| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| blatant |
completely obvious or undisguised, sometimes offensively so. |
| canny |
difficult to fool or take advantage of; shrewd; wary; clever. |
| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| concur |
to share the same opinion; agree. |
| contumacious |
stubbornly disobedient; insubordinate; rebellious. |
| epistemology |
the branch of philosophy dealing with the origin, nature, and limits of human knowledge. |
| garble |
to mix up, distort, or confuse (a message, translation, or the like); cause to be disordered or unintelligible. |
| impediment |
an obstacle or hindrance. |
| lambent |
glowing softly. |
| naturalism |
in literature, a method of depicting life that reflects a philosophy of determinism. |
| plaudit |
(often plural) an enthusiastic show of approval, such as a round of applause or a very favorable review. |
| seminal |
of critical importance; essential. |
| sepsis |
infection, especially by pus-forming bacteria in the blood or tissues. |
| stately |
dignified. |