| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| astute |
keen in understanding and judgment; shrewd. |
| atonement |
the act of making reparation for a sin, crime, error, or the like. |
| augury |
the art or practice or an instance of predicting the future or obtaining hidden knowledge by interpreting omens. |
| bereft |
deprived or stripped of something. |
| demulcent |
an oily or sticky substance used especially to soothe irritation in mucous membranes. |
| Draconian |
(often lower case) harshly cruel or rigorous. |
| effete |
marked by excessive refinement or delicateness of taste. |
| extempore |
without plan or preparation; impromptu or improvised. |
| extrinsic |
not inherent or essential; extraneous. |
| imprecation |
a curse, uttered or thought of. |
| insouciant |
having no cares or anxieties; light-hearted; carefree. |
| oppugn |
to oppose, contradict, criticize, or call into question. |
| shyster |
a person, usually a lawyer, who uses underhanded, unethical methods. |
| woebegone |
displaying or full of distress. |