| argot |
the vocabulary or jargon characteristic of a specific group or class, especially of criminals. |
| convoluted |
complex; intricate. |
| dearth |
a shortage or scarcity of something; lack. |
| deposition |
a sworn statement, usually in writing, for use as testimony by an absent witness in a court of law. |
| derision |
mockery or ridicule. |
| descant |
a secondary, usually higher, melody that is played or sung at the same time as the chief melody. |
| disallow |
to refuse to allow or admit; reject. |
| extort |
to extract or obtain (money or the like) by force, threats, or abuse of authority. |
| gnomic |
short and pithy, as an aphorism. |
| invidious |
tending to arouse feelings of resentment or animosity, especially because of a slight; offensive or discriminatory. |
| irrefragable |
impossible to refute or dispute; undeniable. |
| mélange |
a mixture, usually of very dissimilar elements. |
| naturalism |
in literature, a method of depicting life that reflects a philosophy of determinism. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |
| sylph |
a slender, graceful woman or girl. |