| abasement |
the act of bringing down or the state of being brought down in rank, status, or reputation. |
| aura |
the subtle emanation of a quality or condition of someone or something. |
| censure |
to criticize or condemn. |
| complacent |
too satisfied with oneself or one's situation. |
| counterpoint |
a method of composing or arranging music in which diverse but harmonious melodies are played at the same time. |
| dapple |
to mark or be marked with spots or mottling. |
| fissure |
a narrow crevice or other opening, especially one caused by splitting. |
| infidel |
one who does not believe in or accept a religious faith, especially that of Christianity or Islam. |
| informant |
one who reports or confides what he or she knows to another; source. |
| ornamentation |
decoration; embellishment. |
| precept |
a basic rule, principle, or directive that guides action, moral conduct, or thought. |
| refraction |
the bending of rays or waves of light, heat, sound, or the like when passed obliquely from one medium to another with a different rate of transmission. |
| stratum |
a level in a social hierarchy. |
| undermine |
to gradually, secretly, or imperceptibly weaken and destroy. |
| vapid |
lacking spirit, life, or flavor; dull; uninteresting. |