| accretion |
the process of gradual increase or growth, especially by additions from the outside. |
| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| apprise |
to inform (often followed by "of"). |
| bereft |
deprived or stripped of something. |
| calumny |
a harmful statement, known by the maker to be false. |
| coir |
the fiber made from coconut husks, used for matting, rope, or the like. |
| declivity |
a downward or descending slope. |
| feckless |
weak or incompetent; ineffective. |
| ineptitude |
incompetence; lack of skill. |
| irrefragable |
impossible to refute or dispute; undeniable. |
| panegyric |
a formal speech or piece of writing devoted to publicly praising a person or thing. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| perilous |
causing or involving great danger; risky; hazardous. |
| sanctimony |
a pretense of righteousness or piety; feigned devotion or holiness. |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |