| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| collateral |
property or other security put forward to guarantee repayment of a loan. |
| contumely |
contemptuous insolence; rudeness. |
| deter |
to stop or discourage from some action by creating doubt or fear. |
| disallow |
to refuse to allow or admit; reject. |
| divergence |
the act of separating and moving or leading in different directions. |
| expiation |
the act or the means of making amends, as for a sin or crime. |
| expound |
to discuss or explain in detail (usually followed by "on" or "upon"). |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| extrude |
to force out; expel. |
| imbricate |
overlapping in an even sequence, as roof tiles or fish scales. |
| insinuate |
to suggest (something derogatory) subtly and indirectly. |
| intersperse |
to place or scatter among other things. |
| irrefragable |
impossible to refute or dispute; undeniable. |
| pungent |
sharp and strong in taste or smell. |