| argot |
the vocabulary or jargon characteristic of a specific group or class, especially of criminals. |
| baneful |
causing or leading to death, destruction, or ruin; harmful or deadly. |
| bathos |
a sudden descent from an exalted style or esteemed state to the commonplace. |
| cloture |
in U.S. parliamentary procedure, a method of ending debate and causing an immediate vote on the matter being discussed. |
| demarcate |
to set apart or separate, as if with boundaries. |
| descant |
a secondary, usually higher, melody that is played or sung at the same time as the chief melody. |
| epistemology |
the branch of philosophy dealing with the origin, nature, and limits of human knowledge. |
| extirpate |
to get rid of completely, as if by pulling up the roots; root out. |
| inflection |
change that occurs in the form of words to show a grammatical characteristic such as the tense of a verb, the number of a noun, or the degree of an adjective or adverb. |
| magnum opus |
a great work of art, literature, or music, especially a particular person's masterpiece. |
| obtrude |
to thrust or force (oneself, one's concerns, or one's opinions) on another or others without being asked. |
| panegyric |
a formal speech or piece of writing devoted to publicly praising a person or thing. |
| parlance |
manner of speaking or writing, especially word choice; vernacular. |
| paroxysm |
a sudden strong outburst of feelings or actions. |
| stentorian |
extremely loud and powerful. |