| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| arrant |
complete; unmitigated; downright. |
| cognomen |
a last name; surname. |
| descry |
to see or make out, especially something obscured or at a distance. |
| disencumber |
to remove burdens or hindrances from. |
| indurate |
to make hard in texture; harden. |
| insipid |
having a bland or uninteresting flavor; tasteless. |
| lachrymose |
weeping, tending to weep readily, or being on the point of tears; tearful. |
| lacuna |
a gap or omitted part. |
| obscurantism |
a deliberate lack of clarity or directness of expression, as in certain styles of art or literature. |
| occlude |
to close or obstruct (a passage or opening, one's vision, or the like). |
| parlance |
manner of speaking or writing, especially word choice; vernacular. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| rodomontade |
puffed-up boasting or bravado. |
| woebegone |
displaying or full of distress. |