| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| baneful |
causing or leading to death, destruction, or ruin; harmful or deadly. |
| cognomen |
a last name; surname. |
| élan |
enthusiasm or vigor. |
| foment |
to encourage the development of; instigate or foster. |
| garrulous |
given to talking excessively. |
| laudatory |
expressing praise. |
| malapropism |
the humorous or ridiculous misuse of a word, especially by using a word that sounds similar to the correct word, but whose meaning is inappropriate. |
| maunder |
to speak in an aimless or foolish way; babble. |
| oblique |
not direct or straightforward in intent, means, or achievement; indirect or devious. |
| perquisite |
a payment or benefit in addition to the wages or salary associated with a position. |
| recessional |
a piece of music that accompanies the exit of participants in a program or religious ceremony. |
| shyster |
a person, usually a lawyer, who uses underhanded, unethical methods. |
| stipple |
a method of painting, drawing, or engraving by applying small points, dots, or dabs to a surface. |
| symbiosis |
a close association, usually a mutually beneficial relationship, between two dissimilar organisms. |