renege

renege on an agreement / promise / deal

to not do something that one has agreed to do

Example: George Bush Sr. reneged on his promise to help the rebels.

derelict

derelict

abandoned or deserted

Example: Utility Building is an example of a derelict government-owned building.

dereliction

dereliction

intentional neglect

Example: To believe something absurd just because one doesn't have an explanation for something is intellectual dereliction.

deference

out of deference to

to do something out of respect for someone's opinions

Example: Many people go to church out of deference to their parents wishes.

dichotomy

dichotomy

division into two parts that are opposite in nature or cannot both be true

Example: You are either for us or against us. That is a false dichotomy.

scoff

scoff

to mock someone or someone's idea by laughing or talking in a way that shows your contempt

Example: He scoffed at the idea that he should take someone's help.

nihilism

nihilism

the idea that nothing has any meaning or value

Example: Some people think that atheism leads to nihilism.

total rejection of established social and political institutions

a philosophy the rejects the idea of objective ground

Example: Is nihilism a defensible philosophy?

specious

specious

seeming to be true, but actually false

Example: Intelligent Design is a good example of a specious theory.

superficially pleasing

having deceptive attraction

dogma

dogma

a set of beliefs held by a group of people that is not open to questioning or criticism

Example: Sam Harris said that the real problem is dogma.

arena

arena

a place or a stage used for sports

a field of conflict or activity

Example: Atheists have finally started asserting themselves in the political arena.

frantic

frantic

desperate

Example: As her car was sinking in the lake, she frantically tried to open the door.

exception

take exception to something

to take offense at something

Example: He took exception to the comments made by the speaker about his daughter.

predatory

predatory

using someone's weakness for one's own benefit

Example: Microsoft has a history of engaging in predatory pricing.

wince

wince

to change the expression on one's face in reaction to mental or physical pain

Example: When she mentioned his divorce, he winced.

Example: She winced when she caught sight of him approaching her.

bat

bat

right off the bat

to do something immediately

Example: The lecturer began discussing Electronics right off the bat.

like a bat out of hell

to move very fast

Example: When he heard that his wife was in the hospital he ran like a bat out of hell.

not bat an eyelid

to seem not to be shocked or embarrassed

Example: When question about the corruption scandal, the hardened politician didn't bat an eyelid.

contend

contend

to compete or struggle against

Example: In the North-East of the country, rival separatist groups are contending for power.

to argue or strongly assert that something is true

Example: Bible literalists contend that the earth is only 6000 years old.

to contend with — to have to deal with an unpleasant thing

Example: You will have to contend with official apathy if you try to educate the public about the bureaucracy.

fortuitous

fortuitous

lucky; fortunate

Example: I had a fortuitous meeting with a web design expert in the supermarket.

strident

strident

of a sound, harsh and irritating

criticizing harshly or offensively

Example: A critic of religion is often characterized as strident.

canard

canard

a false story or report or idea deliberately created to mislead or to disparage

Example: Intelligent Design is a canard that has gained wide currency.

harangue

harangue

a ranting speech or writing

Example: It can sometimes be flattering to be the subject of someone's harangue.

agency

agency

a force or power that brings about something

Example: They are some who claim to feel the agency of Providence throught their life.

by or through the agency of somebody

something that has happened with someone's help

Example: It is through the agency of schools that we become aware of mankind's achievements.

snide

snide

unkind in a clever way

Example: It is sometimes fun to engage with the snide commentators in an audience.

vanguard

vanguard

the foremost position in an army that is advancing into battle

in / at the vanguard — the forefront of a movement

the leaders who are at the forefront

Example: The Four Horsemen are at the vanguard of the atheist movement.

affect

affect

to produce an affect

Examples: The economic downturn has negatively affected the real estate market.

to move someone emotionally

Example: I was deeply affected by her story.

to assume; to pretend to be

Example: When people affect a foreign accent, they usually annoy people.

a priori

a priori

knowledge obtained solely by reasoning, without study or examination

Example: Is a priori knowledge possible?

polemic

polemic

a highly critical or defensive argument

Example: There is a place for polemics in public discourse.

intractable

intractable

an intractable problem is one that is very difficult to solve

Example: There are many who believe that India's poverty is intractable.

tractable

tractable

easy to deal with

Example: The problem of illiteracy appears to be more tractable that it is.

Example: The perception of the tracability of a problem influences whether it is tackled or not.

narrative

narrative

the representation in art of an event or story

Example: Books like God is Not Great have created a contraversial narrative of religion.

discourse

discourse

a lengthy piece of writing or spoken discussion of something

communication of thought by words

Example: Relgion is a topic that should not excluded from social discourse.

umbrage

umbrage

to take umbrage at something is to take offense without good reason

Example: He took umbrage at the questions raised about his religious beliefs.

kowtow

kowtow

to kneel and touch the forehead to the ground, as done in ancient China

to be too eager to obey or to be too polite to authority

Example: I have a strong dislike for people who kowtow to their bosses.

delve

delve

Archaic - to dig

to discuss in detail

to find more information

Example: We shall delve deep into this concept because it is important.

import

import

importance

Example: Every week the members of the club met and discussed matters of little import.

meaning, implication

Example: It was only later that evening that the full import of what she said struck him.

jettison

jettison

to make a vehicle lighter by throwing things out of it

to get rid of something or an idea

Example: If religion is ever going to serve a beneficial purpose to society, it has to jettison all supernatural claims.

highbrow

highbrow

difficult to understand

Example: I don't enjoy some of the highbrow comedy shows on TV.

