mit·i·gate

1: (v.) To moderate (a quality or condition) in force or intensity; alleviate. This opinion . . . mitigated kings into companions. --Burke.

mit·i·gat·ed, mit·i·gat·ing, mit·i·gates (v.), miti·gation (n.), miti·gative or miti·ga·tory, miti·ga·ble (adj.)

[Syn: To alleviate; assuage; allay.]

bla·sé

1: (adj.) Uninterested because of frequent exposure or indulgence. his blase indifference/ a petulent blase air

2: (adj.) Unconcerned; nonchalant: had a blasé attitude about housecleaning.

3: (adj.) Very sophisticated especially because of surfeit; versed in the ways of the world. the blase traveler refers to the ocean he has crossed as `the pond'

skulk

1: (v.) To lie in hiding, as out of cowardice or bad conscience; lurk.

2: (v.) To move about stealthily.

3: (v.) To evade work or obligation; shirk.

4: (n.) A congregation of vermin, especially foxes, or of thieves.

5: (n.) One who hides, lurks, or practices evasion.

sar·to·ri·al

1: (adj.) Of or relating to a tailor, tailoring, or tailored clothing: sartorial elegance.

2: (adj.) Anat. Of or pertaining to the sartorius muscle.

3: Our legs skulked under the table as free from sartorial impertinences as those of the noblest savages. --Lowell

ech·e·lon

1: (n.) A formation of troops/ craft in which each unit/ group/ individual is positioned successively to the left or right of the rear unit to form an oblique or steplike line

2: (n.) A subdivision of a military or naval force: a command echelon.

3: (n.) a diffraction grating consisting of a pile of plates of equal thickness arranged stepwise with a constant offset

4: (n.) A level of responsibility or authority in a hierarchy; a rank: a job in the company's lower echelon.

5: (v.) To arrange or take place in an echelon.

{French échelon, from Old French eschelon, rung of a ladder}

au·gur

1: (n.)A seer or prophet; a soothsayer.


au·gured, au·gur·ing, au·gurs
1: (v.)To predict, especially from signs or omens; foretell. See Synonyms at foretell.

2: (v.)To serve as an omen of; betoken: trends that augur change in society/ A smooth dress rehearsal augured well for the play/ A smooth dress rehearsal augured well for the play.

[Syn: To predict; forebode; betoken; portend; presage; prognosticate; prophesy; forewarn.]

cha·rade

1: Games.

2: A readily perceived pretense; a travesty: went through the charade of a public apology.

3: a composition that imitates somebody's style in a humorous way

[syn: parody, lampoon, spoof, sendup, mockery, takeoff, burlesque, travesty, pasquinade]