| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| caparison |
decorative trappings to cover a horse's saddle or harness. |
| conclave |
a secret, private, or confidential meeting or gathering. |
| cravat |
a scarf or band of cloth tied loosely about the neck. |
| disquisition |
a formal, often lengthy, oral or written discussion of a subject. |
| entreat |
to beg for something, or to do something. |
| erudite |
having or showing a high level of scholarly knowledge; learned. |
| exponent |
one that expounds or interprets. |
| gullible |
believing almost anything; easily tricked. |
| kibbutz |
an Israeli farming settlement whose ownership is shared by those who live and work there. |
| lacuna |
a gap or omitted part. |
| linguistics |
(used with a singular verb) the scientific and historical study of the form and structure of human language. |
| lorgnette |
eyeglasses, such as opera glasses, that have a short handle by which one holds them in position. |
| oligarchy |
a government or state in which only a relatively few people or members of a family have real power. |
| stanch1 |
to cause (a liquid, especially blood) to stop flowing. |