1acquisitive
(adj.) able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property.
2arrogate
(v.) to claim or take without right
3banal
(adj.) hackneyed, trite, commonplace
4belabor
(v.) to work on excessively; to thrash soundly
5carping
(adj.) tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairsplitting way; (n.) petty, nagging criticism
6coherent
(adj.) holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful
7congeal
(v.) to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid
8emulate
(v.) to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model
9encomium
(n.) a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute
10eschew
(v.) to avoid, shun, keep away from
11germane
(adj.) relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting
12insatiable
(adj.) so great or demanding as not to be satisfied
13intransigent
(adj.) refusing to compromise; irreconcilable
14invidious
(adj.) offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness or resentment
15largesse
generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions
16reconnaissance
(n.) a survey made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination
17substantiate
(v.) to establsih by evidence, prove; to give concrete or substantial form to
18taciturn
(adj.) habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little
19temporize
(v.) to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision; to compromise
20tenable
(adj.) capable of being held or defended