| A | B |
|---|
| carp, captious | fault-finding, hard to please |
| nitpicking | finding fault over minute or trivial details |
| identity | sameness of the essential character of two objects, situations, or points of view |
| collusion | secret agreement or collaboration for a fradulent purpose |
| reprieve | excuses a person temporarily from a penalty |
| remission | pardon or cancellation of sins, debts, taxes |
| absolution | release from sins or errors; complete forgiveness, especially by religious means |
| exculpation/exoneration | freedom from blame for a crime |
| amnesty | a pardon for political crimes |
| meditate | to think, reflect, intend, or plan |
| contemplate | think or consider calmly |
| deliberate | think judiciously |
| ponder | weigh an idea thoughtfully |
| conceive | imagine, create, construct a plan |
| speculate | imagine what might happen |
| cogitate | think, often in a humorous sense |
| ruminate | reflect upon (repeatedly) |
| retrospection | looking backward |
| dissuade | convincing someone not to do something |
| inhibit | restraining someone via awareness |
| enjoin | urging strongly to the point of forbidding, prohibiting, or taking legal action |
| dishearten | reducing someone's eagerness |
| daunt | to shake or weaken someone mentally |
| abash/overawe | to make someone feel ashamed, uneasy, or unwise |
| intimidate | to make someone afraid of what you will do to them |
| depreciate | underrate or lower the value |
| detract | talking down merits of something |
| deride | to ridicule or make fun of |
| minimize | to give the lowest estimate of value or importance |
| irreverence | to show lack of respect |
| aspersions | derogatory or disparaging remarks |
| misprize | to scorn, despise, or undervalue merits |
| emerges | flows forth |
| issue | come forth |
| percolates | to filter through |
| exude | give forth |
| derive | stemming from |
| vivacity | liveliness or aliveness |
| verve | liveliness plus enthusiasm and spirit |
| ardor | burning eagerness, enthusiasm, zeal |
| animation | aliveness, zest, vivacious activity |
| scurrility | obscene, coarsely jocular defamation |
| lampoon | comic or satiric abuse |
| libel | published vilification |
| quandry | state of great anxiety or perplexity |
| impasse | deadlock or dilemma with no acceptable solution |
| cryptogram | message in cipher |
| labyrinth | a maze, complicated network or problem |
| paradox | self-contradictory statement or condition |
| sophistication | worldly knowledge of what to wear, eat, do |
| erudition | book knowledge |
| savant | one who possesses extreme knowledge |
| fruition | fulfillment |
| prolific | productive or fruitful |
| embarkation | going on board/launching |
| inception | beginning of a method, system, plan, affair |
| genesis | initial beauty and perfection |
| initiative | the act of beginning or leading off |
| commencement | graduation |
| inauguration | putting a plan into operation |
