| acclivity |
a rising slope. |
| assuage |
to make less severe or more bearable; alleviate. |
| cavalier |
carefree and offhand; nonchalant. |
| conduction |
the transmission or transfer, as of heat, electrical charges, or nervous impulses, through a medium. |
| deter |
to stop or discourage from some action by creating doubt or fear. |
| disaffection |
an absence or loss of good will, faith, or loyalty, especially toward a government, principle, or the like. |
| flummox |
(informal) to confuse or puzzle. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| germane |
having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant. |
| heinous |
extremely wicked or despicable; atrocious. |
| intelligentsia |
the elite class of highly learned people within a society, or those who consider themselves part of such a class. |
| neophyte |
a beginner or novice at any activity. |
| nostrum |
a favorite but unproven scheme or theory, offered as a remedy for social or political problems; panacea. |
| prerogative |
an exclusive right or privilege derived from one's office, position, age, citizenship, birth, or the like. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |