| abject |
of the lowest or most wretched kind. |
| coterie |
a small, exclusive group of friends or associates with similar interest or activities; clique. |
| crony |
a close friend or ally (often used pejoratively). |
| demure |
quiet, shy, modest, or reserved in manner. |
| detonate |
to explode or cause to explode. |
| discontinuous |
interrupted or intermittent; not without pause or break. |
| discredit |
to harm the reputation of. |
| expatriate |
one who has gone into exile from or renounced allegiance to his or her native land. |
| exuberance |
the condition or quality of being vigorously happy or high-spirited. |
| facile |
acting or working in an easy, effortless manner. |
| mettle |
toughness of character; courage. |
| parody |
a humorous imitation in print, music, or performance of a serious person, work of art, or publication. |
| realign |
to come to a new relationship or set of alliances, as countries or political factions. |
| taciturn |
habitually silent and uncommunicative. |
| tome |
a large thick book, often one of a multivolume scholarly work. |