| animus |
a feeling or attitude of enmity. |
| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| appose |
to place next to or side by side; juxtapose. |
| attenuate |
to cause to be thin, rarefied, or fine. |
| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| bellicose |
easily incited to quarrel or fight; belligerent. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| devolve |
of a duty or the like, to be passed on to someone else. |
| kismet |
destiny, fortune, or fate. |
| lupine2 |
fierce; greedy. |
| misfeasance |
a normally lawful act performed in an unlawful way. |
| parturient |
giving birth or about to give birth; in labor. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| saturnine |
gloomy, sullen, or cynical in temperament or appearance. |
| tummler |
an entertainer or social director who encourages participation by guests or audience. |