| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| bellicose |
easily incited to quarrel or fight; belligerent. |
| calumny |
a harmful statement, known by the maker to be false. |
| cloture |
in U.S. parliamentary procedure, a method of ending debate and causing an immediate vote on the matter being discussed. |
| contumacious |
stubbornly disobedient; insubordinate; rebellious. |
| epicene |
sharing the traits of both sexes. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| etiolate |
to weaken, especially through deprivation of normal development. |
| extempore |
without plan or preparation; impromptu or improvised. |
| halcyon |
tranquil; peaceful; calm. |
| hirsute |
covered with hair or stiff hairs; hairy or shaggy. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| sepsis |
infection, especially by pus-forming bacteria in the blood or tissues. |
| shyster |
a person, usually a lawyer, who uses underhanded, unethical methods. |
| spurn |
to reject, refuse, or treat with scorn; disdain; despise. |