| abrade |
to rub away by friction; erode. |
| befall |
to happen to. |
| brusque |
impolitely abrupt in speech or actions; curt. |
| courier |
someone who delivers messages, packages, and the like, especially for a government, military organization, or business. |
| diffident |
unsure of oneself; shy; demure. |
| egotistical |
self-centered or selfish. |
| hegemony |
predominance of one country or social group over others by virtue of leadership or influence. |
| incision |
a cut made during surgery. |
| perspicacity |
keenness of mental perception or grasp; astuteness. |
| protégé |
a person under the care or sponsorship of an influential patron. |
| regimen |
a regulated routine of therapy or exercise designed to promote health or fitness. |
| rhetoric |
the art, ability, or study of using language effectively in speech or writing, especially to influence or persuade one's audience. |
| sacrilege |
the violation, profane treatment, or destruction of some place or thing that is considered to be holy. |
| truism |
a self-evident statement; platitude. |
| undercut |
to act so as to lessen the effectiveness or influence of; undermine or thwart. |