| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| descry |
to see or make out, especially something obscured or at a distance. |
| doggerel |
trivial, crudely constructed verse. |
| ersatz |
serving as a substitute, especially when of inferior quality. |
| fealty |
faithfulness or loyalty. |
| flummox |
(informal) to confuse or puzzle. |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| inadvertent |
not planned or intended; unintentional. |
| malinger |
to pretend illness or injury, especially in order to be excused from duty or work. |
| ostentation |
a showy display to impress others. |
| pleonasm |
a redundant word, phrase, or expression. |
| rebarbative |
tending to irritate or repel; forbidding or unattractive. |
| stochastic |
of, or arising from chance or probability. |
| sylph |
a slender, graceful woman or girl. |
| woebegone |
displaying or full of distress. |