| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Achilles' heel | weak point |
| stentorian | very loud |
| mnemonic | assisting memory |
| fathom | understand, figure out, penetrate the meaning of |
| serendipity | ability to make lucky discoveries by chance or accident |
| desultory | random, unmethodical, aimless |
| pariah | social outcast |
| tawdry | showy and cheap |
| pecuniary | relating to money |
| impecunious | having little or no money; poor |
| Spartan | severe, rigorous, disciplined |
| gadfly | person who continually annoys other |
| homage | action showing respect and honor |
| spurn | scornfully refuse or reject |
| pedigree | ancestry or record of ancestry, line of descent |
| pittance | small amount or portion, especially of money |
| preposterous | ridiculous, obviously absurd, contrary to reason |
| macabre | gruesome, horrible, causing fear, suggesting the horror of death |
| farce | ridiculous, light comedy; slapstick comedy; absurd thing; mockery |
| bombast | speech or writing that sounds grand or important but has little meaning |
| chimerical | given to wildly impossible plans, unrealistic, fantastic, impractical |
| asinine | stupid or silly |
| bellwether | leader |
| limbo | place or state of neglect; period awaiting change; in-between state |
| plagiarize | use ideas or writings of another and present them as one's own |
| titanic | enormous in size or strength |
| 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; impostor |
| sycophant | sickeningly humble self-seeking flatterer |
| anachronism | something out of its proper historical time; error of putting something in the wrong historical time |
| draconian | severe, harsh, cruel |
| plummet | fall rapidly straight down |
| fatal | causing or capable of causing death and destruction |
| nefarious | extremely wicked |
| vindicate | clear from blame, charges, criticism, justify |
| vindictive | revengeful |
| venerate | regard with great respect |
| sadistic | getting pleasure from hurting others |
| malapropism | ridiculous or humorous misuse of words |
| pragmatic | practical |
| disparage | refer to something as having little importance;speak slightingly of |
| vegetate | lead a dull, inactive, useless life |
| adamant | unyielding, inflexible, definite |
| conjugal | of marriage, pertaining to the relationship between husband and wife |
| abominable | utterly disgusting or hateful |
| ominous | threatening; suggestive of future evil |
| despotic | tyrannical, oppressive |
| gullible | easily deceived, tricked, cheated |
| guile | deceit, treachery |
| exonerate | free from blame |
| cliche | expression or idea that is stale from overuse |
| trite | uninteresting because of overuse; lacking originality and freshness |
| melancholy | sad, gloomy, depressed/sadness, gloom, depression |
| choleric | easily angered; grouchy; quick-tempered |
| phlegmatic | sluggish, not easily excited |
| sanguine | cheerful, confident, hopeful |
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