| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| blatant |
completely obvious or undisguised, sometimes offensively so. |
| duress |
intimidation or coercion. |
| effluvium |
an outflow of usually invisible, foul-smelling vapor or gas. |
| elide |
to leave out or slur, as a syllable or letter, in pronunciation. |
| fealty |
faithfulness or loyalty. |
| gossamer |
delicately fine, gauzelike, or filmy. |
| hypocrisy |
the practice or an instance of stating or pretending to hold beliefs or principles that one does not actually live by; insincerity. |
| inanition |
a state of exhaustion caused by a lack of nourishment. |
| louche |
of questionable decency, morality, or taste; shady; disreputable. |
| panegyric |
a formal speech or piece of writing devoted to publicly praising a person or thing. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| revetment |
a facing of stone, masonry, or the like to support or protect a wall, embankment, or mound of earth. |
| sepsis |
infection, especially by pus-forming bacteria in the blood or tissues. |
| stipple |
a method of painting, drawing, or engraving by applying small points, dots, or dabs to a surface. |