| baneful |
causing or leading to death, destruction, or ruin; harmful or deadly. |
| cavalier |
carefree and offhand; nonchalant. |
| cyst |
a small pouch within body tissue that is filled with fluid or air. Some cysts are connected with serious disease, but most are not harmful at all. |
| descry |
to see or make out, especially something obscured or at a distance. |
| expostulate |
to argue earnestly with someone, usually against an intended action; remonstrate. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| idyllic |
charmingly simple and natural, as a scene or experience; suggestive of peaceful countryside. |
| inquest |
a legal investigation, usually involving a jury, especially a coroner's investigation of a suspicious death. |
| lorgnette |
eyeglasses, such as opera glasses, that have a short handle by which one holds them in position. |
| louche |
of questionable decency, morality, or taste; shady; disreputable. |
| obtrude |
to thrust or force (oneself, one's concerns, or one's opinions) on another or others without being asked. |
| reconnoiter |
to go through or over (an area) so as to gain information about it, as for military or engineering purposes. |
| refulgent |
shining brilliantly; radiant. |
| Saturnalia |
an occasion of unrestrained revelry. |
| splenetic |
ill-tempered or spiteful. |