| acumen |
superior insight; quickness and shrewdness of judgment, especially in practical matters. |
| cadaverous |
of or resembling a corpse; pale and thin or emaciated. |
| disaffect |
to cause to lose affection for, loyalty to, or contentment in an idea, a person, or an organization such as a government; alienate. |
| gratis |
without charging money; freely. |
| infighting |
conflict or rivalry, often concealed, within an organization or group. |
| inviolate |
not broken, disturbed, or profaned; pure or intact. |
| lampoon |
an attack through ridicule, as in an essay, cartoon, or comedy; satire. |
| paucity |
smallness of number or amount; scarcity. |
| perceptual |
of, relating to, or involving perception. |
| protean |
easily changing form or character; variable or versatile. |
| sate |
to fill to excess, especially with food; glut. |
| stodgy |
lacking the ability or inclination to act informally or to find humor or enjoyment in things that others might; stuffy; prim. |
| tirade |
a long, forceful, or angry speech, often critical or denunciatory in nature; harangue. |
| torrid |
parched or scorched by the sun, as a geographic area. |
| vie |
to compete with another for victory, superiority, or the like (usually followed by "for"). |