| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| askance |
with distrust or suspicion. |
| bilge |
the rounded part of a ship's hull between the bottom and the sides. |
| blithe |
indifferent or casual; unconcerned. |
| caparison |
decorative trappings to cover a horse's saddle or harness. |
| condign |
well-deserved or fitting, especially of punishment or reprimand. |
| disinter |
to dig up or remove from a place of burial; exhume. |
| gird |
to surround, bind, or encircle, as with a belt. |
| hirsute |
covered with hair or stiff hairs; hairy or shaggy. |
| inflection |
change that occurs in the form of words to show a grammatical characteristic such as the tense of a verb, the number of a noun, or the degree of an adjective or adverb. |
| jejune |
lacking interest or liveliness; dull. |
| lien |
a legal claim on a piece of property when the current owner is in default on a debt or obligation. |
| oblique |
not direct or straightforward in intent, means, or achievement; indirect or devious. |
| pusillanimous |
shamefully timid; cowardly. |
| savor |
to give an impression; hint (usually followed by "of"). |