1621-1680

acme

(n.) the highest point

attribute

(n.) a quality or characteristic belonging to or associated with someone or something; (v.) to assign to, credit with; to regard as caused by or resulting from

belittle

(v.) to make something appear smaller than it is; to refer to in a way that suggests lack of importance or value

convey

(v.) to transport; to transmit; to communicate, make known; to transfer ownership or title to

doctrine

(n.) a belief, principle, or teaching; a system of such beliefs or principles; a formulation of such beliefs or principles

excise

(v.) to remove by cutting; (n.) an indirect tax on the manufacture, sale, or distribution of a commodity or service

exotic

(adj.) foreign; charmingly unfamiliar or strikingly unusual

haggard

(adj.) thin, pale, and careworn as a result of worry or suffering; wild-looking

jaunty

(adj.) lively, easy, and carefree in manner; smart or trim in appearance

juncture

(n.) a joining together; the point at which two things are joined; any important point in time

menial

(adj.) lowly, humble, lacking importance or dignity; (n.) a person who does the humble and unpleasant tasks

parry

(v.) to ward off, fend off, deflect, evade, avoid; (n.) a defensive movement in fencing and other sports

predatory

(adj.) preying on, plundering, or piratical

ravage

(v.) to destroy, lay waste, ruin; (n.) ruinous damage, destruction

stance

(n.) a way of holding the body; an attitude or position on an issue

tawdry

(adj.) showy and flashy but lacking in good taste

turncoat

(n.) a person who switches to an opposing side or party

unassuming

(adj.) not putting on airs, unpretentious; modest

wallow

(v.) to roll about in a lazy, clumsy, or helpless way; to overindulge in; to have in abundance; (n.) a wet, muddy, or dusty area used by animals as a sort of bath; a state of moral or physical collapse

waver

(v.) to move to and fro, become unsteady; to show lack of firmness or decision

abut

(v.) to join at one end or be next to; to support, prop up

attire

(n.) clothes, apparel, garb; (v.) to dress, adorn, or bedeck

avail

(v.) to be of use or benefit to; to make use of; to take advantage of; to profit or benefit; (n.) use, benefit, or value

crony

(n.) a very close friend, pal, chum, buddy

cryptic

(adj.) puzzling, mystifying, or enigmatic

divergent

(adj.) going in different directions; different from each other; departing from conversation, deviant

enmity

(n.) hatred, ill-will

fervent

(adj.) very earnest, emotional, passionate; extremely hot

gaunt

(adj.) thin and bony, starved looking; bare, barren

infiltrate

(v.) to pass through or gain entrance to gradually or stealthily

nullify

(v.) to make of no value or consequence, cancel, wipe out

perceptible

(adj.) capable of being grasped by the senses or mind

plummet

(v.) to plunge straight down; (n.) a weight fastened to a line

proclaim

(v.) to declare publicly or officially

proxy

(n.) an agent, substitute; a written permission allowing one person to act in another's place

rankle

(v.) to cause anger, irritation, or bitterness (with the suggestion that the pain grows worse with time)

scavenger

(n.) a person who collects or removes usable items from waste materials; an animal that feeds on refuse or dead bodies

stint

(v.) to limit, be sparing or frugal; (n.) a limit or restriction; a fixed share of work or duty; a period of activity

stoical

(adj.) self-controlled, not showing feeling in response to pleasure or pain

unflagging

(v.) tireless, continuing with vigor

apt

(adj.) suitable, fitting, likely; quick to learn

awry

(adj., adv.) in a turned or twisted position or direction; wrong, out of the right or hoped-for course

bludgeon

(n.) a short club used as a weapon; (v.) to strike with a heavy club; to use force or strong arguments to gain some point

capitulate

(v.) to end resistance, give up, surrender, throw in the towel

chafe

(v.) to warm by rubbing; to wear sore by rubbing; to feel annoyance or dissatisfaction, annoy, irk; to strain or press against; (n.) a sore or injury caused by rubbing

defile

(v., trans.) to make unclean or dirty, destroy the purity of;

(v., intrans.) to march in a single line or in columns; (n.) a narrow

passage; gorge, canyon

dire

(adj.) dreadful, causing fear or suffering; warning of trouble to

come; demanding immediate action to avoid disaster

disarming

(adj.) charming, tending to get rid of unfriendliness or suspicion

disgruntled

(adj., part) in bad humor, discontented, annoyed

encroach

(v.) to advance beyond the usual or proper limits, trespass

endow

(v.) to furnish, equip, provide with funds or some other desirable thing or quality

fend

(v.) to ward off, resist; to get along, manage

impunity

(n.) freedom from punishment

mien

(n.) air, manner; appearance; expression

penal

(adj.) having to do with punishment

pertinent

(adj.) related to the matter at hand, to the point

predominant

(adj.) the greatest in strength or power; most common

prodigy

(n.) something wonderful or marvelous; something monstrous

or abnormal; an unusual feat; a child or young person with

extraordinary ability or talent

recluse

(n.) a person who leads a life shut up or withdrawn from the world

renown

(n.) fame, glory