| attune |
to adjust so as to be harmonious. |
| burgeon |
to start to grow; send forth shoots, leaves, buds, or the like (often followed by "out" or "forth"). |
| canny |
difficult to fool or take advantage of; shrewd; wary; clever. |
| cravat |
a scarf or band of cloth tied loosely about the neck. |
| duress |
intimidation or coercion. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| expound |
to discuss or explain in detail (usually followed by "on" or "upon"). |
| forbear |
to keep or abstain from (an action or utterance). |
| gossamer |
delicately fine, gauzelike, or filmy. |
| impediment |
an obstacle or hindrance. |
| intelligentsia |
the elite class of highly learned people within a society, or those who consider themselves part of such a class. |
| liminal |
of or at the threshold of a physiological or psychological response or change of state. |
| phlegmatic |
not given to shows of emotion or interest; slow to excite. |
| pleonasm |
a redundant word, phrase, or expression. |
| sagacious |
possessing or characterized by good judgment and common sense; wise. |