| adamant |
unlikely to change in response to any request or argument; firmly decided or fixed; unyielding. |
| astringent |
a substance or drug that contracts body tissue and slows discharge or secretion. |
| etiolate |
to weaken, especially through deprivation of normal development. |
| indulgent |
gratifying, or being inclined to gratify or yield to others' wishes, especially rather than enforcing discipline or strictness. |
| insularity |
the condition of being closed to new ideas or outside influences; narrow-mindedness. |
| kibbutz |
an Israeli farming settlement whose ownership is shared by those who live and work there. |
| knurled |
having small ridges. |
| mélange |
a mixture, usually of very dissimilar elements. |
| pleonasm |
a redundant word, phrase, or expression. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| pungent |
sharp and strong in taste or smell. |
| rapacious |
capable of capturing and eating live prey; predacious. |
| recondite |
involving profound concepts and complexities; not easily understood. |
| topography |
the shape of the earth's surface across an area or region. The topography of an area includes the size and location of hills and dips in the land. |
| trabeated |
using horizontal beams or lintels as supports instead of arches. |