(adj) shy, timid, reserved, unassertive

"It will take a confident, not a        , person to succeed in this job."

(verb, noun) despise, think unworthy; scorn

"I          him because of his dishonesty; I prefer not to associate with liars."

(adj) easily led, manageable, obedient

"He always bosses his        wife around."

(n) composure; calm, even temper

"The entertainer retained his          despite the hostility of the audience."

(n) building  front; false, superficial appearance

"She looked calm, but this appearance was only a    hiding her concern."

(adj) humorous, witty

"Don't take me seriously when I am being         ."

(adj) excessive care, difficult to please

"The waiter lost patience with the           customer whom nothing seemed to please."

(adj) complacently or inanely foolish, silly

"Bill's          ideas were rarely taken seriously."

(verb) to display ostentatiously, show off, boast of

"Don't         your knowledge, even if you are sure of yourself."

(adj) surreptitious, stealthy, sly

"The robbery was planned and executed in a       manner."

(adj) fluent, slick expression; often superficial

"He was so        that he could talk about anything, even subjects he knew nothing about."

(adj) social, a good mixer, enjoys others

"The chairman of the membership committee should be a   person."

(noun) bombastic, ranting speech

"The orator's long          on the evils of alcohol irritated the audience."

(noun) eccentricity, peculiarity, oddness

"Don't mind his odd little habits; in spite of his          he is a wise man."

(adj) unlawful, covert

"His          dealings in the black market were suspected by his colleagues."

(verb) beg insistently, wheedle

"The young man strenuously           the girl to marry him."

(adj) unbelieving, skeptical

"Additional proof was needed to change is         attitude."

(adj) relentless, inflexible, cannot be persuaded

"His          stand threatened to stalemate further bargaining."

(noun) abusive, insulting language; vituperation

"He was so angry at John that he couldn't talk about him without using            ."

(adj) excessively talkative, garrulous

"Because of his          nature, he found it difficult to limit the speech to fifteen minutes."