| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| apocryphal |
of dubious authorship or authority. |
| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| avow |
to assert or affirm. |
| bathos |
a sudden descent from an exalted style or esteemed state to the commonplace. |
| boorish |
rude; ill-mannered; crude. |
| chary |
not dispensing freely. |
| disaffection |
an absence or loss of good will, faith, or loyalty, especially toward a government, principle, or the like. |
| lapidary |
an expert on or dealer in gemstones. |
| laudatory |
expressing praise. |
| malfeasance |
an illegal act or wrongdoing, especially by a public official. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| nostrum |
a favorite but unproven scheme or theory, offered as a remedy for social or political problems; panacea. |
| pathos |
a quality in life or art that evokes pity, sadness, or compassion. |
| peripatetic |
walking or traveling around; going from place to place; itinerant. |