| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| atavism |
the recurrence or reappearance of a particular trait, style, attitude, or behavior that seemed to have disappeared, or that which has recurred or reappeared after such an absence. |
| benign |
causing little or no harm. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| deign |
to consider some act to be appropriate or in keeping with one's dignity; condescend. |
| disallow |
to refuse to allow or admit; reject. |
| engender |
to create or give rise to. |
| incumbent |
currently holding an office or position. |
| ineluctable |
impossible to be avoided; inescapable. |
| laudatory |
expressing praise. |
| otiose |
having no purpose or use; unnecessary or futile. |
| parturient |
giving birth or about to give birth; in labor. |
| recant |
to withdraw from commitment to (a former position or statement), especially publicly; retract. |
| redoubtable |
inspiring fear; formidable. |
| solipsism |
the self-centered habit of interpreting and judging all things exclusively according to one's own concepts of meaning and value. |