| abash |
to cause to feel embarrassed, uneasy, or ashamed. |
| askance |
with distrust or suspicion. |
| cynosure |
a thing or person that is the center of attention and admiration. |
| disaffection |
an absence or loss of good will, faith, or loyalty, especially toward a government, principle, or the like. |
| feckless |
weak or incompetent; ineffective. |
| heterodox |
deviating from an officially approved belief or doctrine, especially in religion. |
| idiosyncrasy |
a characteristic of temperament, habit, or physical structure particular to a given individual or group; peculiarity. |
| innocuous |
not capable of causing damage; harmless. |
| meretricious |
appealing or attracting in a cheap, showy, or shallow way. |
| obviate |
to prevent or eliminate in advance; render unnecessary or irrelevant. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| reconnaissance |
the act or process of examining an area, especially to gain militarily useful information. |
| sere1 |
dried up or withered. |
| shyster |
a person, usually a lawyer, who uses underhanded, unethical methods. |
| virago |
a shrewish, domineering woman; nag or scold. |