| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| assuage |
to make less severe or more bearable; alleviate. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| determinism |
the belief or teaching that every effect, including human thoughts and actions, is completely and predictably brought about by preceding causes and that, therefore, free will does not exist. |
| fungible |
interchangeable. |
| gird |
to surround, bind, or encircle, as with a belt. |
| guttural |
articulated in the back of the mouth; velar. |
| heinous |
extremely wicked or despicable; atrocious. |
| kibbutz |
an Israeli farming settlement whose ownership is shared by those who live and work there. |
| kismet |
destiny, fortune, or fate. |
| maladroit |
not skillful; clumsy; tactless. |
| oblique |
not direct or straightforward in intent, means, or achievement; indirect or devious. |
| obtrusive |
aggressive and self-assertive, or inclined to be so. |
| seminal |
of critical importance; essential. |
| virago |
a shrewish, domineering woman; nag or scold. |