| alluvium |
sand, soil, gravel, or the like deposited by moving water, as along a river bed. |
| assuage |
to make less severe or more bearable; alleviate. |
| blandishment |
(often plural) flattering or coaxing remarks or stratagems intended to persuade. |
| denigrate |
to deny the worth of; sneer at; belittle. |
| electuary |
a drug mixed with honey, syrup, or the like to form a paste to be smeared on the teeth or gums of a sick animal. |
| extort |
to extract or obtain (money or the like) by force, threats, or abuse of authority. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| incessant |
never stopping; constant. |
| lanugo |
fine, soft hair, especially that with which a human fetus or newborn is covered. |
| obscurantism |
a deliberate lack of clarity or directness of expression, as in certain styles of art or literature. |
| sartorial |
of or pertaining to tailors or tailored clothing, especially men's clothing. |
| scabrous |
characterized by a rough or scaly surface, as the leaf of a plant. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |
| vitiate |
to harm the quality of; mar; spoil. |