Uncommon

bellicose

[bel-i-kohs]

inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent; pugnacious

inimical

[ih-nim-i-kuhl]

adverse in tendency or effect; unfavorable; harmful

felicitate

[fi-lis-i-teyt]

to compliment upon a happy event; congratulate.

auriferous

[aw-rif-er-uhs]

yielding or containing gold

mawkish

[maw-kish]

having a mildly sickening flavor; slightly nauseating

prevaricate

[pri-var-i-keyt]

speak or act in an evasive way

persiflage

[pur-suh-flahzh]

light and slightly contemptuous mockery or banter

brusque

[bruhsk]

abrupt in manner; blunt; rough

feckless

[fek-lis]

lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible

ken

[ken]

one's range of knowledge or sight

diffidence

[dif-i-duhns]

modesty or shyness resulting from a lack of self-confidence

myriad

[mir-ee-uhd]

a very great or indefinitely great number of persons or things

petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr, pe-trahy-kawr]

a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather

trenchant

[tren-chuhnt]

incisive or keen, as language or a person; caustic; cutting

sophistry

[sof-uh-stree]

a false argument; sophism

skedaddle

[ski-dad-ld]

to run away hurriedly; flee

ebullient

[ih-buhl-yuhnt]

overflowing with fervor, enthusiasm, or excitement; high-spirited

pedagogy

[ped-uh-goh-jee]

the function or work of a teacher; teaching

palfrey

[pawl-free]

a docile horse used for ordinary riding, especially by women

effete

[ih-feet]

lacking in wholesome vigor; decadent

cynosure

[sahy-nuh-shoor]

something that strongly attracts attention by its brilliance, interest, etc.

misgiving

[mis-giv-ing]

a feeling of doubt, distrust, or apprehension

oblique

[oh-bleek]

neither perpendicular nor parallel to a given line or surface; slanting; sloping

fulminate

[fuhl-muh-neyt]

to issue denunciations or the like