| appellative |
a descriptive name or title, as "Terrible" in "Ivan the Terrible". |
| askance |
with distrust or suspicion. |
| belabor |
to continue excessive efforts on or excessive discussion of. |
| canard |
a deliberately false story or rumor, usually defamatory to someone. |
| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| debauch |
to lead or seduce into immorality or intemperance; corrupt. |
| dissemble |
to disguise or hide behind a false semblance; conceal the true nature or state of. |
| effluvium |
an outflow of usually invisible, foul-smelling vapor or gas. |
| hagiography |
an admiring and uncritical biography of anyone. |
| inveigle |
to entice or ensnare by clever talk or flattery. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| lien |
a legal claim on a piece of property when the current owner is in default on a debt or obligation. |
| linguistics |
(used with a singular verb) the scientific and historical study of the form and structure of human language. |
| naturalism |
in literature, a method of depicting life that reflects a philosophy of determinism. |
| recidivism |
chronic return to bad habits, especially criminal relapse. |