| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| attune |
to adjust so as to be harmonious. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| daunt |
to lessen the determination of; intimidate; discourage. |
| demarcate |
to set apart or separate, as if with boundaries. |
| epicure |
a person who has cultivated tastes, as in food or wine; connoisseur. |
| impinge |
to encroach. |
| knurled |
having small ridges. |
| malapropism |
the humorous or ridiculous misuse of a word, especially by using a word that sounds similar to the correct word, but whose meaning is inappropriate. |
| malfeasance |
an illegal act or wrongdoing, especially by a public official. |
| mélange |
a mixture, usually of very dissimilar elements. |
| sententious |
using or marked by pompous, high-flown moralizing. |
| stately |
dignified. |
| stentorian |
extremely loud and powerful. |
| topography |
the shape of the earth's surface across an area or region. The topography of an area includes the size and location of hills and dips in the land. |