| apocryphal |
of dubious authorship or authority. |
| calumny |
a harmful statement, known by the maker to be false. |
| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| caparison |
decorative trappings to cover a horse's saddle or harness. |
| coddle |
to simmer in water that is almost at the boiling point. |
| debouch |
to advance out of a confined or narrow space such as a canyon into open country. |
| discountenance |
to embarrass or disconcert. |
| exegesis |
a critical explanation or interpretive analysis, especially of religious texts. |
| extrinsic |
not inherent or essential; extraneous. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| foment |
to encourage the development of; instigate or foster. |
| gamut |
the whole extent or range of anything. |
| harrow |
to go over or break up with a harrow. |
| mélange |
a mixture, usually of very dissimilar elements. |
| relict |
a plant, animal, or geological feature that has survived in a considerably changed environment. |