| adamantine |
firmly decided or fixed; unyielding. |
| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| avow |
to assert or affirm. |
| dearth |
a shortage or scarcity of something; lack. |
| entreat |
to beg for something, or to do something. |
| extort |
to extract or obtain (money or the like) by force, threats, or abuse of authority. |
| gamut |
the whole extent or range of anything. |
| inculcate |
to cause to accept an idea or value; imbue. |
| intransigence |
refusal to alter one's ideas or position in response to the wishes of others. |
| mélange |
a mixture, usually of very dissimilar elements. |
| pelf |
money or wealth, usually regarded with disapproval or contempt. |
| pungency |
sharpness or bite in taste or smell. |
| sepsis |
infection, especially by pus-forming bacteria in the blood or tissues. |
| vitiate |
to harm the quality of; mar; spoil. |
| voluble |
characterized by a steady flow of words; fluent; talkative. |