| abrogate |
to abolish, repeal, or nullify by authority. |
| banal |
lacking originality or liveliness; disappointingly ordinary; commonplace; trite. |
| berate |
to reproach or scold severely. |
| contumely |
contemptuous insolence; rudeness. |
| cynosure |
a thing or person that is the center of attention and admiration. |
| forbear |
to keep or abstain from (an action or utterance). |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| inanition |
a state of exhaustion caused by a lack of nourishment. |
| insularity |
the condition of being closed to new ideas or outside influences; narrow-mindedness. |
| neologism |
a new word, phrase, or usage. |
| pedantic |
making or characterized by an excessive display of learnedness, or overly insistent on scholarly details and formalities. |
| quadrant |
any of the four parts that result when an area is divided by two lines, real or imaginary, that intersect each other at right angles. |
| quondam |
having been in the past; former. |
| recidivism |
chronic return to bad habits, especially criminal relapse. |
| salacious |
excited by lust; lecherous. |