Uncommon

schmooze

[shmooz]

to chat idly; gossip

tarantism

[tar-uhn-tiz-uhm]

a mania characterized by an uncontrollable impulse to dance, especially as prevalent in southern Italy from the 15th to the 17th century, popularly attributed to the bite of the tarantula

cognizance

[kog-nuh-zuhns]

awareness, realization, or knowledge; notice; perception

taradiddle

[tar-uh-did-l]

a small lie; fib

ameliorate

[uh-meel-yuh-reyt]

make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better

tutelary

[toot-l-er-ee]

serving as a protector, guardian, or patron

darg

[dahrg]

a day's work

quandary

[kwon-duh-ree]

a state of perplexity or uncertainty, especially as to what to do; dilemma

ignominious

[ig-nuh-min-ee-uhs]

marked by or attended with ignominy; discreditable, humiliating

roister

[roi-ster]

enjoy oneself or celebrate in a noisy or boisterous way

ubuntu

[oo-boon-too]

humanity or fellow feeling; kindness

minacious

[mi-ney-shuhs]

menacing; threatening

insouciance

[in-soo-see-uhns]

the quality of being insouciant; lack of care or concern; indifference

mawkish

[maw-kish]

having a mildly sickening flavor; slightly nauseating

prate

[preyt]

to talk excessively and pointlessly; babble

panacea

[pan-uh-see-uh]

a remedy for all disease or ills

abstruse

[ab-stroos]

difficult to understand; obscure

insidious

[in-sid-ee-uhs]

intended to entrap or beguile

claptrap

[klap-trap]

absurd or nonsensical talk or ideas

rapprochement

[rap-rohsh-mahn]

an establishment or resumption of harmonious relations

snickersnee

[snik-er-snee]

a knife, especially one used as a weapon.

manavelins

[muh-nav-uh-linz]

miscellaneous pieces of gear and material

curmudgeon

[ker-muhj-uhn]

a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person

parsimonious

[pahr-suh-moh-nee-uhs]

unwilling to spend money or use resources