| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| banal |
lacking originality or liveliness; disappointingly ordinary; commonplace; trite. |
| belabor |
to continue excessive efforts on or excessive discussion of. |
| coeval |
coinciding in time of origin or existence; contemporary. |
| disallow |
to refuse to allow or admit; reject. |
| frangible |
easy to break; breakable; fragile. |
| fulminate |
to vehemently denounce or criticize something. |
| humanism |
a doctrine or mode of thought that gives highest importance to human dignity, values, potentials, and achievements. |
| imprecation |
a curse, uttered or thought of. |
| insipid |
having a bland or uninteresting flavor; tasteless. |
| minatory |
presenting a threat; menacing. |
| prerogative |
an exclusive right or privilege derived from one's office, position, age, citizenship, birth, or the like. |
| pungent |
sharp and strong in taste or smell. |
| salvo |
the firing of guns or other firearms simultaneously or in succession, especially as a salute. |
| stipple |
a method of painting, drawing, or engraving by applying small points, dots, or dabs to a surface. |