| Term | Definition |
|
belligerent (adj) |
warlike; quarrelsome |
|
irascible (adj) |
easily angered |
|
volatile (adj) |
explosive; tending to evaporate quickly |
|
rebuttal (n) |
refutation; opposing response to an argument |
|
regute (v) |
to disprobe; to rebut forcefully |
|
incite (v) |
to urge into action |
|
pugnacious (adj) |
quarrelsome; warlike |
|
acrimony (n) |
bitterness of feeling; harsh words |
|
appalling (adj) |
shocking; causing dismay |
|
cacophony (n) |
discord; harsh sounds |
|
abysmal (adj) |
extremely bad; wretched |
|
acrid (adj) |
harsh smelling or tasting |
|
deplorable (adj) |
worthy of reproach or censure |
|
ambulatory (adj) |
capable of moving around |
|
deviate (v) |
to swerve or deflect |
|
influx (n) |
a flowing in |
|
peripatetic (adj) |
traveling from place to place |
|
impel (v) |
to put into motion |
|
expedite (v) |
to speed up the progress of |
|
raze (v) |
to destroy completely |
|
jettison (v) |
to throw overboard |
|
abort (v) |
to terminate prematurely |
|
purge (v) |
to cleanse of something unwanted |
|
forgo (v) |
to give something up |
|
deplete (v) |
to decrease the supply of |
|
dearth (n) |
lack; scarcity |
|
altruism (v) |
selflessness |
|
amiable (adj) |
friendly; agreeable |
|
philanthropist (n) |
one who does good; lover of mankind |
|
congenial (adj) |
friendly and pleasant |
|
munificent (adj) |
generous |
|
decorum (n) |
propriety; good manners |
|
pedantic (adj) |
showy about knowledge |
|
grandiose (adj) |
pretentious; ridiculously exaggerated |
|
bombastic (adj) |
pompous; using inflated language |
|
braggart (n) |
one who boasts; a showoff |
|
ostentatious (adj) |
showy; pretentious |
|
pompous (adj) |
possessing excessive self-esteem; pretentious |
|
swagger (v) |
to walk or strut in an arrogant manner |
|
dogged (adj) |
determined; unwilling to give up |
|
inexorable (adj) |
relentless |
|
obstinate (adj) |
stubborn |
|
intractable (adj) |
difficult to manage |
|
contentious (adj) |
quarrelsome |
|
pertinacity (n) |
stubbornness |
|
steadfast (adj) |
unchanging; unswerving |
|
adroit (adj) |
dexterous; skillful |
|
unerring (adj) |
committing no mistakes; perfect |
|
adept (adj) |
highly skilled |
|
aptitude (n) |
a natural ability; intelligence |
|
paragon (n) |
a model of excellence; perfection |
|
consummate (adj) |
perfection in every respect; highly skilled |
|
nefarious (adj) |
wicked; sinful |
|
repugnant (adj) |
offensive; repulsive |
|
infamous (adj) |
famous for bad deeds; notorious |
|
odious (adj) |
worthy of dislike; arousing feelings of dislike |
|
malevolent (adj) |
wishing harm to others; evil |
|
malefactor (n) |
an evil-doer |
|
abominable (adj) |
loathsome; unpleasant |
|
charlatan (n) |
a fraud; a quack |
|
ruse (n) |
a crafty scheme |
|
subterfuge (n) |
a scheme; an attempt to deceive |
|
pilfer (v) |
to steal |
|
swindle (v) |
to cheat |
|
gullible (adj) |
easily deceived |
|
hedonist (n) |
a pleasure seeker |
|
ascetic (n) |
one who lives a holy life of self-denial |
|
anarchist (n) |
one who opposes all political authority |
|
pacifist (n) |
an individual who is opposed to violence |
|
atheist (n) |
one who does not believe that God exists |
|
nihilist (adj) |
one who rejects moral distinctions and knowable "truths" |
|
despot (n) |
a tyrant; one who rules oppressively |
|
vindicate (V) |
to clear from blame |
|
assuage (v) |
to soothe anger or pain; to satisfy a hunger |
|
mollify (v) |
to soothe the anger of |
|
exonerate (v) |
to clear from accusation |
|
placate (v) |
to soothe; to mollify |
|
exculpate (v) |
to free from blame |
|
cajole (v) |
to persuade by using flattery; sweet-talk |
|
exhort (v) |
to urge strongly |
|
coerce (v) |
to persuade through the use of force |
|
induce (v) |
to cause |
|
coax (v) |
to persuade by using flattery |
|
provoke (v) |
to stir up; to excite |
|
obligatory (adj) |
required |
|
tactile (adj) |
able to be sensed by touch |
|
alfactory (adj) |
relating to the sense of smell |
|
gustatory (adj) |
relating to the sense of taste |
|
auditory (adj) |
relating to the sense of hearing |
|
discern (v) |
to perveive as separate; to sense keenly |
|
palpable (adj) |
detectable by touch |
|
thwart (v) |
to stop something before it is able to succeed |
|
abstain (v) |
to refrain from action |
|
deterrent (n) |
something that acts to discourage |
|
impede (v) |
to slow the progress of, to block |
|
hinder (n) |
to slow the progress of |
|
curtail (v) |
to make less |
|
impediment (n) |
something that works to impede progress; a hindrance |
|
destitute (adj) |
completely penniless |
|
frugal (adj) |
economical; good with your money |
|
remuneration (n) |
payment for services |
|
impecunious (adj) |
without money |
|
improvident (adj) |
failing to provide for the future |
|
parsimony (n) |
excessive thriftiness |