| abstruse |
difficult to comprehend or understand; esoteric; arcane. |
| assail |
to attack with vigor or violence; assault. |
| cynosure |
a thing or person that is the center of attention and admiration. |
| deterge |
to cleanse, wash, or wipe off. |
| dissimulate |
to hide one's true feelings, intentions, or the like by pretense or hypocrisy. |
| effluvium |
an outflow of usually invisible, foul-smelling vapor or gas. |
| ensconce |
to position (oneself) firmly or comfortably. |
| extirpate |
to get rid of completely, as if by pulling up the roots; root out. |
| extrude |
to force out; expel. |
| incumbent |
currently holding an office or position. |
| innocuous |
not capable of causing damage; harmless. |
| lugubrious |
sad or mournful, especially in an exaggerated way; gloomy. |
| ontogeny |
the process of biological growth and development of a particular living organism. |
| pathos |
a quality in life or art that evokes pity, sadness, or compassion. |
| supine |
lying with the face upward. |