accost

[uh-KOST]

verb

to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way.

syn: buttonhole, approach, confront.

animadversion

[an-uh-mad-VUR-zhuh[image]n]

noun

a comment indication strong critisism or disapproval

syn: rebuke, reproof

avid

[AV-id]

adjective

desirous or something to the point of freed; intensely eager

syn: keen, enthusiastic, grasping

brackish

[BRAK-ish]

adjective

having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink

syn: briny, saline

celerity

[suh-LER-i-tee]

noun

swiftness, rapidity of motion or action

syn: promptness, alacrity, speed

devious

[DEE-vee-uh[image]s]

adjective

straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shift or underhanded way

syn: roundabout, indirect, tricky, sly, artful

gambit

[GAM-bit]

noun

in chess, an opening move that involves risk or sacrifice of a minor piece in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of this type

 syn: ploy, stratagem, ruse, maneuver

halcyon

[HAL-see-uh[image]n]

noun and adjective

(n.) a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher

(adj.) of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent

syn: (adj.) tranquil, serence, placid, palmy

histrionic

[his-tree-ON-ik]

adjective

pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic

syn: affected, stagy

incendiary

[in-SEN-dee-er-ee]

adjective and noun

(adj.) deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tennding to stir up strife or rebellion

(n.) one who deliberatly sets fires, arsonist; one who causes strife

syn: (adj.)  inflammatory, provocative (n.) firebrand

maelstrom

[MEYL-struh[image]m]

noun

a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction

syn: vortex, chaos, turbulence, tumult

myopic

[mahy-OP-ik]

adjective

nearsighted; lacing a broad, realistic view of situation; lacking foresight or discernment

syn: shortsighted

overt

[oh-VURT]

adjective

open, not hidden, expressed or releaved in a way that is easily recognized

syn: clear, obvious, manifest, patent

pejorative

[pi-JAWR-uh-tiv]

adjective

tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling

syn: complimentary, ameliorative

propriety

[pruh-PRAYH-i-tee]

noun

the state of being proper, appropriateness; the standard of what is proper or socially acceptable

syn: fitness, correctness, decorum

sacrilege

[SAK-ruh-lij]

noun

improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

syn: desecration, profanation, defilement

summarily

[suh-MAIR-uh-lee]

adverb

without delay or formaility; briefly, concisely

syn: promptly, peremptorily, abruptly

suppliant

[SUHP-lee-uh[image]nt]

adjective and noun

(adj.) asking humbly and earnestly

(n.) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor

talisman

[TAL-is-muh[image]n]

noun

an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish

undulate

 [UHN-juh-leyt]

verb

to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form

syn: ripple, fluctuate, rise and fall