| apocryphal |
of dubious authorship or authority. |
| attenuate |
to cause to be thin, rarefied, or fine. |
| cognizant |
aware; informed (usually followed by "of"). |
| convoluted |
complex; intricate. |
| declivity |
a downward or descending slope. |
| disaffection |
an absence or loss of good will, faith, or loyalty, especially toward a government, principle, or the like. |
| discountenance |
to embarrass or disconcert. |
| disencumber |
to remove burdens or hindrances from. |
| gamut |
the whole extent or range of anything. |
| highbrow |
one who has or pretends to have highly sophisticated intellectual and cultural interests and tastes (often used disparagingly). |
| impromptu |
without advance plan or preparation; spontaneously. |
| periphrasis |
an indirect or roundabout way of phrasing something; circumlocution. |
| recidivism |
chronic return to bad habits, especially criminal relapse. |
| sanguine |
having an optimistic temperament or outlook. |
| splenetic |
ill-tempered or spiteful. |