| adamantine |
firmly decided or fixed; unyielding. |
| assail |
to attack with vigor or violence; assault. |
| atavism |
the recurrence or reappearance of a particular trait, style, attitude, or behavior that seemed to have disappeared, or that which has recurred or reappeared after such an absence. |
| crass |
lacking in sensitivity or refinement; crude. |
| decedent |
in law, one who has died. |
| derelict |
failing to fulfill one's responsibilities or obligations; remiss. |
| devolve |
of a duty or the like, to be passed on to someone else. |
| élan |
enthusiasm or vigor. |
| exegesis |
a critical explanation or interpretive analysis, especially of religious texts. |
| fungible |
interchangeable. |
| gossamer |
delicately fine, gauzelike, or filmy. |
| lupine2 |
fierce; greedy. |
| saturnine |
gloomy, sullen, or cynical in temperament or appearance. |
| sotto voce |
in a low voice or undertone, so as not to be overheard; softly (often used as a musical direction). |
| unabashed |
not feeling or showing embarrassment, uneasiness, or shame. |