| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| belabor |
to continue excessive efforts on or excessive discussion of. |
| bereft |
deprived or stripped of something. |
| burgeon |
to start to grow; send forth shoots, leaves, buds, or the like (often followed by "out" or "forth"). |
| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| coddle |
to simmer in water that is almost at the boiling point. |
| collateral |
property or other security put forward to guarantee repayment of a loan. |
| froward |
unwilling to agree or obey; stubborn; perverse. |
| idyllic |
charmingly simple and natural, as a scene or experience; suggestive of peaceful countryside. |
| inanition |
a state of exhaustion caused by a lack of nourishment. |
| incumbent |
currently holding an office or position. |
| irrefragable |
impossible to refute or dispute; undeniable. |
| lachrymose |
weeping, tending to weep readily, or being on the point of tears; tearful. |
| pliant |
easily flexed; supple. |
| syntax |
the word order or pattern of word order in a sentence. |