| banal |
lacking originality or liveliness; disappointingly ordinary; commonplace; trite. |
| cachet |
prestige. |
| disquisition |
a formal, often lengthy, oral or written discussion of a subject. |
| ensconce |
to position (oneself) firmly or comfortably. |
| granulate |
to make into small particles or grains. |
| impediment |
an obstacle or hindrance. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| mendicant |
living on charity; begging. |
| modular |
designed with standardized units that may be arranged or connected in a variety of ways. |
| naturalism |
in literature, a method of depicting life that reflects a philosophy of determinism. |
| noisome |
offensive or disgusting, especially in smell; foul. |
| preferment |
the act of promoting or being promoted to a higher position or office. |
| scabrous |
characterized by a rough or scaly surface, as the leaf of a plant. |
| tort |
in law, any civil rather than criminal harm or injury that violates the implicit duty of each citizen not to harm others, and for which one may bring a civil suit and collect compensation. |
| veneration |
a feeling of great respect; awe; reverence. |