| asperity |
harshness or roughness, especially of tone or manner. |
| attenuate |
to cause to be thin, rarefied, or fine. |
| bellicose |
easily incited to quarrel or fight; belligerent. |
| deposition |
a sworn statement, usually in writing, for use as testimony by an absent witness in a court of law. |
| disquisition |
a formal, often lengthy, oral or written discussion of a subject. |
| epicene |
sharing the traits of both sexes. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| jeremiad |
a long complaint about life or one's situation; lamentation. |
| macerate |
to soften (food or the like) by soaking, as in digestion. |
| parlance |
manner of speaking or writing, especially word choice; vernacular. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| pneumatic |
of, using, or concerning air or other gases. |
| savor |
to give an impression; hint (usually followed by "of"). |
| sepsis |
infection, especially by pus-forming bacteria in the blood or tissues. |
| unabashed |
not feeling or showing embarrassment, uneasiness, or shame. |