n. any of various large edible marine gastropods of the genus Haliotis having an ear-shaped shell with pearly interior
aberrant
n. abnormal; markedly different from an accepted norm
absenteeism
n. habitual not to appear, especially for work or other regular duty
accelerator
n. a valve that regulates the supply of fuel to the engine
agog
a. highly excited
amorphous
a. formless; lacking shape or definition
ampere
n. unit of electric current equal to flow of one coulomb per second;
anachronistic
a. having time error in story; erroneous in date; in wrong time
anathema
n. solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse
apocryphal
a. untrue; of questionable authorship or authenticity; erroneous; fictitious
arboreal
a. tree-dwelling; treelike; living in trees
assiduous
a. constant in application or attention; diligent; unceasing or persistent
atrophy
n. wasting away; decrease in size; reduction in the functionality of an organ caused by disease
attenuate
v. make slender, fine, or small; weaken; lessen density of
auspices
n. kindly endorsement and guidance
autonomous
a. self-governing; not controlled by others or by outside forces; independent
ballyhoo
n. blatant or sensational promotion
beguiling
a. misleading by means of pleasant or alluring methods
belvedere
n. densely branched Eurasian plant; foliage turns purple-red in autumn
biennial
a. every two years; lasting or living for two years
bravura
n. brilliant and showy technical skill
carcinogen
n. any substance that produces cancer
cervine
a. relating to or resembling deer
colloquial
a. of informal spoken language or conversation; conversational or chatty
comestible
n. any substance that can be used as food
commensurate
a. of the same size, extent, or duration as another
concierge
n. a French caretaker of apartments or a hotel; lives on the premises and oversees people entering and leaving and handles mail and acts as janitor or porter
convivial
a. festive; occupied with or fond of the pleasures of good company
corollary
n. natural consequence or effect; result
cumbrous
a. difficult to handle or use especially because of size or weight
delineate
v. portray; depict; draw or trace outline of; sketch out
despotism
n. government by a singular authority, either a single person or tight-knit group, which rules with absolute power
disenfranchise
v. deprive of civil right; deprive someone of franchise, generally their right to vote
echelon
n. level or rank in an organization, profession, or society; formation of troops, ships
eclectic
a. composed of elements from a variety of sources
emigrant
n. someone who leaves one country to settle in another
encyclical
a. intended for wide distribution
fallacious
a. false; tending to mislead; deceptive
filibuster
v. block legislation by making long speeches
fungible
a. of goods or commodities; freely exchangeable for or replaceable by another of like nature or kind in the satisfaction of an obligation
gazpacho
n. a soup made with chopped tomatoes and onions and cucumbers and peppers and herbs; served cold
ignominy
n. deep disgrace; shame or dishonor
imperturbable
a. unshakably calm; placid; incapable of being disturbed or disconcerted
incontrovertible
a. indisputable; not open to question
incredulously
ad. in a manner indicating disbelief
indomitable
a. unconquerable; incapable of being overcome
intransigence
n. refusal of any compromise; stubbornness
knickknack
n. a small inexpensive mass-produced article; miscellaneous curios
largesse
n. a gift or money given (as for service or out of benevolence); usually given ostentatiously
lintel
n. horizontal beam used as a finishing piece over a door or window
modicum
n. limited quantity; small or moderate amount; any small thing
myrrh
n. aromatic resin that is burned as incense and used in perfume
narcissus
n. (Greek mythology) a beautiful young man who fell in love with his own reflection
neophyte
n. recent convert to a belief; one newly initiated
neurosis
n. a mental or personality disturbance not attributable to any known neurological or organic dysfunction
nunnery
n. house in which nuns reside; cloister or convent in which women reside for life, under religious vows
obdurate
a. hardened in wrongdoing or wickedness; not giving in to persuasion
obstetrician
n. physician specializing in delivery of babies
opacity
n. the phenomenon of not permitting the passage of electromagnetic radiation
operetta
n. a short amusing opera
oxymoron
n. conjoining contradictory terms (as in `deafening silence')
parallelogram
n. a quadrilateral whose opposite sides are both parallel and equal in length
pejorative
a. tending to make or become worse; disparaging or belittling
perfunctory
a. done routinely and with little interest or care; acting with indifference; showing little interest or care
pertinacious
a. stubbornly or perversely persistent; unyielding; obstinate
poultice
n. a medical dressing consisting of a soft heated mass of meal or clay that is spread on a cloth and applied to the skin to treat inflamed areas or improve circulation etc.
recalcitrant
a. obstinately stubborn; determined to resist authority
restaurateur
n. the proprietor of a restaurant
sacrilegious
a. acting or speaking very disrespectfully toward what is held to be sacred; violating sacred things; profane
sobriquet
n. nickname; familiar name for person, typically shortened version of given name
surreptitiously
ad. in a way that attempts to avoid notice or attention; secretively
sycophantic
a. attempting to win favor by flattery
thievery
n. the act of taking something from someone unlawfully
tremolo
n. (music) a tremulous effect produced by rapid repetition of a single tone or rapid alternation of two tones
tripartite
a. involving three parties or elements
troika
n. a modern Russian triumvirate
unconscionable
a. lacking conscience; greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation
unpronounceable
a. impossible or difficult to pronounce correctly; very difficult to pronounce correctly