| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| avow |
to assert or affirm. |
| condign |
well-deserved or fitting, especially of punishment or reprimand. |
| demarcate |
to set apart or separate, as if with boundaries. |
| demulcent |
an oily or sticky substance used especially to soothe irritation in mucous membranes. |
| fealty |
faithfulness or loyalty. |
| glean |
to gather or discover (facts, information, or the like) a little at a time. |
| guru |
in a cult or religious movement, a spiritual guide or leader, sometimes believed to be divine. |
| incredulous |
not able to believe something. |
| incursion |
a raid or sudden invasion. |
| penumbra |
an indefinite, borderline area. |
| saturnine |
gloomy, sullen, or cynical in temperament or appearance. |
| sequester |
to remove into protection and isolation; seclude. |
| 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. |
| unadulterated |
unmixed with or undiluted by additives or extraneous elements; pure; complete. |