The Tyranny of Merit

inflect

influence slightly

The actors inflect their performances with sincere emotion.

ensnare

to catch or get control of something or someone:

They wanted to make a formal complaint about their doctor, but ended up ensnared in the complexities of the legal system.

indenture

(in the past) to officially agree that someone, often a young person, will work for someone else, especially in order to learn a job:

He was indentured to a carpenter.

The land was worked on by indentured servants.

bear someone/something out

to support the truth of something:

His version of events just isn't borne out by the facts.

ferret something/somebody out

to discover someone or something, esp. information, after searching:

Officials are attempting to ferret out abuses in the welfare program.

bulwark

something that protects you from dangerous or unpleasant situations:

My savings were a bulwark against unemployment.

Cachet

A quallity that makes sth or sb attractive or admirable

continuum

something that changes in character gradually or in very slight stages without any clear dividing points:

It's not "left-wing or right-wing" - political opinion is a long continuum.

bona fide

real or true; not false:

This is my first bona fide job.