| antediluvian |
hopelessly old-fashioned; primitive; outdated. |
| apprise |
to inform (often followed by "of"). |
| berate |
to reproach or scold severely. |
| cession |
the act of formally giving up or signing over, as a territory; ceding. |
| derelict |
failing to fulfill one's responsibilities or obligations; remiss. |
| impugn |
to call into question; challenge or try to discredit. |
| inadvertent |
not planned or intended; unintentional. |
| ineptitude |
incompetence; lack of skill. |
| mendicant |
living on charity; begging. |
| modus operandi |
a method of accomplishing something; way of working. |
| parlance |
manner of speaking or writing, especially word choice; vernacular. |
| parsimonious |
excessively frugal; stingy. |
| Saturnalia |
an occasion of unrestrained revelry. |
| sotto voce |
in a low voice or undertone, so as not to be overheard; softly (often used as a musical direction). |
| 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. |