| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| augury |
the art or practice or an instance of predicting the future or obtaining hidden knowledge by interpreting omens. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| disingenuous |
not candid or sincere. |
| expatiate |
to discuss something at great length; describe in great detail. |
| gamut |
the whole extent or range of anything. |
| garrulous |
given to talking excessively. |
| gossamer |
delicately fine, gauzelike, or filmy. |
| iatrogenic |
caused by a physician or medical treatment, especially from drugs or surgery. |
| mélange |
a mixture, usually of very dissimilar elements. |
| pedantic |
making or characterized by an excessive display of learnedness, or overly insistent on scholarly details and formalities. |
| perquisite |
a payment or benefit in addition to the wages or salary associated with a position. |
| proselytize |
to convert or try actively to convert (others) to one's own beliefs or religion. |
| unabashed |
not feeling or showing embarrassment, uneasiness, or shame. |
| uxorious |
excessively or foolishly devoted to one's wife, and often thereby submissive to her. |