• 蚊帳の外 - 'kaya no soto' , outside of the mosquito net, being excluded; being ignored; being kept in the dark (about); being kept out of the loop
• 鰥寡孤独 - 'kankakodoku' , widowers and widowed, orphans and childless elderly. also means the lonely people of the world
• 青菜に塩 - 'aona ni shio' "put salt on vegetables (and thus it shrivels)" , to look depressed
• 赤の他人 - 'aka no tanin' , a complete stranger
• 朝飯前 - 'asameshimae' , a piece of cake
• 今は昔 - 'ima wa mukashi' , now in the past
• 燎原の火 - 'ryougen no hi' , wildfire
• 朽木糞牆 - 'kyūbokufunshō' , a piece of rotten wood cannot be turned into so...

• Adumbrate: foreshadow OR overshadow OR indicate faintly OR represent in outline
• Agalma: (rare) an image, representation, or emblem; specifically the image on a seal
• Calumniate: Make false and defamatory statements about
• Catachresis: the use of a word in an incorrect way, for example the use of mitigate for militate
• Chthonic: relating to or inhabiting the underworld
• Contention: heated disagreement OR an assertion, especially one maintained in argument
• Contrition: the state of feeling remorseful and penitent OR (in the Roman Catholic Church) the repentance of past sins during or after confession
• Cozen: (literary) trick or deceive OR obtain by deception

• absent-minded - preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one’s immediate surroundings. abstracted, daydreaming, inattentive, oblivious, forgetful.
• abusive - characterized by improper infliction of physical or psychological maltreatment towards another.
• addict - one who is addicted to a compulsive activity. examples: gambling, drugs, sex.
• aimless - devoid of direction or purpose.
• alcoholic - a person who drinks alcoholic substances habitually and to excess.
• anxious - full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous.
• arrogant - having or displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or self-importance. inclined to social exclusiveness and who rebuff the advances of people conside...

• absent - preoccupied
• agonized - as if in pain or tormented
• alluring - attractive, in the sense of arousing desire
• appealing - attractive, in the sense of encouraging goodwill and/or interest
• beatific - see blissful
• bilious - ill-natured
• black - angry or sad, or see hostile
• bleak - see grim and hopeless
• blinking - surprise, or lack of concern
• blissful - showing a state of happiness or divine contentment
• blithe - carefree, lighthearted, or heedlessly indifferent
• brooding - see anxious and gloomy
• bug eyed - frightened or surprised
• chagrined - humiliated or disappointed
• cheeky - cocky, insolent
• cheerless - sad
• choleric - hot-tempered, irate

• a mari usque ad mare: from sea to sea
• acta non verba: deeds not words
• ad astra per aspera: to the stars through difficulty
• ad astra: to the stars
• alis volat propriis: she flies with her own wings
• amor et melle et felle est fecundissimus: love is rich with both honey and venom
• amor et melle et felle est fecundissmismus: love is rich with both honey and venom
• amor fati: love of fate
• annus mirabilis: wonderful year
• ante bellum: before the war
• au contraire: on the contrary
• audax at fidelis: bold but faithful
• audentes fortuna iuva: fortune favours the bold
• avant-garde: first to attack
• bellum omnium contra omnes: the war of al...

Physical Quirks refer to any physical feature that makes a character individualistic. The character might have been born with this trait, or acquired it over the course of his or her life. They are usually the ones other characters notice first. It can be argued that all physical attributes of a character, from the color of his hair to the size of her feet, are quirks.

• always gets a sunburn
• always stands with his or her hands behind their back, sometimes in an “at ease” position, though he/she was never in the military
• can only hear out of one ear
• can only see out of one eye
• can’t stay clean; always dirty
• cracks his/her neck all the time
• drags his or her feet
• drools when hungry/excited

• ability - a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
• acceptance - a disposition to tolerate or accept people or situations
• acuity - keenness of hearing, sight, or intellect
• affability - good-natured, friendly, and easy to talk to
• altruism - the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others
• appreciation - understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something
• assiduousness - showing persistent and hard-working effort in doing something
• assertiveness - aggressive self-assurance; given to making bold assertions
• attentiveness - the trait of being observant and paying attention
• autonomy - immunity from arbitrary exercise of authority; political independence

• replace this text with your list
• begin each item with an asterisk

• downtrodden - oppressed or treated badly by people in power.
• haggard - looking exhausted and unwell, especially from fatigue, worry, or suffering.
• smarmy - ingratiating and wheedling in a way that is perceived as insincere or excessive.
• hellish - of or like hell.
• frondescence - the process or period of putting forth leaves, as a tree, plant, or the like.
• scaremongering - the spreading of frightening or ominous reports or rumors.
• unrepentant - showing no regret for one’s wrongdoings.
• dawdle - waste time; be slow.
• burnish - polish (something, especially metal) by rubbing.
• touchstone - a standard or criterion by which something is judged or recognized.

• abattoir - a slaughterhouse; massacre
• absinthe - wormwood liquor of a bright-green color
• acciaccatura - grace note, an embellishing note usually written in smaller size
• acedia - ennui; state of torpor or listlessness; spiritual apathy
• acervuline - aggregated, heaped up, bundled, collected or localized
• acidulous - somewhat acidic or sour in taste or manner; somewhat sarcastic
• acolyte - ranked clergy member; assistant in liturgical rites
• acoustic - of or relating to sound, the sense of hearing, or the science of sound
• acquiesce - to passively accept; to accept, comply, or submit passively
• adroit - quick or skillful; adept in action or thought
• adumbrate - to explain faintly or opaquely outline; describe

• rapture - ecstasy; felicity, state of sheer happiness; happiness to the point of delirium
• rariora - pl. unusual collector’s items, outstanding items, prize pieces
• ratatouille - a type of french dish, vegetable stew
• realm - a region, kingdom, plane, domain, or territory
• recherché - elegant; refined or tasteful; sophisticated
• recidivism - act of repeating punished act; chronic tendency to repeat crimes
• reciprocity - the quality or state of requiting; mutual dependence
• redivivus - revived; come back to life; resurrected; resuscitated
• redolent - piquant, aromatic, or memory-invoking
• regalia - the emblems and symbols of royalty, such as the crown and scepter; jewel...

