bemuse

vt.

1) to confuse, bewilder.

2) to absorb the attention of

scrutiny

n.

close examination or inspection

piety

n.

dutiful faithfulness, as to religion or family

patrimony

n.

an estate inherited from a father or ancestor

infallible

adj.

unfailing; perfect

portent

n.

omen

swagger

vi.

to walk or behave in an arrogant manner

n.

arrogant behavior

mendicant

n.

beggar, especially a member of a religious order who owns no personal property

adj.

living by begging

impudent

adj.

insulent, cockey

blithe

adj.

happily carefree

maudlin

adj.

weakly sentimental, as from drink

endow

vt.

1)to furnish with (e.g., a dowry or gift)

2)to grant money in support of

requisition

n.

a formal request, as for supplies or other needs

vt.

to request formally

callow

adj.

immature, unsophisticated

aghast

adj.

shocked, terrified

gorge

vt.

to stuff or eat to capacity

n.

1) throat, often used with rise to indicate disgust

2) canyon

resolute

adj.

determined, resolved

dither

vi.

to hesitate indecisively

n.

a nervous, agitated state

implacable

adj.

impossible to appease, satisfy, or change

squalor

n.

physical or moral filth and baseness

supplication

n.

humble request or prayer

defilement

n.

the act of making impure; corruption, ruin

compunction

n.

remorse for wrongdoing; scruple

decrepit

adj.

1) weakened by old age

2) broken down by long use

brazen

adj.

1) boldly shameless, impudent

2) made of brass

perquisite

n.

an incidental payment, benefit, or privilege beyond regular salary (informally called perk)

duplicity

n.

deceite, treachery

malediction

n.

a curse

abomination

n.

1) hate or repulsion

2) something arousing extreme hatred

harrow

vt.

1) to torment or distress

2) to break up and level (soil)

n.

a spiked tool used to pulverize soil

primal

adj.

1) original, primitive

2) of primary importance

execrable

adj.

extremely inferior; hatefully bad; deserving to be execrated (i.e., cursed)

bane

n.

something that ruins or spoils

engender

vt.

to produce or cause; to bring to life

nuptial

adj.

of or pertaining to marriage or the marriage ceremony

wane

vi.

to grow gradually less in size or influence

wither

vi.

to dry up, shrivel, or lose vitality

revenue

n.

1) investment income

2) money collected by a government (as through taxes)

renowned

adj.

famous

feign

vt.

to give a false appearance of

beseech

vt.

to request earnestly; to implore or beg

abjoure

vt.

to swear off, give up (an action)

devoutly

adj.

with deep (esp religious) devotion

dote

vi.

to show foolishly excessive affection (dotage is the mental decline of old age)

idolatry

n.

1) worship of a physical object as a god

2) immoderate admiriaton

extenuate

vt.

to lessen the seriousness of with partial excuses; to mitigate

edict

n.

a proclimation of law; an order

perjure

vt.

to make (oneself) guilty of lying under oath

lamentable

adj.

regrettable, deplorable

wonted

adj.

customary, usual

progeny

n.

offspring; children

dissension

n.

strong disagreement

chide

vt.

to scold

adamant

adj.

unyielding to appeals; inflexible

clamorous

adj.

loud and confused; noisily demanding

flout

vt.

to scoff at or show scorn for (not to be confused with flaunt, to show off)

surfeit

n.

overindulgence in food or drink; an excessive amount

vt.

to feed or supply to excess or disgust

enamored

adj.

inflamed with love; charmed

gambol

vi.

to skip or leap in play; to frolic

consecrate

vt.

to make sacred

rebuke

vt.

to reprimand or scold

n.

a reprimand

espy

vt.

to catch sight of

disparage

vt.

to speak critically of, degrade

recompence

n.

reward

vt.

to repay or reward

asunder

adv.

apart or into pieces

harbinger

n.

a forerunner; something that foreshadows the future or initiate a change

consort

vi.

to keep company with

n.

an associate or spouse

conjunction

n.

1) an act of joining together

2) a part of speech that joins sentences, clauses, phrases, or words

enmity

n.

hatred, resentment, ill-will

recount

vt.

to narrate

expound

vt.

to explain or defend with arguement

discharge

vt.

1) to carry out (a duty)

2) to release, as from custody, service, or employment

3) to fire (a gun)

discretion

n.

1) tact, forethought, esp cautious reserve in speech

2) power of free speech

solemnity

n.

1) seriousness, formality

2) (usually pl.) a formal, ceremonious observence or event

shroud

n.

1) something that covers or screens

2) a cloth used to wrap a body for burial

vt.

to cover, cloak, or veil