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Vocab 6

internecine          adj          Of or relating to a struggle or conflict within a nation or organization, mutually destructive. Because the governments of Africa are usually marked by violent internecine conflict, they cannot reach beyond their internal troubles and involve themselves in international affairs.

litigation             n              The process of trying a case--either civil or criminal--in a court of law. The payment on the insurance settlement may be many months in coming; the lawyers have the appeal all tied up in litigation. (One who engages in litigation is a litigant, and one who is prone to bring suits is litigious). 

macabre             adj           Gruesome and horrible, having to do with death and other morbid matters. At Halloween, we love to treat ourselves to macabre tales of headless horsemen, disembodied spirits, werewolves, and vampires.

magnate             n              One who is extremely powerful and important in business. Bill Gates is the most powerful software magnate in the industry.

malign                v             To speak harshly and disparagingly of, to speak words against. Though Bill Clinton was much maligned by a conservative opposition, not even their harsh words could disguise the fact that he had had many successes as President.

meander             v            To wander aimlessly about. Though we had no clear idea what it was that we wanted to buy, we liked to meander about the mall and look into the various shops and kiosks.

motif                  n            A repeated theme or idea, often in decorating, music, or art.  Our Tex-Mex restaurant will have a Southwestern motif, complete with sagebrush and adobe.

paradigm            n            An example that serves as a pattern or model for thinking or acting. 1) Prince Albert was a paradigm for other royalty; in everything he did he served as the perfect image of a gentleman.2) Thinking of prisons as places of rehabilitation rather than punishment required a paradigm shift.

paramour           n            An illicit lover (para = next to or to the side + amour = love). Don Juan was widely known for keeping a number of paramours, but fortunately he was discreet enough to keep the women from meeting one another.

pervasive           adj           Spreading throughout, having the tendency to permeate widely. The pervasive odor of garlic was one hint that we were traveling through the Italian quarter of the city.