| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| appellative |
a descriptive name or title, as "Terrible" in "Ivan the Terrible". |
| cavalier |
carefree and offhand; nonchalant. |
| chary |
not dispensing freely. |
| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| demarcate |
to set apart or separate, as if with boundaries. |
| distraught |
mentally or emotionally unbalanced; crazed. |
| fracas |
a noisy disturbance or quarrel. |
| insularity |
the condition of being closed to new ideas or outside influences; narrow-mindedness. |
| ligature |
a band or tie. |
| penury |
severe poverty; pennilessness. |
| picayune |
having little value or significance; small; paltry. |
| salvo |
the firing of guns or other firearms simultaneously or in succession, especially as a salute. |
| stately |
dignified. |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |