| accretion |
the process of gradual increase or growth, especially by additions from the outside. |
| debauch |
to lead or seduce into immorality or intemperance; corrupt. |
| disingenuous |
not candid or sincere. |
| festoon |
a decorative chain or strip of ribbons, flowers, leaves, or the like, suspended at the ends and hung in a curve. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| idiosyncrasy |
a characteristic of temperament, habit, or physical structure particular to a given individual or group; peculiarity. |
| impediment |
an obstacle or hindrance. |
| interdict |
to deter or impede by the steady use of firepower. |
| lattice |
a flat framework made with strips of wood or other material. The strips cross each other and have open spaces in between. A lattice is often used as a screen on a porch or in a garden. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| oligarchy |
a government or state in which only a relatively few people or members of a family have real power. |
| peroration |
the concluding part of a speech in which there is a summing up of the principal points. |
| salvo |
the firing of guns or other firearms simultaneously or in succession, especially as a salute. |
| sanguine |
having an optimistic temperament or outlook. |
| solecism |
a gross violation of convention in grammar, etiquette, or the like; impropriety. |