abate verb to put an end to; nullify abeyance noun a lapse in succession during which there is no person in whom a title is vested abjure verb to renounce upon oath; to reject solemnly abrogate verb to abolish by authoritative action; annul abstruse adjective difficult to comprehend; obscure acarpous adjective effete; no longer fertile; worn out accretion noun the process of growth or enlargement by a gradual buildup: as; increase by external addition or accumulation (as by adhesion of external parts or particles); the increase of land by the action of natural forces agog adjective full of intense interest or excitement; eager alloy noun the degree of mixture with base metals; fineness amortize verb to pay off (as a mortgage) gradually usually by periodic payments of principal and interest or by payments to a sinking fund aplomb noun complete and confident composure or self-assurance; poise apostasy noun renunciation of a religious faith apostate noun one who abandons long-held religious or political convictions apposite adjective highly pertinent or appropriate; apt approbation noun approval arabesque adjective Arabian in fashion argot noun an often more or less secret vocabulary and idiom peculiar to a particular group ascetic adjective practicing strict self-denial as a measure of personal and especially spiritual discipline asperity noun rigor, severity assiduous adjective marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application astringent adjective causing contraction of soft organic tissues; styptic, puckery astringent adjective causing contraction of soft organic tissues; styptic, puckery augury noun omen sign aver verb to verify or prove to be true in pleading a cause; to allege or assert in pleading baleful adjective harmful ominous causing evil beatific adjective of, possessing, or imparting beatitude beatify verb to make supremely happy bedizen verb to adorn especially in a cheap showy manner bellicose adjective favoring or inclined to start quarrels or wars benign adjective of a gentle disposition; gracious benison noun blessing, benediction bequest noun the act of bequeathing blandishment noun flattery coaxing blithe adjective of a happy lighthearted character or disposition bombastic adjective overblown burnish verb to make shiny or lustrous especially by rubbing; polish cajole verb to persuade with flattery or gentle urging especially in the face of reluctance; coax; to obtain from someone by gentle persuasion calumny noun a misrepresentation intended to harm another's reputation capricious adjective unpredictable; fickle castigate verb to subject to severe punishment, reproof, or criticism censure noun a judgment involving condemnation chaff noun the seed coverings and other debris separated from the seed in threshing grain chary adjective discreetly cautious: as; hesitant and vigilant about dangers and risks; slow to grant, accept, or expend chicanery noun legal trickery/false argument churlish adjective marked by a lack of civility or graciousness cloture noun the closing or limitation of debate in a legislative body especially by calling for a vote coda noun a concluding musical section that is formally distinct from the main structure; a concluding part of a literary or dramatic work coeval adjective of the same or equal age, antiquity, or duration cogent adjective having power to compel or constrain collusion noun secret agreement or cooperation especially for an illegal or deceitful purpose commodious adjective comfortably or conveniently spacious; roomy complaisance noun tending to comply obliging willingness to please compunction noun anxiety arising from awareness of guilt; distress of mind over an anticipated action or result concord noun a state of agreement; harmony; a simultaneous occurrence of two or more musical tones that produces an impression of agreeableness or resolution on a listener -- compare discord contemn verb to view or treat with contempt; scorn continent adjective exercising continence contumacious adjective insubordinate; rebellious convoke verb to call together to a meeting cornucopia noun abundant supply corporeal adjective having, consisting of, or relating to a physical material body: as; not spiritual; not immaterial or intangible; substantial craven adjective lacking the least bit of courage; contemptibly fainthearted credulous adjective ready to believe especially on slight or uncertain evidence cursory adjective rapidly and often superficially performed or produced; hasty dapper adjective neat and trim in appearance; very spruce and stylish dastard noun coward dearth noun an inadequate supply; lack decry verb to depreciate (as a coin) officially or publicly delineate verb to indicate or represent by drawn or painted lines; to mark the outline of demagogue noun a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power denouement