| apocryphal |
of dubious authorship or authority. |
| atavism |
the recurrence or reappearance of a particular trait, style, attitude, or behavior that seemed to have disappeared, or that which has recurred or reappeared after such an absence. |
| Byzantine |
characterized by complexity and intrigue. |
| dissimulate |
to hide one's true feelings, intentions, or the like by pretense or hypocrisy. |
| flummox |
(informal) to confuse or puzzle. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| gird |
to surround, bind, or encircle, as with a belt. |
| immaculate |
not dirty; completely clean. |
| oppugn |
to oppose, contradict, criticize, or call into question. |
| parlous |
full of dangers or risks; perilous. |
| relict |
a plant, animal, or geological feature that has survived in a considerably changed environment. |
| reprisal |
injury inflicted in retaliation for injury received, as in war; revenge. |
| sanctimony |
a pretense of righteousness or piety; feigned devotion or holiness. |
| scion |
an offspring or heir. |
| stridulate |
to produce a shrill grating, creaking, or chirping sound by rubbing certain parts of the body together, as some insects do. |