desideratum -- something that is highly desired or considered essential...

The
commonplace desideratum of any work of fiction is to keep the reader glued to the
novel
privation -- deprivation or lack of certain necessities...His life was filled with
hardship and privation
dipsomaniac -- a person with an insatiable craving for alcoholic beverages
potentate -- a powerful personality who rules others, an emperor or sovereign
bumptious -- crudely or loudly assertive; pushy...The bumptious fool often spoke
without thinking
quiescent -- 1. inactive, motionless or quiet
2. not showing symptoms or causing any trouble
shenanigan -- 1. mischief; prankishness
2. deceit; trickery
quixotic -- 1. pertaining to or of Don Quixote
2. romantic or chivalrous
3. impractical
4. unpredictable, rash or impulsive
homiletics -- the skill of sermonizing
vitriolic -- very caustic; scathing...vitriolic remarks
dishabille -- the state of being dressed partially or in a careless, disorderly
manner...A lot of people were in a state of dishabille as they ran out of the
burning building
vernacular -- 1. (n.) the native language of a region
2. (n.) any medium of expression that reflects popular taste or
indigenous styles...He also popularized the phrase "Crikey!" that has now become
part of the Australian vernacular.
3. (adj.) expressed or written in the native language of a
region
4. (adj.) using plain, everyday, ordinary language...vernacular
students found it difficult to communicate
impiety -- an act of irreverence for sacred items
factious -- seditious, dissentious or causing faction, discord, disagreement,
schism, split, friction
termagant -- harridan, virago
coruscate -- to glitter, sparkle, shimmer or emit light in flashes
coruscant(adj) - sparkling or gleaming; scintillating;
coruscating
protean -- 1. changeable in terms of form, shape or character
2. versatile
fiat -- an authorization, decree, order or sanction
collusion -- a secret understanding or agreement for illegal purposes...There was a
collusion between the general and certain opposition members to bring down the
government
chaperon -- One who accompanies and supervises a young woman or gatherings of young
people
restive -- 1. unruly, uneasy or impatient
2. balky or refusing to budge
immolate -- 1. to sacrifice or kill in order to sacrifice
2. to destroy by means of fire
protract -- to increase the time duration of, prolong or extend in space...the
agreement, signed after months of protracted debate

freebooter -- a person who goes about in search of loot or one who plunders, a
pirate or buccaneer
rile -- 1. widely prevalent...The village was rile with rumours that..
2. to irritate or vex, annoy and provoke
genealogy -- an account or record of one's derivation, descent, lineage or
ancestry
flagellate -- 1. (tr.v.) to flog, scourge or whip
 2. (adj.) having a shape like a flagellum
3. (n.) a protozoa or an alga that possesses one or more flagella
lineaments -- 1. distinctive characteristics
2. prominent features...The witness claimed that the lineaments of
the thief's countenance were deeply etched on his mind.
homily -- 1. a short lecture or sermon
2. a discourse or lecture that is moralizing or admonitory in nature
motif -- 1. a recurrent theme in an artistic or literary work
2. a distinctive and recurring shape appearing in a design...The
decorative motif on the curtains was very eye-catching.
predilection -- a prejudice or inclination to be partial towards something or
someone...His predilection towards people of his sect caused his political
downfall.
indistinct -- not explicit, unclear
skimp -- 1. (tr. v.) to deal with carelessly or hastily
2. (tr. v.) to provide with inadequate attention or to be stingy
with...the manager skimped over some details
3. (intr. v.) to be very thrifty...he skimps on saturated fat and
cholesterol to lower your blood pressure
4. (adj.) scanty
visceral -- 1. deep or affecting or felt in the viscera
2. unreasoning or instinctive...I had a visceral feeling that my wish
would come true
waif -- 1. a street child or one with no home or friends
2. unclaimed property or a lost pet animal
troth -- 1. faithfulness, fidelity or a pledge of fidelity
2. truth or verity
3. a person's promise...It was his troth to marry her on his return from
the crusade.
renege -- 1. (intr. v.) to fail to keep one's word or promise...The accused had
reneged on his promise...to renege on their contracts..
2. (tr. v.) (archaic) to disown or deny
3. (n.) an instance of someone reneging
impunity -- 1. exemption or freedom from punishment, harm, loss or penalty
2. immunity to the repercussions of an action
vestige -- 1. a trace of something that is not existent any more
2. a degenerate or remnant of an organ that was fully developed and
working in an earlier generation
impalpable -- 1. intangible or not able to be perceived by the sense of touch
2. very fine so that no grit is felt when rubbed between thumb and
finger
preponderance -- supremacy in terms of power, strength, number or quantity...The
preponderance of dynastic rule often continues unchallenged.
impetus -- a moving force, impulse, stimulus...The government devised various
schemes to give impetus to indigenous industries
indulgent -- easy-going, kindly tolerant...He had to curtail his indulgent
behaviour during those hard times
cohorts -- 1. a group of people or a company of soldiers
2. an associate
veritable -- genuine, real or not imaginary...It took him two hours to prove to the
police that he was a veritable actor from the Indian film industry.
revulsion -- 1. an unexpected or impulsive transformation of mood...The revulsion
felt by the detective made him all the more angry.
2. distaste, repugnance or abhorrence...They expressed their revulsion
to Myanmar Foreign Minister
3. withdrawal
ribald -- 1. (adj.) lewd, indecent or vulgar
2. (n.) a person who is vulgar, lewd or ribald
commandeer -- 1. to force into active military service...They were unhappy at
having been commandeered
2. to seize private property for military use...its officials
commandeered 10 Bombardier jets
disabuse -- 1. (tr. v.) to free from error or misconception
2. (tr. v.) to free from falsehood
seraphic -- pure or angelic
intransigent -- 1. (adj.) unbending
2. (n.) a person who is adamant

scad -- in great quantity or number...The bank robbers scattered scads of money

behind them...Scads of small businesses have come up..
sobriquet -- an epithet or nickname...He gained the sobriquet "the hawk" after his
win in the race
natty -- spruce or smartly dressed, having a neat and trim appearance...natty dark
business suits
idyllic -- natural, simple, picturesque or pastoral...he idyllic setting was
perfect for the wedding.

whelp -- 1. (n.) the young of any mammal

2. (v.) to give birth to
mien -- bearing, demeanour or the way one conducts oneself...The glamorous mien
displayed..
lave -- 1. (tr.v.) to wash, bathe or cleanse
2. (tr.v.) to lap or flow past
3. (intr.v.) to wash, clean or bathe
4. (n.) residue or left over