| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| attenuate |
to cause to be thin, rarefied, or fine. |
| blandishment |
(often plural) flattering or coaxing remarks or stratagems intended to persuade. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| conjoin |
to combine for a common purpose. |
| deter |
to stop or discourage from some action by creating doubt or fear. |
| discountenance |
to embarrass or disconcert. |
| epicure |
a person who has cultivated tastes, as in food or wine; connoisseur. |
| extralegal |
not regulated or permitted by law; outside of legal authority. |
| halcyon |
tranquil; peaceful; calm. |
| imbroglio |
a difficult, confused, or complicated situation, often involving a misunderstanding, disagreement, or quarrel. |
| inquest |
a legal investigation, usually involving a jury, especially a coroner's investigation of a suspicious death. |
| insularity |
the condition of being closed to new ideas or outside influences; narrow-mindedness. |
| linguistics |
(used with a singular verb) the scientific and historical study of the form and structure of human language. |
| Saturnalia |
an occasion of unrestrained revelry. |