| abut |
to adjoin or press against; be next to; border on. |
| astringent |
a substance or drug that contracts body tissue and slows discharge or secretion. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| declivity |
a downward or descending slope. |
| desideratum |
something that is needed or wanted. |
| determinism |
the belief or teaching that every effect, including human thoughts and actions, is completely and predictably brought about by preceding causes and that, therefore, free will does not exist. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| extirpate |
to get rid of completely, as if by pulling up the roots; root out. |
| immaculate |
not dirty; completely clean. |
| indemnity |
insurance against damage, loss, or liability. |
| 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. |
| modular |
designed with standardized units that may be arranged or connected in a variety of ways. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| sartorial |
of or pertaining to tailors or tailored clothing, especially men's clothing. |
| virago |
a shrewish, domineering woman; nag or scold. |