| adamantine |
firmly decided or fixed; unyielding. |
| adulteration |
the act or process of making worse or impure by adding unnecessary or inferior ingredients. |
| aplomb |
great self-confidence, composure, or poise. |
| chary |
not dispensing freely. |
| extrinsic |
not inherent or essential; extraneous. |
| gloaming |
late evening; dusk; twilight. |
| homily |
any discourse offering moral advice or admonitions. |
| immaculate |
not dirty; completely clean. |
| oblique |
not direct or straightforward in intent, means, or achievement; indirect or devious. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| recurve |
to bend or curve back or backward, as the ends of certain shooting bows. |
| reprise |
repetition of a musical phrase or theme in an identical or slightly altered way. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |
| sotto voce |
in a low voice or undertone, so as not to be overheard; softly (often used as a musical direction). |
| veneration |
a feeling of great respect; awe; reverence. |