snide
insulting someone indirectly or sarcastically
Vocabulary directory
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theocracy
a system of government controlled by religious leaders
unpretentious
modest and not trying to seem more important or refined
artifice
a clever trick or an artificial device used to deceive
bluster
to speak loudly and aggressively without much substance
carcinogen
a substance that can cause cancer
demean
to lower someone's dignity or status
diatribe
a long and bitter verbal attack
ditty
a short, simple song
droll
amusing in an odd or dry way
flatulence
the presence or release of gas in the digestive system
garish
too bright or colorful in a tasteless way
gilding
a thin layer of gold used for decoration
inflame
to make a situation or feeling more intense
interminable
continuing for so long that it feels endless
leery
cautious and suspicious
mistral
a strong cold wind that blows through southern France
parallelism
the use of similar forms or structures in writing or ideas
penitent
feeling sorry for wrongdoing
philistine
a person who dislikes or fails to appreciate art and culture
precept
a rule or principle that guides behavior
precipitous
very steep or happening suddenly and sharply
prude
a person who is easily shocked by matters of sex or modesty
readjust
to change something again to fit new conditions
sate
to satisfy a desire fully
staccato
consisting of short, sharply separated sounds
waddle
to walk with short side-to-side steps
ajar
slightly open
apogee
the highest point in a development or achievement
ceaseless
continuing without stopping
conflagration
a very large and destructive fire
cumulus
a large white cloud with a rounded top
depressant
a substance that slows activity in the nervous system
derangement
a serious disturbance of normal mental or physical functioning
despotic
exercising power cruelly and without limits
disallow
to refuse to permit or accept something
extrovert
a person who enjoys being with other people
furrow
a long narrow cut in the ground made by a plow
gaiety
cheerful enjoyment and lively celebration
gutless
lacking courage
heredity
the passing of characteristics from parents to children
inexhaustible
impossible or very difficult to use up
inexorable
impossible to stop or prevent
liken
to compare one thing to another
nuptial
relating to marriage or weddings
perceptible
noticeable by the senses or mind
phonetics
the study of speech sounds
redemptive
bringing recovery from a fault, loss, or bad situation
starchy
containing much starch or stiff and overly formal
statuary
statues considered collectively
unsophisticated
simple and lacking complex methods or experience
vitriolic
bitterly harsh and abusive
ameliorate
to make a bad situation better
asinine
extremely foolish
bawdy
humorous in a coarse way about sex
bemused
puzzled, sometimes with mild amusement
concurrence
agreement or simultaneous occurrence
cornucopia
an abundant supply of good things
crustacean
an animal with a hard outer shell, such as a crab or shrimp
demure
quiet, modest, and reserved in behavior
encyclopedic
covering an extremely wide range of knowledge
ethnology
the comparative study of human cultures
filigree
delicate decorative work made of thin metal threads
fissile
capable of being split, especially to release nuclear energy
hermetic
completely sealed so that no air can enter or escape
incantation
words spoken as a magic spell
inoffensive
unlikely to cause annoyance or insult
inscrutable
impossible or very difficult to understand
lithograph
a print made from a prepared stone or metal surface
lope
to run with long, relaxed strides
myopia
short-sightedness or a lack of foresight
porpoise
a small sea mammal related to dolphins
prototypical
serving as a typical or original example
reedy
thin and high-pitched, especially of a voice or sound
slurp
to eat or drink noisily by sucking
stilted
unnaturally formal or awkward
vernal
relating to spring
bandy
to pass words or ideas back and forth, often casually
calipers
an instrument with two arms used to measure thickness or diameter
chivalrous
brave and courteous, especially toward people in need
conformist
a person who follows accepted customs or opinions
decibel
a unit used to measure sound intensity
dereliction
neglect of a duty or responsibility
dissension
strong disagreement within a group
dour
stern, gloomy, and unfriendly
efficacious
producing the desired result
ejaculate
to suddenly utter a short remark or exclamation
exhilaration
a feeling of great excitement and happiness
falsify
to change or invent information dishonestly
febrile
having a fever or showing intense nervous excitement
flail
to wave the arms or legs about wildly
handedness
a preference for using one hand rather than the other
impertinent
rude because of a lack of respect
miscellany
a mixture or collection of different things
recalcitrant
stubbornly refusing to obey or cooperate
stickler
a person who insists on strict attention to a rule or detail
topsoil
the upper layer of soil where plants grow
alliteration
the repetition of the same initial sound in nearby words
barbarous
cruel and uncivilized
bashful
shy and easily embarrassed