| calumny |
a harmful statement, known by the maker to be false. |
| condign |
well-deserved or fitting, especially of punishment or reprimand. |
| divergence |
the act of separating and moving or leading in different directions. |
| extort |
to extract or obtain (money or the like) by force, threats, or abuse of authority. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| laconic |
using very few words; succinct; terse. |
| magnum opus |
a great work of art, literature, or music, especially a particular person's masterpiece. |
| pedagogy |
the act, process, or profession of teaching. |
| reprisal |
injury inflicted in retaliation for injury received, as in war; revenge. |
| revetment |
a facing of stone, masonry, or the like to support or protect a wall, embankment, or mound of earth. |
| scabrous |
characterized by a rough or scaly surface, as the leaf of a plant. |
| sequester |
to remove into protection and isolation; seclude. |
| somatic |
of or pertaining to the body itself; corporeal. |
| woebegone |
displaying or full of distress. |