| amortize |
to deduct (expenditures) by fixed amounts over a period of time. |
| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| astute |
keen in understanding and judgment; shrewd. |
| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| deter |
to stop or discourage from some action by creating doubt or fear. |
| epicure |
a person who has cultivated tastes, as in food or wine; connoisseur. |
| fledge |
to grow flight feathers. |
| knurled |
having small ridges. |
| obtrusive |
aggressive and self-assertive, or inclined to be so. |
| oligarchy |
a government or state in which only a relatively few people or members of a family have real power. |
| ostentation |
a showy display to impress others. |
| plaudit |
(often plural) an enthusiastic show of approval, such as a round of applause or a very favorable review. |
| Saturnalia |
an occasion of unrestrained revelry. |
| saturnine |
gloomy, sullen, or cynical in temperament or appearance. |
| splenetic |
ill-tempered or spiteful. |