| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| aplomb |
great self-confidence, composure, or poise. |
| argot |
the vocabulary or jargon characteristic of a specific group or class, especially of criminals. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| denigrate |
to deny the worth of; sneer at; belittle. |
| dilatory |
used to cause a delay. |
| equivocal |
having at least two plausible alternative meanings, often intentionally so in order to deceive or avoid commitment; ambiguous. |
| insinuate |
to suggest (something derogatory) subtly and indirectly. |
| luminary |
a famous, important, or inspirational person. |
| oblivious |
not conscious or paying attention; unknowing or unaware (usually followed by "to" or "of"). |
| prolix |
wordy and boringly long. |
| rodomontade |
puffed-up boasting or bravado. |
| salvo |
the firing of guns or other firearms simultaneously or in succession, especially as a salute. |
| splenetic |
ill-tempered or spiteful. |
| voluble |
characterized by a steady flow of words; fluent; talkative. |