| ambidextrous |
able to use both the left and right hands with equal skill. |
| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| crass |
lacking in sensitivity or refinement; crude. |
| demulcent |
an oily or sticky substance used especially to soothe irritation in mucous membranes. |
| deterge |
to cleanse, wash, or wipe off. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| gird |
to surround, bind, or encircle, as with a belt. |
| hagiography |
an admiring and uncritical biography of anyone. |
| inadvertent |
not planned or intended; unintentional. |
| indurate |
to make hard in texture; harden. |
| lapidary |
an expert on or dealer in gemstones. |
| laudatory |
expressing praise. |
| libertine |
acting without restraint; dissolute; amoral. |
| loll |
to hang down loosely; dangle. |
| recurve |
to bend or curve back or backward, as the ends of certain shooting bows. |