| animus |
a feeling or attitude of enmity. |
| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| cachet |
prestige. |
| garble |
to mix up, distort, or confuse (a message, translation, or the like); cause to be disordered or unintelligible. |
| linguistics |
(used with a singular verb) the scientific and historical study of the form and structure of human language. |
| lorgnette |
eyeglasses, such as opera glasses, that have a short handle by which one holds them in position. |
| lugubrious |
sad or mournful, especially in an exaggerated way; gloomy. |
| mésalliance |
marriage with someone of lower social standing than oneself. |
| oppugn |
to oppose, contradict, criticize, or call into question. |
| paroxysm |
a sudden strong outburst of feelings or actions. |
| parsimonious |
excessively frugal; stingy. |
| pungent |
sharp and strong in taste or smell. |
| reprisal |
injury inflicted in retaliation for injury received, as in war; revenge. |
| stochastic |
of, or arising from chance or probability. |
| tamp |
to compress and pack tightly by repeated light taps. |