coulee

[koo-lee]

a deep ravine

arbitrary

[ahr-bi-trer-ee]

subject to individual will or judgment without restriction; contingent solely upon one's discretion

bend

[b-end]

to curve or angle something from its original shape or direction.

emulate

[em-yuh-leyt]

to try to equal or excel; imitate with effort to equal or surpass

publicize

[puhb-luh-sahyz]

to give publicity to; bring to public notice; advertise

vestige

[ves-tij]

a surviving evidence or remainder of some condition, practice, etc.

nopales

[noh-pah-les]

young tender stem segments of the prickly pear cactus that are used as food.

bamboozle

[bam-boo-zuhl]

to deceive or get the better of (someone) by trickery, flattery, or the like

winebibber

[wahyn-bib-er]

a person who drinks a lot wine

quibble

[kwib-uhl ]

an instance of the use of ambiguous, prevaricating, or irrelevant language or arguments to evade a point at issue

serpentine

[sur-puhn-teen]

of, characteristic of, or resembling a serpent, as in form or movement

lovesick

[luhv-sik]

languishing with love

tawdry

[taw-dree]

of little value; gaudy

boss

[bawss]

a person in charge of others

debauched

[dih-bawcht]

morally corrupt or self-indulgent

heinous

[hay-nus]

shockingly wicked or reprehensible

blatherskite

[blath-er-skahyt]

a person given to voluble, empty talk; nonsense; blather

elicit

[ih-lis-it]

to evoke or draw out a response, answer, or fact

confer

[kuhn-fur]

to consult together; compare opinions; carry on a discussion or deliberation

mournful

[morn-ful]

feeling or expressing sorrow or grief

magnanimous

[mag-nan-uh-muhs]

generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness or vindictiveness

palatable

[pal-uh-tuh-buhl]

acceptable or agreeable to the palate or taste; savory

puissant

[pyoo-uh-suhnt; pwis-uhnt]

powerful; mighty; potent

destitute

[des-ti-toot]

lacking the basic necessities of life