| apocryphal |
of dubious authorship or authority. |
| askance |
with distrust or suspicion. |
| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| coddle |
to simmer in water that is almost at the boiling point. |
| concur |
to share the same opinion; agree. |
| ersatz |
serving as a substitute, especially when of inferior quality. |
| exceptionable |
likely to be objected to; objectionable. |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| ineluctable |
impossible to be avoided; inescapable. |
| malapropism |
the humorous or ridiculous misuse of a word, especially by using a word that sounds similar to the correct word, but whose meaning is inappropriate. |
| oligarchy |
a government or state in which only a relatively few people or members of a family have real power. |
| ontogeny |
the process of biological growth and development of a particular living organism. |
| preferment |
the act of promoting or being promoted to a higher position or office. |
| sanguine |
having an optimistic temperament or outlook. |
| unscathed |
not hurt or harmed; completely uninjured. |