| acclivity |
a rising slope. |
| amity |
friendly and peaceful relations; good will. |
| caparison |
decorative trappings to cover a horse's saddle or harness. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| descant |
a secondary, usually higher, melody that is played or sung at the same time as the chief melody. |
| diurnal |
occurring or active during, or belonging to, the daytime rather than nighttime. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| etiolate |
to weaken, especially through deprivation of normal development. |
| expostulate |
to argue earnestly with someone, usually against an intended action; remonstrate. |
| festoon |
a decorative chain or strip of ribbons, flowers, leaves, or the like, suspended at the ends and hung in a curve. |
| guttural |
articulated in the back of the mouth; velar. |
| heterodox |
deviating from an officially approved belief or doctrine, especially in religion. |
| hypocrisy |
the practice or an instance of stating or pretending to hold beliefs or principles that one does not actually live by; insincerity. |
| nonplus |
to cause (someone) to be unable to think of what to say, do, or decide; perplex; bewilder. |
| uxorial |
of, pertaining to, or befitting a wife. |