| animus |
a feeling or attitude of enmity. |
| attenuate |
to cause to be thin, rarefied, or fine. |
| condign |
well-deserved or fitting, especially of punishment or reprimand. |
| consternation |
surprise and alarm, leading to panic, deep disappointment, or total confusion. |
| deposition |
a sworn statement, usually in writing, for use as testimony by an absent witness in a court of law. |
| ensconce |
to position (oneself) firmly or comfortably. |
| frangible |
easy to break; breakable; fragile. |
| intelligentsia |
the elite class of highly learned people within a society, or those who consider themselves part of such a class. |
| jeremiad |
a long complaint about life or one's situation; lamentation. |
| peroration |
the concluding part of a speech in which there is a summing up of the principal points. |
| sanctimony |
a pretense of righteousness or piety; feigned devotion or holiness. |
| sepsis |
infection, especially by pus-forming bacteria in the blood or tissues. |
| splenetic |
ill-tempered or spiteful. |
| supine |
lying with the face upward. |
| tummler |
an entertainer or social director who encourages participation by guests or audience. |