| accretion |
the process of gradual increase or growth, especially by additions from the outside. |
| bereft |
deprived or stripped of something. |
| burgeon |
to start to grow; send forth shoots, leaves, buds, or the like (often followed by "out" or "forth"). |
| cloture |
in U.S. parliamentary procedure, a method of ending debate and causing an immediate vote on the matter being discussed. |
| derelict |
failing to fulfill one's responsibilities or obligations; remiss. |
| indistinct |
not clearly perceived or perceiving. |
| ingenuous |
having or showing simplicity and lack of sophistication; artless. |
| insularity |
the condition of being closed to new ideas or outside influences; narrow-mindedness. |
| lattice |
a flat framework made with strips of wood or other material. The strips cross each other and have open spaces in between. A lattice is often used as a screen on a porch or in a garden. |
| malaise |
a state or condition of feeling generally unwell, mentally depressed, sluggish, or uneasy. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| peremptory |
not permitting refusal or disobedience. |
| plaudit |
(often plural) an enthusiastic show of approval, such as a round of applause or a very favorable review. |
| pungency |
sharpness or bite in taste or smell. |
| scabrous |
characterized by a rough or scaly surface, as the leaf of a plant. |