| ambidextrous |
able to use both the left and right hands with equal skill. |
| blatant |
completely obvious or undisguised, sometimes offensively so. |
| élan |
enthusiasm or vigor. |
| effluvium |
an outflow of usually invisible, foul-smelling vapor or gas. |
| exegesis |
a critical explanation or interpretive analysis, especially of religious texts. |
| flagitious |
viciously or shamefully wicked; infamous. |
| halcyon |
tranquil; peaceful; calm. |
| hypocrisy |
the practice or an instance of stating or pretending to hold beliefs or principles that one does not actually live by; insincerity. |
| idiosyncrasy |
a characteristic of temperament, habit, or physical structure particular to a given individual or group; peculiarity. |
| lorgnette |
eyeglasses, such as opera glasses, that have a short handle by which one holds them in position. |
| mésalliance |
marriage with someone of lower social standing than oneself. |
| misanthrope |
someone who hates or distrusts humanity. |
| pedantic |
making or characterized by an excessive display of learnedness, or overly insistent on scholarly details and formalities. |
| precursory |
coming before and serving to indicate what will follow; premonitory. |
| untoward |
unexpected and unfortunate. |