1) Think about the place you have chosen as your hell. Does it look ordinary and bourgeois, like Sartre's drawing room, or is it equipped with literal instruments of torture like Dante's Inferno? Can the mind be in hell in a beautiful place? Is there a way to find peace in a hellish physical environment? Enter Sartre's space more fully and imagine how it would feel to live there endlessly, night and day:
When I think of hell I think of a place where everyone worst nightmares come to life. It's where you are sent for sinning, doing something just unthinkable. I would imagine it to be dark, cold and dirty, no real warmth just enough to keep you alive to suffer a eternal life of misery. There is no exit only an entrance. It's a place where monstrosities roam to torture and bring pain to your soul. The mind can be in hell anywhere, even in the most beautiful places. For example it could be your home is your natural hell, has its on beauty. You are trapped by your limits, of what you can and cannot do.
2) Could hell be described as too much of anything without a break? Are variety, moderation and balance instruments we use to keep us from boiling in any inferno of excess,' whether it be cheesecake or ravenous sex?
A way of restating what is question may be asking would be to say is too much of a good thing a bad thing for you. You can experience this through eating you favor meal everyday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. After a while it gets old and may start hurting your health if it is a meal like fast food, all the time. You are able to over come this by being more diverse in your quantities at which you decide to eat fast food. You would have to take breaks and eat whole hearty food that is good for your body.
3) How does Sartre create a sense of place through dialogue? Can you imagine what it feels like to stay awake all the time with the lights on with no hope of leaving a specific place? How does GARCIN react to this hell? How could you twist your daily activities around so that everyday habits become hell? Is there a pattern of circumstances that reinforces the experience of hell?
Sartre creates a send of space by having Garcin ask numerous questions about objects in the room which are then elaborated on by Valet. They are mainly observations but these direct characterizations indirectly characterize the room. Without sleep you would go insane, you would be able to determine what reality was or is anymore. The world that you would live would be your absolute hell of bore-dumb. Even in our normal day lives we experience our own kind of hell that repeats over and over again until we can not take it anymore and give up and stray form our paths.
4) Compare how Plato and Sartre describe the limitations of our thinking and imply solutions to the problem. Be sure to analyze their literary techniques, especially their use of allegory and extended metaphor.
Sartre proposes a freedom from this, a inescapable room, through self reflection. While on the other hand Plato say we just have to want to believe, we have to want to know what is and what can be.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Sunday, November 25, 2012
LAQs #4 A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read, and explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).A mean-spirited, miserly old man named Ebenezer Scrooge sits in his counting-house on a frigid Christmas Eve. His clerk, Bob Cratchit, shivers in the anteroom because Scrooge refuses to spend money on heating coals for a fire. Scrooge's nephew, Fred, pays his uncle a visit and invites him to his annual Christmas party. Two portly gentlemen also drop by and ask Scrooge for a contribution to their charity. Scrooge reacts to the holiday visitors with bitterness and venom, spitting out an angry "Bah! Humbug!" in response to his nephew's "Merry Christmas!" Scrooge receives a chilling visitation from the ghost of his dead partner, Jacob Marley. Marley, looking haggard and pallid, relates his unfortunate story. As punishment for his greedy and self-serving life his spirit has been condemned to wander the Earth weighted down with heavy chains. Marley informs Scrooge that three spirits will visit him during each of the next three nights. After the wraith disappears, Scrooge collapses into a deep sleep. He wakes moments before the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas Past, The Ghost of Christmas Present, The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. After pleading with the ghost, Scrooge finds himself in a churchyard, the spirit pointing to a grave. Scrooge looks at the headstone and is shocked to read his own name. He desperately implores the spirit to alter his fate, promising to renounce his insensitive, avaricious ways and to honor Christmas with all his heart. Whoosh! He suddenly finds himself safely tucked in his bed. Overwhelmed with joy by the chance to redeem himself and grateful that he has been returned to Christmas Day, Scrooge rushes out onto the street hoping to share his new-found Christmas spirit. He sends a giant Christmas turkey to the Cratchit house and attends Fred's party, to the stifled surprise of the other guests. As the years go by, he holds true to his promise and honors Christmas with all his heart: he treats Tiny Tim as if he were his own child, provides lavish gifts for the poor, and treats his fellow human beings with kindness, generosity, and warmth.
2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel.Redemption: The greatest pleasure in A Christmas Carol is watching Scrooge's transformation from money-pinching grouch to generous gentleman. His redemption, a major motif in Christian art, is made possible through free will. While Scrooge is shown visions of the future, he states that they are only visions of things that "May" be, not what "Will" be. He has the power to change the future with his present actions, and Dickens tries to impart this sense of free will to the reader; if Scrooge can change, then so can anyone. novel. Avoid cliches.
3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
The tone changes depending on the spirit. The tone with the ghost of Christmas past is sorrowful and reminiscent. The ghost of Christmas present's tone is jolly and happy. The ghost of Christmas yet to be is ominous. And the tone at the end is happy, light and repentant.
4. Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers. (Please include edition and page numbers for easy reference.)
Charles Dickens use symbolism in A Christmas Carol. An example may be the bells that Marley wears or the chains and register around Marley's waist.Foreshadowing: and example may be, " Mister Marley has been dead these seven years. He died seven years ago this very night." or " Yes, I'll not deny he's the hardest working apprentice to ever balance a book or close an account...".
Allegory: an example is the two children under the Ghost Of Christmas Present's robe.
Conflict: an example of this may be that if Ebenezer Scrooge doesn't change he will dye in the way the last ghost showed him, all alone.
Mood: the mood of this story makes you want to forgive Ebenezer Scrooge for his wrong doings and help him live the rest of his life full of warmth and joy.
Point of view: The point of view we as the reader is given show us how mean Ebenezer is, why he is this way, and final what will happen to him if he doesn't change.
Setting: the setting put the story in a more simpler time, were you did what you did to get by, so that you could feed your family.Tone: The tone changes depending on the spirit. The tone with the ghost of Christmas past is sorrowful and reminiscent. The ghost of Christmas present's tone is jolly and happy. The ghost of Christmas yet to be is ominous. And the tone at the end is happy, light and repentant.
Charles Dickens use symbolism in A Christmas Carol. An example may be the bells that Marley wears or the chains and register around Marley's waist.Foreshadowing: and example may be, " Mister Marley has been dead these seven years. He died seven years ago this very night." or " Yes, I'll not deny he's the hardest working apprentice to ever balance a book or close an account...".
Allegory: an example is the two children under the Ghost Of Christmas Present's robe.
Conflict: an example of this may be that if Ebenezer Scrooge doesn't change he will dye in the way the last ghost showed him, all alone.
Mood: the mood of this story makes you want to forgive Ebenezer Scrooge for his wrong doings and help him live the rest of his life full of warmth and joy.
Point of view: The point of view we as the reader is given show us how mean Ebenezer is, why he is this way, and final what will happen to him if he doesn't change.
Setting: the setting put the story in a more simpler time, were you did what you did to get by, so that you could feed your family.Tone: The tone changes depending on the spirit. The tone with the ghost of Christmas past is sorrowful and reminiscent. The ghost of Christmas present's tone is jolly and happy. The ghost of Christmas yet to be is ominous. And the tone at the end is happy, light and repentant.
CHARACTERIZATION
1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization. Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?Dickens uses both direct and indirect characterization to breathe life into his character. In the first chapter,
1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization. Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?Dickens uses both direct and indirect characterization to breathe life into his character. In the first chapter,
Dickens describes Scrooge, in famous passage, as "a squeezing wrenching grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!" He then uses images of winter weather to describe the coldness of Scrooge's heart and the iciness of his behavior.
2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character? How? Example(s)?Dickens syntax makes his style instantly recognizable the long, complex sentences, are so evident in all the stave:"not only..." here, he repetition at the begging of every clause emphasizes the usual circumstances. in addition the short sentences "as dead as a door-nail" impact on the reader.
3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic? Flat or round? Explain.One of the things you realize as you read this novella is that since it's about a man wrestling with his own inner demons, Scrooge happens to be both the protagonist and the antagonist of the story at the same time.
4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character? Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction.I felt like I was closer to Scrooge because I got to understand why he became the way he was and I got to see the amzing change from mean man to a generous man.
2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character? How? Example(s)?Dickens syntax makes his style instantly recognizable the long, complex sentences, are so evident in all the stave:"not only..." here, he repetition at the begging of every clause emphasizes the usual circumstances. in addition the short sentences "as dead as a door-nail" impact on the reader.
3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic? Flat or round? Explain.One of the things you realize as you read this novella is that since it's about a man wrestling with his own inner demons, Scrooge happens to be both the protagonist and the antagonist of the story at the same time.
4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character? Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction.I felt like I was closer to Scrooge because I got to understand why he became the way he was and I got to see the amzing change from mean man to a generous man.
Allegory of the Cave Sonnet
Living in the shadows
Blinded by the fear they share
Never to break out of containment
As to them this is what made sense
Their knowledge, so limited
they see what they are only let to see
the shadows of reality their reality.
But when one is liberated from his chains.
He alone decides to strive,
To escape his false reality,
He found himself alive,
With new knowledge and vitality.
Leaving the cave wasn't survival of the fittest
rather, its was challenging our reallity to be its greatest
Blinded by the fear they share
Never to break out of containment
As to them this is what made sense
Their knowledge, so limited
they see what they are only let to see
the shadows of reality their reality.
But when one is liberated from his chains.
He alone decides to strive,
To escape his false reality,
He found himself alive,
With new knowledge and vitality.
Leaving the cave wasn't survival of the fittest
rather, its was challenging our reallity to be its greatest
Monday, November 19, 2012
"The Big Question"
Why do we exist? What is our many purpose in life? Is there more to life then we just think?
All the Vocab
aberration - (noun) an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image; a disorder in one's mental state; a state or condition markedly different from the norm
abeyance - noun temporary cessation or suspension
abortive - adj. failing to accomplish an intended result
acerbity - noun a sharp sour taste; a sharp bitterness; a rough and bitter manner
acumen - noun a tapering point; shrewdness shown by keen insight
accolade - noun a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
Ad hoc- (adverb) for the special purpose or end presently under consideration
adjudicate - verb bring to an end; settle conclusively; put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of
adumbrate - verb give to understand; describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of
affinity - noun a natural attraction or feeling of kinship; inherent resemblance between persons or things; the force attracting atoms to each other and binding them together in a molecule;(immunology) the attraction between an antigen and an antibody; a close connection marked by community of interests or similarity in nature or character; (biology) state of relationship between organisms or groups of organisms resulting in resemblance in structure or structural parts; (anthropology) kinship by marriage or adoption; not a blood relationship
aficionado - noun a serious devotee of some particular music genre or musical performer; a fan of bull fighting
ambivalent - adj. uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
anachronism - noun an artifact that belongs to another time; a person who seems to be displaced in time; who belongs to another age; something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred
apocryphal - adj. being of questionable authenticity; of or belonging to the Apocrypha
apogee - noun apoapsis in Earth orbit; the point in its orbit where a satellite is at the greatest distance from the Earth; a final climactic stage
apostate - adj. not faithful to religion or party or cause; noun a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc.
apotheosis - noun the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god); model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
apropos - adj. of an appropriate or pertinent nature; adv. by the way; at an opportune time
ascetic - adj. practicing great self-denial; pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline; noun someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
attrition - noun the act of rubbing togeter; wearing something down by friction; a wearing down to weaken or destroy; sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation; the wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water or wind or ice; erosion by frictionh
bane - (noun) something causes misery or death
bathos - (noun) triteness or triviality of style; a change from a serious subject to a disappointing one; insincere pathos
bauble - noun a mock scepter carried by a court jester; cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
beatitude - noun one of the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; in Latin each saying begins with `beatus' (blessed); a state of supreme happiness
beguile - verb attract; cause to be enamored; influence by slyness
beleaguer - verb surround so as to force to give up; annoy persistently
bete noire- noun someone or something which is particularly disliked or avoided; an object of aversion, the bane of one’s existence
bicker - noun a quarrel about petty points; verb argue over petty things
bilious - adj. suffering from or suggesting a liver disorder or gastric distress; relating to or containing bile; irritable as if suffering from indigestion
bode - verb indicate by signs
bravado - noun a swaggering show of courage
bromide - noun any of the salts of hydrobromic acid; formerly used as a sedative but now generally replaced by safer drugs; a trite or obvious remark
browbeat - verb discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate; be bossy towards
bruit - verb tell or spread rumors
Burgeon- verb grow and flourish
cantankerous - (adj.) having a difficult and contrary disposition; stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate
carte blanche - noun complete freedom or authority to act
casuistry - (noun) moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas; argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading
cataclysm - noun an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; a sudden violent change in the earth's surface
chauvinist - noun an extreme bellicose nationalist; a person with a prejudiced belief in the superiority of his or her own kind
chronic - adj. being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering
coalesce - verb fuse or cause to grow together; mix together different elements
cognate - adj. having the same ancestral language; related by blood; related in nature; noun a word is cognate with another if both derive from the same word in an ancestral language; one related by blood or origin; especially on sharing an ancestor with another
commensurate - adj. corresponding in size or degree or extent
complement - noun something added to complete or make perfect;either of two parts that mutually complete each other; a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction; number needed to make up a whole force; a complete number or quantity;one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response; verb make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to
consensus - noun agreement in the judgment or opinion reached by a group as a whole
contretemps - noun an awkward clash
contumacious - adj. wilfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
contumelious - adj. arrogantly insolent
convolution - noun the action of coiling or twisting or winding together; a convex fold or elevation in the surface of the brain; the shape of something rotating rapidly
corollary - noun (logic) an inference that follows directly from the proof of another proposition; a practical consequence that follows naturally
cul de sac - noun a street with only one way in or out; a passage with access only at one end
cull - noun the person or thing that is rejected or set aside as inferior in quality; verb remove something that has been rejected;look for and gather
curmudgeon - noun a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
dank - adj. unpleasantly cool and humid
debauch - noun a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity; verb corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
de facto - (noun) in fact; in reality
depredation - (noun) an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding; (usually plural) a destructive action
derring-do - noun brave and heroic deeds
diaphanous - adj. so thin as to transmit light
dichotomy - noun being twofold; a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
dictum - noun an authoritative declaration; an opinion voiced by a judge on a point of law not directly bearing on the case in question and therefore not binding
didactic - adj. instructive (especially excessively)
disingenuous - adj. not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
disparate - adj. including markedly dissimilar elements;fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
disparity - noun inequality or difference in some respect
dissimulate - verb hide (feelings) from other people
divination - noun the art or gift of prophecy (or the pretense of prophecy) by supernatural means; successful conjecture by unusual insight or good luck; a prediction uttered under divine inspiration
dogmatic - adj. characterized by assertion of unproved or unprovable principles; relating to or involving dogma; of or pertaining to or characteristic of a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
eclat - noun brilliant or conspicuous success or effect; ceremonial elegance and splendor; enthusiastic approval
ecumenical - adj. of worldwide scope or applicability; concerned with promoting unity among churches or religions
effusive - adj. extravagantly demonstrative; uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm
elixir - noun a substance believed to cure all ills; a sweet flavored liquid (usually containing a small amount of alcohol) used in compounding medicines to be taken by mouth in order to mask an unpleasant taste; a hypothetical substance that the alchemists believed to be capable of changing base metals into gold
emolument - noun compensation received by virtue of holding an office or having employment (usually in the form of wages or fees)
empathy - (noun) understanding and entering into another's feelings
empirical - adj. derived from experiment and observation rather than theory; relying on medical quackery
ensconce - verb fix firmly
euphoria - noun a feeling of great (usually exaggerated) elation
exculpate - verb pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
expound - verb add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing; state
factionalism. noun refers to arguments or disputes among two or more small groups within a larger group
fastidious - adj. giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness; having complicated nutritional requirements; especially growing only in special artificial cultures
faux pas - noun social mishap, party foul
fervid - adj. extremely hot; characterized by intense emotion
fetid - adj. offensively malodorous
flamboyant - adj. richly and brilliantly colorful; elaborately or excessively ornamented; noun showy tropical tree or shrub native to Madagascar; widely planted in tropical regions for its immense racemes of scarlet and orange flowers; sometimes placed in genus Poinciana
folderol - noun nonsensical talk or writing
foray - noun an initial attempt (especially outside your usual areas of competence); a sudden short attack; verb briefly enter enemy territory; steal goods; take as spoils
fulminate - noun a salt or ester of fulminic acid; verb cause to explode violently and with loud noise; come on suddenly and intensely; criticize severely
fulsome - adj. unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech
fustian - noun a strong cotton and linen fabric with a slight nap;pompous or pretentious talk or writing
gambol - noun gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; verb play boisterously
gargantuan - adj. of great mass; huge and bulky
gamut - noun a complete extent or range: "a face that expressed a gamut of emotions"; the entire scale of musical notes
gothic - adj. characterized by gloom and mystery and the grotesque; of or relating to the Goths; of or relating to the language of the ancient Goths; characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German; as if belonging to the Middle Ages; old-fashioned and unenlightened; noun a style of architecture developed in northern France that spread throughout Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries; characterized by slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by vaulting and pointed arches; a heavy typeface in use from 15th to 18th centuries; extinct East Germanic language of the ancient Goths; the only surviving record being fragments of a 4th-century translation of the Bible by Bishop Ulfilas
genre - noun a class of art (or artistic endeavor) having a characteristic form or technique; a kind of literary or artistic work; an expressive style of music; a style of expressing yourself in writing
harbinger - (noun) an indication of the approach of something or someone; verb foreshadow or presage
hauteur - noun overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
hedonism - (noun) an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good; the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle
heyday - noun the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
hoi polloi - noun the common people, the massesineffable - adj. too sacred to be uttered; defying expression or description
homily - noun a sermon on a moral or religious topic
iconoclastic - adj. destructive of images used in religious worship; said of religions, such as Islam, in which the representation of living things is prohibited; characterized by attack on established beliefs or institutions
imbue - verb suffuse with color; fill, soak, or imbue totally; spread or diffuse through
immaculate - adj. completely neat and clean; free from stain or blemish; without fault or error
immolate - verb offer as a sacrifice by killing or by giving up to destruction
immure - verb lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
impasse - noun a street with only one way in or out; a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible
imperceptible - adj. impossible or difficult to perceive by the mind or senses
imprecation - noun the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult); a slanderous accusation
inchoate - adj. only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
in medias res - into the middle of things
incubus - noun a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; someone who depresses or worries others; a situation resembling a terrifying dream
ineluctable - adj. impossible to avoid or evade:"inescapable conclusion"
infrastructure - noun the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area; the basic structure or features of a system or organization
inhibit - verb limit the range or extent of; to put down by force or authority
insouciant - adj. marked by blithe unconcern
internecine - adj. characterized by bloodshed and carnage for both sides; (of conflict) within a group or organization
inveigle - verb influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
jeremiad - noun a long and mournful complaint
kudos - noun an expression of approval and commendation
lackey - noun a male servant (especially a footman); a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
lackluster - (adj.) lacking luster or shine; lacking brilliance or vitality
lagniappe - noun a small gift (especially one given by a merchant to a customer who makes a purchase)
lampoon - noun a composition that imitates somebody's style in a humorous way; verb ridicule with satire
liaison - noun a channel for communication between groups; a usually secretive or illicit sexual relationship
licentious - adj. lacking moral discipline; especially sexually unrestrained
lucubration - noun laborious cogitation; a solemn literary work that is the product of laborious cogitation
lugubrious - adj. excessively mournful
maladroit - adj. doesn't do well under stressful conditions
malcontent - (adj.) discontented as toward authority; noun a person who is discontented or disgusted
malleable - adj. capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out;easily influenced
matrix - noun mold used in the production of phonograph records, type, or other relief surface; the formative tissue at the base of a nail; the body substance in which tissue cells are embedded; a rectangular array of elements (or entries) set out by rows and columns; an enclosure within which something originates or develops (from the Latin for womb)
maudlin - adj. effusively or insincerely emotional
mellifluous - (adj.) pleasing to the ear
mercurial - adj. relating to or containing or caused by mercury;relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury; relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury; liable to sudden unpredictable change
metamorphosis - noun a complete change of physical form or substance especially as by magic or witchcraft; the marked and rapid transformation of a larva into an adult that occurs in some animals; a striking change in appearance or character or circumstances
mete - noun a line that indicates a boundary
mnemonic - adj. of or relating to or involved the practice of aiding the memory; noun a device (such as a rhyme or acronym) used to aid recall
modulate - verb vary the frequency, amplitude, phase, or other characteristic of (electromagnetic waves); adjust the pitch, tone, or volume of; change the key of, in music; fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of; vary the pitch of one's speech
monolithic - adj. characterized by massiveness and rigidity and total uniformity; imposing in size or bulk or solidity
mot juste - noun the approprite word or expression
mystique - noun an aura of heightened value or interest or meaning surrounding a person or thing
nemesis - noun (Greek mythology) the goddess of divine retribution and vengeance; something causes misery or death
nepotism - (noun) favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)
nihilism - noun a revolutionary doctrine that advocates destruction of the social system for its own sake; complete denial of all established authority and institutions; the delusion that things (or everything, including the self) do not exist; a sense that everything is unreal
non sequitur - a conclusion not based logically on evidence, not based on premise
noxious - adj. injurious to physical or mental health
obloquy - noun state of disgrace resulting from public abuse; a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions
obsequious - adj. attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner;attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
opportunist - adj. taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit; noun a person who places expediency above principle
opt - verb select as an alternative; choose instead; prefer as an alternative
palliate - verb provide physical relief, as from pain; lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
pander - (noun) someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce); verb arrange for sexual partners for others; yield (to); give satisfaction to
panache - noun a feathered plume on a helmet; distinctive and stylish elegance
parameter - noun a constant in the equation of a curve that can be varied to yield a family of similar curves; a quantity (such as the mean or variance) that characterizes a statistical population and that can be estimated by calculations from sample data; any factor that defines a system and determines (or limits) its performance
parlous - adj. fraught with danger
patrician - adj. of the hereditary aristocracy or ruling class of ancient Rome or medieval Europe; of honorary nobility in the Byzantine empire; belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy; noun a person of refined upbringing and manners; a member of the aristocracy
peccadillo - (noun) a petty misdeed
persona - noun (Jungian psychology) a personal facade that one presents to the world; an actor's portrayal of someone in a play
piece de resistance - (noun) the most noteworthy or prized feature, aspect, event, article, etc., of a series or group; special item or attraction.
philippic - noun a speech of violent denunciation
philistine - adj. of or relating to ancient Philistia or the culture of the Philistines; smug and ignorant and indifferent or hostile to artistic and cultural values; noun a member of an Aegean people who settled ancient Philistia around the 12th century BC; a person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits
picaresque - adj. involving clever rogues or adventurers especially as in a type of fiction
polemic - adj. of or involving dispute or controversy; noun a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma); a writer who argues in opposition to others (especially in theology)
populous - adj. densely populated
portentous - adj. of momentous or ominous significance; puffed up with vanity; ominously prophetic
prescience - noun the power to foresee the future
probity - noun complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles
prolix - adj. tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length
propitiate - verb make peace with
protege - noun a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career
protocol - noun code of correct conduct; forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state; (computer science) rules determining the format and transmission of data
prototype - noun a standard or typical example
prurient - adj. characterized by lust
punctilio - noun strict observance of formalities; a fine point of etiquette or petty formality
pundit - noun someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
quagmire - noun a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
queasy - adj. causing or fraught with or showing anxiety; feeling nausea; feeling about to vomit; causing or able to cause nausea
quid pro quo - noun something for something; that which a party receives (or is promised) in return for something he does or gives or promises
quixotic - adj. not sensible about practical matters; unrealistic
raconteur - noun a person skilled in telling anecdotes
remand - (noun) the act of sending an accused person back into custody to await trial (or the continuation of the trial); verb refer (a matter or legal case) to another committee or authority or court for decision; lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
risible - adj. arousing or provoking laughter
sic - adv. intentionally so written (used after a printed word or phrase); verb urge a dog to attack someone
refractory - adj. temporarily unresponsive or not fully responsive to nervous or sexual stimuli; not responding to treatment; stubbornly resistant to authority or control; noun lining consisting of material with a high melting point; used to line the inside walls of a furnace
repartee - noun adroitness and cleverness in reply
resplendent - adj. having great beauty and splendor
sacrosanct - adj. must be kept sacred
salubrious - adj. favorable to health of mind or body; promoting health; healthful
saturnalian - Of unrestrained and intemperate jollity; riotously merry; dissolute.
savoir-faire - noun social skill
sine qua non - something essential, irreplaceable
stigmatize - verb mark with a stigma or stigmata; to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
sub rosa - adv in secret, privately
supervene - verb take place as an additional or unexpected development
sublimate - adj. made pure; noun the product of vaporization of a solid; verb direct energy or urges into useful activities; vaporize and then condense right back again; change or cause to change directly from a solid into a vapor without first melting; remove impurities from, increase the concentration of, and separate through the process of distillation; make more subtle or refined
sycophant - noun a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
symptomatic - adj. relating to or according to or affecting a symptom or symptoms; characteristic or indicative of e.g. a disease
syndrome- (noun) a complex of concurrent things; a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease
systemic - adj. affecting an entire system
tautology - noun useless repetition; (logic) a statement that is necessarily true
tendentious - adj. having or marked by a strong tendency especially a controversial one
touchstone - noun a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated
traumatic - adj. psychologically painful; "few experiences are more traumatic than losing a child"; of or relating to a physical injury or wound to the body
truckle - noun a low bed to be slid under a higher bed; verb yield to out of weakness; try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
truncate - adj. terminating abruptly by having or as if having an end or point cut off; verb make shorter as if by cutting off; approximate by ignoring all terms beyond a chosen one; replace a corner by a plane
unconscionable - adj. greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation; lacking a conscience
unimpeachable - adj. beyond doubt or reproach; completely acceptable; not open to exception or reproach; free of guilt; not subject to blame
vainglory - noun outspoken conceit
vendetta - noun a feud in which members of the opposing parties murder each other
vestige - noun an indication that something has been present
vicissitude - noun mutability in life or nature (especially successive alternation from one condition to another); a variation in circumstances or fortune at different times in your life or in the development of something
vitiate - verb take away the legal force of or render ineffective; make imperfect; corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
volition - noun the act of making a choice; the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
volte-face - noun a major change in attitude or principle or point of view
waggish - adj. witty or joking
abeyance - noun temporary cessation or suspension
abortive - adj. failing to accomplish an intended result
acerbity - noun a sharp sour taste; a sharp bitterness; a rough and bitter manner
acumen - noun a tapering point; shrewdness shown by keen insight
accolade - noun a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
Ad hoc- (adverb) for the special purpose or end presently under consideration
adjudicate - verb bring to an end; settle conclusively; put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of
adumbrate - verb give to understand; describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of
affinity - noun a natural attraction or feeling of kinship; inherent resemblance between persons or things; the force attracting atoms to each other and binding them together in a molecule;(immunology) the attraction between an antigen and an antibody; a close connection marked by community of interests or similarity in nature or character; (biology) state of relationship between organisms or groups of organisms resulting in resemblance in structure or structural parts; (anthropology) kinship by marriage or adoption; not a blood relationship
aficionado - noun a serious devotee of some particular music genre or musical performer; a fan of bull fighting
ambivalent - adj. uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
anachronism - noun an artifact that belongs to another time; a person who seems to be displaced in time; who belongs to another age; something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred
apocryphal - adj. being of questionable authenticity; of or belonging to the Apocrypha
apogee - noun apoapsis in Earth orbit; the point in its orbit where a satellite is at the greatest distance from the Earth; a final climactic stage
apostate - adj. not faithful to religion or party or cause; noun a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc.
apotheosis - noun the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god); model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
apropos - adj. of an appropriate or pertinent nature; adv. by the way; at an opportune time
ascetic - adj. practicing great self-denial; pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline; noun someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
attrition - noun the act of rubbing togeter; wearing something down by friction; a wearing down to weaken or destroy; sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation; the wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water or wind or ice; erosion by frictionh
bane - (noun) something causes misery or death
bathos - (noun) triteness or triviality of style; a change from a serious subject to a disappointing one; insincere pathos
bauble - noun a mock scepter carried by a court jester; cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
beatitude - noun one of the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; in Latin each saying begins with `beatus' (blessed); a state of supreme happiness
beguile - verb attract; cause to be enamored; influence by slyness
beleaguer - verb surround so as to force to give up; annoy persistently
bete noire- noun someone or something which is particularly disliked or avoided; an object of aversion, the bane of one’s existence
bicker - noun a quarrel about petty points; verb argue over petty things
bilious - adj. suffering from or suggesting a liver disorder or gastric distress; relating to or containing bile; irritable as if suffering from indigestion
bode - verb indicate by signs
bravado - noun a swaggering show of courage
bromide - noun any of the salts of hydrobromic acid; formerly used as a sedative but now generally replaced by safer drugs; a trite or obvious remark
browbeat - verb discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate; be bossy towards
bruit - verb tell or spread rumors
Burgeon- verb grow and flourish
cantankerous - (adj.) having a difficult and contrary disposition; stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate
carte blanche - noun complete freedom or authority to act
casuistry - (noun) moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas; argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading
cataclysm - noun an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; a sudden violent change in the earth's surface
chauvinist - noun an extreme bellicose nationalist; a person with a prejudiced belief in the superiority of his or her own kind
chronic - adj. being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering
coalesce - verb fuse or cause to grow together; mix together different elements
cognate - adj. having the same ancestral language; related by blood; related in nature; noun a word is cognate with another if both derive from the same word in an ancestral language; one related by blood or origin; especially on sharing an ancestor with another
commensurate - adj. corresponding in size or degree or extent
complement - noun something added to complete or make perfect;either of two parts that mutually complete each other; a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction; number needed to make up a whole force; a complete number or quantity;one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response; verb make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to
consensus - noun agreement in the judgment or opinion reached by a group as a whole
contretemps - noun an awkward clash
contumacious - adj. wilfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
contumelious - adj. arrogantly insolent
convolution - noun the action of coiling or twisting or winding together; a convex fold or elevation in the surface of the brain; the shape of something rotating rapidly
corollary - noun (logic) an inference that follows directly from the proof of another proposition; a practical consequence that follows naturally
cul de sac - noun a street with only one way in or out; a passage with access only at one end
cull - noun the person or thing that is rejected or set aside as inferior in quality; verb remove something that has been rejected;look for and gather
curmudgeon - noun a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
dank - adj. unpleasantly cool and humid
debauch - noun a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity; verb corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
de facto - (noun) in fact; in reality
depredation - (noun) an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding; (usually plural) a destructive action
derring-do - noun brave and heroic deeds
diaphanous - adj. so thin as to transmit light
dichotomy - noun being twofold; a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
dictum - noun an authoritative declaration; an opinion voiced by a judge on a point of law not directly bearing on the case in question and therefore not binding
didactic - adj. instructive (especially excessively)
disingenuous - adj. not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
disparate - adj. including markedly dissimilar elements;fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
disparity - noun inequality or difference in some respect
dissimulate - verb hide (feelings) from other people
divination - noun the art or gift of prophecy (or the pretense of prophecy) by supernatural means; successful conjecture by unusual insight or good luck; a prediction uttered under divine inspiration
dogmatic - adj. characterized by assertion of unproved or unprovable principles; relating to or involving dogma; of or pertaining to or characteristic of a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
eclat - noun brilliant or conspicuous success or effect; ceremonial elegance and splendor; enthusiastic approval
ecumenical - adj. of worldwide scope or applicability; concerned with promoting unity among churches or religions
effusive - adj. extravagantly demonstrative; uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm
elixir - noun a substance believed to cure all ills; a sweet flavored liquid (usually containing a small amount of alcohol) used in compounding medicines to be taken by mouth in order to mask an unpleasant taste; a hypothetical substance that the alchemists believed to be capable of changing base metals into gold
emolument - noun compensation received by virtue of holding an office or having employment (usually in the form of wages or fees)
empathy - (noun) understanding and entering into another's feelings
empirical - adj. derived from experiment and observation rather than theory; relying on medical quackery
ensconce - verb fix firmly
euphoria - noun a feeling of great (usually exaggerated) elation
exculpate - verb pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
expound - verb add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing; state
factionalism. noun refers to arguments or disputes among two or more small groups within a larger group
fastidious - adj. giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness; having complicated nutritional requirements; especially growing only in special artificial cultures
faux pas - noun social mishap, party foul
fervid - adj. extremely hot; characterized by intense emotion
fetid - adj. offensively malodorous
flamboyant - adj. richly and brilliantly colorful; elaborately or excessively ornamented; noun showy tropical tree or shrub native to Madagascar; widely planted in tropical regions for its immense racemes of scarlet and orange flowers; sometimes placed in genus Poinciana
folderol - noun nonsensical talk or writing
foray - noun an initial attempt (especially outside your usual areas of competence); a sudden short attack; verb briefly enter enemy territory; steal goods; take as spoils
fulminate - noun a salt or ester of fulminic acid; verb cause to explode violently and with loud noise; come on suddenly and intensely; criticize severely
fulsome - adj. unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech
fustian - noun a strong cotton and linen fabric with a slight nap;pompous or pretentious talk or writing
gambol - noun gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; verb play boisterously
gargantuan - adj. of great mass; huge and bulky
gamut - noun a complete extent or range: "a face that expressed a gamut of emotions"; the entire scale of musical notes
gothic - adj. characterized by gloom and mystery and the grotesque; of or relating to the Goths; of or relating to the language of the ancient Goths; characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German; as if belonging to the Middle Ages; old-fashioned and unenlightened; noun a style of architecture developed in northern France that spread throughout Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries; characterized by slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by vaulting and pointed arches; a heavy typeface in use from 15th to 18th centuries; extinct East Germanic language of the ancient Goths; the only surviving record being fragments of a 4th-century translation of the Bible by Bishop Ulfilas
genre - noun a class of art (or artistic endeavor) having a characteristic form or technique; a kind of literary or artistic work; an expressive style of music; a style of expressing yourself in writing
harbinger - (noun) an indication of the approach of something or someone; verb foreshadow or presage
hauteur - noun overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
hedonism - (noun) an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good; the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle
heyday - noun the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
hoi polloi - noun the common people, the massesineffable - adj. too sacred to be uttered; defying expression or description
homily - noun a sermon on a moral or religious topic
iconoclastic - adj. destructive of images used in religious worship; said of religions, such as Islam, in which the representation of living things is prohibited; characterized by attack on established beliefs or institutions
imbue - verb suffuse with color; fill, soak, or imbue totally; spread or diffuse through
immaculate - adj. completely neat and clean; free from stain or blemish; without fault or error
immolate - verb offer as a sacrifice by killing or by giving up to destruction
immure - verb lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
impasse - noun a street with only one way in or out; a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible
imperceptible - adj. impossible or difficult to perceive by the mind or senses
imprecation - noun the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult); a slanderous accusation
inchoate - adj. only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
in medias res - into the middle of things
incubus - noun a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; someone who depresses or worries others; a situation resembling a terrifying dream
ineluctable - adj. impossible to avoid or evade:"inescapable conclusion"
infrastructure - noun the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area; the basic structure or features of a system or organization
inhibit - verb limit the range or extent of; to put down by force or authority
insouciant - adj. marked by blithe unconcern
internecine - adj. characterized by bloodshed and carnage for both sides; (of conflict) within a group or organization
inveigle - verb influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
jeremiad - noun a long and mournful complaint
kudos - noun an expression of approval and commendation
lackey - noun a male servant (especially a footman); a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
lackluster - (adj.) lacking luster or shine; lacking brilliance or vitality
lagniappe - noun a small gift (especially one given by a merchant to a customer who makes a purchase)
lampoon - noun a composition that imitates somebody's style in a humorous way; verb ridicule with satire
liaison - noun a channel for communication between groups; a usually secretive or illicit sexual relationship
licentious - adj. lacking moral discipline; especially sexually unrestrained
lucubration - noun laborious cogitation; a solemn literary work that is the product of laborious cogitation
lugubrious - adj. excessively mournful
maladroit - adj. doesn't do well under stressful conditions
malcontent - (adj.) discontented as toward authority; noun a person who is discontented or disgusted
malleable - adj. capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out;easily influenced
matrix - noun mold used in the production of phonograph records, type, or other relief surface; the formative tissue at the base of a nail; the body substance in which tissue cells are embedded; a rectangular array of elements (or entries) set out by rows and columns; an enclosure within which something originates or develops (from the Latin for womb)
maudlin - adj. effusively or insincerely emotional
mellifluous - (adj.) pleasing to the ear
mercurial - adj. relating to or containing or caused by mercury;relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury; relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury; liable to sudden unpredictable change
metamorphosis - noun a complete change of physical form or substance especially as by magic or witchcraft; the marked and rapid transformation of a larva into an adult that occurs in some animals; a striking change in appearance or character or circumstances
mete - noun a line that indicates a boundary
mnemonic - adj. of or relating to or involved the practice of aiding the memory; noun a device (such as a rhyme or acronym) used to aid recall
modulate - verb vary the frequency, amplitude, phase, or other characteristic of (electromagnetic waves); adjust the pitch, tone, or volume of; change the key of, in music; fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of; vary the pitch of one's speech
monolithic - adj. characterized by massiveness and rigidity and total uniformity; imposing in size or bulk or solidity
mot juste - noun the approprite word or expression
mystique - noun an aura of heightened value or interest or meaning surrounding a person or thing
nemesis - noun (Greek mythology) the goddess of divine retribution and vengeance; something causes misery or death
nepotism - (noun) favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)
nihilism - noun a revolutionary doctrine that advocates destruction of the social system for its own sake; complete denial of all established authority and institutions; the delusion that things (or everything, including the self) do not exist; a sense that everything is unreal
non sequitur - a conclusion not based logically on evidence, not based on premise
noxious - adj. injurious to physical or mental health
obloquy - noun state of disgrace resulting from public abuse; a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions
obsequious - adj. attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner;attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
opportunist - adj. taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit; noun a person who places expediency above principle
opt - verb select as an alternative; choose instead; prefer as an alternative
palliate - verb provide physical relief, as from pain; lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
pander - (noun) someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce); verb arrange for sexual partners for others; yield (to); give satisfaction to
panache - noun a feathered plume on a helmet; distinctive and stylish elegance
parameter - noun a constant in the equation of a curve that can be varied to yield a family of similar curves; a quantity (such as the mean or variance) that characterizes a statistical population and that can be estimated by calculations from sample data; any factor that defines a system and determines (or limits) its performance
parlous - adj. fraught with danger
patrician - adj. of the hereditary aristocracy or ruling class of ancient Rome or medieval Europe; of honorary nobility in the Byzantine empire; belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy; noun a person of refined upbringing and manners; a member of the aristocracy
peccadillo - (noun) a petty misdeed
persona - noun (Jungian psychology) a personal facade that one presents to the world; an actor's portrayal of someone in a play
piece de resistance - (noun) the most noteworthy or prized feature, aspect, event, article, etc., of a series or group; special item or attraction.
