| amortize |
to deduct (expenditures) by fixed amounts over a period of time. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| consternation |
surprise and alarm, leading to panic, deep disappointment, or total confusion. |
| demotic |
of or relating to the common people; popular. |
| epistemology |
the branch of philosophy dealing with the origin, nature, and limits of human knowledge. |
| erudite |
having or showing a high level of scholarly knowledge; learned. |
| gadfly |
a persistent critic, especially of established institutions and policies. |
| laconic |
using very few words; succinct; terse. |
| mésalliance |
marriage with someone of lower social standing than oneself. |
| peripatetic |
walking or traveling around; going from place to place; itinerant. |
| raffish |
carelessly unconventional or disreputable, sometimes appealingly so. |
| sartorial |
of or pertaining to tailors or tailored clothing, especially men's clothing. |
| splenetic |
ill-tempered or spiteful. |
| stanch1 |
to cause (a liquid, especially blood) to stop flowing. |
| uxorial |
of, pertaining to, or befitting a wife. |