| affidavit |
a written statement that is sworn in the presence of an authorized official to be true, used as legal evidence. |
| baneful |
causing or leading to death, destruction, or ruin; harmful or deadly. |
| cession |
the act of formally giving up or signing over, as a territory; ceding. |
| deracinate |
to pull up by or as if by the roots; uproot; isolate; exile. |
| disquisition |
a formal, often lengthy, oral or written discussion of a subject. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| guru |
in a cult or religious movement, a spiritual guide or leader, sometimes believed to be divine. |
| humanism |
a doctrine or mode of thought that gives highest importance to human dignity, values, potentials, and achievements. |
| pandemic |
a widespread outbreak of disease that afflicts many people over different continents. |
| redoubtable |
inspiring fear; formidable. |
| salvo |
the firing of guns or other firearms simultaneously or in succession, especially as a salute. |
| saturnine |
gloomy, sullen, or cynical in temperament or appearance. |
| scabrous |
characterized by a rough or scaly surface, as the leaf of a plant. |
| stentorian |
extremely loud and powerful. |
| virago |
a shrewish, domineering woman; nag or scold. |