| accretion |
the process of gradual increase or growth, especially by additions from the outside. |
| berate |
to reproach or scold severely. |
| cognoscente |
someone who has exceptional knowledge in a given area, especially of fashion, literature, or the fine arts; connoisseur. |
| disallow |
to refuse to allow or admit; reject. |
| facetious |
not serious; humorous or frivolous. |
| flummox |
(informal) to confuse or puzzle. |
| idyllic |
charmingly simple and natural, as a scene or experience; suggestive of peaceful countryside. |
| loll |
to hang down loosely; dangle. |
| maunder |
to speak in an aimless or foolish way; babble. |
| 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. |
| nonpareil |
a person or thing whose excellence is unequaled; paragon. |
| pedagogy |
the act, process, or profession of teaching. |
| penury |
severe poverty; pennilessness. |
| recrudesce |
to become active again or break out anew, as a disease or harmful condition. |
| sepsis |
infection, especially by pus-forming bacteria in the blood or tissues. |