| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| contumely |
contemptuous insolence; rudeness. |
| daunt |
to lessen the determination of; intimidate; discourage. |
| exegesis |
a critical explanation or interpretive analysis, especially of religious texts. |
| exponent |
one that expounds or interprets. |
| idiosyncrasy |
a characteristic of temperament, habit, or physical structure particular to a given individual or group; peculiarity. |
| idyllic |
charmingly simple and natural, as a scene or experience; suggestive of peaceful countryside. |
| imbricate |
overlapping in an even sequence, as roof tiles or fish scales. |
| insouciant |
having no cares or anxieties; light-hearted; carefree. |
| ligature |
a band or tie. |
| liminal |
of or at the threshold of a physiological or psychological response or change of state. |
| macrocosm |
a large unit or entity that represents on a large scale one of its smaller components. |
| ontogeny |
the process of biological growth and development of a particular living organism. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| unscathed |
not hurt or harmed; completely uninjured. |