| accretion |
the process of gradual increase or growth, especially by additions from the outside. |
| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| debauch |
to lead or seduce into immorality or intemperance; corrupt. |
| descant |
a secondary, usually higher, melody that is played or sung at the same time as the chief melody. |
| facsimile |
an exact copy or duplicate of something printed or of a picture. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| froward |
unwilling to agree or obey; stubborn; perverse. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| guru |
in a cult or religious movement, a spiritual guide or leader, sometimes believed to be divine. |
| harrow |
to go over or break up with a harrow. |
| jubilate |
to feel joyful; rejoice; exult. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| quadrant |
any of the four parts that result when an area is divided by two lines, real or imaginary, that intersect each other at right angles. |
| recessional |
a piece of music that accompanies the exit of participants in a program or religious ceremony. |
| remonstrate |
to say in opposition, protest, or objection. |