| abut |
to adjoin or press against; be next to; border on. |
| credulous |
disposed to believe, especially on scanty evidence; gullible. |
| debouch |
to advance out of a confined or narrow space such as a canyon into open country. |
| erudite |
having or showing a high level of scholarly knowledge; learned. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| 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. |
| imprecation |
a curse, uttered or thought of. |
| lien |
a legal claim on a piece of property when the current owner is in default on a debt or obligation. |
| misanthrope |
someone who hates or distrusts humanity. |
| nonplus |
to cause (someone) to be unable to think of what to say, do, or decide; perplex; bewilder. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| quiescence |
a state of inaction, rest, or stillness; dormancy. |
| solecism |
a gross violation of convention in grammar, etiquette, or the like; impropriety. |
| symbiosis |
a close association, usually a mutually beneficial relationship, between two dissimilar organisms. |