| autocracy |
rule by one person with absolute power; despotism. |
| confound |
to perplex or bewilder; confuse. |
| curtail |
to make shorter; cut off part of. |
| energize |
to inspire, make active, or enliven. |
| flail |
to cause to move wildly. |
| hedonist |
one who believes that pleasure-seeking should be the primary goal of humans. |
| incarnate |
having bodily form; personified. |
| incorporate |
to include as part of a larger thing; blend. |
| libel |
in law, written or printed matter that is false, damages a person's reputation or material well-being, and arises from malice or extreme negligence. |
| longevity |
long life. |
| plurality |
the largest proportion of votes in an election, especially when it is less than half the total, or the margin of votes separating the victor from the person who came second. |
| protégé |
a person under the care or sponsorship of an influential patron. |
| refractory |
obstinately disobedient; difficult to control, as a child or animal. |
| regress |
to go back or backwards, as in reverting to an earlier form or stage of development. |
| tantamount |
equal to or the same as; equivalent. |