| alluvium |
sand, soil, gravel, or the like deposited by moving water, as along a river bed. |
| apprise |
to inform (often followed by "of"). |
| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| dissimulate |
to hide one's true feelings, intentions, or the like by pretense or hypocrisy. |
| ligature |
a band or tie. |
| macerate |
to soften (food or the like) by soaking, as in digestion. |
| maunder |
to speak in an aimless or foolish way; babble. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| modus operandi |
a method of accomplishing something; way of working. |
| opprobrious |
expressing condemnation or scorn; accusing of shameful behavior. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| pastiche |
a work of visual art, music, or literature that consists mostly of materials and techniques borrowed from other works, sometimes done as an exercise to learn the technique of others. |
| revetment |
a facing of stone, masonry, or the like to support or protect a wall, embankment, or mound of earth. |
| truculent |
extremely hostile or belligerent; inclined to fight. |
| vitiate |
to harm the quality of; mar; spoil. |