| A | B |
|---|
| encomium | formal praise, lavish tribute |
| coherent | making logical whole, holding together |
| belabor | to work on excessively |
| eschew | to avoid |
| acquisitive | able to retain things |
| emulate | to imitate with the intent of surpassing |
| arrogate | to claim without right |
| banal | trite, commonplace |
| excoriation | the act of stripping skin or a strong denunciation |
| congeal | to change from liquid to solid, thicken |
| carping | petty, nagging criticism, tending to find fault with |
| substantiate | prove true |
| temporize | to compromise or to stall |
| largesse | genorosity in giving |
| tenable | able to be held or defended |
| insatiable | unable to be satisfied |
| reconnaissance | survey made for military, preliminary inspection |
| germane | relevant |
| ramify | to separate and spread like branches |
| intransigent | refusing to compromise, irreconciliable |
| taciturn | habitually silent |
| invidious | offensive, hateful |
| avid | intensely eager |
| halcyon | calm, prosperous, or ledgenday bird |
| devious | done in a shifty way, straying form direct course |
| accost | to approach |
| incendiary | purposely setting fire, one who eggs on |
| animadversion | comment indicating strong criticism |
| convenant | a solemn agreement |
| gambit | chess move, an opening move that involves risk to get upperhand |
| brackish | having a salty taste |
| histrionic | theatrical, like actors |
| celerity | swiftness in motion or action |
| suppliant | asking humbly and earnestly |
| propound | to offer for consideration |
| propriety | properness |
| overt | open, not hidden |
| undulate | to move in waves |
| sacrilege | improper, disrespectful |
| talisman | a magic charm |
| myopic | nearsighted |
| summarily | brief, concise |
| pejorative | tending to make worse |
| maelstrom | whirlpool of violence |
| distraught | agitated |
| credence | belif, mental acceptance |
| feckless | weak, lacking in spirit |
| decry | to condemn |
| articulate | to pronounce distinctly |
| derogatory | designed to belittle |
| cavort | to prance around the room |
| dissemble | to disguise or conceal |
| eulogy | high praise |
| exhume | to remove from grave or bring to light |
| evince | to display clearly, to provoke |
| verdant | immature |
| verbiage | wordy, verbal garbage |
| murky | obscure, dark |
| propinquity | kinship, nearness in place or time |
| intractable | stubborn |
| piquant | spicy, pungent |
| utopian | idealistic |
| nefarious | wicked, depraved |
| viscous | like glue, limited movement |
| unwonted | not usual or expected |
| primordial | as old as dirt |
| frenetic | frantic, highly agitated |
| disarray | disorder, confusion |
| atrophy | to waste away, the wasting away of a body organ |
| asseverate | to affirm earnestly |
| glean | to gather bit by bit |
| consummate | to complete, or perfect |
| grouse | bird, to complain |
| bastion | stronghold |
| exigency | urgency |
| flotsam | floating debris, homeless |
| concord | agreement, harmony |
| prepossessing | pleasing |
| recumbent | lying down |
| incarcerate | to imprison |
| ludicrous | absurd, laughable |
| mordant | biting, caustic |
| pusillanimous | contemptably cowardly, mean |
| nettle | to irritate severely |
| strategem | to scheme, outwit |
| incumbent | obligatory |
| pecuniary | related to money |
| jocular | humorous |
| delineate | to sketch in accurate detail |
| hallow | to sanctify, make holy |
| emend | to correct |
| figment | a fabrication of the mind |
| fiat | arbitrary decree |
| esoteric | private, intended to be understood by a select few |
| acuity | sharpness of mind or senses |
| garner | to acquire after effort, to store for later use |
| fecund | fruitful in offspring, intellectually productive |
| enervate | to weaken |
| depraved | corrupt, devoid of morals |
| mundane | earthly, worldly |
| penchant | a strong attraction |
| ubiquitous | present, existing everywhere |
| reputed | alleged |
| malediction | a curse, expression of hatred |
| overweening | conceited, excessive |
| sophistry | a fallacy that sounds plausable |
| nuance | slight variation in color, meaning |
| sumptuous | costly rich |
| ignominy | shame, disgrace |
| idiosyncrasy | a peculiarity that serves to distinguish |
| complicity | accomplice |
| inane | silly, empty of meaning |
| agnostic | a skeptic about God |
| indictment | the act of accusing |
| equity | the state of being fair |
| abject | wretched, contemptible |
| diatribe | bitter and prolonged verbal attack |
| intermittent | sporadic |
| derelict | something that is abandoned ; neglectful of duties |
| effigy | a crude image of despised person |
| indubitable | certain, not to be doubted |
| travesty | a disquise, a poor imitation |
| surveillance | to watch closely |
| meretricious | attractive in cheap way |
| neophyte | a novice |
| sylvan | pertaining to the woods |
| moot | unresolved |
| perspicacity | keeness in understanding |
| testy | easily irratated |
| plenary | complete in all aspects, absolute |
| motif | theme, pricipal idea |
| prestigious | favorable reputation |
| counterpart | a complement |
| effrontery | boldeness |
| ephemeral | short lived |
| felicitous | appropriate, happy |
| allay | to calm |
| furtive | done slyly |
| coterie | exclusive group |
| embellish | to decorate or add dtails |
| demur | to object, an objection |
| convivial | festive, social |
| bestial | beastlike, subhuman in intlligence and sensibility |
| raiment | clothing |
| garish | overdecorated |
| indigent | needy, impoverished |
| misanthrope | a person who hates people |
| picayune | of little importance |
| pertinancious | very persistent |
| wraith | a ghost |
| inordinate | excessive |
| threshold | door thing, brink of something |
| illusory | misleading, not based on reality |
| jettison | to cast overboard |
