| abut |
to adjoin or press against; be next to; border on. |
| bathos |
a sudden descent from an exalted style or esteemed state to the commonplace. |
| cravat |
a scarf or band of cloth tied loosely about the neck. |
| effete |
marked by excessive refinement or delicateness of taste. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| flummox |
(informal) to confuse or puzzle. |
| insinuate |
to suggest (something derogatory) subtly and indirectly. |
| insipid |
having a bland or uninteresting flavor; tasteless. |
| irrefragable |
impossible to refute or dispute; undeniable. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| obscurantism |
a deliberate lack of clarity or directness of expression, as in certain styles of art or literature. |
| prolix |
wordy and boringly long. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |
| stipple |
a method of painting, drawing, or engraving by applying small points, dots, or dabs to a surface. |