| atonement |
the act of making reparation for a sin, crime, error, or the like. |
| cavalier |
carefree and offhand; nonchalant. |
| decedent |
in law, one who has died. |
| ersatz |
serving as a substitute, especially when of inferior quality. |
| erudite |
having or showing a high level of scholarly knowledge; learned. |
| expatiate |
to discuss something at great length; describe in great detail. |
| expound |
to discuss or explain in detail (usually followed by "on" or "upon"). |
| fledge |
to grow flight feathers. |
| idyllic |
charmingly simple and natural, as a scene or experience; suggestive of peaceful countryside. |
| incumbent |
currently holding an office or position. |
| lien |
a legal claim on a piece of property when the current owner is in default on a debt or obligation. |
| putrefaction |
the act or process of rotting or decomposing. |
| rapacious |
capable of capturing and eating live prey; predacious. |
| stridulate |
to produce a shrill grating, creaking, or chirping sound by rubbing certain parts of the body together, as some insects do. |
| travesty |
something so grotesque or inferior as to seem a parody. |