cavort
v. behave in a festive or high-spirited manner
cajole
v. persuade with flattery, appeals, or soothing words
contraband
n. smuggled goods
perpetuate
v. to make something continue indefinitely (positive or negative)
innate
adj. inborn, native, inherent
insinuate
v. suggest or hint something negative
dichotomy
n. a contrast between two things that are entirely different
wily
adj. sly; clever and decieving
affluent
adj. having a great deal of money
elude
v. evade, escape
harbinger
n. person or thing that comes before a specific event
integral
adj. necessary for completeness
poignant
adj. strongly felt; usually sadnesss
enigma
n. puzzling or inexplicable occurence or situation
litany
n. long or tedious account
quell
v. to extinguish, put down, suppress
loquacious
adj. being very talkative
prudent
adj. cautious; exercising good judgement
emulate
v. equal or beat, typically through imitation
integrity
n. adherance to moral and ethical principles
accentuate
v. stress or single out as important
repugnant
adj. extremely distasteful, unacceptable
deviate
v. depart from established course or standards
draconian
adj. unusually severe or cruel
circumvent
v. to go around or bypass; to avoid failure through deception
flourish
v. grow vigorously
xenophile
n. person who like foreigners or foreign things
nascent
adj. beginning to exist or develop
redundant
adj. not needed or useful; unnecessary
meticulous
adj. greatly attentive to detail
rudimentary
adj. involving or limited to basic principles
pyrrhic
adj. describing a victory that comes with a heavy cost
laconic
adj. using as few words as possible when speaking
manifesto
n. a public declaration of beliefs
incessant
adj. continuing without interupption; unending
paradigm
n. widely accepted truth or beliefs; a typical pattern or model
epiphany
n. moment of great or sudden revelation
galvanize
v. stimulate or startle into activity
voracious
adj. craving or consuming large amounts
proliferate
v. increase in number or spread rapidly
ambiguity
n. uncertain of meaning or intention
ambiance
n. atmosphere or mood of a place
subterfuge
n. a plan used to trick or decieve
extirpate
v. pull up or remove, as if by the roots
propensity
n. natural tendency or inclination
onus
n. difficult or disagreeable task, burden or obligation
attrition
n. the action of wearing down resistance
rogue
n./adj. a dishonest person; deviating from the norm
empathy
n. the ability to understand and share feelings of another
inculate
v. implant by repeated statement; cause someone to accept an idea
abscond
v. depart in a secret and sudden manner
skulk
v. move stealthily; lie in hiding
plausible
adj. crdible, believable, seems worthy of acceptance
boon
n. timely blessing or benefit
aberration
n. a deviation from normal, not typical
byzantine
adj. inflexible or complicated (sometimes as a result of age)
exemplar
n. an ideal model to be copied or imitated
juxtapose
v. to place side by side for comparison or contrast
machination
n. a crafty plot designed with a sinister end in mind
ostensible
adj. appearing to be true, but not actually true
slugabed
n. one who stays in bed until a late hour, a sluggard
troglodyte
n. one who is regarded as out of date, reclusive, reactionary or brutish; also a cave dweller
legerdemain
n. a display of skill, trickery, artful deception
motley
adj. incongruously varied in appearance or character
verbicide
n. the act of or the person who willfully distorts the original meaning of a word
prattle
v. to babble; to talk without meaning
bequest
n. something left to someone in a will; a legacy
indolent
adj. inclined to avoid exertion; lazy
crony
n. a close friend or companion
extrude
v. to force out, as through a small opening
panacea
n. a remedy for all ills or difficulties
risible
adj. provoking laughter; worthy of laughter
perfidy
n. the act of violating faith or allegiance; violation of a promise or vow
conundrum
n. a confusing or difficult problem or question
sallow
adj. grayish, greenish, yellow color suggesting sickliness
hubbub
n. a loud mixture of sound or voices; activity
ruminate
v. to think again and again, to muse, meditate, ponder, reflect
caterwaul
v. to protest or complain noisily
vim
n. power; force; energy; spirit; activity; vigor
gearhead
n. a technology enthusiast, a person with a deep interest in the inner workings of things
rakish
adj. smart; jaunty; dashing
futz
n./v. pass time in idleness; or a fool, simpleton
gravitas
n. high seriousness
bivouac
n./v. an encampment (usually military); to make camp
lackadaisical
adj. lacking spirit or liveliness; showing lack of interest; listless
stymie
v. hinder, block, thwart
foment
v. instigate or foster; promote the growth or development of
boondoggle
n./v. work; to do work of little or no value merely to look busy