A

A La

(preposition) in the manner of

"walking with a swagger a la John Wayne"

Acquiesce

to accept, comply, or submit tacitly or passively (often used with in or to)

• "he has gradually acquiesced to the demands of the opposition"

Abode

place of dwelling; home

Abridge

(tv) shorten in duration or extent; condense

Abysmal

(adj) immeasurably low or wretched; extremely poor or bad

(adj) having immense or fathomless extension downward, backward, or inward

Acquitted

discharge completely from an accusation or obligations

Affidavit

a sworn statement in writing made especially under oath or on affirmation before an authorized officer

Affinity

a feeling of closeness and understanding that someone has for another person because of their similar qualities, ideas, or interests

a liking for or an attraction to something

Affirm

validate; confirm

to state positively

Affirmative

asserting that the fact is so

positive; favoring or supporting a proposition or motion

Aforementioned

denoting thing or person previously mentioned

Alike

equally; in the same manner, form, or degree

exhibiting similar resemblance without being identical

Almanac

(noun) annual publication containing statistical, tabular, and general information

Alternation

the repeated occurrence of two things in turn

Amicable

having a spirit of friendliness without disagreement or rancor

Amortization

to pay off (an obligation, such as mortgage) gradually by periodic payments of principal and interest

to gradually reduce or write off the cost or value of (something such as an asset)

Analogous to

similar or comparable to something else either in general or in some specific detail

Angst

fear

anxiety or dread

Antecedent

a preceding event, condition, or cause

ancestor, parent, predecessor

(in grammar) a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun that typically follows the substantive

• "Mary saw John and called him' John would be the antecedent"

Antithesis

strong opposition of something or someone

words that strongly disagree with another; direct opposition; strong contrast

Aplomb

self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation; poise

Apparatus

(noun) a set of materials or equipment for a particular use

(noun) group or anatomical parts functioning together

Apparently

something that appears to be true based on what is known

open to view; visible; clear or manifest to the understanding

appearing as actual to the eye or mind

manifest to the senses or mind as real or true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be factually valid

Appropriation

act of getting or saving money for specific use or purpose

act of taking or using something especially in a way that is illegal, unfair, etc.

Aptitude

Natural ability; talent; inclination

Capacity for learning

Ascertain

to find or learn with certainty

make precise

Assiduous

showing great care, attention, and effort

marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application

Arbitrary

not planned or chosen for a particular reason

based on individual preference or convenience rather than by necessary or the intrinsic nature of something

done without concern for what is fair or right

Arcade

long arched building or gallery

building that includes many shops

covered passage with arches along one or both sides

Artifact

an object made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest

At the expense of... (something)

so as to cause harm or neglect of

"the pursuit of profit at the expense of the environment"

At the risk of... (doing something)

doing something despite the possibility of doing something that could be considered improper or wrong

"at the risk of sounding rude, I have to ask how old you are"

Attain

(verb) to reach as an end; gain; achieve

(verb) to come into possession; obtain

Attest

(verb) to affirm to be true or genuine; to authenticate officially

(verb) to be proof of; manifest

Her record attests her integrity.

Attestation

(noun) evidence or proof of something; a declaration that something exists or is the case

(noun) an official verification of something as true or authentic

Auspicious

showing or suggesting that future success is likely

fortunate; prosperous

B

Backhanded

indirect, ambiguous; insincere; not straightforward

devious; roundabout; wandering; cunning

Baffled

extremely confused or puzzled

Bag holder

person who is forced responsibility or blame onto

person who loses their money

Baptism by fire

going through hell to learn something for the first time

Battle of Monte Cassino

fear escalation in spite of a lack of clear evidence leading to destruction and costly victory

Begs the question

to elicit a question logically as a reaction or response

Begrudge

give reluctantly or resentfully

Behoove

to be necessary, proper, fit, or advantageous for

Benign

harmless; of a mild type that does not threaten health or life

Bewilderment

feeling of being perplexed or confused

Bibulous

excessively fond of alcoholic beverages

Bickering

petty and petulant quarreling especially when prolonged or habitual

Bifurcate

divide or fork into two branches

Bikeshedding

wasting time and energy on more trivial details than addressing important matters

people within an organization commonly or typically give disproportionate weight to trivial issues

Bona Fide

real or genuine

Boo Boo

(informal) stupid

mistake; minor injury

Bootstrap

carried out with minimum resources or advantages

designed to function independently of outside direction; capable of using one internal function or process to control another

Brittle

(adj) easily broken or snapped

(adj) easily hurt or offended; sensitive

Brute

relating to beasts

cruel; savage

• not working by reason
• purely physical

Byproduct

a secondary and sometimes unexpected or unintended result

something produced in a usually industrial or biological process in addition to the principal product

C

Cadence

regular beat or rhythm

regular or repeated pattern of activity

Cajole

persuade with flattery or gentle urging especially in the face of reluctance

deceive with soothing words or false promise

Callous

showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for other

heartless; unfeeling; cold; uncaring

Canary in a coal mine

an early indication of potential danger or failure

Canonical

conforming to a general rule or acceptable procedure; orthodox

Capricious

changing often and quickly

not logical or reasonable; based on an idea or desire that is not possible to predict

Case in point

relevant example or apt illustration of something

Casting a wide net

try many different things so that one will have the best chance of finding what one wants

involve a large number of things or people in what you are doing

Casting a stone in a direction

choosing to stay longer in

Casting the first stone

being the first to accuse or criticize

Catalyst

substance that causes a chemical reaction to happen more quickly

a person or event that quickly causes change or action

Causality

a causal quality or agency

the relationship between a cause and effect or between regularly correlated events or phenomena

Censure

(noun) a judgment involving condemnation; the act of blaming or condemning sternly

(verb) to find fault with and criticize as blameworthy

"While a vote to censure the president has no legal ramifications, it is a significant and rare symbolic vote of disapproval."

C'est la vie

(french phrase) that's life; that's how things happen

Cerebral

relating to brain or the intellect

appealing to intellectual appreciation

Chafing

to feel irritation, discontent, or impatience

wear or abrade by rubbing; make sore by rubbing

Cherish

to hold dear; feel or show affection for

to care or cultivate with care and affection; nurture

Circumvent

(verb) manage to get around; bypass

Coagulated

clot; become viscous or thickened into a coherent mess

gather together to form a mass or a group

Coalesce

to grow together

to unite into a whole; fuse; join forces

Coefficient

a multiplier or factor that measures some property

Clairvoyance

the power or faculty of discerning objects not present to the senses

ability to perceive matters beyond the range of ordinary perception

Cloud someone's judgment

(idiom) to cause someone to be unable to think clearly

Clout

(noun) pull, influence

(noun) a blow especially with the hand

Collate

compare critically

to assemble in proper order

to collect and compare carefully in order to verify and often to integrate or arrange in order

Collegial

share responsibility as amongst a group of colleagues

Come to Jesus Moment

a moment of sudden realization, comprehension, or recognition that precipitates a major change

"I had a come-to-Jesus moment with myself"

Commingle

to blend thoroughly into a harmonious whole

to combine (funds or properties) into a common fund or stock

Communicative

talkative; of or relating to communication

Compelled

drive or urge forcefully or irresistibly

to cause to do or occur by overwhelming pressure

Comprehensible

intelligible; able to be understood

Compulsion

an act of compelling; state of being compelled

• "tried to get them to cooperate without using compulsion"
• "he was acting under compulsion"

an irresistible persistent impulse to perform an act

• "her compulsion to repeatedly check and recheck the stove"
• "gambling is a compulsion with him"

Compulsotry

obligatory; required by law

Conceited

having or showing an excessively high opinion of oneself

Conglomerate

number of different things put together to form a whole

Conjoining

(verb) to join together for a common purpose

Conjunction

(noun) act or an instance of conjoining; combination

(noun) occurence together in time or space; concurrence

Conniving

involved in conspiring to do something immoral, illegal, or harmful

Contemplate

look or think long time at

Contention

(noun) a point advanced or maintained in a debate or argument

• "It is his contention that allowing a casino to be built would not be in the best interest of the city"

(noun) heated disagreement

(noun) rivalry; competition

Contentious

likely to cause disagreement or argument

Contentment

state of happiness and satisfaction

Contiguous

adjacent; touching

sharing a common border

Contrive

devise or plan by deliberate use of skills and artifice

to form or create in an artistic or ingenious manner

(in transitive verb) to make schemes

Convention

(noun) a general agreement about basic principles or procedures

(noun) usage or custom especially in social matters; a rule of conduct or behavior

(noun) an agreement between states for regulation of matters affecting all of them

Conversely

introducing a statement or idea which reverses one that has just been made or referred to

Convoluted

extremely complex and difficult to follow

Copious

something in a large amount

Cornerstone

a basic element; foundation

Crude

(adj) marked by the primitive, gross, or elemental or by uncultivated simplicity or vulgarity

(adj) existing in a natural state and unaltered by cooking or processing

(adj) rough or inexpert in plan or execution

Cultivate

to foster the growth of

Curb your enthusiasm

ask to control excitement, emotions (as it is not the right time to express such feelings)

Currant

small dried grape

Cushy

entailing little hardship or difficulty

Cut one's teeth

acquire initial practice or experience of an activity

D

Dampening

make less strong or intense

Decipher

to make out the meaning of despite indistinctness or obscurity

interpret the meaning of

Decrepit

elderly and infirm

worn out or ruined because of age or neglect

De facto

in fact; in reality

existing without lawful authority

Defunct

extinct; no longer in effect

Delimit

determine; establish set or fix the boundaries to

Demeanor

outward behavior or bearing

Denouement

final outcome

final clarification or resolution of plot; solution of intricacies of plot

Despicable

deserving hatred and contempt

e

Derivative

something that is based on something else; substance made from another substance

Digress

(verb) to turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument

Discontent

dissatisfied; lack of satisfaction with possession, status, or situation

Discreet

unpretentious; modest

capable of preserving prudent silence; careful or prudent manner to avoid disappointment especially in speech

Discrete

individually distinct; unconnected elements

noncontinuous; constituting a separate entity

Discretion

individual choice or judgment; power of free decision or latitude of choice within certain legal bounds

quality of having good judgment; quality of being discreet; circumspection; ability to make responsible decisions

Disillusionment

condition of being disenchanted; dissatisfied or defeated in expectation or hope

feeling of disappointment from the discovery that something is not as good as it used to be

Disparate

markedly distinct in quality or character

made up of fundamentally different and often incongruous elements

Distinguished

marked by eminence or excellence

Doesn't hold water

point of view or argument does not seem to be strong or logical

Doldrums

state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or slump

Double standard

set of principles applied differently and more strictly to one group than other

Drubbing

berate critically; beat severely; resounding defeat in match or contest

E

Echelon

level or rank; profession in organization or society

Edge case

problem or situation that occurs only at an extreme (maximum or minimum) operating parameter

Eek

(interjection) used to express surprise or dismay

Effervescent

giving off bubble; fizzy

vivacious and enthusiastic

Efficacy

ability to produce a desired or intended result

Egregious

shocking; horrific; outstandingly bad

Elegance

(noun) tasteful richness or ornamentation; polished

(noun) scientific precision, neatness, and simplicity

Elegant

(adj) marked by refined grace or dignified propriety

(adj) of a high grade or quality; splendid

Elicit

call forth or draw out something; bring out

Embargo

any restraint or hindrance or prohibition

order of government prohibiting the movement of merchant ships into or out of the ports

Eminence

a condition of being well-known and successful

person of high rank or achievements

Emigrate

leave one's place of residence to live elsewhere

Empirical

(adj) originating in or based on observation or experience

(adj) relying on experience or observation alone often without due regard for system and theory

Eponym

a person after whom a discovery, invention, place, etc. is named or thought to be named

Erratic

deviating from usual or proper course in conduct or opinion

eccentric; wandering; not fixed

Eschew

deliberately avoid; abstain from

Esoteric

likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest

Esprit de corps

common spirit existing in members

Exculpate

free from guilt; to clear from a charge or guilt or fault

Excursion

short journey or trip, especially one engaged in as a leisure activity

>

Explicit

fully revealed or expressed without vagueness; leaving no question as to meaning or intent

fully developed or formulated

Expression

an act, process, or instance of representing in a medium (such as word); utterance

something that manifests, embodies, or symbolizes something else

a significant word or phrase

logical symbol or meaningful combination of symbols

Extensive

having wide or considerable extent (magnitude and scope)

Extrapolate

extend the application of a (method or conclusion) to an unknown situation by assuming that existing trends will continue or similar methods will be applicable

F

Fabless

(jargon) relating to a company which designs microchips but contracts out their production rather than owning its own factory

Facetious

(adj) joking or jesting often inappropriately

(adj) treating something serious with deliberately inappropriate humor; not serious

Fact of the matter

(idiom) used to emphasize a statement that follows

"She thinks she knows what she's talking about, but the fact of the matter is, she's wrong."

