AMELIORATE

(v.) to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming

Syn: amend, better

Ant: worsen, aggravate, exacerbate

APLOMB

(n.) poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity

Syn: Composure, self possession, levelheadedness

Ant: confusion, embarassment, abashment

BOMBASTIC

(adj.) pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas

Syn: inflated, highfalutin, high-flown, pretentious

Ant: unadored, simple, plain, austere

CALLOW

(adj.) without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers

Syn: green, raw, unfledged, inexperienced

Ant: mature, grown-up, polished, sophisticated

DRIVEL

(n.) saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense; (v.) to let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly

Syn: (n.) balderdash, hogwash, tommyrot (v.) slaver

EPITOME

(n.) a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality

Syn: abstract, digest, model, archetype

EXHORT

(v.) to urge strongly, advise earnestly

Syn: entreat, implore, adjure

Ant: discourage, advise against, deprecate

EX OFFICIO

(adj., adv.) by virtue of holding a certain office

INFRINGE

(v.) to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds

Syn: encroach, impinge, intrude, poach

Ant: stay in bounds

INGRATIATE

(v.) to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (somtimes used in a critical or derogatory sense)

Syn: cozy up to, curry flavor with

Ant: alienate, humiliate oneself, mortify oneself

INTERLOPER

(n.) one who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be, an intruder

Syn: trespasser, meddler, buttinsky

INTRINSIC

(adj.) belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part

Syn: immanent, organic

Ant: extrinsic, external, outward

INVEIGH

(v.) to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval

Syn: rail, harangue, fulminate, remonstrate

Ant: acclaim, glorify, extol

LASSITUDE

(n.) weariness of body or mind, lack of energy

Syn: fatigue, lethargy, torpor, languor

Ant: energy, vitality, animation, liveliness

MILLENNIUM

(n.) a period of one thousand years; a period of great joy

Syn: chilad, golden age, prosperity, peace

Ant: doomsday, day of judgement

OCCULT

(adj.) mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means; (v.) to hide, conceal; eclipse; (n.) matters involving the supernatural

Syn: (adj.) supernatural, esoteric, abstruse, arcane

Ant: mundane, common, public, exoteric

PERMEATE

(v.) to spread through, penetrate, soak through

PRECIPITATE

(v.) to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height; to give distinct form to; (adj.) characterized by excessive haste; (n.) moisture; the product of an action or process

Syn: (v.) provoke, produce; (adj.) reckless, impetous

Ant: (adj.) wary, cautious, circumspect

STRINGENT

(adj.) strict, severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste

Syn: stern, rigorous, tough, urgent, imperative

Ant: lenient, mild, lax, permissive

SURMISE

(v.) to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess; (n.) likely idea that lacks definite proof

Syn: (v.) infer, gather; (n.) inference, presumption