| cyst |
a small pouch within body tissue that is filled with fluid or air. Some cysts are connected with serious disease, but most are not harmful at all. |
| elide |
to leave out or slur, as a syllable or letter, in pronunciation. |
| harbinger |
someone or something that signals or foreshadows a later arrival or occurrence; herald; forerunner. |
| impugn |
to call into question; challenge or try to discredit. |
| lattice |
a flat framework made with strips of wood or other material. The strips cross each other and have open spaces in between. A lattice is often used as a screen on a porch or in a garden. |
| libertine |
acting without restraint; dissolute; amoral. |
| macrocosm |
a large unit or entity that represents on a large scale one of its smaller components. |
| meretricious |
appealing or attracting in a cheap, showy, or shallow way. |
| nostrum |
a favorite but unproven scheme or theory, offered as a remedy for social or political problems; panacea. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| quiescence |
a state of inaction, rest, or stillness; dormancy. |
| relict |
a plant, animal, or geological feature that has survived in a considerably changed environment. |
| sanguine |
having an optimistic temperament or outlook. |
| scion |
an offspring or heir. |
| unabashed |
not feeling or showing embarrassment, uneasiness, or shame. |