| abstain |
to choose not to do something. |
| epoch |
an important period in human history. |
| facet |
one of the small, flat, polished surfaces of a cut gem. |
| gingerly |
in a careful or cautious manner; warily. |
| menial |
lowly or degrading; servile. |
| nebulous |
hazy, confused, or indistinct. |
| nepotism |
favoritism shown to a near relative, as in preferential hiring or patronage. |
| psychosis |
serious mental disorder that affects all aspects of the personality and involves withdrawal from reality. |
| refraction |
the bending of rays or waves of light, heat, sound, or the like when passed obliquely from one medium to another with a different rate of transmission. |
| reorganize |
to reestablish or arrange anew. |
| sear1 |
to burn or scorch the outside of. |
| tacit |
suggested, implied, or understood, without being expressed in words. |
| waif |
a child without a home or friends. |
| waylay |
to attack or accost unexpectedly after lying in wait for. |
| witticism |
a clever, often perceptive joke, insult, or saying. |