| abut |
to adjoin or press against; be next to; border on. |
| accretion |
the process of gradual increase or growth, especially by additions from the outside. |
| boudoir |
a woman's private sitting room or bedroom. |
| canny |
difficult to fool or take advantage of; shrewd; wary; clever. |
| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| deify |
to raise to the rank of a god; consider to be a god. |
| denigrate |
to deny the worth of; sneer at; belittle. |
| encomium |
a formal expression of praise. |
| heinous |
extremely wicked or despicable; atrocious. |
| hirsute |
covered with hair or stiff hairs; hairy or shaggy. |
| lapidary |
an expert on or dealer in gemstones. |
| oppugn |
to oppose, contradict, criticize, or call into question. |
| penury |
severe poverty; pennilessness. |
| reconnaissance |
the act or process of examining an area, especially to gain militarily useful information. |
| redoubtable |
inspiring fear; formidable. |