| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| apropos |
appropriate; relevant; opportune. |
| Byzantine |
characterized by complexity and intrigue. |
| declivity |
a downward or descending slope. |
| effete |
marked by excessive refinement or delicateness of taste. |
| gnomic |
short and pithy, as an aphorism. |
| goad |
something that spurs a person to action; stimulus. |
| imprecation |
a curse, uttered or thought of. |
| lapidary |
an expert on or dealer in gemstones. |
| lien |
a legal claim on a piece of property when the current owner is in default on a debt or obligation. |
| naturalism |
in literature, a method of depicting life that reflects a philosophy of determinism. |
| ostentation |
a showy display to impress others. |
| spurn |
to reject, refuse, or treat with scorn; disdain; despise. |
| stipple |
a method of painting, drawing, or engraving by applying small points, dots, or dabs to a surface. |
| woebegone |
displaying or full of distress. |