gerontocracy = government ruled by old people
rarefied = made less dense (of a gas); V. rarefy: make less
dense; N. rarefaction
madrigal = pastoral song; song for several singers without
instruments
multilingual = having many languages; fluent in several
languages
adept = expert at; very skilled
suffocate = die or kill from lack of air; suppress
deadlock = standstill resulting from the opposition of two
unrelenting forces; stalemate
laconic = brief and to the point; using few words; terse
fake = not genuine; N: one that is not genuine; impostor;
sham; V: counterfeit; Ex. fake the results of the experiment/
the signature
apparition = ghost; phantom
scurrilous = abusive; obscene; indecent; Ex. scurrilous remark
consanguineous(consanguine) = having a common ancestor
diabolical = diabolic; devilish; fiendish
wither = (of a plant) dry up from loss of moisture; lose
freshness; shrivel; decay

abase = lower; degrade; humiliate; make humble; make
(oneself) lose self-respect
nonchalance = indifference; lack of concern; composure;
ADJ. nonchalant: unconcerned; cool; indifferent; Ex.
nonchalant attitude to his debts
bargain = agreement between two groups or people;
something for sale at a price advantageous to the buyer;
V: negotiate; trade; Ex. bargaining power
appellation = name; title
awry = distorted; crooked; bent; Ex. Our plans have gone
awry.
diversion = act of turning aside; pastime; V. divert: turn
aside from a course; distract; amuse
retrieve = recover; put right; find and bring in; regain; Ex.
retrieve the situation
baffle = frustrate; perplex
bluff = pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff; ADJ:
rough but good-natured
trunk = main wooden stem of a tree; human body excluding
the head and limbs; torso; prehensile nose of an elephant
blasa´e = bored with pleasure or dissipation; uninterested
or bored
sophist = teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of
fallacious reasoning; N. sophism: plausible but fallacious argument
dire = warning of disaster; disastrous; (of needs and dangers)
very great; urgent; Ex. dire prediction/need of food
sextant = navigation tool used to determine a ship.s latitude
and longitude (by measuring the altitudes of stars)
prudent = cautious; careful; prudential
seamy = sordid; base; filthy; unwholesome; Ex. seamy
side of city life
constituency = voters represented by an elected official;
district so represented; group of supporters (or constituents)
hindmost = furthest behind; farthest to the rear
bog = soft wet land; V: hinder or be hindered; Ex. bogged
down in the mud
recluse = hermit; loner; ADJ. reclusive
ventilate = admit fresh air into to replace stale air
constraint = restraint; compulsion; repression of feelings;
reticence; V. constrain: hold back; restrain; compel;
oblige; confine forcibly; imprison