| adamantine |
firmly decided or fixed; unyielding. |
| caparison |
decorative trappings to cover a horse's saddle or harness. |
| centripetal |
forced or moving inward toward a center point or axis. |
| compunction |
uneasiness about the propriety or suitability of an action; qualm. |
| effluvium |
an outflow of usually invisible, foul-smelling vapor or gas. |
| ersatz |
serving as a substitute, especially when of inferior quality. |
| facsimile |
an exact copy or duplicate of something printed or of a picture. |
| forswear |
to give up or renounce, often with an oath or pledge. |
| gossamer |
delicately fine, gauzelike, or filmy. |
| humanism |
a doctrine or mode of thought that gives highest importance to human dignity, values, potentials, and achievements. |
| indemnity |
insurance against damage, loss, or liability. |
| obscurantism |
a deliberate lack of clarity or directness of expression, as in certain styles of art or literature. |
| pinchbeck |
false, sham, or counterfeit. |
| redoubtable |
inspiring fear; formidable. |
| risible |
provoking laughter; laughable or funny. |