| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| astringent |
a substance or drug that contracts body tissue and slows discharge or secretion. |
| belie |
to give a false impression of. |
| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| discountenance |
to embarrass or disconcert. |
| diurnal |
occurring or active during, or belonging to, the daytime rather than nighttime. |
| doggerel |
trivial, crudely constructed verse. |
| engender |
to create or give rise to. |
| impugn |
to call into question; challenge or try to discredit. |
| indolence |
the tendency to avoid exertion or effort; laziness. |
| obfuscate |
to make (something) seem or be difficult to understand; obscure or darken. |
| ostentation |
a showy display to impress others. |
| parlous |
full of dangers or risks; perilous. |
| pneumatic |
of, using, or concerning air or other gases. |
| refulgent |
shining brilliantly; radiant. |