| Term | Definition |
|---|
| despotic | oppressive, domineering, overbearing |
| gullible | easily deceived, tricked, cheated |
| guile | deceit, cunning, treachery |
| exonerate | to free or clear from blame, to pardon |
| cliche' | expression or idea that is stale and overused |
| trite | uninteresting because of overuse, lacking originality |
| melancholy | sad, gloomy, depressed |
| choleric | easily angered, grouchy |
| phlegmatic | sluggish, dull, unemotional |
| sanguine | cheerful, confident, hopeful |
| achilles' heel | weak point |
| stentorian | thunderous, booming, roaring |
| mnemonic | memory device, assisting recollection |
| desultory | half hearted, random in nature |
| fathom | to comprehend, grasp |
| serendipity | fate, chance, good fortune |
| impecunious | impoverished, penniless, destitute |
| pariah | recluse, exile, outcast, outsider |
| pecuniary | economic, financial |
| tawdry | showy, tasteless, crude |
| bombast | wordiness |
| farce | mockery |
| gadfly | annoying person |
| homage | to show reverence, respect |
| macabre | ghastly or gruesome |
| pedigree | ancestry, record |
| pittance | a small portion |
| preposterous | ridiculous, contrary to reason |
| spartan | severe, disciplined |
| spurn | to refuse, reject |
| abominable | utterly disgusting or hateful |
| adamant | unyielding, inflexible, definite |
| asanine | extremely or utterly foolish, stupid |
| chimerical | given to wildly impossible planes, unrealistic, fantastic, impractical |
| conjugal | of marriage; pertaining to the relationship between husband and wife |
| disparage | refer to something as having little importance |
| malapropism | ridiculous or humorous misuse of words |
| ominous | threatening; suggestive of future evil |
| bellwether | leader |
| pragmatic | practical |
| venerate | to regard with great respect |
| sadistic | getting pleasure from hurting others |
| titanic | gigantic |
| vegetate | lead a dull, inactive, useless life |
| limbo | place or state of neglect; period awaiting change; in-between state |
| plagiarize | to use ideas or writings of another and present them as one's own |
| irony | expression that means the opposite of what is stated; event or result the opposite of what is expected |
| effete | worn-out, unproductive, barren |
| hyperbole | obviously extravagant statement or assertion |
| diabolic | outrageously wicked; cruel; devilish |
| dunce | stupid person |
| charlatan | deceiver who falsely claims to have knowledge or skill; imposter |
| sycophant | sickeningly humble self-seeking flatterer |
| anachronism | something out of its proper historical line; error of putting something in the wrong historical line |
| draconian | severe, harsh, cruel |
| plummet | to fall rapidly straight down |
| fatal | causing or capable of causing death and destruction |
| nefarious | extremely wicked |
| vindicate | to clear from blame, charges, criticism; justify |
| vindictive | revengeful |
| maverick | independent person, nonconformist |
| esoteric | only a select few know, a secret |
| undermine | to weaken gradually, secretly destroy |
| alleviate | to relieve, less something like pain or suffering |
| bacchanal | a wild, drunken party |
| hedonist | one who lives for pleasure alone |
| nihilist | one who rejects all religous, moral, and traditional values, practices, and institutions |
| somnolent | drowsy, sleepy; causing sleep |
| diatribe | verbal abuse |
| tribulation | great suffering, misery, distress |
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