noun the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work desiccant noun substance used to absorb moisture desultory adjective marked by lack of definite plan, regularity, or purpose detumescence noun subsidence or diminution of swelling or erection diaphanous adjective characterized by such fineness of texture as to permit seeing through diffidence noun shyness dilatory adjective tending or intended to cause delay discomfit verb to put into a state of perplexity and embarrassment; disconcert discountenance verb refuse to approve of disingenuous adjective sophisticated artful trying to deceive cunning dissemble verb to hide under a false appearance dissolute adjective unrestrained by convention or morality divestiture noun the act of divesting doggerel noun a clumsy or poorly crafted verse of irregular measure droll adjective having a humorous, whimsical, or odd quality dulcet adjective sweet to the taste ebullience noun exuberance outburst of feeling ecumenical adjective worldwide or general in extent, influence, or application edacious adjective voracious effete adjective no longer fertile effluvia noun a by-product especially in the form of waste effrontery noun shameless boldness; insolence effulgent noun radiant splendor; brilliance egress noun the action or right of going or coming out elegiac adjective of, relating to, or consisting of two dactylic hexameter lines the second of which lacks the arsis in the third and sixth feet b (1); written in or consisting of elegiac couplets (2); noted for having written poetry in such couplets; of or relating to the period in greece about the seventh century B.C. when poetry written in such couplets flourished emaciate verb to cause to lose flesh so as to become very thin encomium noun a formal expression of praise endemic adjective belonging or native to a particular people or country; characteristic of or prevalent in a particular field, area, or environment enervate adjective weaken deprive of strength attenuate enthral verb to hold in or reduce to slavery epistle noun a specially long, formal letter epithet noun a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing; a disparaging or abusive word or phrase; the part of a taxonomic name identifying a subordinate unit within a genus equable adjective marked by lack of variation or change; uniform equanimity noun evenness of mind especially under stress equanimity noun evenness of mind especially under stress equipoise noun equal distribution of weight equilibrium equivocal adjective subject to two or more interpretations and usually used to mislead or confuse; uncertain as an indication or sign equivocate verb try to deceive by equivocal language erudite adjective possessing or displaying erudition; learned euphonious adjective pleasing to the ear evince verb to constitute outward evidence of excoriate verb to wear off the skin of; abrade excoriation verb to wear off the skin of; abrade exculpate verb to clear from alleged fault or guilt exigent adjective requiring immediate aid or action exorbitant adjective not coming within the scope of the law expiation noun ending expiring exscind verb to cut off or out; excise extant adjective currently or actually existing; still existing; not destroyed or lost extirpate verb to destroy completely; wipe out; to pull up by the root fatuous adjective complacently or inanely foolish; silly feckless adjective weak, ineffective fecund adjective fruitful in offspring or vegetation; prolific felicity noun something that causes happiness fervid adjective very hot; burning fetter noun a chain or shackle for the feet finical adjective exacting especially about details; finicky flax noun the fiber of the flax plant especially when prepared for spinning florid adjective tinged with red; ruddy; marked by emotional or sexual fervor foible noun the part of a sword or foil blade between the middle and point foppish adjective like a man who pays too much attention to his clothes forbearance noun patience willingness to wait forswear verb to make a liar of (oneself) under or as if under oath frenetic adjective frenzied, frantic froward adjective habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition fulmination noun thunderous verbal attack with noise and violence gaucherie noun a tactless or awkward act germane adjective being at once relevant and appropriate; fitting glib adjective marked by ease and informality; nonchalant; showing little forethought or preparation; offhand; lacking depth and substance; superficial glut verb to fill especially with food to satiety goad noun something that pains as if by pricking; thorn; something that urges or stimulates into action; spur gossamer noun a film of cobwebs floating in air in calm clear weather grandiloquent noun a lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality especially in language