| abstain |
to choose not to do something. |
| affinity |
a strong sense of liking; a natural attraction or sympathy. |
| agnostic |
one who believes it is impossible to know anything about the existence or nonexistence of God or about the essential nature of things beyond the material universe. |
| ascendant |
moving upward; rising. |
| atrophy |
a gradual wasting away of a body part, especially from insufficient use or nourishment. |
| coterie |
a small, exclusive group of friends or associates with similar interest or activities; clique. |
| crossbreed |
to cause (a hybrid organism) to be produced by mating two different varieties of the same species. |
| disavow |
to deny having (knowledge, intention, or the like). |
| dogmatist |
one who asserts opinions or beliefs as though they were facts. |
| dole |
to deal out or distribute (food, money, or the like) in small amounts to needy people (usually followed by "out"). |
| inclement |
of weather, violent or disagreeable. |
| lionize |
to view or treat (someone) as a celebrity or extraordinary person. |
| subterfuge |
a stratagem or artifice used to hide, avoid, or deceive. |
| succor |
help or relief given in time of need. |
| underscore |
to emphasize by, or as if by, drawing a line beneath. |