| acclivity |
a rising slope. |
| bathos |
a sudden descent from an exalted style or esteemed state to the commonplace. |
| beatify |
to admire or exalt as superior. |
| comity |
mutual courtesy and respectful treatment among people or nations. |
| daunt |
to lessen the determination of; intimidate; discourage. |
| determinism |
the belief or teaching that every effect, including human thoughts and actions, is completely and predictably brought about by preceding causes and that, therefore, free will does not exist. |
| expatiate |
to discuss something at great length; describe in great detail. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| imprecation |
a curse, uttered or thought of. |
| insipid |
having a bland or uninteresting flavor; tasteless. |
| insularity |
the condition of being closed to new ideas or outside influences; narrow-mindedness. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| malingerer |
one who pretends to be ill or injured, especially in order to avoid work or duty. |
| rebarbative |
tending to irritate or repel; forbidding or unattractive. |
| stipple |
a method of painting, drawing, or engraving by applying small points, dots, or dabs to a surface. |