| affidavit |
a written statement that is sworn in the presence of an authorized official to be true, used as legal evidence. |
| Byzantine |
characterized by complexity and intrigue. |
| caparison |
decorative trappings to cover a horse's saddle or harness. |
| distraught |
mentally or emotionally unbalanced; crazed. |
| effrontery |
shameless impudence; insolence. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| erratic |
not expected or predicted; not regular. |
| ineluctable |
impossible to be avoided; inescapable. |
| lattice |
a flat framework made with strips of wood or other material. The strips cross each other and have open spaces in between. A lattice is often used as a screen on a porch or in a garden. |
| parlance |
manner of speaking or writing, especially word choice; vernacular. |
| pinchbeck |
false, sham, or counterfeit. |
| prolix |
wordy and boringly long. |
| quotidian |
happening every day or once a day. |
| schadenfreude |
(often capitalized) pleasure derived from the misfortune of others. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |