Words

pugnacious

eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight

consternation

feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected

sepia

reddish-brown color associated particularly with monochrome photographs

pyrrhic

(a victory) won at too great a cost to be worthwhile to the victor

yenta

woman who is a gossip or busybody

coprolite

a piece of fossilized dung

parsimony

extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources

abet

to help, encourage, or support someone in a criminal act

pusillanimous

showing a lack of courage or determination, timid

convivial

(of an atmosphere or event) friendly, lively, and enjoyable

(of a person) cheerful and friendly, jovial

teetotal

advocating or pledged to total abstinence from drinking (alcohol)

acumen

keen insight, shrewdness

feckless

lacking initiative or strength of character, irresponsible

indolence

avoidance of activity or exertion, laziness

nee

born (placed after name of a married woman to introduce her maiden name)

ort

scrap or morsel of food left at a meal

anthropogenic

caused or produced by humans

peremptory

putting an end to all debate or action

transcendent

going beyond ordinary limits

supercilious

proud and contemptuous, showing scorn because of a feeling of superiority

contiguous

sharing an edge or boundary, touching

sumptuous

costly, rich, magnificent

facet

one aspect or side of a subject or problem

muslin

plain-woven cotton fabric

rakish

carefree, dashing, jaunty

proprietary

of or relating to an owner or ownership

strident

unpleasantly loud and harsh

prodigality

excessive spending

credulity

gullibility

homogeneity

the quality of being similar or comparable in kind or nature

staid (adj)

serious and dignified; quiet or subdued in character or conduct

florid

excessively decorated or embellished

corpulent

fat; having a large, bulky body

echolalia

automatic and immediate repetition of what others say

obstetrical

relating to birth

vinous

of or relating to wine

dissension

disagreement, sharp difference of opinion

conscientious

diligent and careful

poignant

emotionally moving

shift

a woman's straight unwaisted dress; a long, loose-fitting undergarment

cravat

a short, wide strip of fabric worn by men around the neck and tucked inside an open-necked shirt

loupe

a small magnifying glass used by jewelers and watchmakers

indefatigable

(of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly

genial

friendly and cheerful

excoriate

to criticize severely

intrepid

fearless, adventurous

hobbyhorse

a favorite pastime; a topic with which one is obsessed

descry

catch sight of (something distant)

malpractice

improper, illegal, or negligent professional activity or treatment, especially by a medical practitioner, lawyer, or public official

ascribe

attribute something to (a cause)

espouse

adopt or support (a cause, belief, or way of life)

bowdlerize

remove material that is considered improper or offensive from (a text or account), especially with the result that it becomes weaker or less effective

belie

(of an appearance) fail to give a true notion or impression of (something); disguise or contradict

disseminate

spread (something, especially information) widely

de rigueur

required by etiquette or current fashion

abstemious

not self-indulgent, especially when eating and drinking

apocryphal

(of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true

edification

the instruction or improvement of a person morally or intellectually

mandarin

an influential person; a member of an elite group

transient

lasting only for a short time; impermanent

a person who is staying or working in a place for only a short time

insurrection

a violent uprising against an authority or government

sanguine

optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation

buttress

increase the strength of or justification for; reinforce

beatnik

a young person in the 1950s and early 1960s belonging to a subculture associated with the beat generation

Beat Generation (1950s-1960s)

a movement of young people who rejected conventional society and favored Zen Buddhism, modern jazz, free sexuality, and recreational drugs

pogrom

an organized massacre of a particular ethnic group, in particular that of Jews in Russia or eastern Europe

maladaptive

not providing adequate or appropriate adjustment to the environment or situation

egosyntonic

behaviors, values, and feelings that are in harmony with or acceptable to the needs and goals of the ego, or consistent with one's ideal self-image

libertarianism

a collection of political philosophies and movements that uphold liberty as a core principle; seeks to maximize political freedom and autonomy, emphasizing freedom of choice, voluntary association, and individual judgement

avant-garde

new and unusual or experimental ideas, especially in the arts

etiology

the investigation or attribution of the cause or reason for something (disease, history, or mythology)

clandestine

kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit

rapprochement

an establishment of harmonious relations, as between nations

disparate

essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison

boor

an unrefined, ill-mannered person

doctrinaire

rigidly devoted to theories without regard for practicality; dogmatic

dogmatic

stubbornly opinionated

litigation

the process of taking legal action, lawsuit

disaffected

dissatisfied with the people in authority and no longer willing to support them

acerbic

sharp, biting, or acidic in temper, expression, or tone

convener

a person whose job it is to call people together for the meetings of a committee

proliferation

rapid increase in numbers

contention

heated disagreement
an assertion, especially one maintained in argument

corollary

a direct or natural consequence or result

ballast

something that provides stability

scrupulous

diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details; very concerned to avoid doing wrong

hamstrung

made ineffective or powerless

retrograde

directed or moving backward; reverting to an earlier and inferior condition

rearguard

a defensive or conservative element in an organization or community

dissident

a person who opposes official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state

motley

incongruously varied in appearance or character; disparate

conciliator

a person who acts as a mediator between two disputing people or groups

asunder

apart; divided

augment

to make larger, increase

internecine

mutually destructive; destructive to both sides in a conflict

furtive

attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive

suggestive of guilty nervousness

clearinghouse

an agency or organization that collects and distributes something, especially information

quiescence

inactivity or dormancy

rectitude

morally correct behavior or thinking; righteousness

sacrosanct

regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with