| caustic |
bitingly critical. |
| condescend |
to act as if one were of superior rank or station, treating others as inferior; patronize. |
| despot |
a ruler who has complete power and authority. |
| dignitary |
one who holds a high office or rank. |
| discontinuance |
the act of stopping or condition of being stopped; interruption. |
| dross |
anything that is worthless or useless; rubbish. |
| equivocate |
to express oneself ambiguously, often to avoid giving a direct answer or to deceive. |
| modulate |
to vary the loudness, pitch, intensity, or tone of; especially soften or tone down. |
| nonexistent |
not having substance in reality. |
| pall1 |
an atmosphere of gloom or despair. |
| pensive |
thoughtful in a sad or deeply serious way. |
| syncopate |
in music, to make (a rhythm) more complex as by accenting beats that are not normally accented or employing rests where accented beats would be expected. |
| tangential |
barely connected to or touching a subject. |
| tantamount |
equal to or the same as; equivalent. |
| totality |
the state or quality of being total. |