| Byzantine |
characterized by complexity and intrigue. |
| calumny |
a harmful statement, known by the maker to be false. |
| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| convoluted |
complex; intricate. |
| derision |
mockery or ridicule. |
| emulous |
filled with the desire to equal or surpass. |
| immiscible |
not able to be mixed or blended. |
| inflection |
change that occurs in the form of words to show a grammatical characteristic such as the tense of a verb, the number of a noun, or the degree of an adjective or adverb. |
| insipid |
having a bland or uninteresting flavor; tasteless. |
| lugubrious |
sad or mournful, especially in an exaggerated way; gloomy. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| revetment |
a facing of stone, masonry, or the like to support or protect a wall, embankment, or mound of earth. |
| salacious |
excited by lust; lecherous. |
| sotto voce |
in a low voice or undertone, so as not to be overheard; softly (often used as a musical direction). |
| stentorian |
extremely loud and powerful. |