| adamant |
unlikely to change in response to any request or argument; firmly decided or fixed; unyielding. |
| adamantine |
firmly decided or fixed; unyielding. |
| adulteration |
the act or process of making worse or impure by adding unnecessary or inferior ingredients. |
| astute |
keen in understanding and judgment; shrewd. |
| cognizant |
aware; informed (usually followed by "of"). |
| convoluted |
complex; intricate. |
| declivity |
a downward or descending slope. |
| deign |
to consider some act to be appropriate or in keeping with one's dignity; condescend. |
| descant |
a secondary, usually higher, melody that is played or sung at the same time as the chief melody. |
| disquisition |
a formal, often lengthy, oral or written discussion of a subject. |
| laudatory |
expressing praise. |
| nostrum |
a favorite but unproven scheme or theory, offered as a remedy for social or political problems; panacea. |
| opprobrious |
expressing condemnation or scorn; accusing of shameful behavior. |
| pungent |
sharp and strong in taste or smell. |
| quiescence |
a state of inaction, rest, or stillness; dormancy. |