| calumny |
a harmful statement, known by the maker to be false. |
| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| chary |
not dispensing freely. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| flout |
to show scorn or contempt for, especially by openly or deliberately disobeying. |
| heinous |
extremely wicked or despicable; atrocious. |
| inculcate |
to cause to accept an idea or value; imbue. |
| maladroit |
not skillful; clumsy; tactless. |
| panegyric |
a formal speech or piece of writing devoted to publicly praising a person or thing. |
| paroxysm |
a sudden strong outburst of feelings or actions. |
| peroration |
the concluding part of a speech in which there is a summing up of the principal points. |
| putrefaction |
the act or process of rotting or decomposing. |
| relict |
a plant, animal, or geological feature that has survived in a considerably changed environment. |
| shyster |
a person, usually a lawyer, who uses underhanded, unethical methods. |
| unscathed |
not hurt or harmed; completely uninjured. |