| affidavit |
a written statement that is sworn in the presence of an authorized official to be true, used as legal evidence. |
| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| apropos |
appropriate; relevant; opportune. |
| atavism |
the recurrence or reappearance of a particular trait, style, attitude, or behavior that seemed to have disappeared, or that which has recurred or reappeared after such an absence. |
| blithe |
indifferent or casual; unconcerned. |
| cognoscente |
someone who has exceptional knowledge in a given area, especially of fashion, literature, or the fine arts; connoisseur. |
| élan |
enthusiasm or vigor. |
| glabrous |
having no hair or fuzz; bald; smooth. |
| hypocrisy |
the practice or an instance of stating or pretending to hold beliefs or principles that one does not actually live by; insincerity. |
| lachrymose |
weeping, tending to weep readily, or being on the point of tears; tearful. |
| paroxysm |
a sudden strong outburst of feelings or actions. |
| 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. |
| requite |
to retaliate for; strike back on account of. |
| shunt |
to turn or move aside or out of the way; divert. |
| symbiosis |
a close association, usually a mutually beneficial relationship, between two dissimilar organisms. |