Sunday, October 10, 2010

Politics and Government - New Vocabulary

Ingenuity: the process of applying ideas to solve problems or meet challenges.

Promulgated: the act of formally proclaiming or declaring a new statutory or administrative law as in effect after it receives final approval.

Parable: a brief, succinct story, in prose or verse, that illustrates a moral or religious lesson.

Tact: consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offense

Viable: capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are

Metaphysical: pertaining to or of the nature of metaphysics; "metaphysical philosophy"

Existential: derived from experience or the experience of existence

Demurely: Standards of modesty (also called demureness or reticence) are aspects of the culture of a country or people, at a given point in time, and is a measure against which an individual in society may be judged.

Palladium: a silver-white metallic element of the platinum group that resembles platinum

Invariably: without variation or change, in every case; "constantly kind and gracious"; "he always arrives on time"

Locutions: a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations; "pardon the expression"

Plutarch: a lunar impact crater that lies near the north-northeastern limb of the Moon, just to the south of the irregular crater Seneca

Exalted: of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style; "an exalted ideal"; "argue in terms of high-flown ideals"

Demonstrable: capable of being demonstrated or proved; "obvious lies"; "a demonstrable lack of concern for the general welfare"

Mediocrities: The assumptions of mediocrity principle is the notion in philosophy of science that there is nothing special about humans or the Earth.

Aide-de-Camp: an officer who acts as military assistant to a more senior officer

Envisaged: form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case; "Can you conceive of him as the president?"

Passive: lacking in energy or will

Eminence: high status importance owing to marked superiority; "a scholar of great eminence"

Demagogue: a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions and prejudices

Progenitors: an ancestor in the direct line

Dutiful: willingly obedient out of a sense of duty and respect; "a dutiful child"; "a dutiful citizen"

Reluctant: loath: unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom; "a reluctant smile"; "loath to admit a mistake"

Desultory: marked by lack of definite plan or regularity or purpose; jumping from one thing to another; "desultory thoughts"

Derive: come from; be connected by a relationship

Minuscule: of or relating to a small cursive script developed from uncial; 7th to 9th centuries

Reconcile: make (one thing) compatible with (another); "The scientists had to accommodate the new results with the existing theories"

Prescient: perceiving the significance of events before they occur

Despotism: a form of government by a single authority, either an individual (Despot), or tightly knit group, which rules with absolute political power.

Maxims: a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits

Arbiter: someone with the power to settle matters at will; "she was the final arbiter on all matters of fashion"

Surrogates: someone who takes the place of another person

Prose: ordinary writing as distinguished from verse

Odious: in an offensive and hateful manner

Demur: a pleading in a lawsuit that objects to an earlier pleading filed by an opposing party

Indiscreetly: without discretion or wisdom or self-restraint; "she inquired indiscreetly after the state of his health"

Deliberations: the process in which a jury in a trial in court discusses in private the findings of the court and decides by vote with which argument to agree of either opposing side.

Anomaly: deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule

Loftily: elevated in style, tone, or sentiment, as writings or speech

Folklore: the unwritten lore (stories and proverbs and riddles and songs) of a culture

Conciliation: the state of manifesting goodwill and cooperation after being reconciled; "there was a brief period of conciliation but the fighting soon resumed"

Vantage: place or situation affording some advantage (especially a comprehensive view or commanding perspective)

Commenced: get down: take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

Subtlety: the quality of being difficult to detect or analyze; "you had to admire the subtlety of the distinctions he drew"

Indolent: disinclined to work or exertion

Constituent: an artifact that is one of the individual parts of which a composite entity is made up; especially a part that can be separated from or attached to a system

Delegation: the assignment of authority and responsibility to another person (normally from a manager to a subordinate) to carry out specific activities.

Hypergamist: the act or practice of seeking a spouse of equal or higher socioeconomic status, or caste status than oneself.

Condescended: behave in a patronizing and condescending manner

Reputedly: Pertaining to a reputation accorded to another; Pertaining to that which is supposed or assumed to be true

Laudanum: narcotic consisting of an alcohol solution of opium or any preparation in which opium is the main ingredient

Rustic: characteristic of rural life

Mediocrity: ordinariness as a consequence of being average and not outstanding

Writhe: to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling); "The prisoner writhed in discomfort"; "The child tried to wriggle free from his aunt's embrace

Nettle: sting with or as with nettles and cause a stinging pain or sensation

Ad Hoc: for or concerned with one specific purpose; "a coordinated policy instead of ad hoc decisions"

Annexation: the formal act of acquiring something (especially territory) by conquest or occupation

Renounced: give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations

Overture: something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows

Congenial: suitable to your needs; "a congenial atmosphere to work in"

Desultory: marked by lack of definite plan or regularity or purpose; jumping from one thing to another; "desultory thoughts"

Exuberant: unrestrained, especially with regard to feelings

Ceded: the assignment of property to another entity

Unprecedented: having no precedent; novel; "an unprecedented expansion in population and industry"

Brood: think moodily or anxiously about something

Amiable: disposed to please; "an amiable villain with a cocky sidelong grin"

Astute: Quick at seeing how to gain advantage, especially for oneself; shrewd; critically discerning

Fin De Siecle: relating to or characteristic of the end of a century (especially the end of the 19th century)

Anglophone: Any person, of whatever ethnic origin or mother tongue, whose first official language is English.

Maritime: relating to or involving ships or shipping or navigation or seamen

Despotism: a form of government by a single authority, either an individual (Despot), or tightly knit group, which rules with absolute political power.

Inevitable: incapable of being avoided or prevented

Paradoxically: seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true; "it is paradoxical that standing is more tiring than walking"

Indulged: to yield to an inclination or desire; allow oneself to follow one's will

Avarice: insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins)

Solemnly: in a grave and sedate manner; "the judge sat there solemnly"

Populist: the political doctrine that supports the rights and powers of the common people in their struggle with the privileged elite; most famous for their advocacy of the free coinage of silver money and government control of monopolies.

Nemesis: something causing misery or death

Neofeudal: "new feudalism" and implies a contemporary rebirth of policies of governance and economy reminiscent of those present in many pre-industrial feudal societies

Venality: a vice associated with being bribeable or of selling your services or power, especially when one should act justly instead

Perversion: a curve that reverses the direction of something; "the tendrils of the plant exhibited perversion"

Subsequent: Following, afterwards in either time or place

Hereditary: A trait that is transmitted genetically from one generation to the next.

Superseded: take the place or move into the position of

Brooded: think moodily or anxiously about something

Intricacies: intricate character or state

Abhorrent: utterly opposed, or contrary, or in conflict

Votaries: a person who is bound by solemn religious vows, as a monk or a nun.

Ermine: the expensive white fur of the ermine

Turbulent: characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination

Seldom: infrequently, rarely

Acquisition: the act of contracting or assuming or acquiring possession of something

Theoreticians: someone who theorizes (especially in science or art)

Dwindled: become smaller or lose substance; "Her savings dwindled down"

Vigorously: strong and active physically or mentally

Exploited: taken advantage of

Lapidary: an expert on precious stones and the art of cutting and engraving them

Isolationism: a policy of nonparticipation in international economic and political relations

Stratagems: A confidence trick or confidence game

Bubonic: often fatal disease characterized by fever, chills, prostration, delirium, and buboes

Decimate: kill one in every ten, as of mutineers in Roman armies

Ramshackle: In disrepair or disorder; poorly maintained

Adjacent: nearest in space or position; immediately adjoining without intervening space

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