| amortize |
to deduct (expenditures) by fixed amounts over a period of time. |
| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| cynosure |
a thing or person that is the center of attention and admiration. |
| deterge |
to cleanse, wash, or wipe off. |
| doggerel |
trivial, crudely constructed verse. |
| froward |
unwilling to agree or obey; stubborn; perverse. |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| goad |
something that spurs a person to action; stimulus. |
| harrow |
to go over or break up with a harrow. |
| incursion |
a raid or sudden invasion. |
| lacuna |
a gap or omitted part. |
| limn |
to paint or draw. |
| obviate |
to prevent or eliminate in advance; render unnecessary or irrelevant. |
| recurve |
to bend or curve back or backward, as the ends of certain shooting bows. |
| saturnine |
gloomy, sullen, or cynical in temperament or appearance. |