| abut |
to adjoin or press against; be next to; border on. |
| amortize |
to deduct (expenditures) by fixed amounts over a period of time. |
| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| cession |
the act of formally giving up or signing over, as a territory; ceding. |
| 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. |
| exponent |
one that expounds or interprets. |
| invidious |
tending to arouse feelings of resentment or animosity, especially because of a slight; offensive or discriminatory. |
| lien |
a legal claim on a piece of property when the current owner is in default on a debt or obligation. |
| oligarchy |
a government or state in which only a relatively few people or members of a family have real power. |
| ontogeny |
the process of biological growth and development of a particular living organism. |
| oppugn |
to oppose, contradict, criticize, or call into question. |
| pastiche |
a work of visual art, music, or literature that consists mostly of materials and techniques borrowed from other works, sometimes done as an exercise to learn the technique of others. |
| perquisite |
a payment or benefit in addition to the wages or salary associated with a position. |
| unscathed |
not hurt or harmed; completely uninjured. |