| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| assail |
to attack with vigor or violence; assault. |
| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| coeval |
coinciding in time of origin or existence; contemporary. |
| deadeye |
an expert shooter. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| heterodox |
deviating from an officially approved belief or doctrine, especially in religion. |
| impediment |
an obstacle or hindrance. |
| opiate |
something that induces relaxation, calm, or stupor. |
| recidivism |
chronic return to bad habits, especially criminal relapse. |
| reprisal |
injury inflicted in retaliation for injury received, as in war; revenge. |
| solecism |
a gross violation of convention in grammar, etiquette, or the like; impropriety. |
| splenetic |
ill-tempered or spiteful. |
| sylph |
a slender, graceful woman or girl. |
| virago |
a shrewish, domineering woman; nag or scold. |