| cloture |
in U.S. parliamentary procedure, a method of ending debate and causing an immediate vote on the matter being discussed. |
| conversant |
familiar; acquainted; practiced (usually followed by "with" or "in"). |
| derision |
mockery or ridicule. |
| Draconian |
(often lower case) harshly cruel or rigorous. |
| facsimile |
an exact copy or duplicate of something printed or of a picture. |
| immaculate |
not dirty; completely clean. |
| impugn |
to call into question; challenge or try to discredit. |
| malaise |
a state or condition of feeling generally unwell, mentally depressed, sluggish, or uneasy. |
| malfeasance |
an illegal act or wrongdoing, especially by a public official. |
| meretricious |
appealing or attracting in a cheap, showy, or shallow way. |
| obfuscate |
to make (something) seem or be difficult to understand; obscure or darken. |
| pastiche |
a work of visual art, music, or literature that consists mostly of materials and techniques borrowed from other works, sometimes done as an exercise to learn the technique of others. |
| pedantic |
making or characterized by an excessive display of learnedness, or overly insistent on scholarly details and formalities. |
| penumbra |
an indefinite, borderline area. |
| phlegmatic |
not given to shows of emotion or interest; slow to excite. |