Educational

tergiversate

[tur-ji-ver-seyt]

to repeatedly change one's attitude or opinions with respect to a cause, subject, etc.

effulgent

[ih-fuhl-juhnt]

shining forth brilliantly; radiant

poignant

[poin-yuhnt]

keenly distressing to the feelings

shibboleth

[shib-uh-lith]

a common saying or belief with little current meaning or truth

abgesang

[ab-guh-zong]

the concluding section in musical and poetic bar form

swift

[swift]

coming, happening, or performed quickly or without delay

cosmopolitan

[koz-muh-pol-i-tn]

free from local, provincial, or national ideas, prejudices, or attachments; at home all over the world

embarcadero

[em-bahr-kuh-dair-oh]

a pier, wharf, or landing place

impromptu

[im-promp-too]

made or done without previous preparation

swathe

[swoth]

to wrap, bind, or swaddle with bands of some material; wrap up closely or fully

pendulous

[pen-juh-luhs]

hanging down loosely

tantamount

[tan-tuh-mount]

equivalent, as in value, force, effect, or signification

ascetic

[uh-set-ik]

relating to asceticism, the doctrine that one can reach a high spiritual state through the practice of extreme self-denial or self-mortification

surmount

[ser-mount]

to prevail over

persnickety

[per-snik-i-tee]

overparticular; fussy

theorem

[thee-er-uhm]

a mathematical or scientific rule or law expressed by a formula or equation

encyclical

[en-sik-li-kuhl]

(of a letter) intended for wide or general circulation; general

quash

[kwosh]

to put down or suppress completely; quell; subdue

pining

[pahy-ning]

suffering with or expressing longing or yearning for someone or something

confidant

[kon-fi-dant]

a close friend or associate to whom secrets are confided or with whom private matters and problems are discussed

haphazard

[hap-haz-erd]

characterized by lack of order or planning, by irregularity, or by randomness; determined by or dependent on chance; aimless

ptarmigan

[tahr-mi-guhn]

any of the several birds from the genus Lagopus

ferment

[fer-ment]

to be fermented; undergo fermentation

peristyle

[per-uh-stahyl]

a colonnade surrounding a building or an open space