| auspice |
(usually plural) sponsorship or protection; patronage. |
| auxiliary |
serving as an extra means of support; additional. |
| decelerate |
to lower the speed of; decrease in velocity; slow down. |
| expiate |
to atone or make amends for (a sin, crime, offense, or the like). |
| imperative |
very important; urgent. |
| lummox |
(informal) someone who is especially clumsy, slow, and unintelligent. |
| matriarch |
a woman who acts as head of a family, tribe, or other group of people. |
| obnoxious |
offensive or not pleasant. |
| outstrip |
to exceed or surpass. |
| propriety |
proper or appropriate behavior. |
| provocation |
the act of inciting or challenging another to react. |
| reminiscent |
having qualities or characteristics that remind one of someone or something (usually followed by "of"). |
| sedate |
calm and under control; quiet. |
| skeptical |
having or showing doubt; questioning. |
| vignette |
a brief written or musical sketch, or brief film scene, that describes or characterizes a person, incident, situation, or the like. |