balk
1. to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified (usually fol. by at)
2. (of a horse, mule, etc.) to stop short and stubbornly refuse to go on.
: He balked at making the speech.
exegesis
critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, esp. of the Bible.
:The goal of Biblical exegesis is to find the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance.
hoary
1. gray or white with age
2. ancient or venerable
3. tedious from familiarity; stale
: an old dog with a hoary muzzle.
: hoary myths.
: Please don't tell that hoary joke at dinner again tonight.
rebuff
1. a blunt or abrupt rejection, as of a person making advances.
2. a peremptory refusal of a request, offer, etc.; snub.
3. a check to action or progress.
:He was surprised by her quick rebuff to his proposal.
remiss
1. negligent, careless, or slow in performing one's duty, business, etc.
2. characterized by negligence or carelessness.
3. lacking force or energy; languid; sluggish.
: He's terribly remiss in his work.
:The burglar gained entrance because the security guard, remiss in his duties, forgot to lock the door.
ineffable
1. incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible
2. not to be spoken because of its sacredness; unutterable
: ineffable joy.
: the ineffable name of the deity.
respite
1. a delay or cessation for a time, esp. of anything distressing or trying; an interval of relief
2. temporary suspension of the execution of a person condemned to death; reprieve.
: to toil without respite.
dilatory
1. tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy.
2. intended to cause delay, gain time, or defer decision
: a dilatory strategy.
sinecure
1. an office or position requiring little or no work, esp. one yielding profitable returns.
2. an ecclesiastical benefice without cure of souls.
diurnal
1. of or pertaining to a day or each day; daily.
2. of or belonging to the daytime (opposed to nocturnal ).
maudlin
1. tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental
2. foolishly or mawkishly sentimental because of drunkenness.
: a maudlin story of a little orphan and her lost dog.
:Although many people enjoy romantic comedies, I usually find them maudlin and shallow.
toady
an obsequious flatterer; sycophant.
:The bad poet is a toady mimicking nature.
egregious
extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant
: an egregious mistake; an egregious liar.
:The student has made egregious errors on the examination.
tremulous
1. (of persons, the body, etc.) characterized by trembling, as from fear, nervousness, or weakness.
2. timid; timorous; fearful.
3. (of things) vibratory, shaking, or quivering.
4. (of writing) done with a trembling hand.
elicit
to draw or bring out or forth; educe; evoke
: to elicit the truth; to elicit a response with a question.
mordant
1. sharply caustic or sarcastic, as wit or a speaker; biting.
2. burning; corrosive.
3. having the property of fixing colors, as in dyeing.
:Many of the speaker's comments were thought to be merely mordant, so they were not considered to be important.
trenchant
. incisive or keen, as language or a person; caustic; cutting
2. vigorous; effective; energetic
3. clearly or sharply defined; clear-cut; distinct.
: trenchant wit.
: a trenchant policy of political reform.
encomium
a formal expression of high praise; eulogy
: An encomium by the President greeted the returning hero.
pertinacious
1. holding tenaciously to a purpose, course of action, or opinion; resolute.
2. stubborn or obstinate.
3. extremely or objectionably persistent
: a pertinacious salesman from whom I could not escape.
vestige
a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence
: A few columns were the last vestiges of a Greek temple.
timorous
1. full of fear; fearful
2. subject to fear; timid.
3. characterized by or indicating fear
: The noise made them timorous.
: a timorous whisper.