[Middle English pusillanimus, from Late Latin pusillanimis : Latin pusillus, weak, diminutive of pullus, young of an animal; see pau-1 in Indo-European roots + animus, reason, mind; see an- in Indo-European roots.]
plot, secret plan, game – a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal); “they concocted a plot to discredit the governor”; “I saw through his little game from the start”
Gunpowder Plot – a conspiracy in 1605 in England to blow up James I and the Houses of Parliament to avenge the persecution of Catholics in England; led by Guy Fawkes
smarmy – unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech; “buttery praise”; “gave him a fulsome introduction”; “an oily sycophantic press agent”; “oleaginous hypocrisy”; “smarmy self-importance”; “the unctuous Uriah Heep”; “soapy compliments”
2. Expressing a complaint or grievance; grumbling: a querulous voice; querulous comments.
[Middle English querulose, litigious, quarrelsome, from Old French querelos, from Late Latin querulsus, querulous, from Latin querulus, from quer, to complain; see kwes- in Indo-European roots.]
superficial – concerned with or comprehending only what is apparent or obvious; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually; “superficial similarities”; “a superficial mind”; “his thinking was superficial and fuzzy”; “superficial knowledge”; “the superficial report didn’t give the true picture”; “only superficial differences”
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a cabal of powerful men, working secretly”
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sus, querulous, from Latin querulus, from quer
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