| accretion |
the process of gradual increase or growth, especially by additions from the outside. |
| atavism |
the recurrence or reappearance of a particular trait, style, attitude, or behavior that seemed to have disappeared, or that which has recurred or reappeared after such an absence. |
| benign |
causing little or no harm. |
| concur |
to share the same opinion; agree. |
| crass |
lacking in sensitivity or refinement; crude. |
| declivity |
a downward or descending slope. |
| deposition |
a sworn statement, usually in writing, for use as testimony by an absent witness in a court of law. |
| devolve |
of a duty or the like, to be passed on to someone else. |
| feckless |
weak or incompetent; ineffective. |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| intersperse |
to place or scatter among other things. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| opprobrious |
expressing condemnation or scorn; accusing of shameful behavior. |
| stanch1 |
to cause (a liquid, especially blood) to stop flowing. |
| tamp |
to compress and pack tightly by repeated light taps. |