| assail |
to attack with vigor or violence; assault. |
| belie |
to give a false impression of. |
| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| discountenance |
to embarrass or disconcert. |
| expatiate |
to discuss something at great length; describe in great detail. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| highbrow |
one who has or pretends to have highly sophisticated intellectual and cultural interests and tastes (often used disparagingly). |
| imprimatur |
any official permission or sanction. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| otiose |
having no purpose or use; unnecessary or futile. |
| parsimonious |
excessively frugal; stingy. |
| pelf |
money or wealth, usually regarded with disapproval or contempt. |
| syntax |
the word order or pattern of word order in a sentence. |
| voluble |
characterized by a steady flow of words; fluent; talkative. |