| animus |
a feeling or attitude of enmity. |
| astute |
keen in understanding and judgment; shrewd. |
| credulous |
disposed to believe, especially on scanty evidence; gullible. |
| demulcent |
an oily or sticky substance used especially to soothe irritation in mucous membranes. |
| deter |
to stop or discourage from some action by creating doubt or fear. |
| expound |
to discuss or explain in detail (usually followed by "on" or "upon"). |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| hagiography |
an admiring and uncritical biography of anyone. |
| incredulous |
not able to believe something. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| linguistics |
(used with a singular verb) the scientific and historical study of the form and structure of human language. |
| recurve |
to bend or curve back or backward, as the ends of certain shooting bows. |
| solecism |
a gross violation of convention in grammar, etiquette, or the like; impropriety. |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |
| woebegone |
displaying or full of distress. |