-
to lessen in intensity or degree
abate (verb)
-
an expression of praise
accolade (noun)
-
excessive praise; intense adoration
adulation (noun)
-
dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
aesthetic (adj)
-
to make better or more tolerable
ameliorate (verb)
-
one who practices rigid self-denial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
ascetic (noun)
-
greed, esp. for wealth
avarice (noun)
-
a universally recognized principle
axiom (noun)
-
to grow rapidly or flourish
burgeon (verb)
-
rustic and pastoral; characterisitc of rural areas and their inhabitants
bucolic (adj)
-
harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
cacophony (noun)
-
an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
canon (noun)
-
severe criticism or punishment
castigation (noun)
-
burning or stinging; causing corrosion
caustic (adj.)
-
wary; cautious; sparing
chary (adj)
-
appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
cogent (adj)
-
the willingness to comply with the wishes of others
complaisance (noun)
-
argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
contentious (adj)
-
regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
contrite (adj)
-
deserving blame
culpable (adj)
-
smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
dearth (noun)
-
to question or oppose
demur (verb)
-
intended to teach or instruct
didactic (adj)
-
cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
discretion (noun)
-
free of bias or self-interest; impartial
disinterested (adj)
-
expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improvable principles
dogmatic (adj)
-
the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
ebullience (noun)
-
composed of elements drawn from various sources
ecletic (adj)
-
a mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead
elegy (noun)
-
soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying
emollient (adj, noun)
-
based on observation or experiment
empirical (adj)
-
mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
enigmatic (adj), enigma (noun)
-
brief; fleeting
ephemeral
-
intended for or understood by a small, specific group
esoteric (adj)
-
to remove blame
exonerate (verb)
-
playful; humorous
facetious (adj)
-
an invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief
fallacy (noun)
-
marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious
furtive (adj)
-
socialbe; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people
gregarious (adj)
-
to deliver a pompous speech or tirade; a long, pompous speech
harangue (verb, noun)
-
violating accepted dogma or convention
heretical (adj.) (noun: heresy)
-
lacking funds; without money
impecunious (adj)
-
beginning to come into being or to become apparent
incipient (adj)
-
unmoving; lethargic; sluggish
inert (adj)
-
harmless; causing no damage
innocuous (adj)
-
refusing to compromise
intransigent (adj)
-
to obtain by deception or flattery
inveigle (verb)
-
sad; sullen; melancholy
morose (adj)
-
evoking intense aversion or dislike
odious (adj)
-
impenetrable by light; not reflecting light
opaque (adj)
-
the act or state of swinging back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm
oscillation (noun)
-
penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
penurious (adj)
-
extremely harmful; potentially causing death
pernicious (adj)
-
to examine with great care
peruse (verb)
-
extremely reverent or devout; shoing strong religious devotion
pious (adj)
-
one that precedes and indicates or anounces another
precursor (noun)
-
to dress up; to primp; to groom oneself with elaborate care
preen (verb)
-
abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
prodigious (adj)
-
producing large volumes or amounts; productive
prolific (adj)
-
to rot; to decay and give off a foul odor
putrefy (verb)
-
to drink deeply
quaff (verb)
-
stillness; motionlessness; quality of being at rest
quiescence (noun)
-
awe-inspiring; worthy of honor
redoubtable (adj)
-
authoritatve permission or approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance; to give permission or authority to
sanction (noun, verb)
-
a literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision
satire (noun)
-
sordid; wretched and dirty from neglect
squalid (adj)
-
indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast
stoic (adj)
-
to take the place of; to supersede
supplant (verb)
-
lethargic; sluggish; dormant
torpid (adj)
-
existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread
ubiquitous (adj)
-
sophisticated; refined; elegant
urbane (adj)
-
to defame; to characterize harshly
vilify (verb)
-
thick; sticky
viscous (adj)
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