| calumny |
a harmful statement, known by the maker to be false. |
| collateral |
property or other security put forward to guarantee repayment of a loan. |
| curmudgeon |
an irritable or ill-tempered person. |
| doyen |
the senior or highest-ranking male member of a group. |
| fealty |
faithfulness or loyalty. |
| indistinct |
not clearly perceived or perceiving. |
| intersperse |
to place or scatter among other things. |
| lacuna |
a gap or omitted part. |
| lenitive |
mitigating pain, discomfort, or distress; soothing. |
| malingerer |
one who pretends to be ill or injured, especially in order to avoid work or duty. |
| noisome |
offensive or disgusting, especially in smell; foul. |
| opprobrious |
expressing condemnation or scorn; accusing of shameful behavior. |
| 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. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |
| transpose |
to exchange the position or order of (two things). |