gregarious adjective tending to associate with others of one's kind; social; marked by or indicating a liking for companionship; sociable; of or relating to a social group halcyon noun a bird identified with the kingfisher and held in ancient legend to nest at sea about the time of the winter solstice and to calm the waves during incubation harangue noun a speech addressed to a public assembly harrow verb agricultural implement with teeth drawn over plowed land to break clods of earth haughty adjective blatantly and disdainfully proud hermetic adjective airtight; impervious to external influence hew verb to cut with blows of a heavy cutting instrument hirsute adjective hairy histrionic adjective deliberately affected; theatrical homiletics noun act of preaching hoodwink verb to deceive by false appearance; dupe hubris noun exaggerated pride or self-confidence iconoclast noun a person who destroys religious images or opposes their veneration idolatry noun excessive admiration of idyll noun a lighthearted carefree episode that is a fit subject for an idyll; a romantic interlude ignoble adjective of low birth or common origin; plebeian ignominious adjective shameful dishonorable undignified disgraceful imbroglio noun a confused mass impecunious adjective having very little or no money usually habitually; penniless imperious adjective befitting or characteristic of one of eminent rank or attainments; commanding, dominant; marked by arrogant assurance; domineering impiety noun lack of reverence or dutifulness importune verb to beg persistently and urgently impromptu noun something that is impromptu impugned verb to assail by words or arguments; oppose or attack as false or lacking integrity impute verb to lay the responsibility or blame for often falsely or unjustly inchoate adjective newly begun, incomplete; not organized incorrigibility adjective incapable of being corrected or amended: as a (1); not reformable; depraved (2); delinquent; not manageable; unruly; unalterable, inveterate inculcate verb to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions incursion noun a hostile entrance into a territory; raid indefatigability adjective incapable of being fatigued; untiring indigence noun a level of poverty in which real hardship and deprivation are suffered and comforts of life are wholly lacking ineluctable adjective not to be avoided, changed, or resisted; inevitable ingenuous adjective innocent; lacking in sophistication or worldliness inimical adjective being adverse often by reason of hostility or malevolence inscrutable adjective not readily investigated, interpreted, or understood; mysterious insipid adjective lacking taste or savor; tasteless interdict noun a roman catholic ecclesiastical censure withdrawing most sacraments and christian burial from a person or district intransigence noun of a state refusing to compromise or to abandon an extreme position or attitude intransigent adjective characterized by refusal to compromise or to abandon an extreme position or attitude; uncompromising inundate verb to cover with a flood; overflow inured verb made tough by habitual exposure involute adjective curled spirally b (1); curled or curved inward (2); having the edges rolled over the upper surface toward the midrib; having the form of an involute irascible adjective marked by hot temper and easily provoked anger irrevocable adjective not possible to revoke; unalterable itinerate verb to travel from place to place to peregrinate jibe verb to change direction while sailing downwind labyrinthine adjective complicated; tortuous lachrymose adjective given to tears or weeping; tearful lascivious adjective lewd, lustful lassitude noun a condition of weariness or debility; fatigue lassitude noun a condition of weariness or debility; fatigue latent adjective present and capable of becoming though not now visible, obvious, active, or symptomatic laudatory adjective expressing or giving praise levee noun a reception held by a person of distinction on rising from bed liberality noun free giving generosity libertine noun one who is morally unrestrained lien noun a charge upon real or personal property for the satisfaction of some debt or duty ordinarily arising by operation of law limn verb to draw or paint on a surface lionize verb treat as a famous person loll verb to hang loosely or laxly; droop loquacious adjective full of excessive talk; wordy lucubrate verb write in scholarly fashion luculent adjective clear in thought or expression; lucid macerate verb to cause to waste away by or as if by excessive fasting machination noun plot scheme (esp. evil) maladroit adjective lacking adroitness; inept malapropism noun the unintentional misuse of a word by confusion with one that sounds similar malleable adjective capable of being extended or shaped by beating with a hammer or by the pressure of rollers