| align |
to place or arrange in a straight line. |
| alteration |
the state or process of altering. |
| assertion |
a declaration or statement, often without support or proof. |
| astride |
over or upon and with a leg on each side of. |
| compensation |
something given in return for or to make up for something else. |
| concept |
a general idea or thought. |
| contrast |
to compare in order to make differences clear. |
| frigid |
very cold; freezing. |
| girder |
a heavy beam made of steel or wood used to support the floor or framework of a bridge or building. |
| increasingly |
more and more; to a greater and greater degree. |
| kinship |
the state or fact of being a relative or relatives, especially by birth. |
| narrator |
a person or character who tells a story. |
| opera |
a play in which all or most of the words are sung and the music is played by an orchestra. |
| stimulate |
to bring about to activity or action. |
| viable |
capable of germinating, growing, or developing, as a living organism or social organization. |