| Term | Definition |
| abate | to make less in amount, degree, etc.; to subside, become less, to nullify; to deduct, omit |
| adulation | praise or flattery that is excessive |
| anathema | an object of intense dislike; a curse or strong denunciation |
| astute | shrewd, crafty, showing practical wisdom |
| avarice | a greedy desire, particularly for wealth |
| culpable | deserving blame, worthy of condemnation |
| dilatory | tending to delay or procrastinare, not prompt, intended to delay or postpone |
| egregious | conspicuous, standing out from the mass (used in an unfavorable sense) |
| equivocate | to speak or act in a way that allows for more than one interpretation; to be deliberately vague or ambiguous |
| evanescent | vanishing, soon passing away; light and airy |
| irresolute | unable to make up one's mind, hesitating |
| nebulous | cloudlike, resembling a cloud; cloudy in color, not transparent; vague, confused, indistinct |
| novice | one who is just a beginner at some sort of activity requiring skill and experience |
| penury | extreme poverty; barrenness, insufficiency |
| pretentious | done for show, striving to make a big impression; claiming merit or position unjustifiably; making demands on one's skill or abilities, ambitious |
| recapitulate | to review a series of facts, to sum up |
| resuscitate | to revive, bring back to consciousness or existence |
| slovenly | untidy, dirty, careless |
| supposition | something that is assumed or taken for granted without conclusive evidence |
| torpid | inactive, sluggish, dull |