| ambidextrous |
able to use both the left and right hands with equal skill. |
| astringent |
a substance or drug that contracts body tissue and slows discharge or secretion. |
| cognoscente |
someone who has exceptional knowledge in a given area, especially of fashion, literature, or the fine arts; connoisseur. |
| compunction |
uneasiness about the propriety or suitability of an action; qualm. |
| crass |
lacking in sensitivity or refinement; crude. |
| demulcent |
an oily or sticky substance used especially to soothe irritation in mucous membranes. |
| determinism |
the belief or teaching that every effect, including human thoughts and actions, is completely and predictably brought about by preceding causes and that, therefore, free will does not exist. |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| harbinger |
someone or something that signals or foreshadows a later arrival or occurrence; herald; forerunner. |
| insinuate |
to suggest (something derogatory) subtly and indirectly. |
| intransigence |
refusal to alter one's ideas or position in response to the wishes of others. |
| lugubrious |
sad or mournful, especially in an exaggerated way; gloomy. |
| maunder |
to speak in an aimless or foolish way; babble. |
| quiescence |
a state of inaction, rest, or stillness; dormancy. |
| stentorian |
extremely loud and powerful. |