| amortize |
to deduct (expenditures) by fixed amounts over a period of time. |
| astute |
keen in understanding and judgment; shrewd. |
| collateral |
property or other security put forward to guarantee repayment of a loan. |
| elide |
to leave out or slur, as a syllable or letter, in pronunciation. |
| extralegal |
not regulated or permitted by law; outside of legal authority. |
| extrude |
to force out; expel. |
| harrow |
to go over or break up with a harrow. |
| linguistics |
(used with a singular verb) the scientific and historical study of the form and structure of human language. |
| misfeasance |
a normally lawful act performed in an unlawful way. |
| pandemic |
a widespread outbreak of disease that afflicts many people over different continents. |
| parturient |
giving birth or about to give birth; in labor. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| 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. |
| pungent |
sharp and strong in taste or smell. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |