| bibulous |
addicted to alcohol; alcoholic. |
| boudoir |
a woman's private sitting room or bedroom. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| desiccate |
to remove the moisture in (food) so as to preserve it. |
| doggerel |
trivial, crudely constructed verse. |
| fealty |
faithfulness or loyalty. |
| flout |
to show scorn or contempt for, especially by openly or deliberately disobeying. |
| indemnity |
insurance against damage, loss, or liability. |
| laudatory |
expressing praise. |
| malfeasance |
an illegal act or wrongdoing, especially by a public official. |
| obfuscate |
to make (something) seem or be difficult to understand; obscure or darken. |
| ostentation |
a showy display to impress others. |
| pathos |
a quality in life or art that evokes pity, sadness, or compassion. |
| pleonasm |
a redundant word, phrase, or expression. |
| surcingle |
a girth or belt that wraps around the body of a horse to secure a saddle, pack, or the like to its back. |