| abeyance |
temporary suspension or cessation. |
| baneful |
causing or leading to death, destruction, or ruin; harmful or deadly. |
| desiccate |
to remove the moisture in (food) so as to preserve it. |
| epistemology |
the branch of philosophy dealing with the origin, nature, and limits of human knowledge. |
| extirpate |
to get rid of completely, as if by pulling up the roots; root out. |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| idiosyncrasy |
a characteristic of temperament, habit, or physical structure particular to a given individual or group; peculiarity. |
| inflection |
change that occurs in the form of words to show a grammatical characteristic such as the tense of a verb, the number of a noun, or the degree of an adjective or adverb. |
| innocuous |
not capable of causing damage; harmless. |
| lattice |
a flat framework made with strips of wood or other material. The strips cross each other and have open spaces in between. A lattice is often used as a screen on a porch or in a garden. |
| malingerer |
one who pretends to be ill or injured, especially in order to avoid work or duty. |
| penumbra |
an indefinite, borderline area. |
| phlegmatic |
not given to shows of emotion or interest; slow to excite. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |
| symbiosis |
a close association, usually a mutually beneficial relationship, between two dissimilar organisms. |