| abash |
to cause to feel embarrassed, uneasy, or ashamed. |
| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| contretemps |
an embarrassing or unfortunate happening; mishap; mischance. |
| conversant |
familiar; acquainted; practiced (usually followed by "with" or "in"). |
| foible |
a minor flaw or weakness in personality, character, or behavior. |
| innocuous |
not capable of causing damage; harmless. |
| mésalliance |
marriage with someone of lower social standing than oneself. |
| nonplus |
to cause (someone) to be unable to think of what to say, do, or decide; perplex; bewilder. |
| pinchbeck |
false, sham, or counterfeit. |
| recondite |
involving profound concepts and complexities; not easily understood. |
| reprise |
repetition of a musical phrase or theme in an identical or slightly altered way. |
| stative |
in grammar, of or designating a category of verbs that express state or condition. |
| supine |
lying with the face upward. |
| surcingle |
a girth or belt that wraps around the body of a horse to secure a saddle, pack, or the like to its back. |