| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| beatify |
to admire or exalt as superior. |
| brash |
rudely self-assertive; bold; impudent. |
| collateral |
property or other security put forward to guarantee repayment of a loan. |
| commodious |
comfortably spacious; roomy. |
| disquisition |
a formal, often lengthy, oral or written discussion of a subject. |
| effete |
marked by excessive refinement or delicateness of taste. |
| exegesis |
a critical explanation or interpretive analysis, especially of religious texts. |
| heterodox |
deviating from an officially approved belief or doctrine, especially in religion. |
| lacuna |
a gap or omitted part. |
| limn |
to paint or draw. |
| opprobrious |
expressing condemnation or scorn; accusing of shameful behavior. |
| picayune |
having little value or significance; small; paltry. |
| recant |
to withdraw from commitment to (a former position or statement), especially publicly; retract. |
| topography |
the shape of the earth's surface across an area or region. The topography of an area includes the size and location of hills and dips in the land. |