| contumely |
contemptuous insolence; rudeness. |
| deter |
to stop or discourage from some action by creating doubt or fear. |
| dissemble |
to disguise or hide behind a false semblance; conceal the true nature or state of. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| equivocal |
having at least two plausible alternative meanings, often intentionally so in order to deceive or avoid commitment; ambiguous. |
| eulogy |
a spoken or written tribute, especially to honor a dead person; high praise; formal commendation. |
| garble |
to mix up, distort, or confuse (a message, translation, or the like); cause to be disordered or unintelligible. |
| hirsute |
covered with hair or stiff hairs; hairy or shaggy. |
| 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. |
| mélange |
a mixture, usually of very dissimilar elements. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| purvey |
to supply or provide (especially food, drink, or other provisions). |
| salvo |
the firing of guns or other firearms simultaneously or in succession, especially as a salute. |
| shunt |
to turn or move aside or out of the way; divert. |
| surcingle |
a girth or belt that wraps around the body of a horse to secure a saddle, pack, or the like to its back. |