| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| antediluvian |
hopelessly old-fashioned; primitive; outdated. |
| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| engender |
to create or give rise to. |
| flak |
(informal) irritating opposition, criticism, or dissent. |
| foment |
to encourage the development of; instigate or foster. |
| impromptu |
without advance plan or preparation; spontaneously. |
| intelligentsia |
the elite class of highly learned people within a society, or those who consider themselves part of such a class. |
| jeremiad |
a long complaint about life or one's situation; lamentation. |
| lachrymose |
weeping, tending to weep readily, or being on the point of tears; tearful. |
| mélange |
a mixture, usually of very dissimilar elements. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |
| quadrant |
any of the four parts that result when an area is divided by two lines, real or imaginary, that intersect each other at right angles. |
| supine |
lying with the face upward. |
| welter |
to roll about or wallow, as in mud or the open sea. |