| charlatan |
one who deceitfully claims to possess a particular skill or expertise; fraud; quack. |
| decelerate |
to lower the speed of; decrease in velocity; slow down. |
| gargantuan |
(sometimes capitalized) of enormous proportions; huge; gigantic. |
| inquisition |
an official inquiry, especially for the purpose of enforcing political, social, or religious conformity. |
| irascible |
easily angered or irritated; short-tempered. |
| paraphernalia |
(used with a singular or plural verb) furnishings or equipment, especially that used in a particular job or activity. |
| pirouette |
a ballet movement involving a rapid rotation of the body upon the toes or foot. |
| pompous |
showing an exaggerated sense of own's own importance. |
| scruple |
a belief about right and wrong that keeps a person from doing something that may be bad. |
| stalwart |
steady and loyal; reliable. |
| strident |
harsh-sounding or loud; raucous; grating. |
| subterfuge |
a stratagem or artifice used to hide, avoid, or deceive. |
| tenuous |
having little substance, support, or significance; flimsy; weak. |
| titular |
having a title but none of the power or responsibility related to it; nominal. |
| wasteland |
land where there are no living things or where nothing will grow. |