| augury |
the art or practice or an instance of predicting the future or obtaining hidden knowledge by interpreting omens. |
| cession |
the act of formally giving up or signing over, as a territory; ceding. |
| epistemology |
the branch of philosophy dealing with the origin, nature, and limits of human knowledge. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| immiscible |
not able to be mixed or blended. |
| imprimatur |
any official permission or sanction. |
| impugn |
to call into question; challenge or try to discredit. |
| intelligentsia |
the elite class of highly learned people within a society, or those who consider themselves part of such a class. |
| mendicant |
living on charity; begging. |
| modus operandi |
a method of accomplishing something; way of working. |
| oligarchy |
a government or state in which only a relatively few people or members of a family have real power. |
| reprise |
repetition of a musical phrase or theme in an identical or slightly altered way. |
| sepsis |
infection, especially by pus-forming bacteria in the blood or tissues. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |
| shyster |
a person, usually a lawyer, who uses underhanded, unethical methods. |