| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| appellative |
a descriptive name or title, as "Terrible" in "Ivan the Terrible". |
| appose |
to place next to or side by side; juxtapose. |
| attenuate |
to cause to be thin, rarefied, or fine. |
| bilge |
the rounded part of a ship's hull between the bottom and the sides. |
| coir |
the fiber made from coconut husks, used for matting, rope, or the like. |
| comity |
mutual courtesy and respectful treatment among people or nations. |
| contumely |
contemptuous insolence; rudeness. |
| discomfit |
to upset or confuse. |
| duress |
intimidation or coercion. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| nonfeasance |
in law, failure to perform a required duty, as by a public official. |
| schadenfreude |
(often capitalized) pleasure derived from the misfortune of others. |
| shyster |
a person, usually a lawyer, who uses underhanded, unethical methods. |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |