| determinism |
the belief or teaching that every effect, including human thoughts and actions, is completely and predictably brought about by preceding causes and that, therefore, free will does not exist. |
| forswear |
to give up or renounce, often with an oath or pledge. |
| fulminate |
to vehemently denounce or criticize something. |
| germane |
having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant. |
| gloaming |
late evening; dusk; twilight. |
| granulate |
to make into small particles or grains. |
| gullible |
believing almost anything; easily tricked. |
| inculcate |
to cause to accept an idea or value; imbue. |
| oligarchy |
a government or state in which only a relatively few people or members of a family have real power. |
| opprobrious |
expressing condemnation or scorn; accusing of shameful behavior. |
| profligate |
totally given over to immoral and shameful pursuits; dissolute. |
| raffish |
carelessly unconventional or disreputable, sometimes appealingly so. |
| symbiosis |
a close association, usually a mutually beneficial relationship, between two dissimilar organisms. |
| tort |
in law, any civil rather than criminal harm or injury that violates the implicit duty of each citizen not to harm others, and for which one may bring a civil suit and collect compensation. |
| uxorious |
excessively or foolishly devoted to one's wife, and often thereby submissive to her. |