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comme ci, comme 5a (KUM SEE KUM SAH) French term for "so-so," or "not one way or the other." When I asked my wife how she felt about the presi­dent following the scandal, she said, "Eh, comme ci, comme qa."

commiserate vb. (kuh MIZ uh RAYT) to feel sorry for or sympathize with another. During funerals, the bereaved commiserate together.

compel vb. (kum PEL) to force; to move one to action. The threat of a speeding ticket compels most people to follow the speed limit.

complacent adj. (kum PLAY sunt) smug and self- satisfied; unworried. Teams who enter into the cham­pionship with a complacent attitude will likely lose.

complicity adj. (kum PLIS i tee) participation in a wrongful act. The accomplice was sentenced for his complicity in the robbery and will spend five years in jail.

compulsion n. (kum PUL shun) a strong force or drive. The kleptomaniac suffers from a compulsion to shoplift.

compulsory adj. (kum PUL suh ree) mandatory; required. Taking an algebra course is compulsory.

compunction n. (kum PUNK shun) the mental dis­comfort caused by conscience. The sociopath kicked his cat but felt little compunction for it.

conceit n. (kun SEET) overblown and unjustified self-esteem; egotism; arrogance. He was so full of conceit, he automatically assumed he was the most intelligent man in the room.

conciliatory adj. (kin SIL ee uh tor ee) friendly and placatory; willing to make amends or give in to achieve peace. When paced with possible criminal charges, the brawlers quickly turned conciliatory.

concise adj. (kun SISE) brief and to the point. When writing a letter of complaint, it pays to be concise.

concur vb. (kun KUR) to agree or arrive at an agreement. The tax cuts proposed by the Republicans made so much sense that the Democrats were forced to concur.

condescend vb. (KON di SEND) to talk down to someone or speak with someone judged as an "infe­rior" in a superior manner. I respect my professor, but sometimes when I disagree with her, she condescends, and I can't stand that.

condone vb. (kun DOHN) to forgive or overlook a wrongdoing. We must never condone the taking of hostages, no matter what the rationale may be.

conducive adj. (kun DOO siv) that which facili­tates, leads to, or helps to bring about. Good nutri­tion is conducive to optimum health.

congenial adj. (kun JEEN yul) friendly, especially when others are compatible and have similar interests and tastes. We all had much in common, which made for a very congenial atmosphere at the dinner table.

congenital adj. (kun JEN i tull) that which exists before or from birth. Sadly, the toddler was found to have a congenital heart defect.