| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| astringent |
a substance or drug that contracts body tissue and slows discharge or secretion. |
| cognizant |
aware; informed (usually followed by "of"). |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| gnomic |
short and pithy, as an aphorism. |
| lattice |
a flat framework made with strips of wood or other material. The strips cross each other and have open spaces in between. A lattice is often used as a screen on a porch or in a garden. |
| linguistics |
(used with a singular verb) the scientific and historical study of the form and structure of human language. |
| maunder |
to speak in an aimless or foolish way; babble. |
| mendicant |
living on charity; begging. |
| pastiche |
a work of visual art, music, or literature that consists mostly of materials and techniques borrowed from other works, sometimes done as an exercise to learn the technique of others. |
| perquisite |
a payment or benefit in addition to the wages or salary associated with a position. |
| pusillanimous |
shamefully timid; cowardly. |
| reprisal |
injury inflicted in retaliation for injury received, as in war; revenge. |
| travesty |
something so grotesque or inferior as to seem a parody. |