(adj., part.) balanced, suspended; calm, controlled; ready for action

A sense of ___________ humor is if you are to cope with all the strains and difficulties of everyday life.

Although the legislators have done nothing to further the passage of the bill, they haven’t tried to ___________ the process either.

Although we arrived at the stadium only a few minutes before the game, we found that many good seats were still __________ .

Though the habit of taking a ____________ siesta in the afternoon may seem strange to a foreigner, it is quite in this part of the world.

(adj.) absolutely necessary, not to be neglected

(n.) a piece of burning wood; a troublemaker; an extremely energetic or emotional person

The guidance counselor tried to ___________ me from taking the job because she thought the work would be too high-pressure for me.

(v.) to delay; to stop or prevent from happening

It took the authorities quite some time to put down the riot that a few rash _________ had managed to start.

Eventually, the army toppled the country’s democratic ____________ and set up a military dictatorship in its place.