| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| coalesce |
to grow together or unite to form a single body or organization; unify; fuse. |
| conclave |
a secret, private, or confidential meeting or gathering. |
| cravat |
a scarf or band of cloth tied loosely about the neck. |
| expound |
to discuss or explain in detail (usually followed by "on" or "upon"). |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| impute |
to ascribe or attribute to a source or cause. |
| indolence |
the tendency to avoid exertion or effort; laziness. |
| invidious |
tending to arouse feelings of resentment or animosity, especially because of a slight; offensive or discriminatory. |
| lachrymose |
weeping, tending to weep readily, or being on the point of tears; tearful. |
| macrocosm |
a large unit or entity that represents on a large scale one of its smaller components. |
| peremptory |
not permitting refusal or disobedience. |
| prerogative |
an exclusive right or privilege derived from one's office, position, age, citizenship, birth, or the like. |
| putrefaction |
the act or process of rotting or decomposing. |
| sotto voce |
in a low voice or undertone, so as not to be overheard; softly (often used as a musical direction). |