| A | B |
|---|
| abominate | v. To hate or loathe intensely. |
| abominable | adj. 1. Detestable, loathsome. 2. Disagreeable and unpleasant |
| abridge | v. To shorten in duration or extent; to diminish |
| animosity | n. Intense ill will. |
| auspicious | adj. Favorable, promising. |
| beleaguer | v. To besiege; to surround with an army. 1. To surround with troubles; to harass. |
| confidant | n. (spelled confidante when female) A person to whom secrets are told. |
| constituent | n. 1. One of the parts that make up a whole. 2. A voter represented by a particular official. |
| iniquitous | adj. Unjust; wicked. |
| inure | v. To adjust to and accept unpleasant or undesirable conditions. |
| inveigh | v. (used with against) TO complain or protest strongly. |
| predecessor | n. A person or thing that has held a position or office before another. |
| sabotage | n. Acts that intentionally damage, hinder, or seek to discredit. v. To engage in intentionally damaging acts. |
| sadistic | adj. Taking pleasure in causing pain. |
| scathing | adj. Harshly critical. |
| transpire | v. To become apparent; to come to light. 2. To happen or occur. |
| aura | n. A distinctive atmosphere or feeling that seems to surround someone or something; a distinctive appearance or impression. |
| banal | adj. Lacking freshness; trite. |
| bemuse | v. To confuse or bewilder. |
| cognizant | adj. Fully aware; taking notice. |
| conundrum | n. 1. A riddle whose answer is a play on words. 2. A puzzle or problem that is difficult or impossible to solve. |
| evanescent | adj. Short-lived; staying temporarily |
| factotum | n. A helper or assistant with a wide range of duties and responsibilities. |
| grandiose | adj. 1. Impressive because of large size or scope. 2. Characterized by the pretense of grandeur or absurd exaggeration. |
| induce | v. 1. To influence or persuade. 2. To bring about; to cause. |
| intransigent | adj. Refusing to compromise or change one's position on an issue. |
| laudatory | adj. Full of praise. |
| panache | n. Dash or flamboyance in style or action. |
| picayune | adj. Petty or insignificant; concerned with trifling matters. |
| predilection | n. An inclination; preference. |
| promontory | n. A high point of land that juts out into water. |
| adjunct | n. Something or someone joined or added to something else but not essentially a part of it. |
| belie | verb. To give a false impression of; to contradict. |
| carnage | noun. Great destruction of life; slaughter. |
| dilemma | noun. A problem that seems to have no satisfactory solution; a difficult choice. |
| diverse | adj. Differing from one another; having various or distinct parts. |
| diversity | noun. Difference. |
| eradicate | verb. To get rid of; to uproot. |
| flout | verb. To ignore in a disrespectful or scornful way. |
| foment | verb. To stir up, to rouse; to instigate. |
| insurrection | noun. An open revolt against legal authority; a rebellion. |
| mandatory | adj. Ordered by an authority; required. |
| mitigate | verb. To make or become less serious or severe; to ameliorate. |
| pretext | noun. An effort to conceal the real intention or state of affairs; an excuse. |
| singular | adj. 1. A single person or thing, contrasted to more than one. 2. Extraordinary; exceptional. 3. strange or unusual. |
| somnolent | adj. 1. Tending to cause sleepiness. 2. drowsy |
| stalwart | adj. 1. strong; sturdy. 2. firm; resolute |
| aberration | noun. 1. A departure from the norm or what is considered right, natural, or normal; a flaw or defect. 2. The failure of a mirror or lens to reproduce an image in focus. |
| antiquated | adj. grown old; out-of-date |
| celestial | adj. 1. Of or relating to the skies or heavens. 2. heavenly, divine; of the finest or highest kind. |
| certitude | noun. The state of being certain of the truth or rightness of something. |
| disburse | verb. To distribute something or pay out money, especially from a public or other fund. |
| galaxy | noun. 1. A vast cluster of stars and other matter, billions of which make up the known universe. 2. a group of brilliant or notable people or things. |
| intractable | adj. Hard to manage, tame, or control; stubborn; not easily cured. |
| juncture | noun. 1. A joining or coming together; the place where such a connection occurs. 2. A point in time made critical by the timing of the circumstances. |
| juxtapose | verb. To place side by side. |
| maelstrom | noun. 1. A large and violent whirlpool or something resembling a whirlpool. 2. A place or state of great turmoil or confusion. |
| optimum | adj. Best or most favorable. |
| pillory | verb. To expose to public scorn or contempt |
| proliferate | verb. To grow, expand, or multiply at a rapid rate. |
| proliferation | noun. growth; expansion. |
| remiss | adj. negligent; careless; lax |
| titanic | adj. marked by great strength, size, or influence |
