| A | B |
|---|
| fiducial (FID faith) | based on faith or trust; regarded as a standard of reference (or something trustworthy) |
| foppish | characteristic of one who is unduly devoted to dress and the niceties of manners. |
| fractious (FRACT break) | unruly; breaking up the peace or atmosphere |
| frugal | cheap or economical; keeping costs as low as possible |
| fulminate | to explode; to detonate; to speak about something with explosive anger (note: fulmen is a root for thunderbolt) |
| fungible | something that is exchangeable or easily substituted for |
| furtive | secretive, stealthy or sly, like the actions of a thief |
| galvanize (term from physicist Luigi Galvani) | to arouse to action; to excite or stimulate; or, to coat certain metals with a rust-proof element using electricity (note: Luigi Galvani developed the process that made the latter possible) |
| garrote | strangulation; the cord or wire used for strangling a victim |
| garrulous | given to excessive talk that is often rambling or trivial |
| genteel (think gentleman) | well-bred or refined in manners |
| germane (GERM vital/related) | of related significance or importance |
| glutinous (think glue) | sticky (like glue) |
| gossamer | a fine, filmy cobweb; a thin, thread-like substance or fabric; something extremely light, thin, or delicate |
| grandiloquent (GRAND + LOQU talk) | speaking in or characterized by a pompous or lofty style of speaking |
| gratuitous (GRAT pleasing) | voluntarily; being without reason or cause (done to please, not because it had to be done) |
| gregarious (GREG group + OUS full of) | sociable; always perferring to be with a group of people |
| halcyon | calm; peaceful; joyful; carefree (origins in Greek mythology, when a mythical bird of this name laid eggs during a period of calm weather around the winter solstice) |
| heedless | without thought or concern; unmindful |
| hiatus | a break (usually a break by necessity; e.g. a television show while the main star is recovering from serious injury) |
| hirsute (think hair) | having a hairy covering; shaggy |
| hyperbole (HYPER over/above) | overstatement; exaggeration |
| imbroglio (IM in + think broil) | a complicated or difficult situation; a confused heap; a complicated misunderstanding between people, groups, or nations (note: Brogliere is Italian for mix or stir; it comes from the original French word "broil") |
| impeccable (IM not + PECK + ABLE) | faultless; flawless (think perfect--not a peck or a chip) |
| impending (IM in + PEND hang) | hanging in the air; something that will happen |
