| abysmal |
of vast extent; unmeasurable; extreme. |
| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| cognizant |
aware; informed (usually followed by "of"). |
| deign |
to consider some act to be appropriate or in keeping with one's dignity; condescend. |
| denigrate |
to deny the worth of; sneer at; belittle. |
| equivocal |
having at least two plausible alternative meanings, often intentionally so in order to deceive or avoid commitment; ambiguous. |
| fungible |
interchangeable. |
| magnum opus |
a great work of art, literature, or music, especially a particular person's masterpiece. |
| naturalism |
in literature, a method of depicting life that reflects a philosophy of determinism. |
| oblivious |
not conscious or paying attention; unknowing or unaware (usually followed by "to" or "of"). |
| peripatetic |
walking or traveling around; going from place to place; itinerant. |
| perquisite |
a payment or benefit in addition to the wages or salary associated with a position. |
| quondam |
having been in the past; former. |
| requite |
to retaliate for; strike back on account of. |
| travesty |
something so grotesque or inferior as to seem a parody. |