n. ungrateful person

That ingrate Bob sneered at the tie I gave him. 

adj. unaccustomed

He hesitated to assume the unwonted role of master of ceremonies at the dinner. 

adj. plain; obvious.

My answer to your proposal is an unequivocal and absolute "no." 

adj. outlandish; clumsy; boorish

Most biographers portray Lincoln as an uncouth and ungainly young man. 

adj. oily; bland; insincerely suave

Uriah Heep disguised his nefarious actions by unctious protestations of his "umility." 

adj. unscrupulous, excessive

She found the loan shark's demands unconscionable and impossible to meet. 

n. caprice; whim

She followed every vagary of fashion. 

adj. pertaining to or resembling glass

Although this plastic has many vitreous qualities such as transparency, it is unbreakable. 

v. accustom or familiarize; addict

Macbeth gradually habituated himself to murder, shedding his scruples as he grew accustomed to his bloody deeds. 

n. chance, luck

In his poem "Hap," Thomas Hardy objects to the part chance plays in our lives.

also v. 

v. prohibit, forbid

Civilized nations must interdict the use of nuclear weapons if we expect our society to live. 

viscous

viscid 

adj. sticky; gluey

Melted tar is a viscous substance.

n. viscosity

adj. adhesive; gluey

The trunk of the maple tree was viscid with sap. 

adj. recently begun; rudimentary; elementary

Before the Creation, the world was an inchoate mass. 

n. curse

Roused from bed at what he considered an ungodly hour, Roy muttered imprecations under his breath. 

adj. beginning; in an early stage

I will go to sleep early for I want to break an incipient cold. 

adj. cutting; sharp

Her incisive remarks made us see the fallacy in our plans.

n. incision 

adj. without money

Though Scrooge claimed he was too impecunious to give alms, he easily could have afforded to be charitable. 

v. imprison; shut up in confinement

For the two weeks before the exam, the student immured himself in his room and concentrated upon his studies. 

adj. like a fox, crafty

She disliked his sly ways, but granted him a certain vulpine intelligence. 

n. homeless child or animal

Although he already had eight cats, he could not resist adopting yet another feline waif. 

n. gentle breeze; west wind

When these zephyrs blow, it is good to be in an open boat under full sail. 

n. powerlessness, feebleness

The lame duck president was frustrated by his shift from enormous power to relative impuissance. 

adj unruly

The fractious horse unseated its rider. 

adj. calm, peaceful

In those halcyon days, people were not worried about sneak attacks and bombings 

adj. sociable

Typically party throwers are gregarious; hermits are not. 

n. slandering; aspersion

He is offended by your frequent detractions of his ability as a leader. 

adj. affecting the sense of taste

The Thai restaurant offered an unusual gustatory experience for those used to a bland cuisine. 

n. arsonist

The fire spread in such an unusual manner that the fire dept. chiefs were certain it had been set by an incendiary. 

n. burden, mental care; nightmare

The incubus of financial worry helped bring on her nervous breakdown.