embargo
[noun]
an official order according to which any commercial activity with a particular country is banned
scoundrel
[noun]
a dishonest and morally questionable individual, often involved in deceitful or unlawful behavior
Ex:
The
novel
's
antagonist
was
depicted
as
a
cunning
scoundrel
who
manipulated
others
for
his
own
gain
.
buffet
[noun]
a meal with many dishes from which people serve themselves at a table and then eat elsewhere
Ex:
The
company
organized
a
buffet
lunch
for
its
employees
during
the
conference
.
quietus
[noun]
a final and conclusive ending, often implying death or the settlement of a debt
Ex:
As
the
sunset
painted
the
sky
in
hues
of
orange
and
red
,
it
symbolized
the
quietus
of
another
day
.
vaudeville
[noun]
a type of comic theatrical production combining pantomime, dance, singing, etc. popular in the 1800s and early 1900s
Ex:
One
of
the
most
famous
vaudeville
acts
was
the
Marx Brothers
,
whose
zany
antics
and
witty
humor
delighted
audiences
across the country
.
linchpin
[noun]
a crucial element that holds something together or provides stability and support
Ex:
The
treaty
acted as
the
linchpin
of
diplomatic
relations
between
the
two
nations
,
preventing
conflict
.
rout
[noun]
a disorderly and frenzied crowd of people, often characterized by chaos and confusion
Ex:
During
the
protest
,
a
rout
of
demonstrators
broke through
the
barricades
,
overwhelming
the
police
.
tenet
[noun]
a fundamental belief or principle that is central to a system of thought, philosophy, or religion
Ex:
The
scientific
tenet
of
empiricism
emphasizes
the
reliance
on
observable
evidence
and
experimentation
in
the
pursuit
of
knowledge
.
pontiff
[noun]
the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church
Ex:
The
pontiff
's
visit
to
the
troubled
region
brought
hope
and
solace
to
those
affected
by
conflict
and
hardship
.
paroxysm
[noun]
a sudden and uncontrollable outburst or convulsion, often of emotion or action
Ex:
The
patient
experienced
a
paroxysm
of
coughing
,
the
violent
spasms
making it
difficult
to
breathe
.
deterrent
[noun]
a thing that reduces the chances of someone doing something because it makes them aware of its difficulties or consequences
Ex:
The
lack
of
sufficient
funding
was
a
deterrent
to
starting
the
new
project
.
ruse
[noun]
a cunning or deceptive strategy or action intended to deceive or trick someone
Ex:
The
magician
's
performance
relied on
the
use
of
various
ruses
to
create
illusions
and
deceive
the
audience
.
tyro
[noun]
a beginner or novice in a particular field or activity
Ex:
Starting
as
a
tyro
in
the
kitchen
,
he
gradually
honed
his
culinary
skills
through
practice
and
experimentation
.
digraph
[noun]
a pair of characters used to represent a single sound, such as "sh" or "th", in phonetics or linguistics
Ex:
The
phonics
lesson
focused
on
identifying
digraphs
in
words
to
improve
pronunciation
skills
.
gauntlet
[noun]
a protective glove, often made of leather, worn as armor
Ex:
The
blacksmith
crafted
custom
gauntlets
for
the
soldiers
,
each
one
tailored
to
fit
snugly
and
withstand
the
rigors
of
combat
.
exponent
[noun]
a supporter of a theory, belief, idea, etc. who tries to persuade others that it is true or good in order to gain their support
Ex:
The
senator
is
a
prominent
exponent
of
environmental
protection
laws
.
gaffe
[noun]
a thing that was done or said in a social or public situation that is considered to be an embarrassing or tactless mistake
Ex:
His
social media
gaffe
led
to
a
backlash
from
followers
who
felt
offended
.
obelisk
[noun]
a tall column made of stone with four sides and a pyramid-like top, used as a monument to honor an important event or person