| attune |
to adjust so as to be harmonious. |
| belie |
to give a false impression of. |
| berate |
to reproach or scold severely. |
| canny |
difficult to fool or take advantage of; shrewd; wary; clever. |
| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| highbrow |
one who has or pretends to have highly sophisticated intellectual and cultural interests and tastes (often used disparagingly). |
| impediment |
an obstacle or hindrance. |
| macerate |
to soften (food or the like) by soaking, as in digestion. |
| pelf |
money or wealth, usually regarded with disapproval or contempt. |
| redoubtable |
inspiring fear; formidable. |
| transpose |
to exchange the position or order of (two things). |
| truculent |
extremely hostile or belligerent; inclined to fight. |
| tyro |
one who is beginning to learn a business, trade, sport, or the like; novice; neophyte. |