| avow |
to assert or affirm. |
| benign |
causing little or no harm. |
| cognomen |
a last name; surname. |
| collateral |
property or other security put forward to guarantee repayment of a loan. |
| decedent |
in law, one who has died. |
| disingenuous |
not candid or sincere. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| immiscible |
not able to be mixed or blended. |
| intransigence |
refusal to alter one's ideas or position in response to the wishes of others. |
| modus operandi |
a method of accomplishing something; way of working. |
| neologism |
a new word, phrase, or usage. |
| perquisite |
a payment or benefit in addition to the wages or salary associated with a position. |
| stochastic |
of, or arising from chance or probability. |
| vitiate |
to harm the quality of; mar; spoil. |
| vouchsafe |
to grant or give with condescension or as a special favor. |