| adulteration |
the act or process of making worse or impure by adding unnecessary or inferior ingredients. |
| agog |
highly excited and full of anticipation. |
| appose |
to place next to or side by side; juxtapose. |
| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| consternation |
surprise and alarm, leading to panic, deep disappointment, or total confusion. |
| disabuse |
to free (a person) from misconception or deception; set straight. |
| duress |
intimidation or coercion. |
| elide |
to leave out or slur, as a syllable or letter, in pronunciation. |
| festoon |
a decorative chain or strip of ribbons, flowers, leaves, or the like, suspended at the ends and hung in a curve. |
| impinge |
to encroach. |
| ineluctable |
impossible to be avoided; inescapable. |
| lenitive |
mitigating pain, discomfort, or distress; soothing. |
| opprobrious |
expressing condemnation or scorn; accusing of shameful behavior. |
| rapacious |
capable of capturing and eating live prey; predacious. |
| sanguine |
having an optimistic temperament or outlook. |