| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| castellated |
constructed with turrets and battlements like a castle. |
| entreat |
to beg for something, or to do something. |
| extirpate |
to get rid of completely, as if by pulling up the roots; root out. |
| extort |
to extract or obtain (money or the like) by force, threats, or abuse of authority. |
| flak |
(informal) irritating opposition, criticism, or dissent. |
| foible |
a minor flaw or weakness in personality, character, or behavior. |
| glut |
a greater supply or amount than is needed. |
| laconic |
using very few words; succinct; terse. |
| lugubrious |
sad or mournful, especially in an exaggerated way; gloomy. |
| macerate |
to soften (food or the like) by soaking, as in digestion. |
| naturalism |
in literature, a method of depicting life that reflects a philosophy of determinism. |
| parlance |
manner of speaking or writing, especially word choice; vernacular. |
| perilous |
causing or involving great danger; risky; hazardous. |
| sere1 |
dried up or withered. |