| apotheosis |
a perfect or ideal example; epitome. |
| cognoscente |
someone who has exceptional knowledge in a given area, especially of fashion, literature, or the fine arts; connoisseur. |
| debouch |
to advance out of a confined or narrow space such as a canyon into open country. |
| denigrate |
to deny the worth of; sneer at; belittle. |
| divergence |
the act of separating and moving or leading in different directions. |
| exponent |
one that expounds or interprets. |
| feckless |
weak or incompetent; ineffective. |
| goad |
something that spurs a person to action; stimulus. |
| halcyon |
tranquil; peaceful; calm. |
| oblique |
not direct or straightforward in intent, means, or achievement; indirect or devious. |
| ontogeny |
the process of biological growth and development of a particular living organism. |
| pastiche |
a work of visual art, music, or literature that consists mostly of materials and techniques borrowed from other works, sometimes done as an exercise to learn the technique of others. |
| rodomontade |
puffed-up boasting or bravado. |
| solecism |
a gross violation of convention in grammar, etiquette, or the like; impropriety. |
| vouchsafe |
to grant or give with condescension or as a special favor. |