| burgeon |
to start to grow; send forth shoots, leaves, buds, or the like (often followed by "out" or "forth"). |
| dissemble |
to disguise or hide behind a false semblance; conceal the true nature or state of. |
| encomium |
a formal expression of praise. |
| epistolary |
established or continued through letters. |
| expiation |
the act or the means of making amends, as for a sin or crime. |
| hirsute |
covered with hair or stiff hairs; hairy or shaggy. |
| inquest |
a legal investigation, usually involving a jury, especially a coroner's investigation of a suspicious death. |
| insipid |
having a bland or uninteresting flavor; tasteless. |
| lorgnette |
eyeglasses, such as opera glasses, that have a short handle by which one holds them in position. |
| panegyric |
a formal speech or piece of writing devoted to publicly praising a person or thing. |
| pedantic |
making or characterized by an excessive display of learnedness, or overly insistent on scholarly details and formalities. |
| pliant |
easily flexed; supple. |
| pungent |
sharp and strong in taste or smell. |
| recidivism |
chronic return to bad habits, especially criminal relapse. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |