| cloture |
in U.S. parliamentary procedure, a method of ending debate and causing an immediate vote on the matter being discussed. |
| conjoin |
to combine for a common purpose. |
| demulcent |
an oily or sticky substance used especially to soothe irritation in mucous membranes. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| gird |
to surround, bind, or encircle, as with a belt. |
| hackneyed |
made trite or commonplace by overuse, as an expression or phrase. |
| intelligentsia |
the elite class of highly learned people within a society, or those who consider themselves part of such a class. |
| limn |
to paint or draw. |
| nostrum |
a favorite but unproven scheme or theory, offered as a remedy for social or political problems; panacea. |
| prolix |
wordy and boringly long. |
| pungency |
sharpness or bite in taste or smell. |
| reprise |
repetition of a musical phrase or theme in an identical or slightly altered way. |
| stative |
in grammar, of or designating a category of verbs that express state or condition. |
| vouchsafe |
to grant or give with condescension or as a special favor. |