| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| coddle |
to simmer in water that is almost at the boiling point. |
| conclave |
a secret, private, or confidential meeting or gathering. |
| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| corporeal |
having to do with a physical body; bodily. |
| desideratum |
something that is needed or wanted. |
| emulous |
filled with the desire to equal or surpass. |
| foible |
a minor flaw or weakness in personality, character, or behavior. |
| garble |
to mix up, distort, or confuse (a message, translation, or the like); cause to be disordered or unintelligible. |
| gossamer |
delicately fine, gauzelike, or filmy. |
| indemnity |
insurance against damage, loss, or liability. |
| obscurantism |
a deliberate lack of clarity or directness of expression, as in certain styles of art or literature. |
| ontogeny |
the process of biological growth and development of a particular living organism. |
| parlance |
manner of speaking or writing, especially word choice; vernacular. |
| topography |
the shape of the earth's surface across an area or region. The topography of an area includes the size and location of hills and dips in the land. |