| convoluted |
complex; intricate. |
| decedent |
in law, one who has died. |
| descant |
a secondary, usually higher, melody that is played or sung at the same time as the chief melody. |
| despoil |
to forcefully take belongings or goods from; plunder. |
| 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. |
| feckless |
weak or incompetent; ineffective. |
| flummox |
(informal) to confuse or puzzle. |
| interdict |
to deter or impede by the steady use of firepower. |
| modus operandi |
a method of accomplishing something; way of working. |
| peroration |
the concluding part of a speech in which there is a summing up of the principal points. |
| prerogative |
an exclusive right or privilege derived from one's office, position, age, citizenship, birth, or the like. |
| redoubtable |
inspiring fear; formidable. |
| repine |
to express or feel unhappiness; complain; fret. |
| revetment |
a facing of stone, masonry, or the like to support or protect a wall, embankment, or mound of earth. |
| tamp |
to compress and pack tightly by repeated light taps. |