| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| bellicose |
easily incited to quarrel or fight; belligerent. |
| canard |
a deliberately false story or rumor, usually defamatory to someone. |
| caparison |
decorative trappings to cover a horse's saddle or harness. |
| debauch |
to lead or seduce into immorality or intemperance; corrupt. |
| disencumber |
to remove burdens or hindrances from. |
| flummox |
(informal) to confuse or puzzle. |
| heinous |
extremely wicked or despicable; atrocious. |
| impediment |
an obstacle or hindrance. |
| ostentation |
a showy display to impress others. |
| peroration |
the concluding part of a speech in which there is a summing up of the principal points. |
| pinchbeck |
false, sham, or counterfeit. |
| pungent |
sharp and strong in taste or smell. |
| reprise |
repetition of a musical phrase or theme in an identical or slightly altered way. |
| Sabbatarian |
one who observes the Sabbath on Saturday, as Jews and certain Christians. |