| acclivity |
a rising slope. |
| amity |
friendly and peaceful relations; good will. |
| cognomen |
a last name; surname. |
| debouch |
to advance out of a confined or narrow space such as a canyon into open country. |
| exponent |
one that expounds or interprets. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| inchoate |
partially or imperfectly developed. |
| inquest |
a legal investigation, usually involving a jury, especially a coroner's investigation of a suspicious death. |
| oblique |
not direct or straightforward in intent, means, or achievement; indirect or devious. |
| oligarchy |
a government or state in which only a relatively few people or members of a family have real power. |
| picayune |
having little value or significance; small; paltry. |
| preferment |
the act of promoting or being promoted to a higher position or office. |
| stately |
dignified. |
| truculent |
extremely hostile or belligerent; inclined to fight. |