| austere |
having only what is needed; very simple or plain. |
| centripetal |
forced or moving inward toward a center point or axis. |
| consternation |
surprise and alarm, leading to panic, deep disappointment, or total confusion. |
| corollary |
a readily drawn conclusion; deduction or inference. |
| eulogy |
a spoken or written tribute, especially to honor a dead person; high praise; formal commendation. |
| foment |
to encourage the development of; instigate or foster. |
| garble |
to mix up, distort, or confuse (a message, translation, or the like); cause to be disordered or unintelligible. |
| imbricate |
overlapping in an even sequence, as roof tiles or fish scales. |
| inquest |
a legal investigation, usually involving a jury, especially a coroner's investigation of a suspicious death. |
| liminal |
of or at the threshold of a physiological or psychological response or change of state. |
| mendicant |
living on charity; begging. |
| nostrum |
a favorite but unproven scheme or theory, offered as a remedy for social or political problems; panacea. |
| peremptory |
not permitting refusal or disobedience. |
| pneumatic |
of, using, or concerning air or other gases. |
| tamp |
to compress and pack tightly by repeated light taps. |