| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| disabuse |
to free (a person) from misconception or deception; set straight. |
| disaffection |
an absence or loss of good will, faith, or loyalty, especially toward a government, principle, or the like. |
| distraught |
mentally or emotionally unbalanced; crazed. |
| exceptionable |
likely to be objected to; objectionable. |
| froward |
unwilling to agree or obey; stubborn; perverse. |
| granulate |
to make into small particles or grains. |
| impromptu |
without advance plan or preparation; spontaneously. |
| pathos |
a quality in life or art that evokes pity, sadness, or compassion. |
| periphrasis |
an indirect or roundabout way of phrasing something; circumlocution. |
| perquisite |
a payment or benefit in addition to the wages or salary associated with a position. |
| pleonasm |
a redundant word, phrase, or expression. |
| salvo |
the firing of guns or other firearms simultaneously or in succession, especially as a salute. |
| sententious |
using or marked by pompous, high-flown moralizing. |
| tamp |
to compress and pack tightly by repeated light taps. |