| arrant |
complete; unmitigated; downright. |
| delectation |
enjoyment; delight; pleasure. |
| distraught |
mentally or emotionally unbalanced; crazed. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| erratic |
not expected or predicted; not regular. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| interdict |
to deter or impede by the steady use of firepower. |
| lacuna |
a gap or omitted part. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| pelf |
money or wealth, usually regarded with disapproval or contempt. |
| penury |
severe poverty; pennilessness. |
| pleonasm |
a redundant word, phrase, or expression. |
| recondite |
involving profound concepts and complexities; not easily understood. |
| reprobate |
an evil or lawless person, often beyond hope of redemption. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |