| askance |
with distrust or suspicion. |
| austere |
having only what is needed; very simple or plain. |
| boorish |
rude; ill-mannered; crude. |
| descant |
a secondary, usually higher, melody that is played or sung at the same time as the chief melody. |
| encomium |
a formal expression of praise. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| expound |
to discuss or explain in detail (usually followed by "on" or "upon"). |
| fungible |
interchangeable. |
| jeremiad |
a long complaint about life or one's situation; lamentation. |
| magnum opus |
a great work of art, literature, or music, especially a particular person's masterpiece. |
| plaudit |
(often plural) an enthusiastic show of approval, such as a round of applause or a very favorable review. |
| profligate |
totally given over to immoral and shameful pursuits; dissolute. |
| purvey |
to supply or provide (especially food, drink, or other provisions). |
| recessional |
a piece of music that accompanies the exit of participants in a program or religious ceremony. |
| symbiosis |
a close association, usually a mutually beneficial relationship, between two dissimilar organisms. |