| bathos |
a sudden descent from an exalted style or esteemed state to the commonplace. |
| brash |
rudely self-assertive; bold; impudent. |
| Byzantine |
characterized by complexity and intrigue. |
| 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. |
| derision |
mockery or ridicule. |
| ensconce |
to position (oneself) firmly or comfortably. |
| glean |
to gather or discover (facts, information, or the like) a little at a time. |
| guttural |
articulated in the back of the mouth; velar. |
| imprimatur |
any official permission or sanction. |
| insularity |
the condition of being closed to new ideas or outside influences; narrow-mindedness. |
| lacuna |
a gap or omitted part. |
| periphrasis |
an indirect or roundabout way of phrasing something; circumlocution. |
| regicide |
the murderer of a king. |
| sudorific |
causing or increasing sweat, as a medication. |