1. Vocabulary 14

2. a cheerful readiness; eager action
alacrity
a cheerful readiness; eager action

3. to relieve; make more bearable
alleviate
to relieve; make more bearable

4. antithesis
the direct opposite

5. to fill with dismay or horror
appall
to fill with dismay or horror

6. bellicose
warlike in manner

7. disparage
to belittle

8. dissonant
not in harmony

9. droll
amusingly odd

10. an order issued by someone in authority
edict
an order issued by someone in authority

11. elucidate
to clarify; explain

12. laud
to praise

13. loll
to act in a lazy manner

14. loquacious
talkative

15. magnanimous
generous in forgiving

16. mandatory
required

17. ordinary; not outstanding
nondescript
ordinary; not outstanding

18. slow-moving; sluggish
phlegmatic
slow-moving; sluggish

19. rescind
to repeal; cancel

20. vivacious
lively; full of energy

21. whet
to make keen or eager