| cavil |
to make petty criticisms or objections; carp (usually followed by "at" or "about"). |
| compatriot |
a fellow citizen. |
| effervescence |
high spirits; excitement; liveliness. |
| exculpate |
to free (a person or group) from guilt or blame, or from the suspicion of guilt or blame. |
| implode |
to violently collapse or compress inward. |
| indelible |
incapable of being removed or obliterated; permanent. |
| iota |
an extremely small amount. |
| lackadaisical |
lacking energy, determination, or enthusiasm; listless or lazy. |
| miff |
to cause (someone) to become annoyed; offend. |
| precept |
a basic rule, principle, or directive that guides action, moral conduct, or thought. |
| prostrate |
to lie or throw (oneself) flat on the ground, especially face down in an act of humility, worship, or the like. |
| sunder |
to tear, force, or break apart; divide. |
| synopsis |
a short statement giving an overview, the main principles, or the sequence of events of a narrative, argument, article, or the like; summary; abstract. |
| tawdry |
falsely showy; cheap and gaudy. |
| unsubstantiated |
lacking the evidence or verification needed to establish as true. |