| apprise |
to inform (often followed by "of"). |
| astute |
keen in understanding and judgment; shrewd. |
| condone |
to pardon, disregard, or overlook voluntarily or without condemning. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| hagiography |
an admiring and uncritical biography of anyone. |
| hirsute |
covered with hair or stiff hairs; hairy or shaggy. |
| homily |
any discourse offering moral advice or admonitions. |
| impute |
to ascribe or attribute to a source or cause. |
| incursion |
a raid or sudden invasion. |
| otiose |
having no purpose or use; unnecessary or futile. |
| pinchbeck |
false, sham, or counterfeit. |
| revetment |
a facing of stone, masonry, or the like to support or protect a wall, embankment, or mound of earth. |
| sotto voce |
in a low voice or undertone, so as not to be overheard; softly (often used as a musical direction). |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |
| travesty |
something so grotesque or inferior as to seem a parody. |