| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| baneful |
causing or leading to death, destruction, or ruin; harmful or deadly. |
| berate |
to reproach or scold severely. |
| coeval |
coinciding in time of origin or existence; contemporary. |
| condone |
to pardon, disregard, or overlook voluntarily or without condemning. |
| forswear |
to give up or renounce, often with an oath or pledge. |
| frangible |
easy to break; breakable; fragile. |
| gamut |
the whole extent or range of anything. |
| germane |
having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant. |
| incursion |
a raid or sudden invasion. |
| ineptitude |
incompetence; lack of skill. |
| malinger |
to pretend illness or injury, especially in order to be excused from duty or work. |
| peroration |
the concluding part of a speech in which there is a summing up of the principal points. |
| scion |
an offspring or heir. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |