| animus |
a feeling or attitude of enmity. |
| cloture |
in U.S. parliamentary procedure, a method of ending debate and causing an immediate vote on the matter being discussed. |
| deter |
to stop or discourage from some action by creating doubt or fear. |
| Draconian |
(often lower case) harshly cruel or rigorous. |
| emulous |
filled with the desire to equal or surpass. |
| ersatz |
serving as a substitute, especially when of inferior quality. |
| fulminate |
to vehemently denounce or criticize something. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| garrulous |
given to talking excessively. |
| guttural |
articulated in the back of the mouth; velar. |
| minatory |
presenting a threat; menacing. |
| pandemic |
a widespread outbreak of disease that afflicts many people over different continents. |
| 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. |
| penury |
severe poverty; pennilessness. |
| preferment |
the act of promoting or being promoted to a higher position or office. |