Vocab List #9

1. Abortive-failing to succeed; unsuccessful; born prematurely imperfectly developed; rudimentary.
2. Bruit-to voice abroad; rumor (used chiefly in the passive and often fol. by about ); clamor.
3. Contumelious; scornful and insulting; insolent.
4. Dictum-an authoritative pronouncement; judicial assertion; a saying
5. Ensconce-to settle securely or snugly; to cover or shelter; hide securely
6. Iconoclastic-characterized by attacks on established beliefs.
7. In medias res-into the middle of affairs; into the midst of things.
8. internecine-destructive to both sides in a conflict; murderous; deadly
9. maladroit-ineffective or bungling; clumsy; awkward
10. maudlin-self pityingly or tearfully sentimental; sentimental; mawkish
11. Modulate-exert a modifying or controlling influence on; vary the strength, tone, or pitch of.
12. Portentous-done in a pompous or overly solemn manner.
13. Prescience-the power to foresee the future.
14. quid pro quo-a favor or advantage granted in return for something
15. salubrious-pleasant; healthy-giving
16. saturnalian-the festival of Saturn, celebrated in December in ancient Rome as a time of unrestrained merrymaking 
17. touchstone-a standard by which something is judged or recognized.
18. traumatic-emotionally disturbing or distressing 
19. vitiate-spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of; destroy or impair the legal validity of; corrupt.
20. waggish-humorous in a playful, mischievous, or facetious manner; jocose; jocular