adjunct: something added to something else helpful or useful, but not essential. an assistant or helper, a valuable quality or characteristic. added or connected in a subordinate capacity, attached to a faculty or staff in an auxiliary capacity

bellwether: the male sheep that leads the flock to the slaughterhouse, a leader as in a desperate or violent undertaking, an indicator of trends

caterwaul: to howl or screech like a cat, to quarrel, a harsh or noisy cry, a racket

chimerical: absurd, wildly fantastic, impossible

effete: lacking in wholesome vigor or energy, worn out or exhausted, sterile or unable to produce, out of date

fait accompli: an accomplished and presumably irreversible deed, fact or action

hidebound: narrow-minded and rigid, especially in opinions or prejudices, stubbornly and unthinkingly conservative

hierarchy: any system of things or people arranged or graded one above each other in order of rank, wealth, class.

laissez-faire: a philosophy or practice characterized by a usually deliberate abstention from direction or interference, especially with individual freedom of choice and action

liturgy: a religious service or rite, the form of a ritual or other act or public worship

morass: a patch of low, soft, wet ground, a swamp, a confusing situation in which one is entrapped as in quicksand

noisome: offensive or disgusting, foul-smelling, harmful or injurious

oblivious: forgetful, unaware

poltroon: a base coward

proselyte: a convert, a disciple

quasi: resembling but not actually being, seemingly but not actually or completely

raillery: good humored ridicule, teasing

ribald: irreverently mocking, coarse, vulgar or indecent in language

supine: lying flat on one’s back, listless or lethargic, apathetic or passive