| abstruse |
difficult to comprehend or understand; esoteric; arcane. |
| asperity |
harshness or roughness, especially of tone or manner. |
| consternation |
surprise and alarm, leading to panic, deep disappointment, or total confusion. |
| contretemps |
an embarrassing or unfortunate happening; mishap; mischance. |
| disinter |
to dig up or remove from a place of burial; exhume. |
| equipoise |
a state of balance or equal weight, importance, or the like; equilibrium. |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| expatiate |
to discuss something at great length; describe in great detail. |
| festoon |
a decorative chain or strip of ribbons, flowers, leaves, or the like, suspended at the ends and hung in a curve. |
| foible |
a minor flaw or weakness in personality, character, or behavior. |
| imprimatur |
any official permission or sanction. |
| inculcate |
to cause to accept an idea or value; imbue. |
| occlude |
to close or obstruct (a passage or opening, one's vision, or the like). |
| pungent |
sharp and strong in taste or smell. |
| quiescence |
a state of inaction, rest, or stillness; dormancy. |