| arbitration |
the consideration and decision of an issue or dispute by someone who has the official authority to decide such matters. |
| backlash |
a strong reaction against some prior development, especially political or social change. |
| conservationist |
a person who promotes and encourages preservation, especially of natural resources. |
| exodus |
the leaving of large numbers of people. |
| flaccid |
without firmness; soft; flabby. |
| obscene |
offensive and not decent. |
| patrician |
of, concerning, or belonging to an aristocratic class. |
| plurality |
the largest proportion of votes in an election, especially when it is less than half the total, or the margin of votes separating the victor from the person who came second. |
| ponderous |
heavily labored and dull. |
| resonance |
ability to make a strong or lasting effect, especially because of an emotional association. |
| rite |
a formal ceremonial procedure prescribed or customary for a specific occasion, as in religious worship. |
| shard |
a piece of a broken object, especially a fragment of pottery or glass. |
| subsidiary |
assisting or supplementing. |
| vouch |
to promise to be true, real, or correct (usually followed by "for"). |
| wrangle |
to win or obtain by quarreling. |