| arduous |
entailing great difficulty, exertion, or endurance; laborious. |
| conclusive |
serving to reach a final answer or decision, or to settle. |
| curtail |
to make shorter; cut off part of. |
| devoid |
not having something; totally lacking. |
| dross |
anything that is worthless or useless; rubbish. |
| exhaustive |
thorough and all-encompassing. |
| imbibe |
to take up or consume by drinking. |
| modulate |
to vary the loudness, pitch, intensity, or tone of; especially soften or tone down. |
| nadir |
the lowest or most depressing point or stage. |
| ostracize |
to exclude or shun, by general agreement of the group imposing the exclusion. |
| penance |
an act of punishment or self-discipline voluntarily undergone to show regret at having done something wrong. |
| psyche |
the mental makeup of a person or group. |
| respite |
a period of rest, especially from something difficult or unpleasant. |
| stoic |
showing little or no reaction to painful or pleasant experiences; unmoved; impassive. |
| wanton |
lacking restraint in the pursuit of sexual pleasure. |