| abstruse |
difficult to comprehend or understand; esoteric; arcane. |
| abut |
to adjoin or press against; be next to; border on. |
| apropos |
appropriate; relevant; opportune. |
| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| asperity |
harshness or roughness, especially of tone or manner. |
| cyst |
a small pouch within body tissue that is filled with fluid or air. Some cysts are connected with serious disease, but most are not harmful at all. |
| deterge |
to cleanse, wash, or wipe off. |
| froward |
unwilling to agree or obey; stubborn; perverse. |
| inadvertent |
not planned or intended; unintentional. |
| invidious |
tending to arouse feelings of resentment or animosity, especially because of a slight; offensive or discriminatory. |
| kibbutz |
an Israeli farming settlement whose ownership is shared by those who live and work there. |
| magnum opus |
a great work of art, literature, or music, especially a particular person's masterpiece. |
| panegyric |
a formal speech or piece of writing devoted to publicly praising a person or thing. |
| sanctimony |
a pretense of righteousness or piety; feigned devotion or holiness. |
| shunt |
to turn or move aside or out of the way; divert. |