| austere |
having only what is needed; very simple or plain. |
| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| credulous |
disposed to believe, especially on scanty evidence; gullible. |
| deterge |
to cleanse, wash, or wipe off. |
| effluvium |
an outflow of usually invisible, foul-smelling vapor or gas. |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| imprimatur |
any official permission or sanction. |
| lambent |
glowing softly. |
| occlude |
to close or obstruct (a passage or opening, one's vision, or the like). |
| pliant |
easily flexed; supple. |
| solipsism |
the self-centered habit of interpreting and judging all things exclusively according to one's own concepts of meaning and value. |
| stridulate |
to produce a shrill grating, creaking, or chirping sound by rubbing certain parts of the body together, as some insects do. |
| unabashed |
not feeling or showing embarrassment, uneasiness, or shame. |
| untoward |
unexpected and unfortunate. |