| backfire |
to have results that are the opposite of what one wanted. |
| cuisine |
a particular type of cooking, especially that of a particular region, or the food in general that is prepared in this way. |
| discrepancy |
lack of agreement; difference; inconsistency. |
| distend |
to swell or cause to swell from, or as if from, internal pressure; balloon. |
| imminent |
about to happen or likely to happen soon. |
| immobile |
standing or holding still; not moving; motionless. |
| instrumental |
serving as an agent or partial cause. |
| melodrama |
behavior or events, in reality or fiction, with similarly exaggerated features or effects. |
| precipitous |
very steep or sudden; rising or dropping abruptly. |
| recumbent |
lying down; reclining. |
| retard |
to cause (growth, development, or the like) to be slow or incomplete; stunt. |
| shackle |
a metal band or one of a pair of metal rings used to bind the wrist or ankle of a prisoner or animal. |
| succinct |
briefly but clearly stated; concise. |
| surreptitious |
made, performed, or achieved by stealth or in secret. |
| underscore |
to emphasize by, or as if by, drawing a line beneath. |