Abeyance (n) A state of being temporarily inactive, suspended Deferment, postponement *at bay

Ambivalent (adj) having the opposite or conflicting feelings about someone or something Ambiguous, of two minds *Am I happy or sad?

Beleaguer (v) Set upon from all sides; to surround with an army; to trouble or harass encircle, pester *besiege

Carte blanche (n) Full freedom or authority to act at one’s own discretion Blank check, free rein

Cataclysm (n) A sudden, violent or devastating upheaval; surging flood Disaster *catastrophe

Debauch (v) To corrupt morally, seduce; to indulge in dissipation Carouse *raunchy

Éclat (n) Dazzling or conspicuous success or acclaim; great brilliance Celebrity *hooray!

Fastidious (adj) overly demanding or hard to please; excessively careful in regard to details; easily disgusted Precise, meticulous, exacting, *finicky, fussy

Gambol Frolic, romp, cavort, caper *gallop (v) To jump or skip about playfully Frolic, romp, cavort, caper *gallop

Imbue (v) To soak or stain thoroughly; to fill the mind Infuse, instill, inculcate *immerse

Inchoate (adj) just beginning; not fully shaped or formed Incipient, embryonic, rudimentary *grow

Lampoon (n) A malicious satire; (v) to satirize, ridicule Burlesque *National Lampoon movies

Malleable (adj) capable of being formed into different shapes; capable of being altered, or influenced Pliable, impressionable, adaptable *bendable

Nemesis (n) An agent or force inflicting vengeance or punishment Avenger

Opt (v) To make a choice or decision Choose, select, decide *option

Philistine (adj) lacking in, hostile to, or smugly indifferent to cultural and artistic values or refinements Boorish, lowbrow

Picaresque (adj) involving or characteristic of clever rogues or adventurers Roguish, rascally, rakish *pick a rescue

Queasy (adj) nauseated or uneasy; causing nausea or uneasiness; troubled Unsettled *uneasy

Refractory (adj) stubborn; hard or difficult to manage; not responsive to treatment or cure Unruly, disobedient, willful, mulish *rebellious

Savoir-faire (n) The ability to say and do the right thing in any situation; social competence Finesse, tact, sophistication *suave