| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| assail |
to attack with vigor or violence; assault. |
| coddle |
to simmer in water that is almost at the boiling point. |
| disingenuous |
not candid or sincere. |
| ersatz |
serving as a substitute, especially when of inferior quality. |
| homily |
any discourse offering moral advice or admonitions. |
| hypocrisy |
the practice or an instance of stating or pretending to hold beliefs or principles that one does not actually live by; insincerity. |
| inadvertent |
not planned or intended; unintentional. |
| intersperse |
to place or scatter among other things. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| malinger |
to pretend illness or injury, especially in order to be excused from duty or work. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| pedantic |
making or characterized by an excessive display of learnedness, or overly insistent on scholarly details and formalities. |
| pronate |
to turn or rotate (the hand or forearm) so that the palm of the hand faces down or backwards. |
| proselytize |
to convert or try actively to convert (others) to one's own beliefs or religion. |