| abeyance |
temporary suspension or cessation. |
| bereft |
deprived or stripped of something. |
| centripetal |
forced or moving inward toward a center point or axis. |
| coddle |
to simmer in water that is almost at the boiling point. |
| curmudgeon |
an irritable or ill-tempered person. |
| debauch |
to lead or seduce into immorality or intemperance; corrupt. |
| denigrate |
to deny the worth of; sneer at; belittle. |
| epistemology |
the branch of philosophy dealing with the origin, nature, and limits of human knowledge. |
| incredulous |
not able to believe something. |
| interdict |
to deter or impede by the steady use of firepower. |
| knurled |
having small ridges. |
| mésalliance |
marriage with someone of lower social standing than oneself. |
| modular |
designed with standardized units that may be arranged or connected in a variety of ways. |
| occlude |
to close or obstruct (a passage or opening, one's vision, or the like). |
| regicide |
the murderer of a king. |