| baneful |
causing or leading to death, destruction, or ruin; harmful or deadly. |
| consternation |
surprise and alarm, leading to panic, deep disappointment, or total confusion. |
| contretemps |
an embarrassing or unfortunate happening; mishap; mischance. |
| daunt |
to lessen the determination of; intimidate; discourage. |
| denigrate |
to deny the worth of; sneer at; belittle. |
| descry |
to see or make out, especially something obscured or at a distance. |
| doggerel |
trivial, crudely constructed verse. |
| élan |
enthusiasm or vigor. |
| erratic |
not expected or predicted; not regular. |
| extrinsic |
not inherent or essential; extraneous. |
| heterodox |
deviating from an officially approved belief or doctrine, especially in religion. |
| mésalliance |
marriage with someone of lower social standing than oneself. |
| parlous |
full of dangers or risks; perilous. |
| reprise |
repetition of a musical phrase or theme in an identical or slightly altered way. |
| shyster |
a person, usually a lawyer, who uses underhanded, unethical methods. |