| abash |
to cause to feel embarrassed, uneasy, or ashamed. |
| argot |
the vocabulary or jargon characteristic of a specific group or class, especially of criminals. |
| askance |
with distrust or suspicion. |
| augury |
the art or practice or an instance of predicting the future or obtaining hidden knowledge by interpreting omens. |
| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| Byzantine |
characterized by complexity and intrigue. |
| centripetal |
forced or moving inward toward a center point or axis. |
| epicure |
a person who has cultivated tastes, as in food or wine; connoisseur. |
| germane |
having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant. |
| immiscible |
not able to be mixed or blended. |
| intelligentsia |
the elite class of highly learned people within a society, or those who consider themselves part of such a class. |
| intransigence |
refusal to alter one's ideas or position in response to the wishes of others. |
| neophyte |
a beginner or novice at any activity. |
| oblivious |
not conscious or paying attention; unknowing or unaware (usually followed by "to" or "of"). |
| obscurantism |
a deliberate lack of clarity or directness of expression, as in certain styles of art or literature. |