| descant |
a secondary, usually higher, melody that is played or sung at the same time as the chief melody. |
| euphoria |
a strong feeling of well-being or elation, sometimes unrealistic or unwarranted, and able to be induced by certain drugs. |
| expiation |
the act or the means of making amends, as for a sin or crime. |
| festoon |
a decorative chain or strip of ribbons, flowers, leaves, or the like, suspended at the ends and hung in a curve. |
| imprecation |
a curse, uttered or thought of. |
| impugn |
to call into question; challenge or try to discredit. |
| innocuous |
not capable of causing damage; harmless. |
| insularity |
the condition of being closed to new ideas or outside influences; narrow-mindedness. |
| interdict |
to deter or impede by the steady use of firepower. |
| internecine |
of or pertaining to conflict, discord, or struggle within a group. |
| macerate |
to soften (food or the like) by soaking, as in digestion. |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |
| sylph |
a slender, graceful woman or girl. |
| syntax |
the word order or pattern of word order in a sentence. |
| 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. |