| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| apprehensive |
feeling fearful about future events. |
| apropos |
appropriate; relevant; opportune. |
| beatify |
to admire or exalt as superior. |
| benign |
causing little or no harm. |
| diatribe |
a bitter, abusive attack in speech or writing. |
| disaffection |
an absence or loss of good will, faith, or loyalty, especially toward a government, principle, or the like. |
| disingenuous |
not candid or sincere. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| gloaming |
late evening; dusk; twilight. |
| macrocosm |
a large unit or entity that represents on a large scale one of its smaller components. |
| obtrude |
to thrust or force (oneself, one's concerns, or one's opinions) on another or others without being asked. |
| pandemic |
a widespread outbreak of disease that afflicts many people over different continents. |
| penumbra |
an indefinite, borderline area. |
| stridulate |
to produce a shrill grating, creaking, or chirping sound by rubbing certain parts of the body together, as some insects do. |