| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| credulous |
disposed to believe, especially on scanty evidence; gullible. |
| demotic |
of or relating to the common people; popular. |
| exegesis |
a critical explanation or interpretive analysis, especially of religious texts. |
| extort |
to extract or obtain (money or the like) by force, threats, or abuse of authority. |
| feckless |
weak or incompetent; ineffective. |
| glean |
to gather or discover (facts, information, or the like) a little at a time. |
| ingenuous |
having or showing simplicity and lack of sophistication; artless. |
| insinuate |
to suggest (something derogatory) subtly and indirectly. |
| lattice |
a flat framework made with strips of wood or other material. The strips cross each other and have open spaces in between. A lattice is often used as a screen on a porch or in a garden. |
| macrocosm |
a large unit or entity that represents on a large scale one of its smaller components. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| pelf |
money or wealth, usually regarded with disapproval or contempt. |
| precursory |
coming before and serving to indicate what will follow; premonitory. |
| quiescence |
a state of inaction, rest, or stillness; dormancy. |