| alfresco |
in the open air; outdoors. |
| alluvium |
sand, soil, gravel, or the like deposited by moving water, as along a river bed. |
| astringent |
a substance or drug that contracts body tissue and slows discharge or secretion. |
| coddle |
to simmer in water that is almost at the boiling point. |
| debouch |
to advance out of a confined or narrow space such as a canyon into open country. |
| demotic |
of or relating to the common people; popular. |
| desideratum |
something that is needed or wanted. |
| erratic |
not expected or predicted; not regular. |
| hackneyed |
made trite or commonplace by overuse, as an expression or phrase. |
| imbroglio |
a difficult, confused, or complicated situation, often involving a misunderstanding, disagreement, or quarrel. |
| lapidary |
an expert on or dealer in gemstones. |
| mésalliance |
marriage with someone of lower social standing than oneself. |
| recant |
to withdraw from commitment to (a former position or statement), especially publicly; retract. |
| relict |
a plant, animal, or geological feature that has survived in a considerably changed environment. |
| stridulate |
to produce a shrill grating, creaking, or chirping sound by rubbing certain parts of the body together, as some insects do. |