| A | B |
|---|
| IDIOSYNCRASY | A trait or mannerism that is peculiar to an individual |
| CENSORIOUS, CAPTIOUS | Highly critical; faultfinding |
| CONSTERNATION | A state of great dismay and confusion |
| DIDACTIC | Tending to give instruction or advice; inclined to teach or lecture others too much; containing a political or moral lesson |
| ELUCIDATE | To make clear or plain, especially by explanation |
| EFFUSIVE | Expressing excessive emotion in an unrestrained manner; gushing |
| PROLIFIC | Very productive |
| FUROR | A general commotion; an uproar |
| PARANOIA | A tendency toward excessive or irrational suspiciousness; irrational fear; delusions of persecution |
| MARGINAL, PERIPHERAL | Of secondary importance; NOT central; on the perimeter |
| OBFUSCATE | To deliberately confuse; to make something so confusing that it is hard to understand |
| FLUMMOXED | Confused or perplexed; utterly dumbfounded |
| SPATE | A large number or amount |
| INEFFABLE | Too overwhelming to be put into words; indescribable; inexpressible |
| HISTRIONIC, OVERWROUGHT | Excessively dramatic or MELODRAMATIC; theatrical; overacted |
| PLACATE | To soothe or calm; to appease |
| ESCHEW | To avoid; to shun; to stay clear of |
| STOPGAP | A temporary solution designed to meet an urgent need |
| FLOTSAM | The floating wreckage of a ship; debris |
| JETSAM | Part of a ship, its cargo or equipment that is purposefully thrown overboard or JETTISONED to lighten the load in an emergency and that sinks or is washed up on shore |
| CHURLISH, SULLEN, SURLY | Illtempered; rude; lacking civility |
| RESTITUTION | The act of making good or compensating for a loss, damage, or injury |
| DISQUIETING | Disturbing; upsetting; vexing; causing unease; worrisome |
| ORNATE | Characterized by elaborate and expensive decorations; LAVISH |
| EXECRABLE, ODIOUS, REPUGNANT | Detestable; repulsive; extremely bad |
| PERSPICACIOUS, PRESCIENT, DISCERNING | Insightful, perceptive |
| ECLECTIC | Choosing or using a variety of sources |
| HIATUS | An interruption in time or continuity; a break |
| VERTIGINOUS | Characterized by or suffering from dizziness; having VERTIGO |
| ESOTERIC, ARCANE | Characterized by knowledge that is known only to a small group of specialists; obscure; RECONDITE; ABSTRUSE |
| SUPERCILIOUS | Showing haughty DISDAIN or arrogant superiority |
| BLITHE | Joyous; sprightly; mirthful; light; vivacious |
| UNDERWRITE | To assume financial responsibility for |
| DISCOMFITED | Uneasy; in a state of embarrassment |
| TACITURN | Habitually quiet; uncommunicative |
| SINECURE | An office or position that provides an income for little or no work |
| COSMOPOLITAN | Worldly; sophisticated; openminded and aware of the big picture |
| PROVINCIAL, PAROCHIAL, INSULAR | Limited in perspective; narrow; restricted in scope and outlook |
| LUGUBRIOUS | Sad, mournful, MELANCHOLIC |
| FECUND | Intellectually productive or inventive, fertile |
| OSTENTATIOUS | Showy; intended to attract notice; PRETENTIOUS |
| GUILE | Treacherous cunning; skillful deceit; DUPLICITY |
| SANGUINE | Cheerfully confident; optimistic |
| SCINTILLATING | Sparkling; shining; brilliantly clever |
| PRISTINE | Remaining in a pure state; uncorrupted by civilization |
| RAMPANT | Unrestrained; unchecked |
| PERNICIOUS | Highly INJURIOUS; destructive; deadly |
| OBLIVIOUS | Lacking conscious awareness; unmindful; unaware |
| REFRACTORY | RECALCITRANT; OBSTINATELY resistant to authority; hard to manage |
| GARRULOUS, VERBOSE, LOQUACIOUS, VOLUBLE | Annoyingly talkative; speaking INCESSANTLY; babbling |
| CONVIVIAL | Sociable; fond of feasting, drinking, and good company |
| BRUSQUE, CURT | Abrupt in manner or speech; discourteously blunt |
| TEPID | Lukewarm; mild; halfhearted |
| PROTEAN | Readily taking on varied forms and meanings |
| SOLICITOUS | Showing great care and concern; attentive |
| INGENUOUS | Free from deviousness, innocent; NAIVE; GUILELESS; sincere |
| DISINGENUOUS | INSINCERE; NOT CANDID; NOT straightforward; calculating; OBLIQUE |
| VENERATE, REVERE | To regard with great respect; to hold in high esteem |
| CONTENTIOUS | Quarrelsome; argumentative; likely to provoke a controversy; DISPUTATIOUS |
| PRECLUDE | To make impossible; to rule out; to prevent |
| COMPUNCTION, CONTRITION, REMORSE, PENITENCE | Feelings of sincere and deep regret |
| DEMOGRAPHY | The study of the characteristics of human populations |
| APHORISM, AXIOM | A statement universally accepted as true; a MAXIM |
| JUXTAPOSE | To place side by side or in close PROXIMITY (nearness) |
| JUXTAPOSITION | The position of being close together or side by side |
| BOMBASTIC | POMPOUS or PRETENTIOUS in speech or writing; OSTENTATIOUSLY lofty in style |
| FORBEARANCE | Abstaining from the enforcement of a right; the act of refraining from acting on a desire or impulse |
| UNFETTERED | Free of restraint of any kind; liberated |
| PRESCRIBE | To require; to order; to direct |
| PROSCRIBE | To forbid; to prohibit; to outlaw |
| PUERILE, CALLOW, SOPHOMORIC | Childishly foolish; inexperienced; immature |
