| apocryphal |
of dubious authorship or authority. |
| contretemps |
an embarrassing or unfortunate happening; mishap; mischance. |
| desideratum |
something that is needed or wanted. |
| extort |
to extract or obtain (money or the like) by force, threats, or abuse of authority. |
| extralegal |
not regulated or permitted by law; outside of legal authority. |
| idiosyncrasy |
a characteristic of temperament, habit, or physical structure particular to a given individual or group; peculiarity. |
| incumbent |
currently holding an office or position. |
| nostrum |
a favorite but unproven scheme or theory, offered as a remedy for social or political problems; panacea. |
| oligarchy |
a government or state in which only a relatively few people or members of a family have real power. |
| pedantic |
making or characterized by an excessive display of learnedness, or overly insistent on scholarly details and formalities. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| recidivism |
chronic return to bad habits, especially criminal relapse. |
| sartorial |
of or pertaining to tailors or tailored clothing, especially men's clothing. |
| sudorific |
causing or increasing sweat, as a medication. |
| welter |
to roll about or wallow, as in mud or the open sea. |