| aplomb |
great self-confidence, composure, or poise. |
| appurtenance |
(plural) equipment or instruments used for a given purpose; gear. |
| contumely |
contemptuous insolence; rudeness. |
| convoluted |
complex; intricate. |
| determinism |
the belief or teaching that every effect, including human thoughts and actions, is completely and predictably brought about by preceding causes and that, therefore, free will does not exist. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| flange |
a collar or rim that projects from a pipe, housing, or the like to provide strength, stability, or a place for attaching other parts. |
| fulminate |
to vehemently denounce or criticize something. |
| imprimatur |
any official permission or sanction. |
| meretricious |
appealing or attracting in a cheap, showy, or shallow way. |
| obscurantism |
a deliberate lack of clarity or directness of expression, as in certain styles of art or literature. |
| panegyric |
a formal speech or piece of writing devoted to publicly praising a person or thing. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| shyster |
a person, usually a lawyer, who uses underhanded, unethical methods. |
| tamp |
to compress and pack tightly by repeated light taps. |