| abeyance |
temporary suspension or cessation. |
| acclivity |
a rising slope. |
| adulteration |
the act or process of making worse or impure by adding unnecessary or inferior ingredients. |
| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| belie |
to give a false impression of. |
| cavalier |
carefree and offhand; nonchalant. |
| conclave |
a secret, private, or confidential meeting or gathering. |
| determinism |
the belief or teaching that every effect, including human thoughts and actions, is completely and predictably brought about by preceding causes and that, therefore, free will does not exist. |
| fealty |
faithfulness or loyalty. |
| idyllic |
charmingly simple and natural, as a scene or experience; suggestive of peaceful countryside. |
| imbroglio |
a difficult, confused, or complicated situation, often involving a misunderstanding, disagreement, or quarrel. |
| invidious |
tending to arouse feelings of resentment or animosity, especially because of a slight; offensive or discriminatory. |
| knurled |
having small ridges. |
| modular |
designed with standardized units that may be arranged or connected in a variety of ways. |
| tort |
in law, any civil rather than criminal harm or injury that violates the implicit duty of each citizen not to harm others, and for which one may bring a civil suit and collect compensation. |