| ambivalence |
the presence of conflicting feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person, thing, or situation. |
| coercive |
using threats, intimidation, or force to persuade or pressure someone to do something. |
| disarray |
confusion or disorder. |
| distill |
to subject (a substance) to heat to the point of vaporization, and then to cooling to produce condensation. |
| fatalism |
a belief or doctrine that the events of life are predetermined and cannot be altered by human free will. |
| idealism |
the pursuit of or belief in noble ideals, principles, and values. |
| impasse |
a situation that allows no escape or solution; stalemate. |
| incognito |
in disguise; under a false identity. |
| indisputable |
not subject to being challenged or denied; unquestionable. |
| levity |
a lack of seriousness; light, humorous, or foolish behavior or attitude. |
| pernicious |
having a very harmful or fatal effect; injurious, deadly, or destructive. |
| scanty |
barely adequate; meager. |
| scapegoat |
one made to bear the blame for the wrongs of others. |
| scavenger |
an animal that finds and eats dead animals or rotting plants; a person who finds things that others no longer want. |
| sect |
any group, especially a religious group such as a denomination, that is united by a common belief, ritual, or the like. |