da bocab

pander

to exploit weaknesses of others; to cater to the vices of others

otiose

useless; futile

puerile

childish; juvenile

aleatory

dependent on luck or chance

asperity

roughness or harshness; severity

renunciation

rejection; refusal to acknowledge

unimpeachable

unquestionable; beyond doubt

inveigh

to disapprove angrily; to protest

lionize

to assign great social important to; to treat as a celebrity

allay

to relieve; to alleviate

vitiate

to corrupt morally; to contaminate

recalcitrant

stubbornly resistant; showing opposition

exegesis

an explanation of a text; a critical interpretation

ameliorate

to make better; to improve

profligate

wasteful and immoral

provocative

tending to excite or stimulate

bumpkin

an unsophisticated, awkward person

toady

a person who flatters for personal gain

culpable

deserving blame or condemnation; guilty

horatory

encouraging; inciting

penultimate

next to last

orotund

full and rich in sound (in speech)

blithe

carefree and lighthearted

soporific

tending to induce sleep

pervasive

permeating; spreading throughout

benign

beneficial; favorable

frenetic

wildly excited

recrimination

a counteraccusation

indecorous

lacking good taste; improper

corroborate

to strengthen by adding evidence

majordomo

a chief butler or assistant

untenable

impossible to defend or justify

perambulate

to walk about; to stroll

veneer

a thin, attractive layer that conceals something common or coarse

timorous

timid

luminous

emitting light

circuitous

indirect; roundabout

perquisite

a tip or payment in addition to regular wages

probity

integrity; respectability

polemical

relating to controversy or argument

tacit

indicated but not expressed; implied silently

largesse

generosity

indolent

lazy

circumlocution

unnecessarily wordy or evasive language

depredate

to plunder and pillage

canard

a deliberately misleading story

wont

likely

etymology

the history of a word; the study of word origins

cortege

a group of attendants; a retinue

solecism

a deviation or error in speech, manners, or deeds

demotic

relating to ordinary people

simian

related to or resembling an ape or monkey

impresario

an entertainment producer or manager

requisite

required; necessary

bulward

a defensive wall or embankment

malaise

vague bodily or emotional discomfort or uneasiness

disingenuous

insincere; calculating

crescendo

a gradual increase in intensity, force, or volume

intransigent

uncompromising; refusing to moderate

dogged

unrelenting; peristent

propensity

a tendency

condescending

displaying superiority; patronizing

compunction

an uneasiness caused by guilt; a qualm

sepulcher

a tomb or burial chamber

bellicose

warlike; inclined to fight

pulchritude

physical beauty

wizened

shriveled or withered from age or illness

rhapsodize

to express oneself enthusiastically

physiognomy

facial features

voluble

talkative

revel

to enjoy; to take pleasure in

umbrage

feeling of offense; resentment

epiphany

a revelation; sudden knowledge or insight

assiduous

diligent; persistent

panacea

a cure-all; a remedy for all diseases

implicate

to involve or connect unfavorably

analgesic

a medication to reduce or eliminate pain

turpitude

wickedness; vileness

discretionary

left to one's own judgment

flummox

to confuse; to perplex

unpalatable

unpleasant to the taste or the mind

histrionics

exaggerated emotional behavior

draconian

extremely harsh; very severe

noisome

disgusting; offensive to the senses

punctilious

attentive to details in conduct or action

veritable

authentic; genuine

florid

rosy or red in color

fractious

unruly; disruptive

moribund

near death; about to die

conflagration

a large, destructive fire

protege

a person under the guidance or training of another

indiscernible

difficult or impossible to discern or perceive

virulent

extremely infectious or poisonous

phlegmatic

calm and unemotional

artisan

a skilled manual worker; a craftsperson

reciprocate

to give in response to receiving something

tenable

rationally defensible

boondoggle

an unnecessary, wasteful project

curmudgeon

a stubborn, ill tempered person

moiety

a portion or part of something