| aberration |
a deviation from what is considered normal or right; irregularity. |
| abeyance |
temporary suspension or cessation. |
| atonement |
the act of making reparation for a sin, crime, error, or the like. |
| coddle |
to simmer in water that is almost at the boiling point. |
| disencumber |
to remove burdens or hindrances from. |
| divergence |
the act of separating and moving or leading in different directions. |
| élan |
enthusiasm or vigor. |
| epicure |
a person who has cultivated tastes, as in food or wine; connoisseur. |
| foible |
a minor flaw or weakness in personality, character, or behavior. |
| foment |
to encourage the development of; instigate or foster. |
| impute |
to ascribe or attribute to a source or cause. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| otiose |
having no purpose or use; unnecessary or futile. |
| travesty |
something so grotesque or inferior as to seem a parody. |
| veneration |
a feeling of great respect; awe; reverence. |