| altruistic |
unselfishly devoted to the welfare of others. |
| contemptuous |
feeling or expressing angry disgust, as at something unworthy or wicked; scornful. |
| curtail |
to make shorter; cut off part of. |
| expurgate |
to remove from a book or the like material considered to be offensive or erroneous prior to publication. |
| franchise |
a right or privilege conferred by a government, especially the right to vote or the rights and powers of incorporation. |
| lethargy |
a state of having very low energy with drowsiness and apathy; lassitude. |
| nonpartisan |
not influenced or determined by the policies or interests of a political party. |
| preoccupation |
the state of being completely engrossed or absorbed in thought. |
| refraction |
the bending of rays or waves of light, heat, sound, or the like when passed obliquely from one medium to another with a different rate of transmission. |
| reverberation |
the continuation of a sound after the source of the sound has been cut off. |
| sophistry |
a subtle, deceptive method of reasoning or arguing, involving statements that sound plausible but are actually false or fallacious. |
| swathe |
to wrap up, enfold, or bind, especially with a wrapping material or bands. |
| tantamount |
equal to or the same as; equivalent. |
| unimpressive |
lacking notable qualities; unremarkable; not impressive. |
| usurp |
to take and hold (a right, position, office, or the like) illegally, wrongfully, or by force. |