| aberration |
a deviation from what is considered normal or right; irregularity. |
| abide |
to put up with; stand. |
| apotheosis |
a perfect or ideal example; epitome. |
| centripetal |
forced or moving inward toward a center point or axis. |
| dearth |
a shortage or scarcity of something; lack. |
| descant |
a secondary, usually higher, melody that is played or sung at the same time as the chief melody. |
| feckless |
weak or incompetent; ineffective. |
| noisome |
offensive or disgusting, especially in smell; foul. |
| obscurantism |
a deliberate lack of clarity or directness of expression, as in certain styles of art or literature. |
| pinchbeck |
false, sham, or counterfeit. |
| quadrant |
any of the four parts that result when an area is divided by two lines, real or imaginary, that intersect each other at right angles. |
| raffish |
carelessly unconventional or disreputable, sometimes appealingly so. |
| recessional |
a piece of music that accompanies the exit of participants in a program or religious ceremony. |
| reconnaissance |
the act or process of examining an area, especially to gain militarily useful information. |
| virago |
a shrewish, domineering woman; nag or scold. |