• Heroic Bravery

When we think of heroes these days, we generally think of those who qualify for heroic bravery.

What is it? This is the kind of bravery that makes a character do crazy dangerous stuff, either to protect others or to advance a cause in which he passionately believes. He’s not a fool. He knows what he’s risking, but he believes the danger is worth it.

• Steadfast Bravery

Steadfast bravery isn’t as flashy as heroic bravery (although it exhibits bursts of heroism), but its patient doggedness challenges fate every single day.

What is it? This is the kind of bravery we see from someone who is enduring a bad or dangerous situation day in and day out. A POW, a soldier in the trenches, or an...

• acoustic - relating to sound or the sense of hearing.
• alcove - a recess, typically in the wall of a room or of a garden.
• alpenglow - the rosy light of the setting or rising sun seen on high mountains.
• anagapesis - the feeling when one no longer loves someone they once did.
• aorta - the main artery of the body, supplying oxygenated blood to the circulatory system.
• arabesque - an ornamental design of intertwined flowing lines, originally found in Arabic or Moorish decoration.
• aubade - a love song which is sung at dawn.
• ayurnamat - the philosophy that there is no point in worrying about events that cannot be changed.
• baisemain - a kiss on the hand.
• baroque - relating to or denoting a style...

• addiction - a state of physiological or psychological dependence on a potentially harmful drug
• adultery - voluntary sexual relations between a married person and somebody other than his or her spouse
• aggression - threatening behavior or actions
• alcoholism - dependence on alcohol consumption to an extent that adversely affects social and work-related functioning and produces withdrawal symptoms when intake is stopped or greatly reduced
• anger - a strong feeling of grievance and displeasure
• antagonism - hostility or hatred causing opposition and ill will
• arrogance - the act of feeling or showing self-importance and contempt or disregard for others
• avarice - an unreasonably strong desire t...

• Agita - an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
• Agitated - feeling or appearing troubled or nervous
• Alarm - suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
• Anguish - a state of great suffering of body or mind
• Anxiousness - an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
• Apprehension - suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
• Compunction - a feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows the doing of something bad
• Consternation - feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected
• Disquietude - a state of uneasiness or anxiety

• accusatory - charging of wrong doing
• apathetic - indifferent due to lack of energy or concern
• awe - solemn wonder
• bitter - exhibiting strong animosity as a result of pain or grief
• callous - unfeeling, insensitive to feelings of others
• caustic - intense use of sarcasm; stinging, biting
• choleric - hot-tempered, easily angered
• condescension; condescending - a feeling of superiority
• contemplative - studying, thinking, reflecting on an issue
• contemptuous - showing or feeling that something is worthless or lacks respect
• conventional - lacking spontaneity, originality, and individuality
• critical - finding fault
• cynical - questions the basic sincerity a...

• adenoidal (adj): if someone’s voice is adenoidal, some of the sound seems to come through their nose
• appealing (adj): an appealing look/voice shows that you want help, approval, or agreement
• breathy (adj): with loud breathing noises
• brittle (adj): if you speak in a brittle voice, you sound as if you are about to cry
• croaky (adj): if someone’s voice sounds croaky, they speak in a low, rough voice that sounds as if they have a sore throat
• dead (adj): if someone’s eyes or voice are dead, they feel or show no emotion
• disembodied (adj): a disembodied voice comes from someone who you cannot see
• flat (adj): spoken in a voice that does not go up and down; this word is often use...

• adamant - unyielding; a very hard substance
• adroit - clever, resourceful
• amatory - sexual
• animistic - quality of recurrence or reversion to earlier form
• antic - clownish, frolicsome
• arcadian - serene
• baleful - deadly, foreboding
• bellicose - quarrelsome (its synonym belligerent can also be a noun)
• bilious - unpleasant, peevish
• boorish - crude, insensitive
• calamitous - disastrous
• caustic - corrosive, sarcastic; a corrosive substance
• cerulean - sky blue
• comely - attractive
• concomitant - accompanying
• contumacious - rebellious
• corpulent - obese

• confidante - someone in whom the central character confides, thus revealing the main character’s personality, thoughts, and intentions. The confidante does not need to be a person.
• dynamic character - a character which changes during the course of a story or novel. The change in outlook or character is permanent. Sometimes a dynamic character is called a developing character.
• flat character - a character who reveals only one, maybe two, personality traits in a story or novel, and the trait(s) do not change.
• foil - a character that is used to enhance another character through contrast. Cinderella’s grace and beauty as opposed to her nasty, self-centered stepsisters is one clear illustration of a foil many may recall from childhood.
• round character - a well developed charac...

• Naturalist Intelligence (Nature Smart)

Designates the human ability to discriminate among living things (plants, animals) as well as sensitivity to other features of the natural world (clouds, rock configurations). This ability was clearly of value in our evolutionary past as hunters, gatherers, and farmers; it continues to be central in such roles as botanist or chef. It is also speculated that much of our consumer society exploits the naturalist intelligence, which can be mobilized in the discrimination among cars, sneakers, kinds of makeup, and the like.

• Musical Intelligence (Musical Smart)

Musical intelligence is the capacity to discern pitch, rhythm, timbre, and tone. This intelligence enables us to recognize, create, reproduce, and reflect on music, as demonstrated by composers, conductors...