| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| cyst |
a small pouch within body tissue that is filled with fluid or air. Some cysts are connected with serious disease, but most are not harmful at all. |
| effrontery |
shameless impudence; insolence. |
| extralegal |
not regulated or permitted by law; outside of legal authority. |
| forswear |
to give up or renounce, often with an oath or pledge. |
| hirsute |
covered with hair or stiff hairs; hairy or shaggy. |
| indomitable |
too strong to be subdued or discouraged; unconquerable. |
| jeremiad |
a long complaint about life or one's situation; lamentation. |
| malapropism |
the humorous or ridiculous misuse of a word, especially by using a word that sounds similar to the correct word, but whose meaning is inappropriate. |
| omnibus |
concerning or including a large collection of things. |
| ontogeny |
the process of biological growth and development of a particular living organism. |
| parlous |
full of dangers or risks; perilous. |
| pelf |
money or wealth, usually regarded with disapproval or contempt. |
| reprobate |
an evil or lawless person, often beyond hope of redemption. |
| stridulate |
to produce a shrill grating, creaking, or chirping sound by rubbing certain parts of the body together, as some insects do. |