| avow |
to assert or affirm. |
| discomfit |
to upset or confuse. |
| duress |
intimidation or coercion. |
| ensconce |
to position (oneself) firmly or comfortably. |
| gullible |
believing almost anything; easily tricked. |
| humanism |
a doctrine or mode of thought that gives highest importance to human dignity, values, potentials, and achievements. |
| impugn |
to call into question; challenge or try to discredit. |
| luminary |
a famous, important, or inspirational person. |
| mahatma |
(sometimes capitalized) in Buddhism and theosophy, any of a class of persons revered for their wisdom and love of humanity. |
| misfeasance |
a normally lawful act performed in an unlawful way. |
| otiose |
having no purpose or use; unnecessary or futile. |
| parlance |
manner of speaking or writing, especially word choice; vernacular. |
| pastiche |
a work of visual art, music, or literature that consists mostly of materials and techniques borrowed from other works, sometimes done as an exercise to learn the technique of others. |
| recant |
to withdraw from commitment to (a former position or statement), especially publicly; retract. |
| uxorial |
of, pertaining to, or befitting a wife. |