| abut |
to adjoin or press against; be next to; border on. |
| askance |
with distrust or suspicion. |
| asperity |
harshness or roughness, especially of tone or manner. |
| bellicose |
easily incited to quarrel or fight; belligerent. |
| conversant |
familiar; acquainted; practiced (usually followed by "with" or "in"). |
| disingenuous |
not candid or sincere. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| erudite |
having or showing a high level of scholarly knowledge; learned. |
| festoon |
a decorative chain or strip of ribbons, flowers, leaves, or the like, suspended at the ends and hung in a curve. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| indomitable |
too strong to be subdued or discouraged; unconquerable. |
| parlance |
manner of speaking or writing, especially word choice; vernacular. |
| perilous |
causing or involving great danger; risky; hazardous. |
| quiescence |
a state of inaction, rest, or stillness; dormancy. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |