-Christ's first beatitude is to the poor in spirit.
bete noire- a detested person (disliked or avoided)
-It's gas-guzzling reputation had made it the bête noire of environmental Activicts.
bode- Be an omen of a particular outcome
-Their argument did not bode well for the future.
dank- Disagreeably damp, musty, and typically cold
-In the cellars we were sheltered from the tornado, but they were very dank and gloomy.
ecumenical- universal
-Ecumenical pilgrimage now must also be between churches which are in mission together.
fervid- Intensely enthusiastic or passionate
-His fervid speech opposed to child labor, touched the hearts of the listeners.
fetid- Smelling extremely unpleasant
-His fetid odor made the entire class move to the other side of the classroom.
gargantuan- of great mass
-The giant almost flattened the travelers with his gargantuan foot as he walked through the forest.
heyday- The period of a person's or thing's greatest success or popularity
-In later life, Elvis was overweight and drug addicted, but in his heyday he was healthy, talented and hugely popular
incubus- A cause of distress or anxiety like a nightmare
-The guilt attacked her during her sleepless night like a relentless incubus.
infrastructure- The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation
-The infrastructure of a school consists of teachers, administration, and a school board.
inveigle- Persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery
-The pretty woman was able to inveigle the drunken man into buying her some chocolates and a free drink
kudos- Praise and honor received for an achievement
-Ruth gave kudos to Katelyn for her job well done.
lagniappe- Something given as a bonus or extra gift
-When going out to dinner, surprising her with a ring is lagniappe.
prolix- Using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy
-All the cases give lengthy extracts from the judgments which, at first sight, may appear to be somewhat prolix.
protege- a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career
-The young scientist had done very well. He had been a protege of no less a person than Albert Einstein.
prototype- A first or preliminary model of something, esp. a machine, from which other forms are developed or copied
-The inventor displayed his prototype to the potential buyers.
sycophant- A person who acts obsequiously toward someone in order to gain advantage; a servile flatterer
-Hoping to get the best grade in class, the sycophant flattered his teacher with gifts and nice comments at every opportunity.
tautology- The saying of the same thing twice in different words
-Avoid tautology which is the needless repetition of the same idea.
truckle- Submit or behave obsequiously
-When you're having doubts, don't truckle to walk away.
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