matriculation verb process of admission to a group (especially a college or university) maudlin adjective drunk enough to be emotionally silly mellifluous adjective having a smooth rich flow mendacious adjective given to or characterized by deception or falsehood or divergence from absolute truth mendacity noun dishonesty mendicant noun beggar middling adjective fairly good but not very good misogynist noun a hatred of women morose adjective having a sullen and gloomy disposition multifarious adjective having or occurring in great variety; diverse munificent adjective very liberal in giving or bestowing; lavish nadir noun the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the zenith and vertically downward from the observer neophyte noun a new convert; proselyte nexus noun a connected group or series noisome adjective noxious, harmful nosegay noun a small bunch of flowers; posy nugatory adjective of little or no consequence; trifling, inconsequential obdurate adjective stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing; hardened in feelings obloquy noun a strongly condemnatory utterance; abusive language obstreperous adjective marked by unruly or aggressive noisiness; clamorous obtrusive adjective projecting prominent undesirably noticeable obtuse adjective lacking sharpness or quickness of sensibility or intellect; insensitive, stupid; difficult to comprehend; not clear or precise in thought or expression obviate verb to anticipate and prevent (as a situation) or make unnecessary (as an action) occluded verb obstructed; closed off odious adjective arousing or deserving hatred or repugnance; hateful offal noun the waste or by-product of a process: as; trimmings of a hide; the by-products of milling used especially for stock feeds; the viscera and trimmings of a butchered animal removed in dressing; variety meat officious adjective volunteering one's services where they are neither asked nor needed; meddlesome ominous adjective threatening onerous adjective involving, imposing, or constituting a burden; troublesome opprobrious adjective showing scorn or reproach ossify verb to change into bone ostentation noun excessive display; pretentiousness ostracism noun shut out from society refuse to meet talk overweening adjective arrogant, presumptuous paean noun a joyous song or hymn of praise, tribute, thanksgiving, or triumph palate noun the roof of the mouth separating the mouth from the nasal cavity palatial adjective of, relating to, or being a palace palliate verb to cover by excuses and apologies palpability adjective capable of being touched or felt; tangible palpitate verb to beat rapidly and strongly; throb panegyric noun a formal public speech delivered in high praise of a person or thing pariah noun a member of a low caste of southern india parsimonious adjective too economical miserly patina noun a usually green film formed naturally on copper and bronze by long exposure or artificially (as by acids) and often valued aesthetically for its color; a surface appearance of something grown beautiful especially with age or use paucity noun smallness of number; fewness paucity noun smallness of number; fewness peccadillo noun a slight offense pedantic adjective bookish showing off learning pellucid adjective admitting maximum passage of light without diffusion or distortion penitent adjective feeling or expressing humble or regretful pain or sorrow for sins or offenses; repentant penurious adjective poor/stingy penury noun extreme and often niggardly frugality penury noun extreme and often niggardly frugality peregrination verb traveling about wandering peremptory adjective expressive of urgency or command perfidious adjective treacherous faithless perfidy noun the quality or state of being faithless or disloyal; treachery perfidy noun the quality or state of being faithless or disloyal; treachery perfunctory adjective characterized by routine or superficiality; mechanical peripatetic noun wandering periphrastic adjective formed by the use of function words or auxiliaries instead of by inflection perish verb to become destroyed or ruined; cease to exist pernicious adjective highly injurious or destructive; deadly perspicacity adjective of acute mental vision or discernment; keen petrous adjective of, relating to, or constituting the exceptionally hard and dense portion of the human temporal bone that contains the internal auditory organs petulant adjective insolent or rude in speech or behavior philistine noun a smug ignorant person one who lacks knowledge phlegmatic adjective calm sluggish temperament unemotional picaresque adjective involving clever rogues or adventurers especially as in a type of fiction pied verb of mixed colors pious adjective marked by or showing reverence for deity and devotion to divine worship; marked by conspicuous religiosity piquant adjective engagingly