Educational

vehement

[vee-uh-muhnt]

zealous; ardent; impassioned

coruscating

[kawr-uh-skeyt-ing]

flashing or sparkling

beleaguer

[bih-lee-ger]

to surround with military forces

bittersweet

[bit-er-sweet]

both pleasant and painful or regretful

trepidation

[trep-i-dey-shuhn]

tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; perturbation

persecute

[pe-rse-ute]

harass or annoy persistently.

fertile

[fur-tl]

capable of producing abundant growth or offspring

guffaw

[guh-faw]

to laugh loudly and boisterously

sforzando

[sfawrt-sahn-doh]

performed with sudden emphasis

overplay

[oh-ver-play]

to overemphasize or exaggerate

imperious

[im-peer-ee-uhs]

domineering in a haughty manner; dictatorial; overbearing

sardonic

[sahr-don-ik]

characterized by bitter or scornful derision; mocking; sneering; cynical

typify

[tip-uh-fahy]

to serve as a typical example of; exemplify

amble

[am-buhl]

to go at a slow, easy pace; stroll; saunter

hustle

[h-ustl-e]

to move quickly and energetically; also to push or force someone to act.

aerate

[air-eyt]

to expose to the action or effect of air or to cause air to circulate through

traverse

[trav-ers]

to pass or move over, along, or through

abominate

[ab-om-in-at-e]

to detest or loathe intensely.

cryptic

[krip-tik]

mysterious in meaning; puzzling; ambiguous

tyrannical

[tyr-ann-ik-al]

exercising power in a cruel or oppressive way.

arbitrary

[ahr-bi-trer-ee]

based on whim or personal preference, without reason or pattern; random

gilgamesh

[gil-guh-mesh]

a legendary sumerian king and hero of a particular long narrative poem.

cordate

[kawr-deyt]

heart-shaped

scrupulous

[skroo-pyuh-luhs]

having scruples, or moral or ethical standards; having or showing a strict regard for what one considers right; principled