| attenuate |
to cause to be thin, rarefied, or fine. |
| brash |
rudely self-assertive; bold; impudent. |
| canny |
difficult to fool or take advantage of; shrewd; wary; clever. |
| cloture |
in U.S. parliamentary procedure, a method of ending debate and causing an immediate vote on the matter being discussed. |
| foment |
to encourage the development of; instigate or foster. |
| fracas |
a noisy disturbance or quarrel. |
| goad |
something that spurs a person to action; stimulus. |
| homily |
any discourse offering moral advice or admonitions. |
| imprimatur |
any official permission or sanction. |
| indolence |
the tendency to avoid exertion or effort; laziness. |
| lambent |
glowing softly. |
| meretricious |
appealing or attracting in a cheap, showy, or shallow way. |
| otiose |
having no purpose or use; unnecessary or futile. |
| penumbra |
an indefinite, borderline area. |
| schadenfreude |
(often capitalized) pleasure derived from the misfortune of others. |