| accretion |
the process of gradual increase or growth, especially by additions from the outside. |
| apropos |
appropriate; relevant; opportune. |
| calumny |
a harmful statement, known by the maker to be false. |
| debauch |
to lead or seduce into immorality or intemperance; corrupt. |
| elide |
to leave out or slur, as a syllable or letter, in pronunciation. |
| expatiate |
to discuss something at great length; describe in great detail. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| guru |
in a cult or religious movement, a spiritual guide or leader, sometimes believed to be divine. |
| inflection |
change that occurs in the form of words to show a grammatical characteristic such as the tense of a verb, the number of a noun, or the degree of an adjective or adverb. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| minatory |
presenting a threat; menacing. |
| refulgent |
shining brilliantly; radiant. |
| requite |
to retaliate for; strike back on account of. |
| stipple |
a method of painting, drawing, or engraving by applying small points, dots, or dabs to a surface. |
| stochastic |
of, or arising from chance or probability. |