| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| appellation |
a name, title, or other designation. |
| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| baleful |
threatening harm; full of malice; ominous. |
| conversant |
familiar; acquainted; practiced (usually followed by "with" or "in"). |
| crass |
lacking in sensitivity or refinement; crude. |
| deterge |
to cleanse, wash, or wipe off. |
| expound |
to discuss or explain in detail (usually followed by "on" or "upon"). |
| impromptu |
without advance plan or preparation; spontaneously. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| mélange |
a mixture, usually of very dissimilar elements. |
| parlous |
full of dangers or risks; perilous. |
| sere1 |
dried up or withered. |
| solipsism |
the self-centered habit of interpreting and judging all things exclusively according to one's own concepts of meaning and value. |
| topography |
the shape of the earth's surface across an area or region. The topography of an area includes the size and location of hills and dips in the land. |