| ambivalence |
the presence of conflicting feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person, thing, or situation. |
| cordon |
a chain of guards or military stations forming a defense or containment line around an area. |
| crux |
an essential, basic, crucial, or pivotal point. |
| defile1 |
to make unclean, foul, or filthy. |
| forbearance |
the act or capability of refraining or holding back. |
| grandiloquence |
speech that is pretentious, pompous, or excessively mannered. |
| illicit |
not permitted by custom or law; illegitimate. |
| malignant |
meant to cause harm; evil. |
| recluse |
a person who lives in voluntary isolation from others. |
| salient |
extremely noticeable or prominent; conspicuous; important. |
| solicit |
to try to obtain (business, recruits, donations, help, or the like) by persuasion, formal request, or pleading. |
| temerity |
reckless or foolish boldness; rash disregard of danger. |
| tussle |
to fight or struggle roughly or energetically; scuffle. |
| variegate |
to make varied or give variety to, especially by making multicolored. |
| vicissitude |
(usually plural) unexpected and unforeseeable changes or shifts, as in one's circumstances. |