(YOE-mun), noun
An attendant, servant, or lesser official in a royal or noble household; a petty officer performing chiefly clerical duties in the U.S. Navy; an assistant or other subordinate; a loyal, dependable worker.
en masse (on MASS). As a body or group; together.
Teenage girls seem to move EN MASSE, almost always in a group.
gregarious (grih-GAIR-ee-uss). Very friendly, sociable, outgoing, or cordial; happy in the company of others.
GREGARIOUS individuals are often suspected of having hidden agendas when they are really just being friendly.
cartel (kar-TELL). A group assembled with the objective of establishing mutual control over prices, production, and marketing of goods by the members; a coalition of political figures united for a particular cause.
The oil CARTEL had succeeded in driving world energy prices up significantly.
patronage (PAY-truh-nij). The support, often financial, given by a patron to an artist, organization, or cause; political power to grant privileges or appointments to positions; the regular purchasing of goods from a business or store; support or kindness offered in a condescending way.
To encourage the PATRONAGE of young shoppers, Abercrombie & Fitch was known to hire very attractive salespeople.
servitude (SIR-vuh-tood). State of slavery, of being ruled or dominated; work imposed as punishment.
Being forced to paint the house in order to earn his allowance felt like SERVITUDE to Bart.
sycophant (SIK-uh-fahnt). Someone who flatters a powerful person for personal gain; an ambitious flatterer who tries to improve his status by fawning over those in authority.
Presidents and world leaders should not surround themselves with SYCOPHANTS, for they need to hear critical and realistic views regarding critical issues.
underling (UHN-der-ling). A person with little authority or rank in comparison to the person he serves; subordinate.
The police knew that the crime families were fighting because of all the UNDERLINGS who disappeared.
bureaucracy (byoo-RAH-kruh-see). The concentration of power and authority in administrative bodies; an administrative body; a group of nonelective government officials.
The student government turned into an inefficient BUREAUCRACY, not a group representing the interests of its constituents.
emancipate (ih-MAN-sih-payt). To free or liberate from slavery, restraint, oppression, or bondage.
Many young people feel that an eighteenth birthday has the power to EMANCIPATE them from their parents’ rules.
pariah (puh-RYE-uh). An outcast; one who is shunned, avoided, or despised.
After his firing, Milton had the nerve to show up unannounced at the company picnic, then seemed surprised when he was treated as a PARIAH.