| abash |
to cause to feel embarrassed, uneasy, or ashamed. |
| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| asperity |
harshness or roughness, especially of tone or manner. |
| blatant |
completely obvious or undisguised, sometimes offensively so. |
| coddle |
to simmer in water that is almost at the boiling point. |
| despoil |
to forcefully take belongings or goods from; plunder. |
| facetious |
not serious; humorous or frivolous. |
| fracas |
a noisy disturbance or quarrel. |
| inadvertent |
not planned or intended; unintentional. |
| incumbent |
currently holding an office or position. |
| obfuscate |
to make (something) seem or be difficult to understand; obscure or darken. |
| opprobrious |
expressing condemnation or scorn; accusing of shameful behavior. |
| pastiche |
a work of visual art, music, or literature that consists mostly of materials and techniques borrowed from other works, sometimes done as an exercise to learn the technique of others. |
| quadrant |
any of the four parts that result when an area is divided by two lines, real or imaginary, that intersect each other at right angles. |
| shyster |
a person, usually a lawyer, who uses underhanded, unethical methods. |