| avow |
to assert or affirm. |
| cession |
the act of formally giving up or signing over, as a territory; ceding. |
| conclave |
a secret, private, or confidential meeting or gathering. |
| dawdle |
to waste time; be slow. |
| epicene |
sharing the traits of both sexes. |
| flange |
a collar or rim that projects from a pipe, housing, or the like to provide strength, stability, or a place for attaching other parts. |
| flummox |
(informal) to confuse or puzzle. |
| hackneyed |
made trite or commonplace by overuse, as an expression or phrase. |
| mésalliance |
marriage with someone of lower social standing than oneself. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| purvey |
to supply or provide (especially food, drink, or other provisions). |
| sanguine |
having an optimistic temperament or outlook. |
| seminal |
of critical importance; essential. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |
| topography |
the shape of the earth's surface across an area or region. The topography of an area includes the size and location of hills and dips in the land. |