stimulating or provocative pith noun a usually continuous central strand of spongy tissue in the stems of most vascular plants that probably functions chiefly in storage; any of various loose spongy plant tissues that resemble true pith; the soft or spongy interior of a part of the body plaintive adjective expressive of suffering or woe; melancholy platitude noun the quality or state of being dull or insipid pliant adjective pliable easily bent shaped or twisted plumb noun a lead weight attached to a line and used to indicate a vertical direction poignant adjective pungently pervasive ponderous adjective of very great weight portent noun something that foreshadows a coming event; omen, sign precepts noun a command or principle intended especially as a general rule of action preclude verb to make impossible by necessary consequence; rule out in advance predilection noun an established preference for something predominate adjective predominant preen verb to smooth and groom, as with birds cleaning and realigning parts of feathers using the beak preponderance noun greatness in number strength weight preternatural adjective existing outside of nature prevaricate verb to deviate from the truth; equivocate prim verb to give a prim or demure expression to proclivity noun a natural inclination profligacy noun shameless immorality profundity noun intellectual depth; something profound or abstruse profuse adjective pouring forth liberally; extravagant prolix adjective unduly prolonged or drawn out; too long propitious adjective favorably disposed; benevolent prosaic adjective characteristic of prose as distinguished from poetry; factual; dull, unimaginative proscribe verb to publish the name of as condemned to death with the property of the condemned forfeited to the state provident adjective making provision for the future; prudent provisional adjective of the present time only prune noun a plum dried or capable of drying without fermentation pucker verb to draw up into folds or wrinkles pugnacious adjective having a quarrelsome or combative nature; truculent puissance noun strength, power punctilious adjective precise paying attention to trivialities pungency noun sharpness stinging quality pusillanimous adjective lacking courage and resolution; marked by contemptible timidity putrefaction noun the state of being putrefied; corruption quaff verb to drink heartily, or a hearty draught qualm noun a sudden attack of illness, faintness, or nausea quell verb to thoroughly overwhelm and reduce to submission or passivity quiescence noun state of being passive/motionless quiescent adjective marked by inactivity or repose; tranquilly at rest quixotic adjective capricious, unpredictable quotidian adjective occurring every day rabble noun a disorganized or confused collection of things raconteur noun a person who excels in telling anecdotes rancorous adjective feeling bitterness spitefulness rapacious adjective excessively grasping or covetous rebuff verb to reject or criticize sharply; snub recalcitrant adjective obstinately defiant of authority or restraint recidivism noun relapse into antisocial or criminal behavior reciprocity noun granting of privileges in return for similar recompense verb to give something to by way of compensation (as for a service rendered or damage incurred); to pay for recondite adjective hidden from sight; concealed redoubtable adjective causing fear or alarm; formidable refractory adjective resisting control or authority; stubborn, unmanageable refulgent noun a radiant or resplendent quality or state; brilliance regale verb to entertain sumptuously; feast with delicacies remonstrate verb argue in protest or opposition repast noun something taken as food; meal reprobate verb to condemn strongly as unworthy, unacceptable, or evil repudiate verb to divorce or separate formally from (a woman) requite verb to make return for; repay; to make retaliation for; avenge rescind verb to take away; remove reticent adjective inclined to be silent or uncommunicative in speech; reserved sagacious adjective of keen and farsighted penetration and judgment; discerning; caused by or indicating acute discernment salubrious adjective favorable to or promoting health or well-being sanctimony noun affected or hypocritical holiness sanguine adjective confidently optimistic and cheerful; blood-red in color satiate adjective satisfy fully saturnine adjective cold and steady in mood; slow to act or change saturnine adjective gloomy dark sullen morose scorn noun open dislike and disrespect or derision often mixed with indignation scurvy noun a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C and characterized by spongy gums, loosening of the teeth, and a bleeding into the skin and mucous membranes sedulous adjective involving or accomplished with careful perseverance sententious adjective given to or abounding in aphoristic expression; given to or abounding in excessive moralizing sere adjective being dried and withered serration noun having a toothed edge shunt verb to turn off to one side; shift; to switch (as a train) from one track to another simper verb a silly self-conscious smile skiff noun a small flat-bottomed open boat with a pointed bow and square stern, used mainly by fisherman slake verb to become slaked; crumble smolder verb to exist in a state of suppressed activity somatic adjective of, relating to, or affecting the body especially as distinguished from the germplasm or the psyche sophomoric adjective self-assured though immature affected bombastic overblown soporific adjective causing or tending to cause sleep; tending to dull awareness or alertness sordid adjective marked by baseness or grossness; vile specious adjective having deceptive attraction or allure spurious adjective of illegitimate birth; bastard stanch verb to stop or check in its course; to make watertight; stop up stentorian adjective extremely loud and powerful stipple verb to engrave by means of dots and flicks stolid adjective having or expressing little or no sensibility; unemotional stormy adjective marked by turmoil or fury striated verb striped grooved or banded strident adjective blatant: conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry strut verb to become turgid; swell suborn verb to induce secretly to do an unlawful thing subsume verb to include or place within something larger or more comprehensive; encompass as a subordinate or component element succor noun something that furnishes relief summarily adjective done without delay or formality; quickly executed; of, relating to, or using a summary proceeding sumptuous adjective deluxe: rich and superior in quality superfluous adjective exceeding what is sufficient or necessary; extra; not needed; unnecessary supersede verb to cause to be set aside; to force out of use as inferior supine noun lying flat on back, with face upward suppliant noun petitioner: one praying humbly for something supplicate verb to ask humbly and earnestly of sycophant noun a servile self-seeking flatterer taciturn adjective temperamentally disinclined to talk tangential adjective suddenly changeable tassel noun a dangling ornament made by laying parallel a bunch of cords or threads of even length and fastening them at one end taut adjective having no give or slack; tightly drawn; high-strung, tense tautology noun needless repetition of an idea, statement, or word; an instance of tautology tawdry adjective brassy; tastelessly showy teetotal adjective of, relating to, or practicing teetotalism temerity noun unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition; rashness, recklessness tepid adjective moderately warm; lukewarm timorous adjective of a timid disposition; fearful torpid adjective having lost motion or the power of exertion or feeling; dormant, numb; sluggish in functioning or acting tout verb to spy on; watch transgress verb to violate a command or law; sin transitory adjective tending to pass away; not persistent trenchant adjective keen, sharp trite adjective hackneyed or boring from much use; not fresh or original truculent adjective feeling or displaying ferocity; cruel, savage turbid adjective thick or opaque with or as if with roiled sediment; heavy with smoke or mist turgid adjective excessively embellished in style or language; bombastic, pompous tyro noun beginner ubiquitous adjective present everywhere umbrage noun shade, shadow undulate adjective having a wavy surface, edge, or markings upbraid verb to criticize severely; find fault with urbane adjective notably polite or polished in manner vacillation noun being uncertain hesitating vagary noun an erratic, unpredictable, or extravagant manifestation, action, or notion veer verb to let out (as a rope) venal adjective originating in, characterized by, or associated with corrupt bribery veneration noun regard with deep respect veracity noun truth verdant adjective green in tint or color; green with growing plants verisimilitude noun the quality or state of being verisimilar veritable adjective being in fact the thing named and not false, unreal, or imaginary -- often used to stress the aptness of a metaphor vestige noun a trace, mark, or visible sign left by something (as an ancient city or a condition or practice) vanished or lost (2); the smallest quantity or trace; footprint vilify verb to lower in estimation or importance virago noun a loud overbearing woman; termagant vitiate verb to make faulty or defective; impair vivacious adjective lively in temper, conduct, or spirit; sprightly volubility adjective easily rolling or turning; rotating waft verb to be driven or carried along, as by the air welter verb to become deeply sunk, soaked, or involved writ noun something written; writing