| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| assail |
to attack with vigor or violence; assault. |
| asterisk |
a sign (*). It is used to show that there is other information on the page that explains the information where the sign is placed. |
| disinter |
to dig up or remove from a place of burial; exhume. |
| ensconce |
to position (oneself) firmly or comfortably. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| fledge |
to grow flight feathers. |
| gnomic |
short and pithy, as an aphorism. |
| incredulous |
not able to believe something. |
| insouciant |
having no cares or anxieties; light-hearted; carefree. |
| pandemic |
a widespread outbreak of disease that afflicts many people over different continents. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| reconnoiter |
to go through or over (an area) so as to gain information about it, as for military or engineering purposes. |
| schadenfreude |
(often capitalized) pleasure derived from the misfortune of others. |
| topography |
the shape of the earth's surface across an area or region. The topography of an area includes the size and location of hills and dips in the land. |