| abut |
to adjoin or press against; be next to; border on. |
| askance |
with distrust or suspicion. |
| cloture |
in U.S. parliamentary procedure, a method of ending debate and causing an immediate vote on the matter being discussed. |
| denigrate |
to deny the worth of; sneer at; belittle. |
| effluvium |
an outflow of usually invisible, foul-smelling vapor or gas. |
| ensconce |
to position (oneself) firmly or comfortably. |
| extort |
to extract or obtain (money or the like) by force, threats, or abuse of authority. |
| inflection |
change that occurs in the form of words to show a grammatical characteristic such as the tense of a verb, the number of a noun, or the degree of an adjective or adverb. |
| knurled |
having small ridges. |
| misanthrope |
someone who hates or distrusts humanity. |
| noisome |
offensive or disgusting, especially in smell; foul. |
| obtrude |
to thrust or force (oneself, one's concerns, or one's opinions) on another or others without being asked. |
| parturient |
giving birth or about to give birth; in labor. |
| periphrasis |
an indirect or roundabout way of phrasing something; circumlocution. |
| plaudit |
(often plural) an enthusiastic show of approval, such as a round of applause or a very favorable review. |