Faction

party or group that is often contentious or self-seeking

party spirit especially when marked by dissension

Factoid

brief of trivial item or description

assumption or speculation repeated so often, accepted as a fact

Fast and furious

very rapidly; eagerly and uproariously

Fidelity

quality or state of being faithful

accuracy in details; exactness

Flaky

not reliable in performance or behavior

markedly odd or unconventional; offbeat

breaking or separating easily into small thin pieces

Flummox

to confuse or complex

to fluster or flabbergast

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me

if someone takes advantage of me twice, I only have myself to blame

Frivolous

not having any serious purpose or value; joking

carefree; merry; silly

FUD (Fear, uncertainty, and doubt)

usually evoked to put competition at disadvantage

Full fledged

completely developed or established; of full status

G

Gadarene

engaged in a headlong or portentously disastrous rush to do something

Gambit

a device or action, typically one entailing a degree of risk, that is calculated to gain advantage

Gaslighting

psychological manipulation (using persistent denial, misdirection, contradiction, and lying) in which a person seeks to sow seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or members of a targeted group, making them question their own memory, perception, and sanity

Gastronomical

the art or science of good eating

Gated

(adj) design to restrict entrance usually by means of physical barriers, a private security force, and a controlled gate

Grandstanding

(derogatory) done for show or to impress onlookers

Gratuitous

uncalled for; lacking good reason; unwarranted; unjustified

H

Hail Mary

attempt made in desperation with small chance of success

Handful

person who is very difficult to deal with or control

Haphazard

random; unplanned; lacking any obvious principle of organization

Hash Out

(phrasal verb) to talk about or discuss something

(phrasal verb) to find a solution or solve a problem by talking

Haven

part of a body of water protected and deep enough to be a place of safety for ship

Hawkish

resembling or suggesting a hawk or the beak in appearance

having a militant attitude and advocating immediate vigorous action

Haywire

out of control; erratic

Headlong

without deliberation; reckless; without pause or delay

Headwind

something that works against you

Heed

(verb) to pay attention

Heedless

(adj) careless; incautious; inconsiderate; thoughtless

"heedless follies of unbridled youth"

Heinous

hateful or shockingly evil

Heirloom

piece of property that descends to the heir as an inseparable part of an inheritance

Hemorrhage

rapid and uncontrollable loss or outflow

heavy discharge of blood

Heuristics

aid to learning or problem solving by experimental and especially trial-and-error methods

High caliber

high quality; good

High horse

an arrogant or unyielding mood or attitude

High-octane

very powerful; strong; effective

Striking a Chord With

to strongly impress someone

• e.g. "her comments about political corruption clearly struck a chord with many voters"

Holistically

relating to or concerning whole or with complete systems rather than dissecting or analyzing into parts

Homemade leverage

use of personal borrowing of investors change the amount of financial leverage of the firm

Hortatory

encouraging; inciting

marked by exhortation and strong urging

Hotfix

quick fix

Hyperbole

obvious and intentional exaggeration

I

Illustration

an example or instance that helps make something clear

something that serves to illustrate (such as...)

Immigrate

to come into a country which one is not a native

Imperative

vital importance; necessary; crucial; not to be avoided

give an authoritative command; order; rule; guide; obligatory act or duty

Impervious

not affected by

not allowing fluid to pass through

Impetus

(noun) a driving force; the force with which the body moves

(noun) momentum, propulsion, motivation, stimulus, inspiration, encouragement, incentive, impulse

Implosion

a sudden failure or collapse of an organization or system

an instance of something collapsing violently inward

Impudent

not showing due respect for another person

In lieu

instead

Inadvertently

accidentally; not done by intention or design

Inconspicuous

unnoticeable; not clearly visible or attracting attention

Incumbent

current person holding a position, role, or office

Indemnity

security against or exemption from legal liability for one's action

a sum of money paid as a compensation, especially a sum exacted by a victor in war as one condition of peace

Inebriate

intoxicated; drunk

Ingrained

deep-seated; firmly established

forming a part of the essence or inmost being

Innocuous

harmless; producing no injury

not likely to give offense or arouse strong feelings or hostility

Instigator

person who initiates something

provoke; urge forward

Intact

complete, whole, unbroken, undamaged

Intend

to have in mind as a purpose or goal; plan

>

signify; mean; direct the mind and proceed on

>

Integral

fundamental; essential

Intention

determination to act in a certain way; resolve

what one intends to or bring about

Interchangeably

permitting mutual substitution

Interject

(verb) to throw in between or among other things; interpolate

Interjection

(adj) an ejaculatory utterance usually lacking grammatical connection

"heavens!" "dear me! alas! ouch! ugh!"

Interpolate

(verb) to alter or corrupt by inserting new or foreign matter

(verb) to insert between things or parts

Interpolation

statistical method by which related known values are used to estimate an unknown price or potential yield

(verb) to estimate value of between two known values

Intertwine

(verb) to unite by twining one with another; to become mutually involved

Interval

a space of time between events or states

the difference in pitch between two tones

Intervention

act of interfering with the outcome or course especially as to prevent harm or improve functioning

Invaluable

indispensable; extremely useful

Irk

(verb) to make weary, irritated, or bored

(noun) a source of annoyance

Irradicable

impossible to erradicate; deep-rooted

J

Join and several liability

Claimant can pursue an obligation against any one party as if they were jointly liable, then it becomes the liability of defendants to sort out their respective proportions of liability and payment

• joint liability = parties are each liable to the full amount of the relevant obligation
• several liability = parties are liable for only their respective obligations

Juncture

a point in time

Jurisprudence

science and philosophy of law; department of law

K

Keen

high developed senses

sharp; penetrating and clear light, sound or smell

interested or attracted by; having eagerness and enthusiasm

Keeping the powder dry

staying alert and being careful

keeping the powder dry so it can ignite when it needs to be fired

Kindred

(adj) of a similar nature or character; like

(adj) of the same ancestry

Kowtow

act in excessively subservient manner

L

Laborious

task or journey requiring considerable effort and time

Lackluster

lacking in sheen, brilliance, or vitality

dull, mediocre

Lay Waste To

completely destroy

Learning the ropes

learn or understand the basic details of how to do or perform a job, task, or activity

Legwork

work that involves much traveling to collect information, especially when such work is difficult but boring

Limbo

(noun) place or state of neglect or oblivion; a place or state of restrint or confinement

(noun) intermediate or transitional place or state

(noun) a dance or contest that involves bending over backwards and passin under a horizontal pole lowered slightly for each successive pass

Lush

providing great sensory pleasure

very rich; vegetation growing luxuriantly

M

Machiavellian

subtle or unscrupulous cunning, deception, expediency, or dishonesty

Malformed

to cause to be badly or imperfectly formed

cause to be formed in such a way as to deviate from the normal or usual

Manifesto

published declaration of the intentions and motives and view of issue

Masquerade

false show or pretense

pretending to be someone who they are not

Mea culpa

through my fault

Metamorphosis

change of physical form, structure, or substance especially by supernatural means

Metanarrative

narrative about narratives of historical meaning which offers a society legitimation through the anticipated completion of a master idea

overaching story that gives context, meaning, and purpose to all of life

Mews

place for hiding or retirement

enclosure for trained hawks

meow; cry of a cat

back street alley

row of stables and carriage houses with living quarters above them

Migrant

a person who moves regularly in order to find work especially in harvesting crops

an animal that shifts from one habitat to another

Miscellany

mixture of various things

a collection of writings on various subjects

Misconstrued

misunderstand; interpret wrongly

Mitigating

cause to become less harsh or hostile

alleviate; to make less severe or painful

Moral hazard

someone increases their exposure to risk when insured; especially when a person takes more risks because someone else bears the cost of those risks

N

Nadir

lowest point

Naive

innocent; lacking experience, wisdom, or judgment

Nebulous

unclear; hazy; vague

Neurotic

having an unreasonable anxiety or unusual behavior

Nicety

fine detail or distinction; especially one regarded as intricate and fuss

fine point; subtlety; nuance

Nirvana

state of no suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and release from cycle of death and rebirth

Nominal

existing or being something in name or form only

approximate; theoretical size that may vary from actual

relating to being a noun or a word taking a noun construction

interest rate that does not account for inflation (whereas real interest rate does)

satisfactory; being according to plan

>

trifling; insignificant;

Nonchalant

having an air of easy unconcern or indifference

feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed

not displaying anxiety or interest or enthusiasm

Nonintrusive

(adj) not intrusive; not wrongfully or forcefully entered, seized, or taken possession of

Nuisance

harm; injury

one that is annoying, unpleasant, or obnoxious; pest

O

Obfuscation

action of making something obscure, unclear, or unintelligible

Obstinate

difficult to deal with or remove

stubborn; refusing to change behavior or ideas

Offshoot

adjunct; derivative; subsidiary; branch

thing that originated or developed from something else

On all counts

in every way

On all fronts

in every field of endeavor

Ostensibly

intended for display; for outward appearance

being such in appearance rather than demonstrably true or real

Outlandish

unfamiliar or bizarre

Overcome

(verb) to get the better of; surmount; overwhelm; win

Oxytocin

powerful hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain, regulates social interaction and sexual reproduction, playing a role in empathy, generosity, and orgasm

P

Painstaking

done with or employing great care and thoroughness

Palpable

tangible; easily perceptible; able to be touched or felt because of intensity

manifest

Pander

catering or exploiting the weakness of others

gratify or indulge an immoral or distasteful desire, need, habit, or person

Parity

state or condition of being equal, especially regarding status or pay

Parsimonious

stingy; unwilling to spend money or resources

Paywall

system that prevents users from accessing certain content without a paid subscription

Per se

intrinsically; by or in itself

Peevish

restless and irritable

perversely obstinate; querulous in temperament or mood

Percolate

ooze; filter gradually through a porous surface or substance

information or idea or feeling to spread gradually through an area or group of people

Perennial

infinite; lasting or existing for a long time

enduring or continually recurring

Permutation

different ways a collection of items can be arranged

a way, especially one of several possible variations, in which a set or number of things can be ordered or arranged

Pertain

be appropriate, related, or applicable

Pertinent

concern, related to, be a part of

Pertinent

relevant or applicable to a particular matter

Perverse

corrupt, improper, incorrect, wrongheaded

turned away from what is right or good

Pesky

troublesome; vexatious; difficult and burdensome

Petulant

insolent or rude in speech or behavior

Pyrrhic Victory

(noun) a victory that is not worth winning because so much is lost to achieve it; winning the battle, but losing the war

Piecemeal

piece by piece; bit by bit

characterized by unsystematic partial measure taken over a period of time

Pomona

Goddess of fruits and fruit trees

Populist

a person who strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups

Portentous

being a grave or serious matter; ponderously excessive; self-consciously solemn or important

prophetic indication or significance

eliciting amazement or wonder; prodigious

Post hoc ergo proper hoc

logical fallacy that states 'since event Y followed event X, Y must have been caused by X

Postpositive

placed after or at the end of another word

Postulate

demand; claim

to assume or claim as true, existent, or necessary

Precarious

dependent on change or circumstances, unknown conditions, or uncertain developments

characterized by a lack of security or stability that threatens with danger

Precipitate

to throw violently; hurl

to bring about abruptly; cause to move suddenly with force

cause (an event or situation, typically one that is bad or undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely

Preempt

take action in order to prevent (an anticipated event) from happening; forestall

Premise

a proposition antecedently supposed or proved as a basis of argument or inference

Prerogative

an exclusive or special right, power, or priviledge

Pretext

a purpose or motive alleged or an appearence assumed in order to cloak the real intention or state of affairs

Privy

person having a part or interest in any action or matter

sharing in the knowledge of (something secret or private)

Pro bono

provided for free or at low cost to certain legal clients in order to serve the public good

Proclivity

inclination; tendency; leaning; liking

tendency to choose or do something regularly

predisposition towards a particular thing

Prognosticator

one to foretell from signs or symptoms; predictor

Promiscuous

having or involving many sexual partners; not exclusive to one

Propriety

(noun) quality or state of being proper or suitable; appropriate

(noun) conformity to what is socially acceptable in conduct or speech

Prose

a dull or ordinary style, quality, or condition

the ordinary language people use in speaking or writing

Provisional

interim; temporary

arranged or existing for the present, possibly to changed later

Purveyor

One who supplies something usually as a matter of business One who sells or offer sale from place to place

Purview

range of vision, understanding, or cognizance

range or limit of authority, competence, responsibility, concern, or intention

Putting the cart before the horse

something is done contrary to convention or culturally expected order or relationship

Q

Qualm

(noun) a feeling of uneasiness about a point especially of conscience or propriety

"had no qualms about asking for their help"

(noun) a sudden feeling of usually disturbing emotion (such as doubt or fear)

Querulous

whining; habitually complaining; fretful

Quid Pro Quo

favor or advantage granted or expected in return for something

R

Rat Race

exhausting, repetitive lifestyle that leaves no time for relaxation or enjoyment

endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit; attempting to earn reward with no avail

Recapitulate

(tv) to retell or restate briefly; summarize

(verb) summarize and state again main points of

(verb) to give new form or expression to

Recast

(verb) present or organize in different form or style

give a different form by melting it down and reshaping it

allocate the parts (in a play or film) to different actors

Reckoning

settling of accounts

summing up

Reconcile

to restore to friendship or harmony; settle or resolve

to check (a financial account) against another for accuracy

to make consistent or congruous; find a way of making two different ideas exist or be true at the same time

Rectify

to set right; remedy

to correct by removing errors

Redact

(adj; redacted) edited especially in order to obscure or remove sensitive information

a highly redacted copy of the file

(verb) to obscure or remove from a document prior to publication or release

Reduct

consolidate; to reduce something to smaller in size

(in mathematics) omitting or disregarding some parts of the equation to get clear understanding of

Redux

brought back; used postpositively

Reinforce

make stronger or more pronounced

to strengthen by additional assistance, materials, or support

Reinstate

to restore to a previous effective state

to place again (to a former position)

Relay

(verb) the act of passing along (something, such as a message or ball) by stages

(noun) a supply (as of horses) arranged beforehand for successive relief

Relic

artifact; an object surviving from an earlier time, especially one of historical or sentimental interest

Rendered useless

to break or physically destroy; made useless

Renegade

an individual who rejects lawful or conventional behavior

deserter from one faith, cause, or allegiance to another

Repertoire

list of supply of dramas, operas, pieces, or parts that a company or person is prepared to perform

complete list of supplies, ingredients, or devices used in a particular field, occupation, or practice

Reprimand

(verb) to reprove sharply or censure formally usually from a position of authority

Reprise

(verb) to repeat the performance of

(verb) to repeat the principal points or stages of

Reprove

(verb) to express disapproval of; to scold or correct usually gently or with kindly intent

Resounding

impressively sonorous; clear; unambiguous; unquestionable

Reticent

inclined to be silent or uncommunicative in speech

reserved; reluctant

Rumor mill

group of people who start and spread rumors

Run of the mill

ordinary; lacking unusual or special aspects

Rut

long deep track made by the repeated passage of the wheeled vehicles

habit or pattern or behavior that has become dull and unproductive but is hard to change

S

Sacred

holy; not to be violated, criticized, or tampered with

Salable

fit or able to be sold

Salacious

having or conveying inappropriate interest in sexual matters

Sanctuary

shrine; place that is considered sacred

Satisficing

searching through available alternatives until an acceptable threshold is met

Scaffolding

support system

structure or framework of support provided by an instructor to help a student reach the next level of understanding

Scalp

take the skin covering the head off the enemy as battle trophy

Scaring up/Scare up

find or get together with considerable labor or difficulty

Schlep

tedious or difficult journey

haul or carry (something heavy or awkward)

Schrodinger's Cat

when you place a cat in a sealed box with something that can kill it, you don't know if the cat is dead or alive until you open the box. In that sense, cat is both dead and alive at the same time

Scintillating

brilliant; lively; stimulating; witty

Scuttle

run hurriedly with short quick steps

Sebastianism

Portuguese messianic myth that King Sebastian of Portugal, who disappeared in the battle, would reappear and return to Portugal at some critical point in the future

Secular

nonreligious; denoting attitude, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis

Serendipity

phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for

the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way

Shambles

state of total disaster

Shebang

everything involved in what is under consideration

Shenanigans

silly or high-spirited behavior

secret or dishonest activity or maneuvering

Sleight of hand

magic; deception; trickery; legerdemain

skillful use of one's hands when performing conjuring tricks

Slovenly

messy and dirty in appearance; excessively casual

careless

So help me God

The phrase implies greater care than usual in the truthfulness of one's testimony or in the performance of one's duty.

Solicit

(verb) to approach with a request or plea

(verb) to urge strongly

(verb) entice or lure into evil

Sovereignty

supreme leader or authority

Sparing

(adj) marked by or practicing careful restraint (as in the use of resources); meager; bare

Stark contrast

exact opposite of

Stewardship

conducting, supervising, or managing of something

careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care

Stipulate

specify, lay down, set clearly

demand or specify typically as part of bargain or agreement

Stopgap

makeshift; something that serves as a temporary expedient

Stringent

marked by rigor or severity with regard to rule or standard

tight; constricted

marked by money scarcity and credit strictness

Strong-arm

(adj) having or using undue force

(verb) assault, bully, intimidate

(verb) to rob by force

Subjugate

bring under dominance or control by conquest

Substance

material; the quality of being important, valid, or significant

Substantive

real rather than apparent; firm; expressing existence

having substance; involving matters of major importance to all concerned

Superset

performing a set of two different exercises back-to-back with minimal rest in between

(in set theory) if all elements of smaller set is elements of bigger set, the bigger set is the superset of the smaller set

Supposedly

as is supposed; according to what was said, claimed, or believed by some

Surmount

overcome a difficulty or obstacle

stand or place on top of

Surreptitiously

secretly; way that avoids attention or notice

Syndicate

group or individuals combined to promote some interest

supply of content or information on subscription basis to marketers or media

Syndrome

group of signs and symptoms that characterize a particular abnormality or condition

set of concurrent things that usually form an identifiable pattern

T

Taken aback

to be shocked or surprised by something that someone says to you

Tailwind

a wind having the same general direction as a course of movement

something that works for you and makes things easier; a force or influence that advances progress toward an improved condition

Tautology

needless repetition of an idea, statement, or word

saying of same thing twice using different words

Thereof

(adv) of that or it; from that cause or particular

"Trench coats and derivations thereof were also a key motif of the Dior Spring 24 Haute Couture collection"

Thread

something continuous or drawn out; a continuing element

a line of reasoning or train of thought that connects the parts in a sequence (as of ideas or events)

a series of electronic messages following a single topic or in response to a single message

a tenuous or feeble support

Tiki-taka

style of play in football characterized by short passing and movement, working the ball through various channels, and maintaining possession

Tranche

a portion of something, especially money

Transcended

surpass; go beyond the range or limits of

Transgression

crime; error

act or process or instance of infringement or violation of law, command, or duty

Translucent

clear; transparent

permitting passage of light

Trepidation

feeling or fear or agitation about something that may happen

Trough

low point between two high points (as on graph or record of activity)

Trounce

defeat decisively; defeat heavily in a contest

rebuke or punish heavily

Truculent

eager or quick to argue or fight

aggressively defiant

U

Ubiquitous

(adj) existing or being everywhere at the same time; widespread

"ubiquitous symbol"

Undue

excessive; exceeding or violating property or fitness

Unequivocal

leaving no doubt; clear; unambiguous; unquestionable

Unfeathered

not fully developed

not equipped with feather

Unilateral

one-sided; done or undertaken by one person or party

performed by or affecting only one person, group, or country involved in a particular situation, without the agreement of another or the others

Unremitting

constant; incessant

Utmost

greatest or most extreme extent or amount

Utterly

absolutely; entirely; totally

to an absolute or extreme degree; to the full extent

V

Vacillate

to waver in mind, will, or feeling; hesitate in choice of opinions or course

to sway through lack of equilibrium; fluctuate; oscillate

Versed

having knowledge gained by close association, study, or experience

Visage

reference to form

manifestation or aspect of something such as facial expression

Visceral

deep; felt in as if in the internal organ of the body

not intellectual; unreasoning; instinctive

dealing with crude or elemental emotions; earthy

W

Waver

to vacillate irresolutely between choices; fluctuation in opinion, allegiance, or direction

to weave or sway unsteadily to and fro; reel; totter

to hesitate as if about to give way; falter

quiver; flicker

to give an unsteady sound; quaver

Weary

exhausted in strength, endurance, or freshness

having one's patience, tolerance, or pleasure exhausted

Weigh

assess the nature or importance of

to ascertain the heaviness of by or as if by a balance

to consider carefully especially by balancing opposing factors or aspects in order to reach a choice or conclusion; evaluate

Whereunto

to what place, purpose, or end; to which

X

Y

Yay or Nay

a roll call vote occurs when each senator votes 'yay' or 'nay' as his or her name is called by the clerk

Z