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accolade
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
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acrimony
a rough and bitter manner
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angst
an acute but unspecific feeling of anxiety
-
anomaly
deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule
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antidote
a remedy that stops or controls the effects of a poison
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avant-garde
radically new or original
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baroque
relating to an elaborately ornamented style of art and music
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bona fide
not counterfeit or copied
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boondoggle
work of little or no value done merely to look busy
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bourgeois
being of the property-owning class
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bravado
a swaggering show of courage
-
brogue
a thick and heavy shoe
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brusque
marked by rude or peremptory shortness
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Byzantine
of or relating to or characteristic of the Byzantine Empire or the ancient city of Byzantium
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cacophony
loud confusing disagreeable sounds
-
camaraderie
the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability
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capricious
determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity
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carte blanche
complete freedom or authority to act
-
caustic
capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action
-
charisma
personal attractiveness that enables you to influence others
-
cloying
overly sweet
-
deja vu
the experience of thinking a new situation already occurred
-
dichotomy
a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
-
dilettante
an amateur engaging in an activity without serious intention
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disheveled
in disarray; extremely disorderly
-
elan
enthusiastic and assured vigor and liveliness
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ennui
the feeling of being bored by something tedious
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epitome
a standard or typical example
-
equanimity
steadiness of mind under stress
-
equivocate
be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
-
esoteric
understandable only by an enlightened inner circle
-
euphemism
an inoffensive expression substituted for an offensive one
-
fait accompli
an irreversible accomplishment
-
fastidious
giving careful attention to detail
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faux pas
a socially awkward or tactless act
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fiasco
a complete failure or collapse
-
finagle
achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods
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Freudian slip
a slip-up that (according to Sigmund Freud) results from the operation of unconscious wishes or conflicts and can reveal unconscious processes in normal healthy individuals
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glib
artfully persuasive in speech
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gregarious
temperamentally seeking and enjoying the company of others
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harbinger
something indicating the approach of something or someone
-
hedonist
someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures
-
heresy
a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion
-
idiosyncratic
peculiar to the individual
-
idyllic
charmingly simple and serene
-
indelicate
slightly indecent, offensive, or improper
-
infinitesimal
immeasurably small
-
insidious
working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way
-
junket
dessert made of sweetened milk coagulated with rennet
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kitsch
excessively garish or sentimental art
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litany
any long and tedious address or recital
-
lurid
glaringly vivid and graphic; marked by sensationalism
-
Machiavellian
of or relating to amoral or conniving political principles
-
malaise
a general feeling of discomfort, uneasiness, or depression
-
malinger
avoid responsibilities and duties
-
mantra
literally a `sacred utterance' in Vedism
-
maudlin
effusively or insincerely emotional
-
mercenary
a person hired to fight for another country than their own
-
minimalist
a conservative advocating only minor reforms in government
-
misnomer
an incorrect or unsuitable name
-
narcissist
someone who is excessively self-centered
-
nirvana
the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation
-
non sequitur
a reply that has no relevance to what preceded it
-
nouveau-riche
characteristic of someone who has risen economically or socially but lacks the social skills appropriate for this new position
-
oblivion
the state of being disregarded or forgotten
-
ogle
stare or look at, especially with amorous intentions
-
ostentatious
intended to attract notice and impress others
-
ostracize
expel from a community or group
-
panacea
hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases
-
paradox
a statement that contradicts itself
-
peevish
easily irritated or annoyed
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perfunctory
hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
-
philistine
a person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits
-
precocious
characterized by exceptionally early development
-
propriety
correct behavior
-
quid pro quo
something for something
-
quintessential
representing the perfect example of a class or quality
-
red herring
diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue
-
revel
take delight in
-
rhetoric
study of the technique for using language effectively
-
scintillating
having brief brilliant points or flashes of light
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spartan
unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment
-
stigma
a symbol of disgrace or infamy
-
stoic
seeming unaffected by pleasure or pain; impassive
-
suave
having a sophisticated charm
-
Svengali
someone (usually maleficent) who tries to persuade or force another person to do his bidding
-
sycophant
a person who tries to please someone to gain an advantage
-
teetotaler
a total abstainer
-
tete-a-tete
a private conversation between two people
-
tirade
a speech of violent denunciation
-
tryst
a secret rendezvous, especially between lovers
-
ubiquitous
being present everywhere at once
-
unrequited
not returned in kind
-
untenable
incapable of being defended or justified
-
vicarious
experienced at secondhand
-
vile
morally reprehensible
-
waft
a long flag; often tapering
-
white elephant
a valuable possession whose upkeep is excessively expensive
-
zealous
marked by active interest and enthusiasm