| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| cession |
the act of formally giving up or signing over, as a territory; ceding. |
| descry |
to see or make out, especially something obscured or at a distance. |
| extralegal |
not regulated or permitted by law; outside of legal authority. |
| foible |
a minor flaw or weakness in personality, character, or behavior. |
| guru |
in a cult or religious movement, a spiritual guide or leader, sometimes believed to be divine. |
| indomitable |
too strong to be subdued or discouraged; unconquerable. |
| indurate |
to make hard in texture; harden. |
| internecine |
of or pertaining to conflict, discord, or struggle within a group. |
| modus operandi |
a method of accomplishing something; way of working. |
| obtrude |
to thrust or force (oneself, one's concerns, or one's opinions) on another or others without being asked. |
| spurn |
to reject, refuse, or treat with scorn; disdain; despise. |
| travesty |
something so grotesque or inferior as to seem a parody. |
| woebegone |
displaying or full of distress. |