| abash |
to cause to feel embarrassed, uneasy, or ashamed. |
| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| disencumber |
to remove burdens or hindrances from. |
| expostulate |
to argue earnestly with someone, usually against an intended action; remonstrate. |
| extempore |
without plan or preparation; impromptu or improvised. |
| extrude |
to force out; expel. |
| hackneyed |
made trite or commonplace by overuse, as an expression or phrase. |
| lacuna |
a gap or omitted part. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| lorgnette |
eyeglasses, such as opera glasses, that have a short handle by which one holds them in position. |
| minatory |
presenting a threat; menacing. |
| oligarchy |
a government or state in which only a relatively few people or members of a family have real power. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| rapacious |
capable of capturing and eating live prey; predacious. |
| 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. |