| adamantine |
firmly decided or fixed; unyielding. |
| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| belie |
to give a false impression of. |
| dearth |
a shortage or scarcity of something; lack. |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| forswear |
to give up or renounce, often with an oath or pledge. |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| imprimatur |
any official permission or sanction. |
| intransigence |
refusal to alter one's ideas or position in response to the wishes of others. |
| knurled |
having small ridges. |
| maunder |
to speak in an aimless or foolish way; babble. |
| preferment |
the act of promoting or being promoted to a higher position or office. |
| solecism |
a gross violation of convention in grammar, etiquette, or the like; impropriety. |
| unscathed |
not hurt or harmed; completely uninjured. |
| vouchsafe |
to grant or give with condescension or as a special favor. |