| astringent |
a substance or drug that contracts body tissue and slows discharge or secretion. |
| collateral |
property or other security put forward to guarantee repayment of a loan. |
| consternation |
surprise and alarm, leading to panic, deep disappointment, or total confusion. |
| dearth |
a shortage or scarcity of something; lack. |
| distraught |
mentally or emotionally unbalanced; crazed. |
| divergence |
the act of separating and moving or leading in different directions. |
| erratic |
not expected or predicted; not regular. |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| expostulate |
to argue earnestly with someone, usually against an intended action; remonstrate. |
| idiosyncrasy |
a characteristic of temperament, habit, or physical structure particular to a given individual or group; peculiarity. |
| impermeable |
not permitting passage or penetration. |
| obfuscate |
to make (something) seem or be difficult to understand; obscure or darken. |
| 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. |
| pretentious |
assuming or marked by an air of importance or superiority that is unwarranted. |