| affront |
something that is said or done on purpose to be rude or mean. |
| amenity |
(plural) social courtesies; agreeable manners; pleasantries. |
| catechism |
a summary of the principles of a religion, especially Christianity, in the form of questions and answers. |
| charlatan |
one who deceitfully claims to possess a particular skill or expertise; fraud; quack. |
| embellish |
to improve by, or as though by, decorations; decorate. |
| flippant |
disrespectful or indifferent to someone or something worthy of respect; shallowly humorous. |
| hitherto |
until this time; previously. |
| impassive |
not having, showing, or responding to emotion; unfeeling, expressionless, or insensitive. |
| interim |
the interval of time between two events. |
| purge |
to free or rid (usually followed by "of" or "from"). |
| ravenous |
very hungry; starved. |
| specious |
apparently true, genuine, or plausible, but actually worthless, as an argument or evidence. |
| sustenance |
nourishment that maintains life; food. |
| tome |
a large thick book, often one of a multivolume scholarly work. |
| viscous |
having an adhesive, gluey consistency that resists flow. |