Words to learn

maudlin

very sentimental or emotional

bluster

be gusty, as of wind

volubly

in a chatty manner

cache

a hidden storage space

bludgeon

a club used as a weapon

despondent

without or almost without hope

peruse

examine or consider with attention and in detail

trudge

walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud

tacit

implied by or inferred from actions or statements

spiel

artful or slick talk used to persuade

comely

according with custom or propriety

mull

reflect deeply on a subject

blather

talk foolishly

treatise

a formal text that treats a particular topic systematically

burnish

polish and make shiny

spat

a quarrel about petty points

velleity

a mere wish, unaccompanied by effort

elude

escape, either physically or mentally

spurn

reject with contempt

double entendre

a word or phrase with two meanings, one of which is indecent

encomium

a formal expression of praise

chagrin

strong feelings of embarrassment

wanton

a lewd or immoral person

laud

praise, glorify, or honor

svelte

being of delicate or slender build

slapdash

marked by great carelessness

asinine

devoid of intelligence

circumlocution

an indirect way of expressing something

aside

on or to one side

homily

a sermon on a moral or religious topic

avuncular

being or relating to an uncle

bore

make a hole, especially with a pointed power or hand tool

titillate

stimulate or excite

ransack

search thoroughly

in tandem

with one beside or behind the other

wistful

showing pensive sadness

soliloquy

speech you make to yourself

caveat

a warning against certain acts

galvanize

stimulate (muscles) by administering a shock

impartial

free from undue bias or preconceived opinions

precipitous

extremely steep

rheum

a watery discharge from the mucous membranes

provenance

where something originated or started

ruddy

inclined to a healthy reddish color

disenfranchised

deprive of voting rights

loathe

dislike intensely; feel disgust toward

insouciance

a casual or lighthearted feeling of unconcern

relent

give in, as to influence or pressure

demeaning

causing someone to lose status or the respect of others

salience

the state of being significant

candor

the quality of being honest and straightforward

palimpsest

a manuscript on which more than one text has been written

scrumptious

extremely pleasing to the sense of taste

prevaricate

be deliberately ambiguous or unclear

dither

be undecided or uncertain

easel

an upright tripod for displaying something

ennui

the feeling of being bored by something tedious

bashful

self-consciously timid

derelict

a person without a home, job, or property

poignant

keenly distressing to the mind or feelings

souse

immerse briefly into a liquid

writhe

move in a twisting or contorted motion

conflate

mix together different elements

dogged

stubbornly unyielding

redound

have an effect for good or ill

ribald

humorously vulgar

tentative

hesitant or lacking confidence; unsettled in mind or opinion

jingoistic

fanatically patriotic

duress

compulsory force or threat

loath

strongly opposed

skulduggery

misrepresentation intended to take advantage of someone

cogent

powerfully persuasive

elide

omit or strike out

sundry

consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds

abrade

rub hard or scrub

anvil

a heavy block on which hot metals are shaped by hammering

pagoda

an Asian temple

serf

a person bound to the land and owned by the feudal lord

vexing

extremely annoying or displeasing

imbue

spread or diffuse through

beget

have children

aspersion

a disparaging remark

autocratic

characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule

schlep

pull along heavily, like a heavy load against a resistance

epigraph

a quotation at the beginning of some piece of writing

sliver

a small thin sharp bit of wood, glass, or metal

garrison

a fortified military post where troops are stationed

supine

lying face upward

eschew

avoid and stay away from deliberately

repast

the food served and eaten at one time

teeter

move unsteadily, with a rocking motion

dole

a share of money or necessities donated by charity

waif

a homeless child especially one forsaken or orphaned

recidivism

habitual relapse into crime

verve

an energetic style

dogmatic

pertaining to a code of beliefs accepted as authoritative

zealous

marked by active interest and enthusiasm

blistering

extremely hot

fetter

a shackle for the ankles or feet

credit

an estimate of ability to fulfill financial commitments