| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| argot |
the vocabulary or jargon characteristic of a specific group or class, especially of criminals. |
| disheveled |
not neat; messy. |
| effrontery |
shameless impudence; insolence. |
| encomium |
a formal expression of praise. |
| flummox |
(informal) to confuse or puzzle. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| idiosyncrasy |
a characteristic of temperament, habit, or physical structure particular to a given individual or group; peculiarity. |
| interdict |
to deter or impede by the steady use of firepower. |
| invidious |
tending to arouse feelings of resentment or animosity, especially because of a slight; offensive or discriminatory. |
| limn |
to paint or draw. |
| malinger |
to pretend illness or injury, especially in order to be excused from duty or work. |
| nonplus |
to cause (someone) to be unable to think of what to say, do, or decide; perplex; bewilder. |
| pleonasm |
a redundant word, phrase, or expression. |
| woebegone |
displaying or full of distress. |