Allay (v) – to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve Syn: reduce alleviate, moderate Ant: aggravate, exacerbate, intensify **alleviate, lay down/calm down

Bestial (adj) – beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility Syn: animal, depraved, loathsome Ant: human, virtuous, upright **beastlike

Convivial (adj) – festive, sociable, having fun together, genial Syn: fun-loving, jovial, merry Ant: dour, grim, sullen, unsociable ***carnivals are festive

Coterie (n) – a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with common interest Syn: clique, set ***co- together

Counterpart (n) – a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another a complement Syn: match ***complement, part of pair

Demur (v) to object or take exception to; (n) an objection Syn: (v) protest, object to Ant: (v) assent to, consent to, accept *** “Darn U R wrong!”

Effrontery (n) – shameless boldness, impudence Syn: gall, chutzpah, nerve Ant: shyness, diffidence, timidity ***come to the front and offend

Embellish (v) - to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details Syn: ornament, garnish Ant: strip, mar, disfigure ***adding BELLS embellishes

Ephemeral (adj) – lasting only a short time, short- lived Syn: fleeting, transient, evanescent, transitory Ant: durable, long- lasting, permanent *** a funeral – life is too short

Felicitous (adj) – appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy Syn: fortunate, well-put Ant: inappropriate, inept, graceless, unhappy ***feliz means happy/merry in Spanish

Furtive (adj) – done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen Syn: clandestine, covert, surreptitious Ant: forthright, aboveboard, open ***if you are “flirtive” with someone it is often sneaky

Garish (adj) – glaring; tastelessly showy or over decorated in a vulgar or offensive way Syn: gaudy, flashy, tawdry Ant: subdued, muted, understated, quiet ***gaudy, too many garnishes

Illusory (adj) – misleading, deceptive; lacking in or not based on reality Syn: specious, fanciful, imaginary Ant: actual, real, factual, objective ***illusion

Indigent (adj) – needy, impoverished Syn: penniless, destitute Ant: wealthy, affluent, prosperous ***leading an indecent existence

Inordinate (adj) – far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive Syn: exorbitant, extravagant Ant: moderate, reasonable, equitable *** out of ordinary

Jettison (v) – to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome Syn: cast off, discard, dump, junk, abandon Ant: conserve, retain, hold on to, keep ***throw something from the jet

Misanthrope (n) – a person who hates or despises people Syn: people-hater ***mis (bad) anthropology (study of people)

Pertinacious (adj) – very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of Syn: stubborn, dogged, determined ***persistent

Picayune (adj) – of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters Syn: inconsequential, piddling, trifling Ant: important, significant, huge, gigantic ***picky amount or point

raiment (n) – clothing, garments Syn: apparel, attire ***garment