| aberration |
a deviation from what is considered normal or right; irregularity. |
| assuage |
to make less severe or more bearable; alleviate. |
| burgeon |
to start to grow; send forth shoots, leaves, buds, or the like (often followed by "out" or "forth"). |
| desideratum |
something that is needed or wanted. |
| encomium |
a formal expression of praise. |
| insinuate |
to suggest (something derogatory) subtly and indirectly. |
| mahatma |
(sometimes capitalized) in Buddhism and theosophy, any of a class of persons revered for their wisdom and love of humanity. |
| nonplus |
to cause (someone) to be unable to think of what to say, do, or decide; perplex; bewilder. |
| nostrum |
a favorite but unproven scheme or theory, offered as a remedy for social or political problems; panacea. |
| oppugn |
to oppose, contradict, criticize, or call into question. |
| picayune |
having little value or significance; small; paltry. |
| prerogative |
an exclusive right or privilege derived from one's office, position, age, citizenship, birth, or the like. |
| prolix |
wordy and boringly long. |
| rebarbative |
tending to irritate or repel; forbidding or unattractive. |
| tamp |
to compress and pack tightly by repeated light taps. |