 | Term | Definition |
| |
manifold |
having many different parts or applications |
| |
cudgel |
a stout stick used as a weapon |
| |
limpid |
transparent |
| |
invidious |
causing envy or ill feeling |
| |
persiflage |
light or bantering speech |
| |
obsequious |
subservient, fawning, groveling, insincere |
| |
obstreperous |
unruly, boisterous, uncontrollably |
| |
obviate |
prevent, preclude, take away |
| |
pastiche |
mixture, patchwork, blend |
| |
pathos |
feeling, pity, emotion, sadness, tragedy |
| |
specious |
deceptive, misleading |
| |
talisman |
charm, fetish, mascot |
| |
punctilious |
precisce in behavior, attentive to formality and etiquette |
| |
pusillanimous |
lacking courage, timidity |
| |
postprandial |
after dinner or lunch |
| |
obfuscate |
obscure, confuse, stupefy, bewilder |
| |
obdurate |
hardened against influence, stubborn |
| |
obloquy |
the state of being generally ill spoken of, abuse |
| |
obsequies |
funeral rites, a funeral |
| |
patois |
dialect of the common people in a region differing fundamentally from the literary language |
| |
pellucid |
transparant, clear, mentally clear |
| |
pedagogue |
a schoolmaster, especially a pedantic one |
| |
pedagogy |
the science of teaching |
| |
sarcophagus |
stone coffin |
| |
abrogate |
abolish, do away with |
| |
peccadillo |
slight flaw, sin or transgression |
| |
parvenu |
one suddenly risen in class not yet accepted by others on that level |
| |
panegyric |
a formal eulogistic composition intended as a public compliment; elaborate praise |
| |
meretricious |
pertaining to or resembling a prostitute; attracting attention in a vulgar manner; lacking sincerity |
| |
tendentious |
marked bya strong implicit point of view; written or spoken to promote a cause; biased |
| |
perspicuous |
clearly expressed or presented; easy to comprehend |
| |
calumniate |
to slander; to say knowingly malicious falsehoods about |
| |
cachinnate |
to laugh loudly, immoderately, resoundingly, convulsively |
| |
cicerone |
a guide who conducts sightseers |
| |
inveigh |
speak or write with strong hostility |
| |
inveterate |
habitual, usually a bad habit; long standing; established |
| |
copse |
a hedge |
| |
inscrutable |
mysterious; impenatrable |
| |
piebald |
usually describing a horse; having two colors, especially black and white |
| |
plutocracy |
government by the wealthy; the ruling class |
| |
piker |
a cautious, timid or cheap person |
| |
plaintive |
expressing sorrow; mournful |
| |
portentous |
serving as a sign of something to come, usually bad; pompously solemn |
| |
elemental |
of the powers of nature; comparable to a force of nature |
| |
nihilistic |
the rejection of all religious and moral principles; skepticism manintining that nothing has any real existence |
| |
frisson |
emotional thrill; i.e. anticipatory frisson |
| |
epigraph |
an inscription |
| |
sardonic |
grimly jocular; bitterly mocking or cynical |
| |
sanguine |
optimistic; confindent |
| |
sanguinary |
bloody; bloodthirsty |
| |
sang-froid |
composure; coolness; especially in dangerous circumstances |
| |
vitiate |
impair the quality of or effectiveness of; debase |
| |
miscegenous |
pertaining to the interbreeding of races, especially white and non-white |
| |
compunctious |
feeling slight regret |
| |
compendium |
summary or abstract of a larger work |
| |
presentiment |
a vague expectation; especially of misfortune |
| |
treacle |
a syrup produced from refined sugar; molasses; cloying sentimentality or flattery |
| |
importune |
solicit pressingly; solicit for an immoral purpose |
| |
imprecation |
a spoken curse |
| |
immure |
enclose within walls; imprison |
| |
motility |
capable of motion |
| |
scabrous |
indecent; salacious; behaving licentiously |
| |
terra-cotta |
unglazed, brownish red earthenware used as ornamental building material; a statuette made of this |
| |
taciturn |
not inclined to talk |
