| claimant |
one who alleges something to be true or demands something as one's right. |
| complacent |
too satisfied with oneself or one's situation. |
| douse1 |
to place or plunge in water or another liquid; immerse. |
| dysfunctional |
of a relationship, family, or social group, not working normally or in a way beneficial to all. |
| forestall |
to prevent or hinder by taking action beforehand. |
| hilarity |
noisy or boisterous merriment. |
| invocation |
the act or process of calling out to a god, muse, or the like, for help, support, or inspiration. |
| jingoism |
aggressive nationalism and patriotism, especially as directed against foreign countries. |
| lechery |
excessive or vulgar interest in sex; prurience. |
| stratify |
to assign categories or create divisions within (a society) according to a hierarchy of social or economic classes. |
| stymie |
throw an obstacle in the way of (something or someone); impede; thwart. |
| temperance |
habitual moderation in the use of alcoholic drink, or complete abstinence. |
| tenacity |
the quality or condition of holding on strongly or persistently to something. |
| venal |
capable of acting dishonestly or wrongly in return for money or the like; open to accepting bribes; corrupt. |
| verbose |
using or characterized by many or superfluous words; wordy. |