| apprise |
to inform (often followed by "of"). |
| askance |
with distrust or suspicion. |
| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| dearth |
a shortage or scarcity of something; lack. |
| disaffection |
an absence or loss of good will, faith, or loyalty, especially toward a government, principle, or the like. |
| expiation |
the act or the means of making amends, as for a sin or crime. |
| granulate |
to make into small particles or grains. |
| imprecation |
a curse, uttered or thought of. |
| inanition |
a state of exhaustion caused by a lack of nourishment. |
| insouciant |
having no cares or anxieties; light-hearted; carefree. |
| lien |
a legal claim on a piece of property when the current owner is in default on a debt or obligation. |
| nonfeasance |
in law, failure to perform a required duty, as by a public official. |
| pandemic |
a widespread outbreak of disease that afflicts many people over different continents. |
| sere1 |
dried up or withered. |
| sotto voce |
in a low voice or undertone, so as not to be overheard; softly (often used as a musical direction). |