| bibulous |
addicted to alcohol; alcoholic. |
| cognomen |
a last name; surname. |
| denigrate |
to deny the worth of; sneer at; belittle. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| equivocal |
having at least two plausible alternative meanings, often intentionally so in order to deceive or avoid commitment; ambiguous. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| glabrous |
having no hair or fuzz; bald; smooth. |
| idiosyncrasy |
a characteristic of temperament, habit, or physical structure particular to a given individual or group; peculiarity. |
| jeremiad |
a long complaint about life or one's situation; lamentation. |
| jubilate |
to feel joyful; rejoice; exult. |
| lapidary |
an expert on or dealer in gemstones. |
| nonfeasance |
in law, failure to perform a required duty, as by a public official. |
| 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. |
| tyro |
one who is beginning to learn a business, trade, sport, or the like; novice; neophyte. |
| vouchsafe |
to grant or give with condescension or as a special favor. |