| appellation |
a name, title, or other designation. |
| blandishment |
(often plural) flattering or coaxing remarks or stratagems intended to persuade. |
| deposition |
a sworn statement, usually in writing, for use as testimony by an absent witness in a court of law. |
| diatribe |
a bitter, abusive attack in speech or writing. |
| germane |
having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant. |
| guttural |
articulated in the back of the mouth; velar. |
| highbrow |
one who has or pretends to have highly sophisticated intellectual and cultural interests and tastes (often used disparagingly). |
| idiosyncrasy |
a characteristic of temperament, habit, or physical structure particular to a given individual or group; peculiarity. |
| innocuous |
not capable of causing damage; harmless. |
| mahatma |
(sometimes capitalized) in Buddhism and theosophy, any of a class of persons revered for their wisdom and love of humanity. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| oligarchy |
a government or state in which only a relatively few people or members of a family have real power. |
| pedagogy |
the act, process, or profession of teaching. |
| sanctimony |
a pretense of righteousness or piety; feigned devotion or holiness. |
| shyster |
a person, usually a lawyer, who uses underhanded, unethical methods. |