| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| astringent |
a substance or drug that contracts body tissue and slows discharge or secretion. |
| benign |
causing little or no harm. |
| blandishment |
(often plural) flattering or coaxing remarks or stratagems intended to persuade. |
| castellated |
constructed with turrets and battlements like a castle. |
| cession |
the act of formally giving up or signing over, as a territory; ceding. |
| chary |
not dispensing freely. |
| engender |
to create or give rise to. |
| expiation |
the act or the means of making amends, as for a sin or crime. |
| harrow |
to go over or break up with a harrow. |
| imbroglio |
a difficult, confused, or complicated situation, often involving a misunderstanding, disagreement, or quarrel. |
| kibbutz |
an Israeli farming settlement whose ownership is shared by those who live and work there. |
| laconic |
using very few words; succinct; terse. |
| mélange |
a mixture, usually of very dissimilar elements. |
| unabashed |
not feeling or showing embarrassment, uneasiness, or shame. |