| argot |
the vocabulary or jargon characteristic of a specific group or class, especially of criminals. |
| austere |
having only what is needed; very simple or plain. |
| baleful |
threatening harm; full of malice; ominous. |
| descant |
a secondary, usually higher, melody that is played or sung at the same time as the chief melody. |
| erudite |
having or showing a high level of scholarly knowledge; learned. |
| kibbutz |
an Israeli farming settlement whose ownership is shared by those who live and work there. |
| linguistics |
(used with a singular verb) the scientific and historical study of the form and structure of human language. |
| nostrum |
a favorite but unproven scheme or theory, offered as a remedy for social or political problems; panacea. |
| pinchbeck |
false, sham, or counterfeit. |
| requite |
to retaliate for; strike back on account of. |
| sagacious |
possessing or characterized by good judgment and common sense; wise. |
| sere1 |
dried up or withered. |
| stentorian |
extremely loud and powerful. |
| sylph |
a slender, graceful woman or girl. |
| trabeated |
using horizontal beams or lintels as supports instead of arches. |