| affidavit |
a written statement that is sworn in the presence of an authorized official to be true, used as legal evidence. |
| assail |
to attack with vigor or violence; assault. |
| cynosure |
a thing or person that is the center of attention and admiration. |
| eulogy |
a spoken or written tribute, especially to honor a dead person; high praise; formal commendation. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| facsimile |
an exact copy or duplicate of something printed or of a picture. |
| forswear |
to give up or renounce, often with an oath or pledge. |
| gnomic |
short and pithy, as an aphorism. |
| hagiography |
an admiring and uncritical biography of anyone. |
| heterodox |
deviating from an officially approved belief or doctrine, especially in religion. |
| intelligentsia |
the elite class of highly learned people within a society, or those who consider themselves part of such a class. |
| modus operandi |
a method of accomplishing something; way of working. |
| quadrant |
any of the four parts that result when an area is divided by two lines, real or imaginary, that intersect each other at right angles. |
| recant |
to withdraw from commitment to (a former position or statement), especially publicly; retract. |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |