| conscript |
a military recruit summoned by draft; draftee. |
| debase |
to reduce in value, quality, esteem, or character. |
| deride |
to ridicule or treat with scornful mockery. |
| elliptical |
tending toward or characterized by an economy of expression that creates ambiguity or obscurity, often purposefully. |
| incendiary |
causing or having the potential to cause a fire. |
| jargon |
special words or language used by a particular group or to describe a particular interest. |
| miscreant |
evil or malevolent; villainous. |
| oratory1 |
the art of public speaking. |
| patriarch |
a man who is the leader of a family or tribe. |
| pitfall |
an unexpected or hidden danger. |
| pretext |
a false reason or claim put forward to mask one's true motive or aim. |
| realist |
a person who tends to see or present things as they actually are. |
| singe |
to burn slightly on the surface, end, or edge. |
| taint |
to slightly corrupt or pollute. |
| vouch |
to promise to be true, real, or correct (usually followed by "for"). |