| avow |
to assert or affirm. |
| cession |
the act of formally giving up or signing over, as a territory; ceding. |
| daunt |
to lessen the determination of; intimidate; discourage. |
| festoon |
a decorative chain or strip of ribbons, flowers, leaves, or the like, suspended at the ends and hung in a curve. |
| lenitive |
mitigating pain, discomfort, or distress; soothing. |
| luminary |
a famous, important, or inspirational person. |
| modus operandi |
a method of accomplishing something; way of working. |
| nonfeasance |
in law, failure to perform a required duty, as by a public official. |
| penury |
severe poverty; pennilessness. |
| phlegmatic |
not given to shows of emotion or interest; slow to excite. |
| 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. |
| schadenfreude |
(often capitalized) pleasure derived from the misfortune of others. |
| surcingle |
a girth or belt that wraps around the body of a horse to secure a saddle, pack, or the like to its back. |
| tort |
in law, any civil rather than criminal harm or injury that violates the implicit duty of each citizen not to harm others, and for which one may bring a civil suit and collect compensation. |
| untoward |
unexpected and unfortunate. |