vituperative

vi·tu·per·a·tive (v-tpr--tv, -ty-, -p-r-, v-)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Adj.

1.

vituperative – marked by harshly abusive criticism; “his scathing remarks about silly lady novelists”; “her vituperative railing” scathing critical – marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws; “a critical attitude”

saltation

sal·ta·tion (sl-tshn, sôl-)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Noun	1.	saltation – (geology) the leaping movement of sand or soil particles as they are transported in a fluid medium over an uneven surface geology – a science that deals with the history of the earth as recorded in rocks natural action, natural process, action, activity – a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings); “the action of natural forces”; “volcanic activity”
	2.	saltation – (genetics) a mutation that drastically changes the phenotype of an organism or species genetic science, genetics – the branch of biology that studies heredity and variation in organisms chromosomal mutation, genetic mutation, mutation – (genetics) any event that changes genetic structure; any alteration in the inherited nucleic acid sequence of the genotype of an organism
	3.	saltation – an abrupt transition; “a successful leap from college to the major leagues” jump, leap transition – a change from one place or state or subject or stage to another quantum jump – (physics) an abrupt transition of an electron or atom or molecule from one quantum state to another with the emission or absorption of a quantum

peculate

pec·u·late (pky-lt)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Verb

1.

peculate – appropriate (as property entrusted to one’s care) fraudulently to one’s own use; “The accountant embezzled thousands of dollars while working for the wealthy family” defalcate, embezzle, malversate, misappropriate fiddle – commit fraud and steal from one’s employer; “We found out that she had been fiddling for years” steal – take without the owner’s consent; “Someone stole my wallet on the train”; “This author stole entire paragraphs from my dissertation”

provenance

prov·e·nance (prv-nns, -näns)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Noun

1.

provenance – where something originated or was nurtured in its early existence; “the birthplace of civilization” place of origin, provenience, birthplace, cradle origin, source, root, rootage, beginning – the place where something begins, where it springs into being; “the Italian beginning of the Renaissance”; “Jupiter was the origin of the radiation”; “Pittsburgh is the source of the Ohio River”; “communism’s Russian root”

nefarious

ne·far·i·ous (n-fâr-s)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Adj.

1.

nefarious – extremely wicked; “nefarious schemes”; “a villainous plot”; “a villainous band of thieves” villainous wicked – morally bad in principle or practice

pluvial

plu·vi·al (plv-l)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

supercilious

su·per·cil·i·ous (spr-sl-s)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Adj.	1.	supercilious – having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy; “some economists are disdainful of their colleagues in other social disciplines”; “haughty aristocrats”; “his lordly manners were offensive”; “walked with a prideful swagger”; “very sniffy about breaches of etiquette”; “his mother eyed my clothes with a supercilious air”; “a more swaggering mood than usual”- W.L.Shirer haughty, imperious, prideful, sniffy, swaggering, disdainful, lordly, overbearing proud – feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride; “proud parents”; “proud of his accomplishments”; “a proud moment”; “proud to serve his country”; “a proud name”; “proud princes”
	2.	supercilious – expressive of contempt; “curled his lip in a supercilious smile”; “spoke in a sneering jeering manner”; “makes many a sharp comparison but never a mean or snide one” sneering, snide uncomplimentary – tending to (or intended to) detract or disparage

obsequious

ob·se·qui·ous (b-skw-s, b-)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Adj.	1.	obsequious – attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery bootlicking, fawning, sycophantic, toadyish insincere – lacking sincerity; “a charming but thoroughly insincere woman”; “their praise was extravagant and insincere”
	2.	obsequious – attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner; “obsequious shop assistants” servile – submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior; “spoke in a servile tone”; “the incurably servile housekeeper”; “servile tasks such as floor scrubbing and barn work”

ferine

fe·rine (fîrn)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserve