| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| belie |
to give a false impression of. |
| coddle |
to simmer in water that is almost at the boiling point. |
| compunction |
uneasiness about the propriety or suitability of an action; qualm. |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| facsimile |
an exact copy or duplicate of something printed or of a picture. |
| gamut |
the whole extent or range of anything. |
| indemnity |
insurance against damage, loss, or liability. |
| inquest |
a legal investigation, usually involving a jury, especially a coroner's investigation of a suspicious death. |
| misanthrope |
someone who hates or distrusts humanity. |
| peripatetic |
walking or traveling around; going from place to place; itinerant. |
| preferment |
the act of promoting or being promoted to a higher position or office. |
| pungency |
sharpness or bite in taste or smell. |
| Saturnalia |
an occasion of unrestrained revelry. |
| uxorial |
of, pertaining to, or befitting a wife. |