| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| askance |
with distrust or suspicion. |
| beatify |
to admire or exalt as superior. |
| bereft |
deprived or stripped of something. |
| demulcent |
an oily or sticky substance used especially to soothe irritation in mucous membranes. |
| extort |
to extract or obtain (money or the like) by force, threats, or abuse of authority. |
| flange |
a collar or rim that projects from a pipe, housing, or the like to provide strength, stability, or a place for attaching other parts. |
| fungible |
interchangeable. |
| indulgent |
gratifying, or being inclined to gratify or yield to others' wishes, especially rather than enforcing discipline or strictness. |
| kismet |
destiny, fortune, or fate. |
| modus operandi |
a method of accomplishing something; way of working. |
| neologism |
a new word, phrase, or usage. |
| sepsis |
infection, especially by pus-forming bacteria in the blood or tissues. |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |
| topography |
the shape of the earth's surface across an area or region. The topography of an area includes the size and location of hills and dips in the land. |