| banal |
lacking originality or liveliness; disappointingly ordinary; commonplace; trite. |
| blandishment |
(often plural) flattering or coaxing remarks or stratagems intended to persuade. |
| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| ensconce |
to position (oneself) firmly or comfortably. |
| expatiate |
to discuss something at great length; describe in great detail. |
| extort |
to extract or obtain (money or the like) by force, threats, or abuse of authority. |
| hagiography |
an admiring and uncritical biography of anyone. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| macerate |
to soften (food or the like) by soaking, as in digestion. |
| minatory |
presenting a threat; menacing. |
| naturalism |
in literature, a method of depicting life that reflects a philosophy of determinism. |
| perquisite |
a payment or benefit in addition to the wages or salary associated with a position. |
| regicide |
the murderer of a king. |
| surcingle |
a girth or belt that wraps around the body of a horse to secure a saddle, pack, or the like to its back. |