| appose |
to place next to or side by side; juxtapose. |
| calumny |
a harmful statement, known by the maker to be false. |
| declivity |
a downward or descending slope. |
| desiccate |
to remove the moisture in (food) so as to preserve it. |
| discomfit |
to upset or confuse. |
| disquisition |
a formal, often lengthy, oral or written discussion of a subject. |
| foment |
to encourage the development of; instigate or foster. |
| gird |
to surround, bind, or encircle, as with a belt. |
| highbrow |
one who has or pretends to have highly sophisticated intellectual and cultural interests and tastes (often used disparagingly). |
| incredulous |
not able to believe something. |
| lapidary |
an expert on or dealer in gemstones. |
| luminary |
a famous, important, or inspirational person. |
| quondam |
having been in the past; former. |
| sepsis |
infection, especially by pus-forming bacteria in the blood or tissues. |
| unadulterated |
unmixed with or undiluted by additives or extraneous elements; pure; complete. |