| astringent |
a substance or drug that contracts body tissue and slows discharge or secretion. |
| collateral |
property or other security put forward to guarantee repayment of a loan. |
| denigrate |
to deny the worth of; sneer at; belittle. |
| diurnal |
occurring or active during, or belonging to, the daytime rather than nighttime. |
| entreat |
to beg for something, or to do something. |
| festoon |
a decorative chain or strip of ribbons, flowers, leaves, or the like, suspended at the ends and hung in a curve. |
| halcyon |
tranquil; peaceful; calm. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| malfeasance |
an illegal act or wrongdoing, especially by a public official. |
| mésalliance |
marriage with someone of lower social standing than oneself. |
| opprobrious |
expressing condemnation or scorn; accusing of shameful behavior. |
| 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. |
| pliant |
easily flexed; supple. |
| Sabbatarian |
one who observes the Sabbath on Saturday, as Jews and certain Christians. |
| woebegone |
displaying or full of distress. |