| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| coalesce |
to grow together or unite to form a single body or organization; unify; fuse. |
| desideratum |
something that is needed or wanted. |
| effete |
marked by excessive refinement or delicateness of taste. |
| electuary |
a drug mixed with honey, syrup, or the like to form a paste to be smeared on the teeth or gums of a sick animal. |
| epicene |
sharing the traits of both sexes. |
| homily |
any discourse offering moral advice or admonitions. |
| impinge |
to encroach. |
| inanition |
a state of exhaustion caused by a lack of nourishment. |
| ineptitude |
incompetence; lack of skill. |
| maladroit |
not skillful; clumsy; tactless. |
| meretricious |
appealing or attracting in a cheap, showy, or shallow way. |
| recidivism |
chronic return to bad habits, especially criminal relapse. |
| salvo |
the firing of guns or other firearms simultaneously or in succession, especially as a salute. |
| sequester |
to remove into protection and isolation; seclude. |