| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| attenuate |
to cause to be thin, rarefied, or fine. |
| bereft |
deprived or stripped of something. |
| fledge |
to grow flight feathers. |
| gird |
to surround, bind, or encircle, as with a belt. |
| halcyon |
tranquil; peaceful; calm. |
| imprimatur |
any official permission or sanction. |
| incumbent |
currently holding an office or position. |
| insularity |
the condition of being closed to new ideas or outside influences; narrow-mindedness. |
| maladroit |
not skillful; clumsy; tactless. |
| malapropism |
the humorous or ridiculous misuse of a word, especially by using a word that sounds similar to the correct word, but whose meaning is inappropriate. |
| ontogeny |
the process of biological growth and development of a particular living organism. |
| pathos |
a quality in life or art that evokes pity, sadness, or compassion. |
| pedagogy |
the act, process, or profession of teaching. |
| repine |
to express or feel unhappiness; complain; fret. |