| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| bereft |
deprived or stripped of something. |
| bilge |
the rounded part of a ship's hull between the bottom and the sides. |
| cognomen |
a last name; surname. |
| compunction |
uneasiness about the propriety or suitability of an action; qualm. |
| demotic |
of or relating to the common people; popular. |
| doggerel |
trivial, crudely constructed verse. |
| Draconian |
(often lower case) harshly cruel or rigorous. |
| expound |
to discuss or explain in detail (usually followed by "on" or "upon"). |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| gossamer |
delicately fine, gauzelike, or filmy. |
| impromptu |
without advance plan or preparation; spontaneously. |
| lacuna |
a gap or omitted part. |
| mahatma |
(sometimes capitalized) in Buddhism and theosophy, any of a class of persons revered for their wisdom and love of humanity. |
| tyro |
one who is beginning to learn a business, trade, sport, or the like; novice; neophyte. |