| Term | Definition |
|---|
| affliction | (n.) pain, suffering, distress or the cause thereof |
| antagonism | (n.) an actively expressed feeling of dislike or hostility toward someone |
| austerity | (n.) strict or severe discipline; the trait of self-denial |
| bane | (n.) something that causes misery or pain; the bane of my existence |
| bastion | (n.) a well-fortified position; a group or someone who defends a principle |
| belligerent | (adj.) inclined to fight or be aggressive or hostile |
| benevolent | (adj.) characterized by doing good; charitable |
| blasphemy | (n.) an act or comment that shows contempt or irreverence for something considered sacred |
| chasm | (n.) a deep opening in the earth’s surface; a pronounced difference of opinion or loyalty |
| compulsion | (n.) an irresistible impulse to act |
| conclave | (n.) a secret or confidential meeting |
| contrive | (v.) to plan with evil intent; to invent or fabricate |
| corpulent | (adj.) excessively fat |
| cynicism | (n.) an attitude of jaded negativity; a distrust of others’ motives |
| daunting | (adj.) intimidating; discouraging through fear |
| defile | (v.) to make dirty or filthy; to pollute |
| derision | (n.) contemptuous or jeering laughter; ridicule [usually the object of a preposition] |
| disparage | (v.) to speak in a disrespectful or insulting way |
| displace | (v.) to change the place of; to place in another situation |
| dubious | (adj.) of questionable character; doubtful, uncertain, undecided |
| eccentric | (adj.) departing from conventional norms or patterns; strange; odd |
| effigy | (n.) a crude figure or dummy representing a hated person or group [was burned in effigy] |
| effulgence | (n.) a brilliant radiance |
| enamor | (v.) to inspire with love; to captivate |
| enthrall | (v.) to hold spellbound; to captivate |
| errant | (adj.) straying from the right course or acceptable standards |
| faction | (n.) a group of people—usually a contentious minority within a larger group |
| fervor | (n.) great warmth and intensity of emotion |
| flail | (v.) to wave or swing vigorously; to thrash |
| furtive | (adj.) stealth-like; shifty; secretive |
| conscious | (adj.) alert; awake |
| conscience | (n.) sense of right and wrong |
| eminent | (adj.) prominent; conspicuous |
| imminent | (adj.) ready or threatening to happen |
| garrulous | (adj.) tiresomely talkative; loquacious |
| gaudy | (adj.) showy in a tasteless or vulgar way [synonyms: loud or tacky] |
| gesticulate | (v.) to make gestures while speaking, to add emphasis |
| grimace | (n., v.) a facial expression that expresses pain, contempt, or disgust |
| harbinger | (n.) an indication of the approach of something or someone; (v.) to foreshadow or presage |
| heathen | (n.) an individual or group considered irreligious, uncivilized, or unenlightened |
| course | (n.) a class or series of classes |
| coarse | (adj.) inferior; rough; crude |
| elicit | (v.) to bring out |
| illicit | (adj.) unlawful |
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