someone with intellectual or cultural pretensions

Example: Why do we get annoyed with highbrows?

incur

incur

to get or acquire

Example: His business caused him to incur a huge debt.

to be subject to something due to one's actions

Example: If you go against her advice, you'll incur her disapproval.

wrath

wrath

fierce anger

Example: Anyone who didn't obey him a hundred percent faced his wrath.

steward, stewardship

steward

someone who takes care of something and is responsible for it

Example: Daniel Dennett is like a chief steward of the Bright movement

stewardship

the control and protection of something by someone

Example: Under the stewardship of Mr. Smith, the school flourished.

heuristic

heuristic

something based on trial-and-error methods or experimentation

helping you in the process of learning

Example: A heuristic approach to the problem is too costly.

frisson

frisson

a shudder of emotion

a sudden feeling

Example: When the cashier ignored me, I felt a frisson of anger come over me.

culmination

culmination

something that happens after a long period of effort

to reach the highest point

Example: This website is the culmination of 2 years of hard work.

allegorical

allegorical

a representation of an abstract idea in a material form

a story or painting that teaches a moral lesson or similar idea

Example: Most allegorical stories deal with the ultimate sacrifice.

tenuous

tenuous

of a situation, changeable or uncertain

Example: The relationship between the various political parties of the government is tenuous.

of an argument, vague or weak

Example: The tenuous arguments of theists don't stand a chance in a debate.

pallid

pallid

pale and unhealthy in appearance

uninteresting

Example: We attented a pallid fund-raising play.

articulated

articulated

having joints or hinges

Example: Bangalore has a few articulated buses.

ordained

ordain

to order by virtue of superior authority

Example: The Bishop ordained that the book should not be read.

To make someone a priest.

innate

innate

an innate ability is one that you are born with

Is genius due to innate ability or is genius gradually developed?

part of the essential character of something

Example: Human beings are innately irrational.

ideas or notions produced by thinking rather than experience

Example: We all probably have an innate sense of what is right and wrong.

contingency

contingency

a possible event that could cause problems

Example: We should be prepared for every contingency.

a contingent event is one that is dependent on chance

contingent

contingent

dependent on

Example: Our going to the party is contingent on us receiving a proper invitation.

a group of people of a particular kind

Example: The Swedish contingent arrived without much fanfare.

equivocal

equivocal

to be deliberately unclear in giving information

Example: The BJP's stand on the mixing of government and religion is equivocal.

not supporting any particular side in a report etc.

Example: The evidence for the health benefits of coffee is equivocal.

entail

entail

to involve by neccessity

Example: Religion entails irrationality.

Example: Getting a college education entails spending a lot of money.

foray

foray

a quick, sudden attack

a short attempt

Example: His forays into new fields have been quite successful.

Example: At the age of 35, she made a successful foray into politics.

vagaries

vagaries

unexpected changes

Example: Traveling by motorcycle makes one subject to the vagaries of the weather.

conciliate, conciliatory

conciliate

To get people to stop fighting by giving in to their demands

conciliatory

something that will cause people to stop fighting

Example: His conciliatory statements were met with disbelief by the unions

harmony

harmony

a consistent or pleasing arrangement of parts

when people are together without fighting

Example: The decline of religion in Europe resulted in a harmony of living.

credible

credible

believable

Example: The only credible explanation that we have for life is evolution by natural selection.

formidable

formidable

of great strength

causing fear

Example: Richard Dawkins, with his achievements in science, is a formidable figure in the religion debate.

intrinsic

intrinsic

belonging to something by its very nature

Example: Religion is intrinsically inimical to reason.

dashboard

dashboard

an instrument panel, usually in an automobile

polemic

polemic

a controversial argument for or against a doctrine or an idea

Example: Most evangelical writings are nothing but polemics.

drab

drab

dull, lacking in spirit

The websites of many Indian institutions are drab and boring.

dull gray or dull brown

Inimical

inimical

unfavorable

Example: The drab buildings of Indian schools and colleges are inimical to creativity.

hostile, unfriendly

Example: Her inimical behaviour sent a clear message to him.

disingenuous

disingenuous

insincere, hypocritical, slightly dishonest

Example: Arguments given by religious people in support of their beliefs are nearly always disingenuous.

sanguine

sanguine

hopeful, cheerfully optimistic

blood-red

Example: I am sanguine about the computer industry.

Example: I can't understand how you can be sanguine in this situation!

meandering

meandering

to follow a winding course

figuratively: aimless

Example: Steve gave a meandering talk that was entertaining, but not informative.

overbearing

overbearing

bossy; domineering

Example: After three months, my boss's overbearing demeanor finally got to me.

redux

redux

brought back; resurgent

Example: We are now seeing Bollywood redux.

jab

jab

to poke

a short, quick blow

a critical remark

Example: She reacted calmly to his jab against her plan.

pretense, pretension, pretensiousness

pretense

a false show

Example: I decided to keep up the pretense of friendship with her.

pretension

the laying of claim to something

Example: His pretension to proficiency in Electronics was shown to be false.

pretensiousness

characterized by assumption of dignity or importance

I can't stand the pretensiousness of people who go on a short visit to the US or UK and then start speaking with a fake accent.

ostentatious

1. characterized by conspicuous show intended to impress others

Example: Omega watches are only for the ostentatious dresser.

grandstand

1. the main seating area of a stadium, racetrack etc.
2. to make a show

Example: George Bush grandstanding didn't impress America's intellectuals.