| abstruse |
difficult to comprehend or understand; esoteric; arcane. |
| berate |
to reproach or scold severely. |
| curmudgeon |
an irritable or ill-tempered person. |
| debauch |
to lead or seduce into immorality or intemperance; corrupt. |
| desideratum |
something that is needed or wanted. |
| disaffection |
an absence or loss of good will, faith, or loyalty, especially toward a government, principle, or the like. |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| heinous |
extremely wicked or despicable; atrocious. |
| impermeable |
not permitting passage or penetration. |
| intelligentsia |
the elite class of highly learned people within a society, or those who consider themselves part of such a class. |
| oblique |
not direct or straightforward in intent, means, or achievement; indirect or devious. |
| omnibus |
concerning or including a large collection of things. |
| precursory |
coming before and serving to indicate what will follow; premonitory. |
| pungent |
sharp and strong in taste or smell. |
| rebarbative |
tending to irritate or repel; forbidding or unattractive. |