| atonement |
the act of making reparation for a sin, crime, error, or the like. |
| cachet |
prestige. |
| cognoscente |
someone who has exceptional knowledge in a given area, especially of fashion, literature, or the fine arts; connoisseur. |
| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| decedent |
in law, one who has died. |
| foment |
to encourage the development of; instigate or foster. |
| impermeable |
not permitting passage or penetration. |
| lapidary |
an expert on or dealer in gemstones. |
| meretricious |
appealing or attracting in a cheap, showy, or shallow way. |
| obscurantism |
a deliberate lack of clarity or directness of expression, as in certain styles of art or literature. |
| quiescence |
a state of inaction, rest, or stillness; dormancy. |
| reprobate |
an evil or lawless person, often beyond hope of redemption. |
| spurn |
to reject, refuse, or treat with scorn; disdain; despise. |
| stately |
dignified. |
| sylph |
a slender, graceful woman or girl. |