| Term | Definition |
| allege | (v)- to assert without proof or confirmation |
| arrant | (adj)-thorough-going, out-and-out; shameless, blatant |
| badinage | (n) light and playful conversation |
| conciliate | (v) to overcome the distrust of; win over; to appease, pacify; to reconciliate, make consistent |
| countermand | (v) to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first |
| echelon | (n) one of a series of levels or grades in an organization or field of activity; an organizied military unit; a step-like formation or arrangement |
| exacerbate | (v) to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful |
| fatuous | (adj) stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way |
| irrefutable | (adj) that which cannot be disproved; beyond argument |
| juggernaut | (n) a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path |
| lackadaisical | (adj) lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted |
| litany | (n) a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating wit responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list |
| macabre | (adj) grisly, gruesome, horrible, distressing; having death as a subject |
| mélange | (n) a mixture, medley |
| paucity | (n) an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth |
| portend | (v) to indicate beforehand that somethings is about to happen; to give advance warning of |
| raze | (v) to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out |
| recant | (v) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract |
| saturate | (v) to soak thoroughtly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully |
| saturnine | (adj) of gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood |
| slough | (v) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through or as if through mud (n) a mire; a state of depression |
| substantive | (adj) pertaining to the essence or substance of something; existing in its own right; real, not apparent; solid; of major importance |