| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| doggerel |
trivial, crudely constructed verse. |
| doyen |
the senior or highest-ranking male member of a group. |
| extirpate |
to get rid of completely, as if by pulling up the roots; root out. |
| guru |
in a cult or religious movement, a spiritual guide or leader, sometimes believed to be divine. |
| immiscible |
not able to be mixed or blended. |
| intransigence |
refusal to alter one's ideas or position in response to the wishes of others. |
| pinchbeck |
false, sham, or counterfeit. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| repose2 |
to put or place (confidence, hope, or the like) in someone or something. |
| savor |
to give an impression; hint (usually followed by "of"). |
| surcingle |
a girth or belt that wraps around the body of a horse to secure a saddle, pack, or the like to its back. |
| veneration |
a feeling of great respect; awe; reverence. |
| vouchsafe |
to grant or give with condescension or as a special favor. |