| berate |
to reproach or scold severely. |
| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| coalesce |
to grow together or unite to form a single body or organization; unify; fuse. |
| conclave |
a secret, private, or confidential meeting or gathering. |
| engender |
to create or give rise to. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| imprimatur |
any official permission or sanction. |
| incredulous |
not able to believe something. |
| lorgnette |
eyeglasses, such as opera glasses, that have a short handle by which one holds them in position. |
| noisome |
offensive or disgusting, especially in smell; foul. |
| parlance |
manner of speaking or writing, especially word choice; vernacular. |
| perilous |
causing or involving great danger; risky; hazardous. |
| recondite |
involving profound concepts and complexities; not easily understood. |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |
| tort |
in law, any civil rather than criminal harm or injury that violates the implicit duty of each citizen not to harm others, and for which one may bring a civil suit and collect compensation. |