| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| bibulous |
addicted to alcohol; alcoholic. |
| calumny |
a harmful statement, known by the maker to be false. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| frangible |
easy to break; breakable; fragile. |
| imbricate |
overlapping in an even sequence, as roof tiles or fish scales. |
| inadvertent |
not planned or intended; unintentional. |
| indistinct |
not clearly perceived or perceiving. |
| invidious |
tending to arouse feelings of resentment or animosity, especially because of a slight; offensive or discriminatory. |
| laudatory |
expressing praise. |
| malinger |
to pretend illness or injury, especially in order to be excused from duty or work. |
| recidivism |
chronic return to bad habits, especially criminal relapse. |
| repose2 |
to put or place (confidence, hope, or the like) in someone or something. |
| seminal |
of critical importance; essential. |
| spurn |
to reject, refuse, or treat with scorn; disdain; despise. |