gerrymander

verb: to manipulate voting districts in order to favor a particular political party

Years ago, savvy politicians had gerrymandered the city center to ensure their re-election.

blinkered

adjective: to have a limited outlook or understanding

In gambling, the blinkered addict is easily influenced by past successes and/or past failures, forgetting that the outcome of any one game is independent of the games that preceded it.

disabuse

verb: to persuade somebody that his/her belief is not valid

As a child, I was quickly disabused of the notion that Santa Claus was a rotund benefactor of infinite largess—one night I saw my mother diligently wrapping presents and storing them under our Christmas tree.

schadenfreude

noun: joy from watching the suffering of others

From his warm apartment window, Stanley reveled in schadenfreude as he laughed at the figures below, huddled together in the arctic chill.

palimpsest

noun: something that has been changed numerous times but on which traces of former iterations can still be seen

The downtown was a palimpsest of the city’s checkered past: a new Starbucks had opened up next to an abandoned, shuttered building, and a freshly asphalted road was inches away from a pothole large enough to swallow a small dog.

arriviste

noun: a person who has recently reached a position of power; a social climber

The city center was aflutter with arrivistes who tried to outdo one another with their ostentatious sports cars and chic evening dress.

sangfroid

noun: calmness or poise in difficult situations

The hostage negotiator exhibited a sangfroid that oftentimes was more menacing than the sword at his throat, or the gun at his head.

bilious

adjective: irritable; always angry

Rex was bilious all morning, and his face would only take on a look of contentedness when he’d had his morning cup of coffee.

picayune

adjective: trifling or petty (a person)

English teachers are notorious for being picayune; however, the English language is so nuanced and sophisticated that often such teachers are not being contrary but are only adhering to the rules.

pyrrhic

adjective: describing a victory that comes at such a great cost that the victory is not worthwhile

George W. Bush’s win in the 2000 election was in many ways a pyrrhic victory: the circumstances of his win alienated half of the U.S. population.

venial

adjective: easily excused or forgiven; pardonable

His traffic violations ran the gamut from the venial to the egregious—on one occasion he simply did not come to a complete stop; another time he tried to escape across state lines at speeds in excess of 140 mph.