| A | B |
|---|
| allay | (v.) to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve |
| bestial | (adj.) beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligent and sensibility |
| convivial | (adj.) festive, sociable, having fun together, genial |
| coterie | (n.) a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest |
| counterpart | (n.) a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complement |
| demur | (v.) to object or take exception to; (n.) an objection |
| effrontery | (n.) shameless boldness, impudence |
| embellish | (v.) to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details |
| ephemeral | (adj.) lasting only a short time, short-lived |
| felicitous | (adj.) appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy |
| furtive | (adj.) done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen |
| garish | (adj.) glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way |
| illusory | (adj.) misleading, deceptive; lacking or not based on reality |
| indigent | (adj.) needy, impoverished |
| inordinate | (adj.) far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive |
| jettison | (v.) to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome |
| misanthrope | (n.) a person who hates or despises people |
| pertinacious | (adj.) very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied |
| picayune | (adj.) of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded |
| raiment | (n.) clothing, garments |
| allege | (v.) to assert without proof or confirmation |
| arrant | (adj.) thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant(adj.) |
| badinage | (n.) light and playful conversation |
| conciliate | (v.) to overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent |
| countermand | (v.) to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first |
| echelon | (n.) one of series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement |
| exacerbate | (v.) to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful |
| fatuous | (adj.) stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way |
| irrefutable | (adj.) impossible to disprove; beyond argument |
| juggernaut | (n.) a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path |
| lackadaisical | (adj.) lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted |
| litany | (n.) a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list |
| macabre | (adj.) grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject |
| paucity | (n.) an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth |
| portend | (v.) to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of |
| raze | (v.) to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrage off or out |
| recant | (v.) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract |
| saturate | (v.) to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully |
| saturnine | (adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood |
| slough | (v.) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if through mud; (n.) a mire; a state of depression |
| acclamation | (n.) a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal vote of approval |
| bucolic | (adj.) characteristic of the countryside, rural; relating to shepherds and cowherds, pastoral |
| calumniate | (v.) to slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously |
| chary | (adj.) extremely cautious, hesitant, or slow (to); reserved, diffident |
| collusion | (n.) secret agreement or cooperation |
| dilettante | (n.) a dabbler in the arts; one who engages in an activity in an amateurish, trifling way; (adj.) superficial |
| imperturbable | (adj.) not easily excited; emotionally steady |
| increment | (n.) an enlargement, increase, addition |
| mandate | (n.) an authoritative command, formal order, authorization; (v.) to issue such an order |
| paltry | (adj.) trifling, insignificant; mean, despicable; inferior, trashy |
| paroxysm | (n.) a sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsion |
| pedantry | (n.) a pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details |
| peregrination | (n.) the act of traveling; an excursion, especially on foot or to a foreign country |
| redolent | (adj.) fragrant, smelling strongly; tending to arouse memories or create an aura |
| refulgent | (adj.) shining, radiant, resplendent |
| shibboleth | (n.) a word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of persons from all others; a commonplace saying or truism |
| tyro | (n.) a beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill |
| unremitting | (adj.) not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless |
| vacillate | (v.) to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will |
| vituperative | (adj.) harshly abusive, severely scolding |
