| apocryphal |
of dubious authorship or authority. |
| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| contumely |
contemptuous insolence; rudeness. |
| demarcate |
to set apart or separate, as if with boundaries. |
| magnum opus |
a great work of art, literature, or music, especially a particular person's masterpiece. |
| noisome |
offensive or disgusting, especially in smell; foul. |
| oblivious |
not conscious or paying attention; unknowing or unaware (usually followed by "to" or "of"). |
| pelf |
money or wealth, usually regarded with disapproval or contempt. |
| phlegmatic |
not given to shows of emotion or interest; slow to excite. |
| proselytize |
to convert or try actively to convert (others) to one's own beliefs or religion. |
| recrudesce |
to become active again or break out anew, as a disease or harmful condition. |
| relict |
a plant, animal, or geological feature that has survived in a considerably changed environment. |
| virago |
a shrewish, domineering woman; nag or scold. |
| vitiate |
to harm the quality of; mar; spoil. |