| alimony |
money that a court orders one member of a divorced couple to pay to the other. |
| brusque |
impolitely abrupt in speech or actions; curt. |
| buttress |
a structure built to give support to the outside of a building or a wall. |
| captious |
inclined to petty criticism; faultfinding. |
| crossfire |
a volley of projectiles, especially gunfire, directed at some central point from two separated positions. |
| hallowed |
considered sacred; venerated. |
| hitherto |
until this time; previously. |
| inopportune |
occurring at an undesirable or unreasonable time. |
| mien |
one's manner or bearing. |
| morass |
something that hinders passage or engulfs an unwary person. |
| possessive |
having a strong desire to own and keep things. |
| rectify |
to put right or correct (a bad situation, injustice, or the like); remedy. |
| seclusion |
the act of isolating or hiding away, or the condition of being isolated in this way. |
| tantamount |
equal to or the same as; equivalent. |
| vagary |
an erratic, unpredictable, or extravagant occurrence, action, or idea; whim. |