to feel to be none the wiser	not to be wiser
shortcomings	limitations, small drawbacks, faults
to spur	to strongly encourage
acumen	sharpness of one's mind
regimen	a set of rules
to exonerate	to free sb of guilt
a proxy	sb that is an authority and represents you
scant	hardly enough, limited
to languish	to exist/ to lack vitality
to dissipate	to cause to vanish
pernicious	harmful, detrimental
to linger	to remain/ to hesitate/ ot be reluctant
to germinate	to cause to start growing
undergrowth	small trees, bushes growing closely on the ground
to subvert	to destroy the authority of the system, to corrupt
to belong to a mainstream	not to be a hipster
to cloak	to hide, to cover
chunky	(of a man) stocky and rather short, well-built
to deem	to consider
unwittingly	unintentionally
to strike a chord with sb	to say sth that other people identify with
a forerunner	sth/sb that is the first in its kind/introduces sth
amicable	friendly
feud	quarrel thet takes long and is never forgotten