| collusion |
action undertaken in secret partnership or collaboration, usually for illicit purposes. |
| confidant |
one to whom a secret or secrets are entrusted. |
| disputatious |
inclined to quarrel or provoke argument. |
| guile |
deceitfulness, treachery, or skillful cunning; wiliness. |
| haggard |
having a very tired, worried, or wasted look. |
| heretic |
a person who maintains unorthodox religious opinions or beliefs, especially a baptized Roman Catholic who dissents from official church doctrine. |
| lackadaisical |
lacking energy, determination, or enthusiasm; listless or lazy. |
| naysayer |
a person who refuses, denies, or opposes, especially because of cynicism or pessimism. |
| parochial |
narrow or limited in scope or viewpoint; provincial. |
| rebuttal |
a statement or contention, as in a debate or legal case, that is intended to disprove or confute another. |
| sequel |
what follows afterwards, such as the next event in a series, especially as it arises from previous events. |
| sundry |
of various kinds; miscellaneous. |
| transgression |
the act or an instance of violating a law, religious commandment, or the like; sin; crime; trespass. |
| vintage |
a class of objects produced during a certain era or year. |
| winnow |
to sift through, or separate out the desired or worthwhile from the undesired or worthless part of, as by critical analysis. |