| acumen |
superior insight; quickness and shrewdness of judgment, especially in practical matters. |
| affinity |
a strong sense of liking; a natural attraction or sympathy. |
| catechism |
a summary of the principles of a religion, especially Christianity, in the form of questions and answers. |
| concourse |
a large open space, as in a railway station, where many people pass or gather. |
| debase |
to reduce in value, quality, esteem, or character. |
| desist |
to stop acting in a certain way. |
| discordant |
in conflict or disagreement. |
| obliterate |
to erase or make unrecognizable by erasing. |
| pessimist |
one who usually expects a bad outcome. |
| populist |
a person, especially a political leader, who represents, or claims to represent, the interests and concerns of the common people rather than the privileged, the politically powerful, or the intelligentsia. |
| pragmatic |
concerned with actual causes and effects rather than abstract theories or ideas; practical. |
| reconstitute |
to put together or form again. |
| splice |
to join (two pieces of film, tape, or similar things) at the ends. |
| stark |
in all respects; total; extreme. |
| staunch2 |
unwaveringly firm or loyal. |