| amortize |
to deduct (expenditures) by fixed amounts over a period of time. |
| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| canard |
a deliberately false story or rumor, usually defamatory to someone. |
| canny |
difficult to fool or take advantage of; shrewd; wary; clever. |
| convoluted |
complex; intricate. |
| disheveled |
not neat; messy. |
| effete |
marked by excessive refinement or delicateness of taste. |
| heterodox |
deviating from an officially approved belief or doctrine, especially in religion. |
| neophyte |
a beginner or novice at any activity. |
| peremptory |
not permitting refusal or disobedience. |
| perilous |
causing or involving great danger; risky; hazardous. |
| purvey |
to supply or provide (especially food, drink, or other provisions). |
| reprise |
repetition of a musical phrase or theme in an identical or slightly altered way. |
| risible |
provoking laughter; laughable or funny. |
| stridulate |
to produce a shrill grating, creaking, or chirping sound by rubbing certain parts of the body together, as some insects do. |