acrimonious

bitter (in behavior)

admonish

to warn, to reprove

~ sb (for sth/ for doing sth)

clandestine

secret, undercover

concur

to agree

construe

to make deduction, to infer, to interpret

culprit

the guilty person

distraught

mentally confused, crazed

duplicity

cunning, trickery, deceit

duress

compulsion, force

under duress

egregious

remarkably bad

elicit

to draw forth

~ sth (from sb)

ethics 

code of principles

flagrant

outrageous, glaringly bad, shocking because it is done in a very obvious way and shows no respect for people, blatant

impunity

freedom from punishment

with impunity

inane

foolish

inexorable

inflexible, unrelenting

paucity

scarcity

~ (of sth)

pernicious

harmful, causing injury

rampant

stock in trade

the goods, tools, and other requisites of a profession

to lionize a person

to make a big fuss over someone

to pass the buck

to evade responsibility

to take down a peg

to take the conceit out of a braggart

tolerate

to put up with, to bear

voracious

desiring or consuming great quantities

indiscriminate

choosing at random without careful selection

eminent

of high reputation, outstanding

steeped

soaked, drenched, saturated

replete

completely filled or supplied with

to eat humble pie

to admit your error and apologize

abound

to exist in great number, replete

technology

branch of knowledge dealing with enginering, applied science, etc

prognosticate

to predict or foretell a future event

automaton

a robot, a mechanical "person"

matron

an older married woman

a pig in a poke

an item you purchase without having seen, a disappointment

paradox

a statement that at first seems to be absurd or self-contradictory but which may in which turn out to be true

realm

special field of something or someone, kingdom

annals

historical records

compound

to increase or add to

tinge

a trace, smattering or slight degree

badger

to pester, nag, annoy persistently

implore

to plead urgently for aid or mercy

drudgery

unpleasant, dull or hard work

interminable

unending

perceive

to understand, know, be aware of

to pour oil on troubled waters

to make peace, to calm someone down

a flash in the pan

promising at the start but then disappointing

laconic

expressing much in a few words

throng

crowd

intrepid

brave

accrost

to approach and speak to

reticent

silent

the sword of Damocles

any imminent dangers

furtive

secret, stealthy

felon

a person guilty of a major crime

plethora

excess

hapless

unfortunate

Pyrrhic victory

a too costly victory

avid

eager

cajole

coax

rudimentary

elementary

enhance

intensify, heighten

nuance

slight variation in meaning, tone, etc

to beard the lion in his den

to visit and oppose a person on his own grounds

pretext

an excuse

fabricate

to lie, to construct

adroit

skillful

gesticulate

move the arms energetically

vigilant

watchful

a wet blanket

one who spoils the fun

loathe

to hate

reprimand

to show hard disapproval

lackluster

dull

caustic

sarcastic, biting

wrest

take by force

crocodile tears

insincere tears

infamous

having a bad reputation

jostle

to shove hard

dupe

a person easily tricked

incipient

just beginning to exist

inadvertent

heedless, not attentive

to carry the day

to win the approval of the majority

ominous

threatening

tremulous

quivering, shaking

repudiate

to reject, decline

cessation

a stopping

bristle

stiffen with fear or anger

Skid Row

disreputable part of town, inhabited derelicts and people "on the skid"

euphemism

a less offensive term

mundane

wordly

incongruous

inappropriate

condolence

pity

stipulate

to specify a condition

to go up in smoke

to come to no practical result

alacrity

brickness, lively action

disdain

contempt

(v) to inf

belligerent

warlike

intimidate

to overawe, frighten

~ sb (into sth/into doing sth)

feint

a false attack, a movement thatis intended to make your opponent think you are going to do one thing when you are really doing sth else

to throw down the gauntlet

to challenge someone

pugnacious

quarrelsome, bellicose

promulgate

to make known officially

brash

impudent

scoff

to sneer at, mock

~ (at sb/sth)

belittle

to make seem less important

tangible

having actual form

laceration

jagged wound, a cut skin

castigate

to correct by punishing, to criticize sb/sth severely

sordid

dirty, base, squalid

octogenarian

person in his or her eighties

feeling no pain

drunk

Hobson's choice

to have no choice at all

solace

easing of grief, comfort

aspirant

candidate for high position

~ (to/for sth)

dregs

worthless part

frenzy

wild fit

~ (of sth)

In a frenzy

scurrilous

coarse, very rude and insulting, and intended to damage sb's reputation

to rule the roost

to be in charge, to be master

I'm from Missouri

a skeptic, one who is not easily convinced

affluent

rich, ample, abundant, wealthy, prosperous

chagrin

feeling of disappointment, humiliation

confidant(e)

one to whom you confide yor secrets

consternation

dismay, fright, terror

deride

to ridicule, scoff at, mock, chaff, jeer

discern

perceive, detect, make out, identify

disparage

to discredit, belittle

dubious

doubtful, suspicious

eschew

avoid

feasible

possible, practical, attainable

fiasco

complete failure, disaster

laudable

praiseworthy, commendable

masticate

to chew up

obsolescence

process of wearing out

perfunctory

done without care, superficial

perverse

contrary, persisting error

precocious

advanced, premature, reaching maturity early

quell

put an end to, calm

red-letter day

day of happiness, time for rejoicing

sally (v)

suddenly rush forth

thumb's down

signal of rejection

to let sleeping dogs lie

to let well enough alone, to avoid stirring up old hostilities

voluble

talkative