| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| delectation |
enjoyment; delight; pleasure. |
| disallow |
to refuse to allow or admit; reject. |
| discountenance |
to embarrass or disconcert. |
| disheveled |
not neat; messy. |
| Draconian |
(often lower case) harshly cruel or rigorous. |
| ensconce |
to position (oneself) firmly or comfortably. |
| insularity |
the condition of being closed to new ideas or outside influences; narrow-mindedness. |
| lapidary |
an expert on or dealer in gemstones. |
| mélange |
a mixture, usually of very dissimilar elements. |
| modular |
designed with standardized units that may be arranged or connected in a variety of ways. |
| parlous |
full of dangers or risks; perilous. |
| rodomontade |
puffed-up boasting or bravado. |
| sanguine |
having an optimistic temperament or outlook. |
| welter |
to roll about or wallow, as in mud or the open sea. |