| alluvium |
sand, soil, gravel, or the like deposited by moving water, as along a river bed. |
| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| avow |
to assert or affirm. |
| Byzantine |
characterized by complexity and intrigue. |
| contumacious |
stubbornly disobedient; insubordinate; rebellious. |
| effluvium |
an outflow of usually invisible, foul-smelling vapor or gas. |
| elide |
to leave out or slur, as a syllable or letter, in pronunciation. |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| flummox |
(informal) to confuse or puzzle. |
| imbricate |
overlapping in an even sequence, as roof tiles or fish scales. |
| obtrusive |
aggressive and self-assertive, or inclined to be so. |
| pelf |
money or wealth, usually regarded with disapproval or contempt. |
| pinchbeck |
false, sham, or counterfeit. |
| reprise |
repetition of a musical phrase or theme in an identical or slightly altered way. |
| sepsis |
infection, especially by pus-forming bacteria in the blood or tissues. |