Educational
grandiose
[grand-dee-ohs]
more complicated or elaborate than necessary; overblown
stroll
[strohl]
to walk leisurely as inclination directs; ramble; saunter; take a walk
phlegm
[flem]
self-possession, calmness, or composure
disambiguate
[dis-am-big-yoo-eyt]
to remove the ambiguity from; make unambiguous
polemic
[puh-lem-ik]
a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine, etc.
heebie-jeebies
[hee-bee-jee-beez]
a feeling of nervousness or fear
reconcile
[rek-uhn-sahyl]
to bring into agreement or harmony; make compatible or consistent
mitigate
[mit-i-geyt]
to make less severe
obsequious
[uhb-see-kwee-uhs]
characterized by or showing servile obedience and excessive eagerness to please; deferential; fawning:
guffaw
[guh-faw]
to laugh loudly and boisterously
execrate
[ek-si-kreyt]
to curse; imprecate evil upon; damn; denounce
unrivaled
[uhn-rahy-vuhld]
better or greater than any other
totter
[tot-er]
to sway or rock on the base or ground, as if about to fall
amalgam
[uh-mal-guhm]
a blend or mixture
extant
[ek-stuhnt]
in existence; still existing; not destroyed or lost
hustle
[h-ustl-e]
to move quickly and energetically; also to push or force someone to act.
paradigm
[par-uh-dahym]
an example serving as a model; pattern
insurgent
[in-sur-juhnt]
of or characteristic of an insurgent or insurgents
beleaguer
[bih-lee-ger]
to surround or beset, as with troubles
blanch
[blahnch]
to scald briefly and then drain, as peaches or almonds to facilitate removal of skins, or as rice or macaroni to separate the grains or strands
cryptic
[krip-tik]
mysterious in meaning; puzzling; ambiguous
repudiate
[ri-pyoo-dee-eyt ]
to reject as having no authority or binding force
cliff
[klif]
a steep face of rock or earth, typically by the sea
somber
[som-ber]
gloomily dark; shadowy; dimly lighted