| abeyance |
temporary suspension or cessation. |
| abrogate |
to abolish, repeal, or nullify by authority. |
| apropos |
appropriate; relevant; opportune. |
| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| consternation |
surprise and alarm, leading to panic, deep disappointment, or total confusion. |
| descant |
a secondary, usually higher, melody that is played or sung at the same time as the chief melody. |
| flange |
a collar or rim that projects from a pipe, housing, or the like to provide strength, stability, or a place for attaching other parts. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| ineptitude |
incompetence; lack of skill. |
| lacuna |
a gap or omitted part. |
| lanugo |
fine, soft hair, especially that with which a human fetus or newborn is covered. |
| ligature |
a band or tie. |
| malinger |
to pretend illness or injury, especially in order to be excused from duty or work. |
| misfeasance |
a normally lawful act performed in an unlawful way. |
| relict |
a plant, animal, or geological feature that has survived in a considerably changed environment. |