| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| Byzantine |
characterized by complexity and intrigue. |
| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| cavalier |
carefree and offhand; nonchalant. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| forbear |
to keep or abstain from (an action or utterance). |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| gnomic |
short and pithy, as an aphorism. |
| irrefragable |
impossible to refute or dispute; undeniable. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| oblivious |
not conscious or paying attention; unknowing or unaware (usually followed by "to" or "of"). |
| pleonasm |
a redundant word, phrase, or expression. |
| pneumatic |
of, using, or concerning air or other gases. |
| recurve |
to bend or curve back or backward, as the ends of certain shooting bows. |