| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| curmudgeon |
an irritable or ill-tempered person. |
| delectation |
enjoyment; delight; pleasure. |
| disheveled |
not neat; messy. |
| effete |
marked by excessive refinement or delicateness of taste. |
| emote |
to express or simulate feelings, especially in an exaggerated or theatrical manner. |
| equivocal |
having at least two plausible alternative meanings, often intentionally so in order to deceive or avoid commitment; ambiguous. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| garrulous |
given to talking excessively. |
| highbrow |
one who has or pretends to have highly sophisticated intellectual and cultural interests and tastes (often used disparagingly). |
| impute |
to ascribe or attribute to a source or cause. |
| interdict |
to deter or impede by the steady use of firepower. |
| 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. |
| oblique |
not direct or straightforward in intent, means, or achievement; indirect or devious. |
| obtrude |
to thrust or force (oneself, one's concerns, or one's opinions) on another or others without being asked. |