing no sympathy for others :
HARD-HEARTED <a callous indifference to suffering>
transitive verb to make callous <hands calloused by hard manual labor>

callus - noun1 : a thickening of or a hard thickened area on skin or bark

intransitive verb : to form callus
transitive verb : to cause callus to form on

surmount - 1 obsolete : to surpass in quality or attainment :

EXCEL
2 : to prevail over : OVERCOME <surmount an obstacle>
3 : to get to the top of : CLIMB
4 : to stand or lie at the top of

insurmountable - : incapable of being surmounted :

INSUPERABLE <insurmountable problems>

occasionally

frangible - readily or easily broken

synonyms FRAGILE, FRANGIBLE, BRITTLE, CRISP, FRIABLE mean breaking

easily. FRAGILE implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need
for careful handling <a fragile antique chair>.
FRANGIBLE implies susceptibility to being broken without implying weakness
or delicacy <frangible stone used for paving>.
BRITTLE implies hardness together with lack of elasticity or flexibility or
toughness <brittle bones>.
CRISP implies a firmness and brittleness desirable especially in some foods
<crisp lettuce>.
FRIABLE applies to substances that are easily crumbled or pulverized <friable
soil>

impecunious - having very little or no money usually

habitually : PENNILESS

impresario 1 : the promoter, manager, or

conductor of an opera or concert company
2 : a person who puts on or sponsors an entertainment (as a television show or
sports event)
3 : MANAGER, DIRECTOR

saturnalia 1 capitalized : the festival of Saturn in

ancient Rome beginning on December 17
2 singular, plural saturnalias also saturnalia a : an unrestrained often
licentious celebration : ORGY b : EXCESS, EXTRAVAGANCE

palpable - 1 : capable of being touched or felt : TANGIBLE

2 : easily perceptible : NOTICEABLE <a palpable difference>
3 : easily perceptible by the mind : MANIFEST

imperative -
(adjective)1 a : of, relating to, or constituting the grammatical mood that
expresses the will to influence the behavior of another b : expressive of a
command, entreaty, or exhortation c : having power to restrain, control, and
direct
2 : not to be avoided or evaded : NECESSARY <an imperative duty>
(noun) 1 : the imperative mood or a verb form or verbal phrase expressing it
2 : something that is imperative: as a : COMMAND, ORDER b : RULE, GUIDE
c : an obligatory act or duty d : an imperative judgment or proposition

buff – noun 1 : a garment (as a uniform) made of buff leather

2 : the state of being nude <sunbathing in the buff>
3 a : a moderate orange yellow b : a light to moderate yellow
4 : a device having a soft absorbent surface (as of cloth) by which polishing
material is applied
5 [earlier buff an enthusiast about going to fires; perhaps from the buff
overcoats worn by volunteer firefighters in New York City ab 1820] : FAN,
ENTHUSIAST
adjective 1 : of the color buff
2 or buffed : having a physique enhanced by bodybuilding exercises
transitive verb 1 : POLISH, SHINE <waxed and buffed the floor>
2 : to give a velvety surface to (leather)

impassible - (adj.)1 a : incapable of suffering or of

experiencing pain b : inaccessible to injury
2 : incapable of feeling : IMPASSIVE
also: variant of IMPASSABLE

impassive - 1 a archaic : unsusceptible to pain b : unsusceptible to physical

feeling : INSENSIBLE c : unsusceptible to or destitute of emotion :
APATHETIC
2 : giving no sign of feeling or emotion : EXPRESSIONLESS
synonyms IMPASSIVE, STOIC, PHLEGMATIC, APATHETIC, STOLID mean
unresponsive to something that might normally excite interest or emotion.
IMPASSIVE stresses the absence of any external sign of emotion in action or
facial expression <met the news with an impassive look>.
STOIC implies an apparent indifference to pleasure or especially to pain often
as a matter of principle or self-discipline <was resolutely stoic even in
adversity>. PHLEGMATIC implies a temperament or constitution
hard to arouse <a phlegmatic man unmoved by tears>.
APATHETIC may imply a puzzling or deplorable indifference or inertness
<charitable appeals met an apathetic response>.
STOLID implies an habitual absence of interest, responsiveness, or curiosity
<stolid workers wedded to routine>.

franchise – (noun) 1 : freedom or immunity from some burden or restriction

vested in a person or group
2 a : a special privilege granted to an individual or group; especially : the
right to be and exercise the powers of a corporation b : a constitutional or
statutory right or privilege; especially : the right to vote c (1) : the right or
license granted to an individual or group to market a company's goods or
services in a particular territory; also : a business granted such a right or
license (2) : the territory involved in such a right
3 a : the right of membership in a professional sports league b : a team and its
operating organization having such membership

crag - 1 : a steep rugged rock or cliff

2 archaic : a sharp detached fragment of rock
A steep rugged mass of rock projecting upward or outward, especially a cliff or
vertical rock exposure in the north of England or in Scotland

defunct - no longer living, existing, or functioning <the

committee is now defunct>
synonyms see DEAD

oblast - a political subdivision of Imperial Russia or a

republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or of the Russian Federation

legion – (noun) 1 : the principal unit of the Roman army comprising 3000 to
6000 foot soldiers with cavalry
2 : a large military force; especially : ARMY 1a
3 : a very large number : MULTITUDE
4 : a national association of ex-servicemen
(adj) MANY, NUMEROUS *the problems are legion*

national policy - A broad course of action or statements of guidance adopted

by the government at the national level in pursuit of national objectives.

irrevocable - : not possible to revoke : UNALTERABLE

<an irrevocable decision>

preciosity – noun - 1 : fastidious refinement

2 : an instance of preciosity

precocious – 1 : exceptionally early in development or

occurrence <precocious puberty>
2 : exhibiting mature qualities at an unusually early age *a precocious child*
–precociously adverb
–precociousness noun
–precocity noun

binge – (noun) 1 a : a drunken revel : SPREE b : an unrestrained and often

excessive indulgence <a buying binge> c : an act of excessive or compulsive
consumption (as of food)
2 : a social gathering : PARTY
(intransitive verb) to go on a binge

deregulation - the act or process of removing restrictions and regulations

shyster - a person who is professionally unscrupulous especially in
the practice of law or politics : PETTIFOGGER

snivel - intransitive verb 1 : to run at the nose

2 : to snuff mucus up the nose audibly : SNUFFLE
3 : to cry or whine with snuffling
4 : to speak or act in a whining, sniffling, tearful, or weakly emotional manner
–sniveler noun
<BBC Music journalist Mike Haydock also praised the album, writing, "Jimmy
Eat World have always been sentimental: they tug on the heart strings with
yearning melodies that pound you into snivelling submission.>

mealymouthed (adj) not willing to speak plainly

The school girls were mealymouthed because they didn’t want to include third
friend in their plans.
Antonym: sincere

fortuitous - 1 : occurring by chance

2 a : FORTUNATE, LUCKY *from a cost standpoint, the company's timing is
fortuitous — Business Week* b : coming or happening by a lucky chance
<belted down the stairs, and there was a fortuitous train — Doris Lessing>
synonyms see ACCIDENTAL

buttress - 1 : a projecting structure of masonry or wood for supporting or

giving stability to a wall or building
[wiki: A buttress is an architectural structure built against (a counterfort) or
projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses
are fairly common on more ancient buildings, as a means of providing support
to act against the lateral (sideways) forces arising out of the roof structures
that lack adequate bracing.]
Buttress ground plans
Angled buttress  

Clasping or clamped
buttress  

Diagonal or 'french'
buttress  
Setback buttress  

2 : something that resembles a buttress: as a : a projecting part of a mountain

or hill b : a horny protuberance on a horse's hoof at the heel — see HOOF
illustration c : the broadened base of a tree trunk or a thickened vertical part
of it
3 : something that supports or strengthens <a buttress of the cause of peace>

transitive verb to furnish or shore up with a buttress; also : SUPPORT,

STRENGTHEN <arguments buttressed by solid facts>