| abeyance |
temporary suspension or cessation. |
| amortize |
to deduct (expenditures) by fixed amounts over a period of time. |
| baneful |
causing or leading to death, destruction, or ruin; harmful or deadly. |
| boudoir |
a woman's private sitting room or bedroom. |
| brash |
rudely self-assertive; bold; impudent. |
| coalesce |
to grow together or unite to form a single body or organization; unify; fuse. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| contretemps |
an embarrassing or unfortunate happening; mishap; mischance. |
| curmudgeon |
an irritable or ill-tempered person. |
| demulcent |
an oily or sticky substance used especially to soothe irritation in mucous membranes. |
| humanism |
a doctrine or mode of thought that gives highest importance to human dignity, values, potentials, and achievements. |
| inquest |
a legal investigation, usually involving a jury, especially a coroner's investigation of a suspicious death. |
| laudatory |
expressing praise. |
| magnum opus |
a great work of art, literature, or music, especially a particular person's masterpiece. |
| parlous |
full of dangers or risks; perilous. |