attrition

n

any gradual wearing away or weakening; the loss of personnel in an organization

atone

v

to make amends or reparation for wrongdoing

consecrate

v

to set apart as holy; to make or declare sacred for religious use

chutzpah

n

shameless audacity; impudence

dilapidated

adj

falling to pieces or into disrepair; broken down; shabby and neglected

exhort

v

to urge earnestly by advice; to admonish strongly

furtive

adj

done or acting in a stealthy manner, as if to hinder observation; surreptitious; sneaky

forte

n

an activity that a person does extremely well; special accomplishment or strong point

rubric

n

an explanatory comment or gloss; an established custom or rule of procedure

mollify

v

to soothe the temper of; pacify; appease

pernicious

adj

causing great injury, destruction, or ruin; fatal; deadly

quixotic

adj

extravagantly chivalrous or romantically idealistic; visionary

tenacious

adj

holding firmly; persistent; stubborn

pundit

n

a person who has or professes to have great learning; actual or self-professed authority

wunderkind

n

a child prodigy

solace

n

an easing of loneliness, grief, discomfort, etc.

taint

v

to infect or poison; to make morally corrupt or depraved

polyglot

adj, n

speaking or writing several languages; a person who does so

diaspora

n

any scattering of people with a common origin, background, beliefs, etc.

sobriquet

n

a nickname; an assumed name