| Term | Definition |
|---|
| abstruse | hard to understand because of intellectual difficulty or obscurity |
| byzantine | something ecessively complicated |
| inscrutable | mysterious, hard to fathom or penetrate |
| mendacity | dishonesty |
| apocryphal | something of questionable truth or authenticity |
| elliptical | a verbal structure where some verbal element is left out, either intentionally or by error |
| esoteric | known to a small group/very few |
| arcane | something not known by people in general |
| disingenuous | insincere |
| factitious | something lacking in truth |
| palliative | soothing the symptoms of a disorder without effecting a cure |
| assuage | to soothe, to make less painful |
| emollient | something that softens and soothes the skin |
| ameliorate | to improve |
| alleviate | to ease symptoms without providing a cure |
| conciliate | to overcome distrust or hostility; to try to regain someone's friendship |
| foster | to nurture |
| mollify | to calm hostile feelings |
| placate | to lessen someone's anger or hard feelings |
| succor | relief and comfort in times of distress |
| curmudgeon | a grouch, a grump |
| booby | a foolish or stupid person |
| ninny | extreme lack of intelligence; overall silliness |
| nincompoop | a stupid and silly person |
| martinet | a person who demnds strict adherence to all regulations |
| roue | pitiable, self-deceiving |
| miscreant | equal-oppertunity wrongdoer; heretic |
| poltroon | a coward |
| buffoon | a person who enjoys clowning around and normal behavior is considered ridiculous |
| scapegrace | scoundrel, rascal, mischievous |
| ribald | something/someone characterized by witty hints at sexual content |
| bawdy | humorously coarse language or allusions |
| prurient | describes an inappropriate variety of interest in sexual matters, especially in other people's private lives |
| profligate | wild behavior in the monetary or sexual realm |
| tryst | secret meeting planned by lovers |
| dissolute | a person whose sense of moral restraint has dissolved |
| racy | something bordering on improper |
| dalliance | sense of playful flirtation |
| carnal | matters relating to physical/sexual |
| smut | obscenity, pornography |
| evanescent | disappearing like vapor |
| ephemeral | anything short-lived |
| chronic | long duration, frequently recurring |
| dilatory | tending towards postponing |
| diurnal | occurring in a twenty-four hour period, daily |
| antiwuated | very old |
| archaic | something that belongs to a much earlier period of time |
| passe | no longer current, out of fashion |
| gloaming | dusk, twilight |
| anachronism | literary technique of representing someone or something s existing in separate time periods |
| obfuscate | to make confusing and difficult to understand |
| melee | a confused and violent battle |
| anarchy | the absence of any form of political authority |
| bedlam | any place or situation of utter confusion or noisy uproar |
| confounded | confused, befuddled |
| convoluted | confusing |
| perturbed | to throw into confusion |
| labyrinthine | something that has the qualities of a labyrinth or maze |
| awry | away from the correct course |
| quagmire | a difficult predicament |
| terrestrial | referring to planet earth or land |
| firmament | refers to the sky and heavens, usually in a religious or historical context |
| ethereal | things that are heavenly, delicate, insubstantial |
| celestial | things relating to the concept of the sky or heavens |
| conflagration | a really big fire |
| incendiary | substances that can cause a fire |
| torrid | intensely hot |
| febrile | something related to or characterized by fever |
| deluge | a flood or heavy rain |
| sodden | soaked through; something extremely dull and useless |
| banter | good-humored, playful conversation |
| badinage | a lightweight conversation |
| repartee | the retort or reply of a person addressed in a conversation |
| gingerly | a cautious, delicate approach to something |
| lambent | the lightness of light (smallness of visual light) |
| leaven | to lighten (weight, load, density) |
| elucidate | to make clear through explanation |
| epiphany | a sudden comprehension, spontaneous revelation |
| diaphanous | describes an extremely fine, transparent cloth |
| benighted | used FIGURATIVELY to describe a person or an argument in moral or intellectual darkness |
| diatribe | to consume or wear away |
| harangue | a long, pompous, public speech with a particular point of view |
| tirade | angry or violent speech, denouncing someone or something |
| rant | a piece of angry writing that can inspire anger or violence |
| vituperation | a sustained speech or harshly abusive language |
| castigate | to harshly scold |
| fulminate | to issue an explosive attack in speech or writing |
| excoriate | to censure strongly, as if flaying with words |
| admonish | a milder form of anger by gentle caution or warnings |
| invective | a description of harsh and abusive language |
Combine with other sets
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace