| abut |
to adjoin or press against; be next to; border on. |
| austere |
having only what is needed; very simple or plain. |
| cognomen |
a last name; surname. |
| disaffection |
an absence or loss of good will, faith, or loyalty, especially toward a government, principle, or the like. |
| emulous |
filled with the desire to equal or surpass. |
| fledge |
to grow flight feathers. |
| forbear |
to keep or abstain from (an action or utterance). |
| hackneyed |
made trite or commonplace by overuse, as an expression or phrase. |
| hagiography |
an admiring and uncritical biography of anyone. |
| luminary |
a famous, important, or inspirational person. |
| parlous |
full of dangers or risks; perilous. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| recondite |
involving profound concepts and complexities; not easily understood. |
| saturnine |
gloomy, sullen, or cynical in temperament or appearance. |
| stochastic |
of, or arising from chance or probability. |