| Term | Definition |
|---|
| kowtow | a former Chinese custom of touching the ground with the forehead as a sign of respect or submission |
| amuck | in a murderous frenzy |
| tycoon | a wealthy and powerful businessperson |
| powwow | informal meeting for discussion |
| zombie | a god of voodoo cults of African origin worshipped especially in West Indies |
| thug | an aggressive and violent young criminal |
| boomerang | weapon developed by Aborigines that hunters throw to stun prey;return to the initial position from where it came |
| taboo | a prejudice (especially in Polynesia and other South Pacific islands) that prohibits the use or mention of something because of its sacred nature |
| loot | goods or money obtained illegally |
| mogul | a very wealthy or powerful businessman |
| tariff | a government tax on imports or exports |
| pariah | a person who is rejected (from society or home) |
| totem | (animal) symbol associated with a family etc. |
| caucus | political meeting to choose party candidates |
| juggernaut | any large, overpowering, destructive force or object, as war, a giant battleship, or a powerful football team. |
| paradise | any place of complete bliss and delight and peace |
| mumbo jumbo | meaningless incantation or ritual |
| mufti | a jurist who interprets Muslim religious law; civilian dress worn by a person who is entitled to wear a military uniform |
| voodoo | followers of a religion that involves witchcraft and animistic deities |
| nadir | the lowest point; point of greatest adversity or despair |
| oasis | something serving as a refuge, relief, or pleasant change from what is usual, annoying, difficult, etc |
| logic | a particular method of reasoning or argumentation |
| syllogism | deductive reasoning in which a conclusion is derived from two premises |
| major premise | contains the term (major term) that is the predicate of the conclusion |
| minor premise | contains the term (minor term) that is the subject of the conclusion |
| conclusion | a result, issue, or outcome; settlement or arrangement |
| induction | the act of inducing, bringing about, or causing |
| deduction | the act or process of deducting; subtraction. |
| valid | sound; just; well-founded |
| invalid | not valid or sound |
| pathetic fallacy | the fallacy of attributing human feelings to inanimate objects |
| mirth | gaiety or jollity, esp. when accompanied by laughter |
| seethe | to be in a state of agitation or excitement |
| din | a loud, confused noise; a continued loud or tumultuous sound; noisy clamor |
| slough | an area of soft, muddy ground; swamp or swamplike region. |
| quell | to suppress; put an end to; extinguish |
| threat | a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace |
| spurn | reject: reject with contempt |
| fret | to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontent, or the like |
| mete | to distribute or apportion by measure; allot; dole (usually fol. by out |
| swarthy | dark-skinned: naturally having skin of a dark color |
| quench | satisfy (thirst) |
| forbear | refrain: resist doing something |
| mood | a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling |
| beckon | summon with a wave, nod, or some other gesture |
| hurdle | an obstacle that you are expected to overcome |
| neurotic | one who suffers from abnormally intense anxieties, obsessions, etc. |
| psychosomatic | of a physical disorder caused by emotional disturbance |
| paranoid | being characterized by delusions of persecution or grandeur |
| subconscious | psychic activity just below the level of awareness |
| extrasensory | beyond common perception; heightened identification of things not normally identified with the basic five senses |
| split personality | a disorder in which the usual integrity of the personality breaks down and two or more independent personalities emerge |
| maladjustment | the condition of being unable to adapt properly to your environment with resulting emotional instability |
| psychic | affecting or influenced by the human mind |
| complex | (psychoanalysis) a combination of emotions and impulses that have been rejected from awareness but still influence a person's behavior |
| psychotic | characterized by or afflicted with delusions or hallucinations, that indicate impaired contact with reality |
| introvert | One who focuses primarily on their own mind, feelings, or affairs |
| extrovert | a person concerned more with practical realities than with inner thoughts and feelings |
| schizophrenic | suffering from a form of schizophrenia characterized by foolish mannerisms and senseless laughter along with delusions and regressive behavior |
| hypochondriac | a patient with imaginary symptoms and ailments |
| burnout | an extreme emotional state characterized by emotional exhaustion, a diminished sense of personal accomplishment, and cynicism |
| influx | Mass arrival of a liquid, people, or things |
| preoccupation | Object of thought, concentration, or attention which is not related to the current environment or circumstances |
| stratagem | A deceptive tactic designed to gain the upper hand |
| talisman | amulet: a trinket or piece of jewelry usually hung about the neck and thought to be a magical protection against evil or disease |
| feat | a notable achievement |
| synopsis | outline: a sketchy summary of the main points of an argument or theory |
| explicate | To explain meticulously or in great detail |
| devise | invent: come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort |
| earnest | not distracted by anything unrelated to the goal |
| whimsical | determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason |
| replica | a copy that is relatively indistinguishable from the original |
| solecism | a grammatical mistake or absurdity |
| delve | to dig; to search deeply and thoroughly into |
| simulate | create a representation or model of |
| apposite | being of striking appropriateness and pertinence |
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