| astute |
keen in understanding and judgment; shrewd. |
| baleful |
threatening harm; full of malice; ominous. |
| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| declivity |
a downward or descending slope. |
| determinism |
the belief or teaching that every effect, including human thoughts and actions, is completely and predictably brought about by preceding causes and that, therefore, free will does not exist. |
| disingenuous |
not candid or sincere. |
| eulogy |
a spoken or written tribute, especially to honor a dead person; high praise; formal commendation. |
| lenitive |
mitigating pain, discomfort, or distress; soothing. |
| picayune |
having little value or significance; small; paltry. |
| plaudit |
(often plural) an enthusiastic show of approval, such as a round of applause or a very favorable review. |
| pleonasm |
a redundant word, phrase, or expression. |
| profligate |
totally given over to immoral and shameful pursuits; dissolute. |
| quiescence |
a state of inaction, rest, or stillness; dormancy. |
| travesty |
something so grotesque or inferior as to seem a parody. |
| virago |
a shrewish, domineering woman; nag or scold. |