| affidavit |
a written statement that is sworn in the presence of an authorized official to be true, used as legal evidence. |
| appellative |
a descriptive name or title, as "Terrible" in "Ivan the Terrible". |
| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| coir |
the fiber made from coconut husks, used for matting, rope, or the like. |
| compunction |
uneasiness about the propriety or suitability of an action; qualm. |
| equipoise |
a state of balance or equal weight, importance, or the like; equilibrium. |
| froward |
unwilling to agree or obey; stubborn; perverse. |
| goad |
something that spurs a person to action; stimulus. |
| impediment |
an obstacle or hindrance. |
| ingenuous |
having or showing simplicity and lack of sophistication; artless. |
| intelligentsia |
the elite class of highly learned people within a society, or those who consider themselves part of such a class. |
| obfuscate |
to make (something) seem or be difficult to understand; obscure or darken. |
| perquisite |
a payment or benefit in addition to the wages or salary associated with a position. |
| raffish |
carelessly unconventional or disreputable, sometimes appealingly so. |