1. Acclamation (n) A shout of welcome; and overwhelming verbal vote of approval Syn: ovation, cheering, plaudits Ant: booing, hissing, jeers, catcalls ** a claim of greatness

2. Bucolic (adj) Characteristic of the countryside, rural; relating to shepherds and cowherds, pastoral Syn: rustic Ant: urban, metropolitan **where you see BUlls and COLlies

3. Calumniate (v) To slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously Syn: defame, libel Ant: flatter, whitewash, praise **a tabloid column about someone

4. Chary (adj) Extremely cautious, hesitant, or slow (to); reserved, diffident Syn: wary, skittish Ant: heedless, reckless, incautious

5. Collusion (n) Secret agreement or cooperation Syn: conspiracy, plot, connivance, cahoots **people in collusion try to create an illusion that all is well

6. Dilettante (n) (adj) A dabbler in the arts; one who engages in an activity in an amateurish, trifling way; (adj) superficial Syn: amateur Ant: professional

7. Imperturbable (adj) Not easily excited; emotionally steady Syn: unflappable, unexcitable, serene, unruffled Ant: excitable **can’t be perturbed or disturbed

8. Increment (n) An enlargement, increase, addition Syn: accretion, gain Ant: loss, reduction, decrease **increase

9. Mandate (n) (v) An authoritative command, formal order, authorization; (v) to issue such an order Syn: (n) directive Ant: (v) forbid, ban, outlaw **order that is mandatory – must be followed

10. Paltry (adj) Trifling, insignificant; mean, despicable; inferior Syn: measly, meager, piddling, trivial Ant: gigantic, immense, colossal **the paltry piece of poultry didn’t fill me up

11. Paroxysm (n) A sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsion Syn: fit, seizure

12. Pedantry (n) A pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details Syn: nit-picking, hairsplitting

13. Peregrination (n) The act of traveling; an excursion, especially on foot or to a foreign country Syn: journey, wandering, odyssey **migration to a destination

14. Redolent (adj) Fragrant, smelling strongly; tending to arouse memories or create an aura Syn: evocative, reminiscent, aromatic Ant: unevocative, odorless **red(odor)lent

15. Refulgent (adj) Shining, radiant, resplendent Syn: luminous, splendid Ant: dim, dark, dingy, dull, murky **detergent makes things shine!

16. Shibboleth (n) A word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of persons from all others; a commonplace saying or truism Syn: catchphrase, password, slogan

17. Tyro (n) A beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill Syn: neophyte Ant: veteran, past master, expert ** a tyro tries something new

18. Unremitting (adj) Not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless Syn: constant, incessant, unrelenting Ant: desultory, intermittent **uninterrupted, unending

19. Vacillate (v) To swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will Syn: seesaw, fluctuate, oscillate Ant: persevere **oscillating fan changes direction

20. Vituperative (adj) Harshly abusive, severely scolding Syn: abusive, scurrilous, insulting Ant: complimentary, laudatory, flattering **like a viper – poisonous