cabal n : persons united in intrigue
cachet n :letter seal, mark of prestige, design
cacophony n :harsh/inharmonious sound
cadre n :specialized group to train/lead others
canard n :false/made up story; hoax
capacious a :capable of containing much; large; wide; spacious
caste n :rigid or exclusive social class
cause celebre n :legal case/controversy attracting attention
ca va ?Fr :how are you?
cavalier n :a courtly gentlemen; free & easy; haughty; disdainful
caveat n :legal notice to stop proceedings; warning/caution
caveat emptor n :buyer beware
caveat lector foreign : let the reader beware
certiorari n :a writ of superior court to call records of an inferior court
charade n :word/phrase depicted; guessing game
chicanery n :trickery/deception to gain advantage
chimeric a :unreal, imaginary; wildlly fanciful
chutzpah n :gall, impudence
circumlocution n :use of more words than necessary to express an idea
claque n :group paid to applaud, shills, sycophants
coalesce v.i. :unite, fuse, combine, blend
coda n :concluding part of musical/literary work; summary
cognitive a :knowledge; observation
cognoscenti(e) n :person esp. knowledgeble in a subject; connoisseur
colloquial a :peculiar to the language
color dujour Fr : color trends/designs
comity n :courtesy; civility
compendium n :summary/abridgement of larger work/knowledge
compunction n :regret for wrongdoing/actions; a qualm
conclave n :individuals w/special power/influence; secret assembly
conflation n :blend/fusion; composite reading/text
confluence n :meeting/flowing together; gathering together
contentious a :argumentative; strife; competition; dispute
continuum n :continuous; homogeneous
conundrum n :riddle that involves play on words, puzzle
consonant a :harmonious; in agreement; speech sound
convocation n : number of persons meet in answer to summons
copse n :a wood of small trees; brush wood
corollary n :inference, natural consequence/result
cosset v.t.:to treat as a pet; pamper
coterie n :friends that share interests, clique
coup d'etat Fr : forcible takeover of government
'coup de grace' n :stroke of mercy, death to avoid agony
couture n :clothes designed/created; fashionable; sold
creche n :representation of the Nativity scene
creme de la femme Fr :cream of the females
cretin n :stupid/vulgar or insensitive person
cri de coeur n :cry from the heart, appeal/protest
cronyism n :appointment of cronies
crudite a : imperfect, lack of culture, tact
cudgel n :short, thick stick/club; to beat
cui bono :also; usefulness in estimating value of an amount
culpable a :blamable, immoral; defines a person''s conduct
cunneiform a :wedge-shaped, cunneiform letters/writing
cursory a :rapidly done, hasty, superficial