| abrogate |
to abolish, repeal, or nullify by authority. |
| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| askance |
with distrust or suspicion. |
| conversant |
familiar; acquainted; practiced (usually followed by "with" or "in"). |
| decedent |
in law, one who has died. |
| deter |
to stop or discourage from some action by creating doubt or fear. |
| effete |
marked by excessive refinement or delicateness of taste. |
| flummox |
(informal) to confuse or puzzle. |
| foment |
to encourage the development of; instigate or foster. |
| gnomic |
short and pithy, as an aphorism. |
| ligature |
a band or tie. |
| nonfeasance |
in law, failure to perform a required duty, as by a public official. |
| parlance |
manner of speaking or writing, especially word choice; vernacular. |
| pinchbeck |
false, sham, or counterfeit. |
| stridulate |
to produce a shrill grating, creaking, or chirping sound by rubbing certain parts of the body together, as some insects do. |