| antediluvian |
hopelessly old-fashioned; primitive; outdated. |
| apotheosis |
a perfect or ideal example; epitome. |
| cavalier |
carefree and offhand; nonchalant. |
| epistolary |
established or continued through letters. |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| extort |
to extract or obtain (money or the like) by force, threats, or abuse of authority. |
| forbear |
to keep or abstain from (an action or utterance). |
| harrow |
to go over or break up with a harrow. |
| ineptitude |
incompetence; lack of skill. |
| ontogeny |
the process of biological growth and development of a particular living organism. |
| plaudit |
(often plural) an enthusiastic show of approval, such as a round of applause or a very favorable review. |
| putrefaction |
the act or process of rotting or decomposing. |
| recidivism |
chronic return to bad habits, especially criminal relapse. |
| reprisal |
injury inflicted in retaliation for injury received, as in war; revenge. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |