| compunction |
uneasiness about the propriety or suitability of an action; qualm. |
| doyen |
the senior or highest-ranking male member of a group. |
| duress |
intimidation or coercion. |
| etiolate |
to weaken, especially through deprivation of normal development. |
| frangible |
easy to break; breakable; fragile. |
| froward |
unwilling to agree or obey; stubborn; perverse. |
| humanism |
a doctrine or mode of thought that gives highest importance to human dignity, values, potentials, and achievements. |
| impromptu |
without advance plan or preparation; spontaneously. |
| incursion |
a raid or sudden invasion. |
| kismet |
destiny, fortune, or fate. |
| lien |
a legal claim on a piece of property when the current owner is in default on a debt or obligation. |
| obviate |
to prevent or eliminate in advance; render unnecessary or irrelevant. |
| recurve |
to bend or curve back or backward, as the ends of certain shooting bows. |
| sanguine |
having an optimistic temperament or outlook. |
| sotto voce |
in a low voice or undertone, so as not to be overheard; softly (often used as a musical direction). |