| abut |
to adjoin or press against; be next to; border on. |
| appellation |
a name, title, or other designation. |
| bereft |
deprived or stripped of something. |
| deposition |
a sworn statement, usually in writing, for use as testimony by an absent witness in a court of law. |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| equivocal |
having at least two plausible alternative meanings, often intentionally so in order to deceive or avoid commitment; ambiguous. |
| expiation |
the act or the means of making amends, as for a sin or crime. |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| indulgent |
gratifying, or being inclined to gratify or yield to others' wishes, especially rather than enforcing discipline or strictness. |
| parlous |
full of dangers or risks; perilous. |
| regicide |
the murderer of a king. |
| scabrous |
characterized by a rough or scaly surface, as the leaf of a plant. |
| sotto voce |
in a low voice or undertone, so as not to be overheard; softly (often used as a musical direction). |
| supine |
lying with the face upward. |
| virago |
a shrewish, domineering woman; nag or scold. |