| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| atavism |
the recurrence or reappearance of a particular trait, style, attitude, or behavior that seemed to have disappeared, or that which has recurred or reappeared after such an absence. |
| atonement |
the act of making reparation for a sin, crime, error, or the like. |
| cachet |
prestige. |
| discomfit |
to upset or confuse. |
| élan |
enthusiasm or vigor. |
| exponent |
one that expounds or interprets. |
| fixation |
an obsession, especially one that interferes with normal functioning. |
| ingenuous |
having or showing simplicity and lack of sophistication; artless. |
| insipid |
having a bland or uninteresting flavor; tasteless. |
| kibbutz |
an Israeli farming settlement whose ownership is shared by those who live and work there. |
| magnum opus |
a great work of art, literature, or music, especially a particular person's masterpiece. |
| meretricious |
appealing or attracting in a cheap, showy, or shallow way. |
| raffish |
carelessly unconventional or disreputable, sometimes appealingly so. |
| vouchsafe |
to grant or give with condescension or as a special favor. |