| abysmal |
of vast extent; unmeasurable; extreme. |
| adulteration |
the act or process of making worse or impure by adding unnecessary or inferior ingredients. |
| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| cachet |
prestige. |
| disaffection |
an absence or loss of good will, faith, or loyalty, especially toward a government, principle, or the like. |
| dissimulate |
to hide one's true feelings, intentions, or the like by pretense or hypocrisy. |
| halcyon |
tranquil; peaceful; calm. |
| highbrow |
one who has or pretends to have highly sophisticated intellectual and cultural interests and tastes (often used disparagingly). |
| lanugo |
fine, soft hair, especially that with which a human fetus or newborn is covered. |
| lien |
a legal claim on a piece of property when the current owner is in default on a debt or obligation. |
| mahatma |
(sometimes capitalized) in Buddhism and theosophy, any of a class of persons revered for their wisdom and love of humanity. |
| recidivism |
chronic return to bad habits, especially criminal relapse. |
| sagacious |
possessing or characterized by good judgment and common sense; wise. |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |
| travesty |
something so grotesque or inferior as to seem a parody. |