aegis
To protect, back up, or support a person or organization
agita
anxiety, stress, or aggravation
anathema
(1) something or someone that one dislikes (2) a curse
apostate
someone who renounces their religion, political belief, or principle
bailiwick
(1) someone's particular interest or sphere of operations (2) the jurisdiction of a bailiff
bellwether
(1) the leading sheep of a flock, with a bell on its neck (2) an indicator or predictor of something
blandishment
a flattering statement or action used to persuade someone gently do something
bodacious
(1) excellent, admirable, or attractive (2) audacious in a way considered admirable
bowdlerize
to remove material that is considered offensive from a text or account, with the result that the text becomes weaker or less effective
bravado
a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate
Brobdingnagian
gigantic
brook
tolerate or allow
brouhaha
a noisy and overexcited reaction or response to something
bupkes (bupkis)
absolutely nothing, nothing at all
burgeon
(1) begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish (2) a bud or young shoots
cacophony
a harsh discordant mixture of sounds
catharsis
the process of releasing strong and repressed emotions to relieve of them
conundrum
(1) a confusing and difficult problem or question (2) a question asked for amusement, typically one with a pun in its answer; a riddle
coup de foudre
a sudden unforeseen event, in particular an instance of love at first sight
debacle
a sudden and ignominious failure; a fiasco
decimate
(1) kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of (2) drastically reducing the strength or effectiveness of something (3) kill one in every ten of a group as a punishment for the whole group
denizen
(1) an inhabitant or occupant of a particular place (2) a foreigner allowed certain rights in the adopted country
deprecate
(1) express disapproval of (2) disparage or belittle something
diatribe
a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something
dilettante
(1) a person who cultivates an area of interest, without real commitment or knowledge (2) a person with an amateur interest in the arts
ebullient
(1) cheerful and full of energy (2) a liquid or matter that is boiling or agitated as if boiling
eclectic
(1) to derive or a person that derives ideas, style, or taste, from a diverse range of sources
emote
to portray emotion in a theatrical manner, especially by actors
enervate
(1) to be or to cause someone to feel drained of energy or vitality; weaken
ensconce
establish or settle someone in a comfortable, safe, or secret place
epicurean
(1) a disciple of or something related to the Greek philosopher Epicurus (2) a person devoted to sensual enjoyment from fine food and drinks
ersatz
(1) an inferior substitute (2) not real or genuine
fastidious
(1) very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail (2) very concerned about matters of cleanliness
ferret
(1) to hunt using a ferret, typically rabbits (2) to search in great lengths for something
fleece
(1) the woolly covering of a sheep or a fabric similar to such (2) to obtain a great deal of money by overcharging or swindling someone
Frankenfood
genetically modified food
histrionic
(1) overly theatrical or melodramatic in character or style (2) denoting a personality disorder marked by shallow volatile emotions and attention-seeking behavior
hoi polloi
the masses; the common people
hugger-mugger
(1) confused; disorderly (2) secret; clandestine
idiosyncrasy
(1) a behavior or way of thought peculiar to an individual (2) a distinctive or peculiar feature or characteristic of a place or thing (3) an abnormal physical reaction by an individual to a food or drug
ignominious
deserving or causing public disgrace or shame
imbue
inspire or permeate with a feeling or quality
indolent
(1) wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy (2) causing little or no pain
inexorable
(1) impossible to stop or prevent (2) someone impossible to persuade by request or entreaty
inimitable
so good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique
kerfuffle
a commotion or fuss, especially one caused by conflicting views
kibitz
(1) look on and offer unwelcome advice, especially at a card game (2) speak informally; chat
kowtow
(1) act in an excessively subservient manner (2) a Chinese custom in which you kneel and touch the ground with your forehead in worship or submission
lugubrious
looking or sounding sad and dismal
macabre
disturbing and horrifying because of involvement with or depiction of death and injury
Madeleine
a French shell-shaped baked good often decorated with coconut and jam
maladroit
ineffective or bungling; clumsy
malfeasance
wrongdoing, especially by a public official
masticate
to chew
mensch
a person of integrity and honor
mollify
(1) appease the anger or anxiety of someone (2) reduce the severity of something; soften
nabob
a person of wealth or high status, typically of Muslim origin as a governor under the Mogul empire
nebbish
a person, especially a man, who is regarded as pitifully ineffectual, timid, or submissive
nemesis
(1) a long-standing rival; an archenemy (2) a downfall caused by an inescapable agent (3) retributive justice
niggardly
(1) not generous; stingy (2) meager; scanty
nosh
(1) food or snack (2) to eat food enthusiastically or greedily
obsequies
funeral rites
onerous
a task, duty, or responsibility that involves an oppressively burdensome amount of effort and difficulty
ostracize
(1) to exclude someone from a group (2) to banish someone from a city for five to ten years
panacea
a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases
panache
(1) flamboyant confidence of style or manner (2) a tuft or plume of feathers, especially as a headdress or on a helmet
pander
(1) gratify or indulge (2) a pimp
pejorative
expressing contempt or disapproval
plaudit
(1) an expression of praise or approval (2) the applause of an audience
preclude
to prevent something or someone from doing something; make impossible
prorogue
to discontinue a lesgislative assembly without dissolving it
proselytize
to try to convert someone's beliefs; to advocate or promote
protean
(1) tending or able to change frequently or easily (2) able to do many different things; versatile
quaff
to drink an alcoholic drink heartily
quizzical
indicating or to cause mild amusement
recant
to say that one no longer holds an opinion or belief, especially one considered heretical
redact
to edit, censor, or obscure a text for publication, legal, or security purposes
regale
(1) to amuse someone with talk (2) to lavishly supply someone with food or drink
roil
(1) to make a liquid to go into a turbulent or swirling manner (2) to annoy or irritate someone
sanguine
(1) to be optimistic or positive, especially in a bad or difficult situation (2) blood-red; bloody; bloodthirsty
schlock
cheap or inferior goods or material; trash
schmaltzy
excessively sentimental
schmooze
to talk with someone in a lively and friendly way, typically in order to impress or manipulate them
scion
(1) a young shoot or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting or rooting (2) a descendant of a notable family
sonorous
(1) imposingly deep and full voice (2) capable of producing a deep or ringing sound (3) using imposing language
surfeit
(1) an excessive amount of something (2) an illness caused or regarded as being caused by excessive eating or drinking
sycophant
a person who acts obsequiously, obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree, toward someone important in order to gain advantage
tantalize
(1) to torment or tease someone with the sight or promise of something that is unobtainable (2) to excite the senses or desires of someone
uxorious
having or showing an excessive or submissive fondness for one's wife
vainglorious
excessively proud of oneself or one's achievements; overly vain
verisimilitude
the appearance of being true or real
vet
(1) a veterinary surgeon (2) to investigate or carefully examine someone or something thoroughly
vicissitude
(1) a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant (2) alternation between opposite or contrasting things
voyeur
(1) a person who enjoys seeing the pain or distress of others (2) a person who gains sexual pleasure from watching others when they are naked or engaged in sexual activity
winnow
(1) to separate the useful things or people from those that are not (2) a bird fanning the air with its wings; the blowing of wind
xenophobia
dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries