| acrimonious |
filled with bitterness or rancor. |
| assimilate |
to adapt and conform. |
| bucolic |
of or suggesting the countryside or a rustic style of life, especially one that is quiet and pleasant. |
| cynicism |
an attitude of doubt or mistrust toward human nature and the possibility of good or selfless motives. |
| derange |
to cause to be mentally ill. |
| dirge |
a song or hymn for a funeral or memorial for the dead. |
| ethereal |
highly refined; unworldly. |
| fleck |
a small patch of light or color. |
| ineffectual |
incapable of acting effectively. |
| lieu |
the place formerly occupied by something or someone. |
| offhand |
done without thinking or preparing ahead of time. |
| parameter |
any of a set of specifications or limits, the value or variations of which determine the form or behavior of something. |
| perfidy |
an act or the practice of conscious, deliberate disloyalty or treachery; breach of faith. |
| reciprocity |
a mutual interchange of privileges or favors between two nations, groups, or institutions. |
| rhetoric |
the art, ability, or study of using language effectively in speech or writing, especially to influence or persuade one's audience. |