| alluvium |
sand, soil, gravel, or the like deposited by moving water, as along a river bed. |
| cloture |
in U.S. parliamentary procedure, a method of ending debate and causing an immediate vote on the matter being discussed. |
| consternation |
surprise and alarm, leading to panic, deep disappointment, or total confusion. |
| declivity |
a downward or descending slope. |
| eruct |
to belch forth. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| hirsute |
covered with hair or stiff hairs; hairy or shaggy. |
| inquest |
a legal investigation, usually involving a jury, especially a coroner's investigation of a suspicious death. |
| parlous |
full of dangers or risks; perilous. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| pelf |
money or wealth, usually regarded with disapproval or contempt. |
| pungency |
sharpness or bite in taste or smell. |
| recondite |
involving profound concepts and complexities; not easily understood. |
| scabrous |
characterized by a rough or scaly surface, as the leaf of a plant. |
| sylph |
a slender, graceful woman or girl. |