ve·he·ment

[ˈvēəmənt]
ADJECTIVE
1. showing strong feeling; forceful, passionate, or intense.
"her voice was low but vehement" ·
[more]
synonyms: passionate · forceful · ardent · impassioned · heated · spirited · urgent · fervent · fervid ·
strong · forcible · powerful · emphatic · vigorous · animated · intense · violent · fierce ·
[more]

prel·ude
[ˈprelˌ(y)o͞od, ˈprāˌl(y)o͞od]
NOUN
1. an action or event serving as an introduction to something more important.
"education cannot simply be a prelude to a career"
synonyms: preliminary · overture · opening · preparation · introduction · start ·
[more]
2. an introductory piece of music, most commonly an orchestral opening to an act of an opera, the first
movement of a suite, or a piece preceding a fugue.
synonyms: overture · introductory movement · introduction · opening · voluntary ·
[more]
VERB
1. serve as a prelude or introduction to.
"the bombardment preluded an all-out final attack"

cyn·i·cism
[ˈsinəˌsizəm]
NOUN
1. an inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest; skepticism.
"public cynicism about politics"
synonyms: scepticism · doubt · distrust · mistrust · doubtfulness · suspicion ·
[more]
 an inclination to question whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile; pessimism.
"cynicism about the future"
2. a school of ancient Greek philosophers, the Cynics.

mas·quer·ade
[ˌmaskəˈrād]
VERB
masquerading (present participle)
1. pretend to be someone one is not.
"a journalist masquerading as a man in distress"
synonyms: pretend to be · pose as · pass oneself off as · impersonate · disguise oneself as · simulate ·
profess to be · personate
 be disguised or passed off as something else.
"the idle gossip that masquerades as news in some local papers"

pla·cate
[ˈplākāt]
VERB
1. make (someone) less angry or hostile.
"they attempted to placate the students with promises"
synonyms: appease · placate · pacify · mollify · propitiate · assuage · calm down · soothe · humor ·
reconcile · disarm · win over · make peace with · square someone off · sweeten

ran·kle
[ˈraNGk(ə)l]
VERB
1. (of a comment, event, or fact) cause annoyance or resentment that persists.
"the casual manner of his dismissal still rankles"
 annoy or irritate (someone).
"Lisa was rankled by his assertion"
synonyms: cause resentment to · cause annoyance to · annoy · upset ·
[more]
2. archaic
(of a wound or sore) continue to be painful; fester.
synonyms: suppurate · become septic · form pus · secrete pus · discharge · run ·
[more]

hectoring
[ˈhektəriNG]
ADJECTIVE
1. talking in a bullying way.
"a brusque, hectoring manner"

wrangling
[ˈraNGɡliNG]
NOUN
1. engagement in a long, complicated dispute or argument.
 "weeks of political wrangling"

pi·qué
[pēˈkā]
NOUN
1. stiff fabric, typically cotton, woven in a strongly ribbed or raised pattern.
"a white cotton piqué shirt"

le·gion
[ˈlējən]
NOUN
1. a unit of 3,000–6,000 men in the ancient Roman army.
synonyms: brigade · regiment · battalion · company · troop · division · squadron ·
[more]
2. (a legion/legions of)
a vast host, multitude, or number of people or things.
"legions of photographers and TV cameras"
synonyms: horde · host · throng · multitude · crowd · drove · mass · mob · rabble ·
[more]
ADJECTIVE
1. great in number.
"her fans are legion"
synonyms: numerous · countless · innumerable · incalculable · immeasurable ·
[more]

un·prec·e·dent·ed
[ˌənˈpresədən(t)əd]
ADJECTIVE
1. never done or known before.
"the government took the unprecedented step of releasing confidential correspondence"
synonyms: unparalleled · unequaled · unmatched · unrivaled · without parallel · without equal ·
extraordinary · uncommon · out of the ordinary · unusual · outstanding · striking · exceptional ·
[more]

im·pu·ni·ty
[imˈpyo͞onədē]
NOUN
1. exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action.
"the impunity enjoyed by military officers implicated in civilian killings" ·
[more]
 synonyms: immunity · indemnity · exemption from punishment · freedom from punishment · exemption ·
nonliability · license · amnesty · dispensation · pardon · reprieve ·
[more]

un·ten·a·ble
[ˌənˈtenəb(ə)l]
ADJECTIVE
1. (especially of a position or view) not able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection.
"this argument is clearly untenable"
synonyms: indefensible · undefendable · unarguable · insupportable · refutable · unsustainable ·
unjustified · unwarranted · unjustifiable · inadmissible · unsound · ill-founded · flimsy · weak ·
[more]

re·cede
[rəˈsēd]
VERB
recedes (third person present)
1. go or move back or further away from a previous position.
"the flood waters had receded" ·
[more]
synonyms: retreat · go back · move back · move further off · move away · withdraw · ebb · subside · go
down · abate · fall back · sink · retrocede
gradually diminish

fis·sure
[ˈfiSHər]
NOUN
fissures (plural noun)
1. a long, narrow opening or line of breakage made by cracking or splitting, especially in rock or earth.
synonyms: opening · crevice · crack · cleft · cranny · chink · slit · groove · gap ·
[more]
VERB
fissures (third person present)
1. split or crack (something) to form a long, narrow opening.
"the skin becomes dry, fissured, and cracked"
synonyms: split · broken · fissured · fractured · ruptured · splintered · cleft · slit ·
[more]

clamp
[klamp]
VERB
clamping (present participle)
1. fasten (something) in place with a clamp.
"the sander is clamped onto the edge of a workbench"
 synonyms: fasten · secure · fix · clip · attach · make fast · screw · bolt
 fasten (two things) firmly together.
"the two frames are clamped together"
 hold (something) tightly against or in another thing.
"Maggie had to clamp a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing"
synonyms: clench · grip · hold · press · squeeze · clasp · grasp · clutch
 maintain the voltage limits of (an electrical signal) at prescribed values.
Suppress

cal·i·brate
[ˈkaləˌbrāt]
VERB
1. mark (a gauge or instrument) with a standard scale of readings.
synonyms: compute · work out · reckon · figure · enumerate · determine · evaluate · quantify · assess ·
cost · put a figure on · add up · add together · count up · tally · total · totalize · calibrate ·
[more]
 correlate the readings of (an instrument) with those of a standard in order to check the instrument's
accuracy.
synonyms: classify · class · categorize · bracket · sort · group · order · arrange · type · pigeonhole ·
brand · size · rank · evaluate · rate · value · range · graduate · calibrate
 adjust (experimental results) to take external factors into account or to allow comparison with other
data.
synonyms: modify · alter · regulate · tune · fine-tune · calibrate · balance · adapt · rearrange · change ·
rejig · rework · revamp · remodel · reshape · convert · transform · tailor · improve ·
[more]
 carefully assess, set, or adjust (something abstract).
"the regulators cannot properly calibrate the risks involved"

con·ster·na·tion
[ˌkänstərˈnāSH(ə)n]
NOUN
1. feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected.
"I always welcomed clover, much to the consternation of the neighbors"
synonyms: dismay · perturbation · anxiety · distress · disquiet · disquietude · discomposure · angst ·
trepidation · surprise · amazement · astonishment · stupefaction · alarm · panic · hysteria ·
[more]

u·biq·ui·tous
[yo͞oˈbikwədəs]
ADJECTIVE
1. present, appearing, or found everywhere.
"his ubiquitous influence was felt by all the family" ·
[more]
synonyms: omnipresent · ever-present · present everywhere · everywhere · all-over · all over the place ·
pervasive · all-pervasive · universal · worldwide · global · rife · prevalent ·
 [more]

con·vo·lut·ed
[ˈkänvəˌlo͞odəd]
ADJECTIVE
1. (especially of an argument, story, or sentence) extremely complex and difficult to follow.
"its convoluted narrative encompasses all manner of digressions"
synonyms: complicated · complex · involved · intricate · elaborate · impenetrable ·
[more]
2. technical
intricately folded, twisted, or coiled.
"walnuts come in hard and convoluted shells"

Ossification
Ossification (or osteogenesis) in bone remodeling is the process of laying down new bone
material by cells called osteoblasts. It is synonymous with bone tissue formation.

re·gur·gi·tate
[rəˈɡərjəˌtāt]
VERB
1. bring (swallowed food) up again to the mouth.
"gulls regurgitate food for the chicks" ·
[more]
synonyms: vomit · bring up · disgorge · regorge
 medicine
(of a fluid) flow through a vessel or valve in the body in a direction opposite to normal.
"an incompetent mitral valve allows blood to regurgitate into the left atrium throughout ventricular
contraction"
2. repeat (information) without analyzing or comprehending it.
"facts that can then be regurgitated at examinations"
synonyms: repeat · say again · restate · recapitulate · iterate · reiterate · recite ·
[more]

fad·dish
[ˈfadiSH]
ADJECTIVE
1. intensely fashionable or popular for a short period of time.
"superficial, faddish approaches to spirituality" ·
[more]

ab·sten·tion
[əbˈsten(t)SH(ə)n]
 NOUN
1. an instance of declining to vote for or against a proposal or motion.
"a resolution passed by 126 votes to none, with six abstentions"
synonyms: refusal to vote · abstaining · nonvoting · sitting on the fence
2. the fact or practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something; abstinence.
"alcohol consumption versus abstention"
synonyms: teetotalism · temperance · sobriety · abstemiousness · abstention ·
[more]

fla·grant
[ˈflāɡrənt]
ADJECTIVE
1. (of something considered wrong or immoral) conspicuously or obviously offensive.
"a flagrant violation of the law" ·
[more]
synonyms: blatant · glaring · obvious · overt · evident · conspicuous · naked · barefaced · shameless ·
brazen · audacious · brass-necked · undisguised · unconcealed · patent · transparent ·
[more]