| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| apropos |
appropriate; relevant; opportune. |
| bereft |
deprived or stripped of something. |
| canard |
a deliberately false story or rumor, usually defamatory to someone. |
| caparison |
decorative trappings to cover a horse's saddle or harness. |
| chary |
not dispensing freely. |
| conclave |
a secret, private, or confidential meeting or gathering. |
| demarcate |
to set apart or separate, as if with boundaries. |
| equivocal |
having at least two plausible alternative meanings, often intentionally so in order to deceive or avoid commitment; ambiguous. |
| exegesis |
a critical explanation or interpretive analysis, especially of religious texts. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| iatrogenic |
caused by a physician or medical treatment, especially from drugs or surgery. |
| immaculate |
not dirty; completely clean. |
| lien |
a legal claim on a piece of property when the current owner is in default on a debt or obligation. |
| scabrous |
characterized by a rough or scaly surface, as the leaf of a plant. |