philippic - noun a speech of violent denunciation
philistine - adj. of or relating to ancient Philistia or the culture of the Philistines; smug and ignorant and indifferent or hostile to artistic and cultural values; noun a member of an Aegean people who settled ancient Philistia around the 12th century BC; a person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits
picaresque - adj. involving clever rogues or adventurers especially as in a type of fiction
polemic - adj. of or involving dispute or controversy; noun a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma); a writer who argues in opposition to others (especially in theology)
populous - adj. densely populated
portentous - adj. of momentous or ominous significance; puffed up with vanity; ominously prophetic
prescience - noun the power to foresee the future
probity - noun complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles
prolix - adj. tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length
propitiate - verb make peace with
protege - noun a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career
protocol - noun code of correct conduct; forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state; (computer science) rules determining the format and transmission of data
prototype - noun a standard or typical example
prurient - adj. characterized by lust
punctilio - noun strict observance of formalities; a fine point of etiquette or petty formality
pundit - noun someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
quagmire - noun a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
queasy - adj. causing or fraught with or showing anxiety; feeling nausea; feeling about to vomit; causing or able to cause nausea
quid pro quo - noun something for something; that which a party receives (or is promised) in return for something he does or gives or promises
quixotic - adj. not sensible about practical matters; unrealistic
raconteur - noun a person skilled in telling anecdotes
remand - (noun) the act of sending an accused person back into custody to await trial (or the continuation of the trial); verb refer (a matter or legal case) to another committee or authority or court for decision; lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
risible - adj. arousing or provoking laughter
sic - adv. intentionally so written (used after a printed word or phrase); verb urge a dog to attack someone
refractory - adj. temporarily unresponsive or not fully responsive to nervous or sexual stimuli; not responding to treatment; stubbornly resistant to authority or control; noun lining consisting of material with a high melting point; used to line the inside walls of a furnace
repartee - noun adroitness and cleverness in reply
resplendent - adj. having great beauty and splendor
sacrosanct - adj. must be kept sacred
salubrious - adj. favorable to health of mind or body; promoting health; healthful
saturnalian - Of unrestrained and intemperate jollity; riotously merry; dissolute.
savoir-faire - noun social skill
sine qua non - something essential, irreplaceable
stigmatize - verb mark with a stigma or stigmata; to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
sub rosa - adv in secret, privately
supervene - verb take place as an additional or unexpected development
sublimate - adj. made pure; noun the product of vaporization of a solid; verb direct energy or urges into useful activities; vaporize and then condense right back again; change or cause to change directly from a solid into a vapor without first melting; remove impurities from, increase the concentration of, and separate through the process of distillation; make more subtle or refined
sycophant - noun a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
symptomatic - adj. relating to or according to or affecting a symptom or symptoms; characteristic or indicative of e.g. a disease
syndrome- (noun) a complex of concurrent things; a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease
systemic - adj. affecting an entire system
tautology - noun useless repetition; (logic) a statement that is necessarily true
tendentious - adj. having or marked by a strong tendency especially a controversial one
touchstone - noun a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated
traumatic - adj. psychologically painful; "few experiences are more traumatic than losing a child"; of or relating to a physical injury or wound to the body
truckle - noun a low bed to be slid under a higher bed; verb yield to out of weakness; try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
truncate - adj. terminating abruptly by having or as if having an end or point cut off; verb make shorter as if by cutting off; approximate by ignoring all terms beyond a chosen one; replace a corner by a plane
unconscionable - adj. greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation; lacking a conscience
unimpeachable - adj. beyond doubt or reproach; completely acceptable; not open to exception or reproach; free of guilt; not subject to blame
vainglory - noun outspoken conceit
vendetta - noun a feud in which members of the opposing parties murder each other
vestige - noun an indication that something has been present
vicissitude - noun mutability in life or nature (especially successive alternation from one condition to another); a variation in circumstances or fortune at different times in your life or in the development of something
vitiate - verb take away the legal force of or render ineffective; make imperfect; corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
volition - noun the act of making a choice; the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
volte-face - noun a major change in attitude or principle or point of view
waggish - adj. witty or joking
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