| acclivity |
a rising slope. |
| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| coeval |
coinciding in time of origin or existence; contemporary. |
| epistolary |
established or continued through letters. |
| extempore |
without plan or preparation; impromptu or improvised. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| forswear |
to give up or renounce, often with an oath or pledge. |
| idyllic |
charmingly simple and natural, as a scene or experience; suggestive of peaceful countryside. |
| inanition |
a state of exhaustion caused by a lack of nourishment. |
| inquest |
a legal investigation, usually involving a jury, especially a coroner's investigation of a suspicious death. |
| kibbutz |
an Israeli farming settlement whose ownership is shared by those who live and work there. |
| obviate |
to prevent or eliminate in advance; render unnecessary or irrelevant. |
| parlance |
manner of speaking or writing, especially word choice; vernacular. |
| precursory |
coming before and serving to indicate what will follow; premonitory. |
| scion |
an offspring or heir. |