| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| alluvium |
sand, soil, gravel, or the like deposited by moving water, as along a river bed. |
| assuage |
to make less severe or more bearable; alleviate. |
| bibulous |
addicted to alcohol; alcoholic. |
| cognomen |
a last name; surname. |
| elide |
to leave out or slur, as a syllable or letter, in pronunciation. |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| gullible |
believing almost anything; easily tricked. |
| laconic |
using very few words; succinct; terse. |
| lambent |
glowing softly. |
| luminary |
a famous, important, or inspirational person. |
| pliant |
easily flexed; supple. |
| sere1 |
dried up or withered. |
| tort |
in law, any civil rather than criminal harm or injury that violates the implicit duty of each citizen not to harm others, and for which one may bring a civil suit and collect compensation. |
| uxorial |
of, pertaining to, or befitting a wife. |