| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| atavism |
the recurrence or reappearance of a particular trait, style, attitude, or behavior that seemed to have disappeared, or that which has recurred or reappeared after such an absence. |
| chary |
not dispensing freely. |
| curmudgeon |
an irritable or ill-tempered person. |
| expatiate |
to discuss something at great length; describe in great detail. |
| inflection |
change that occurs in the form of words to show a grammatical characteristic such as the tense of a verb, the number of a noun, or the degree of an adjective or adverb. |
| insularity |
the condition of being closed to new ideas or outside influences; narrow-mindedness. |
| liminal |
of or at the threshold of a physiological or psychological response or change of state. |
| neologism |
a new word, phrase, or usage. |
| nonpareil |
a person or thing whose excellence is unequaled; paragon. |
| oppugn |
to oppose, contradict, criticize, or call into question. |
| prolix |
wordy and boringly long. |
| recurve |
to bend or curve back or backward, as the ends of certain shooting bows. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |
| stative |
in grammar, of or designating a category of verbs that express state or condition. |