| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| canny |
difficult to fool or take advantage of; shrewd; wary; clever. |
| devolve |
of a duty or the like, to be passed on to someone else. |
| facetious |
not serious; humorous or frivolous. |
| flak |
(informal) irritating opposition, criticism, or dissent. |
| halcyon |
tranquil; peaceful; calm. |
| knurled |
having small ridges. |
| 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. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| otiose |
having no purpose or use; unnecessary or futile. |
| parsimonious |
excessively frugal; stingy. |
| peroration |
the concluding part of a speech in which there is a summing up of the principal points. |
| rapacious |
capable of capturing and eating live prey; predacious. |
| sagacious |
possessing or characterized by good judgment and common sense; wise. |
| surcingle |
a girth or belt that wraps around the body of a horse to secure a saddle, pack, or the like to its back. |