| apocryphal |
of dubious authorship or authority. |
| assail |
to attack with vigor or violence; assault. |
| avow |
to assert or affirm. |
| élan |
enthusiasm or vigor. |
| epicene |
sharing the traits of both sexes. |
| equivocal |
having at least two plausible alternative meanings, often intentionally so in order to deceive or avoid commitment; ambiguous. |
| extralegal |
not regulated or permitted by law; outside of legal authority. |
| fracas |
a noisy disturbance or quarrel. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| indolence |
the tendency to avoid exertion or effort; laziness. |
| lenitive |
mitigating pain, discomfort, or distress; soothing. |
| mahatma |
(sometimes capitalized) in Buddhism and theosophy, any of a class of persons revered for their wisdom and love of humanity. |
| mésalliance |
marriage with someone of lower social standing than oneself. |
| parturient |
giving birth or about to give birth; in labor. |
| quadrant |
any of the four parts that result when an area is divided by two lines, real or imaginary, that intersect each other at right angles. |