| berate |
to reproach or scold severely. |
| convoluted |
complex; intricate. |
| corporeal |
having to do with a physical body; bodily. |
| effrontery |
shameless impudence; insolence. |
| equivocal |
having at least two plausible alternative meanings, often intentionally so in order to deceive or avoid commitment; ambiguous. |
| gossamer |
delicately fine, gauzelike, or filmy. |
| kibbutz |
an Israeli farming settlement whose ownership is shared by those who live and work there. |
| knurled |
having small ridges. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| lenitive |
mitigating pain, discomfort, or distress; soothing. |
| pastiche |
a work of visual art, music, or literature that consists mostly of materials and techniques borrowed from other works, sometimes done as an exercise to learn the technique of others. |
| prolix |
wordy and boringly long. |
| quondam |
having been in the past; former. |
| recant |
to withdraw from commitment to (a former position or statement), especially publicly; retract. |
| salacious |
excited by lust; lecherous. |