| berate |
to reproach or scold severely. |
| decedent |
in law, one who has died. |
| despoil |
to forcefully take belongings or goods from; plunder. |
| disaffection |
an absence or loss of good will, faith, or loyalty, especially toward a government, principle, or the like. |
| discomfit |
to upset or confuse. |
| erratic |
not expected or predicted; not regular. |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| festoon |
a decorative chain or strip of ribbons, flowers, leaves, or the like, suspended at the ends and hung in a curve. |
| gird |
to surround, bind, or encircle, as with a belt. |
| innocuous |
not capable of causing damage; harmless. |
| inquest |
a legal investigation, usually involving a jury, especially a coroner's investigation of a suspicious death. |
| pandemic |
a widespread outbreak of disease that afflicts many people over different continents. |
| pedagogy |
the act, process, or profession of teaching. |
| refulgent |
shining brilliantly; radiant. |