aegis
protection; patronage; sponsorship
apprise
to inform of; to make aware of by giving oral or written notice
bibulous
fond or inclined to drink; absorbent
claque
a group of people hired to applaud a performer or performance; enthusiastic or fawning admirers; an opera hat
deracinate
to pull up by the roots; to root out, uproot, or dislocate; to eliminate all traces of
eleemosynary
charitable; dependent upon or supported by charity; derived from or provided by charity
indigenous
originating in the country or region where found, native; inborn; inherent
lachrymose
given to tears or weeping; causing to shed tears; mournful, lugubrious
lexicon
a dictionary of a language; the special vocabulary of a person, group, or subject; a compendium
melee
a confused struggle; a violent free-for-all; a tumultuous
microcosm
a miniature world or universe; a group or system viewed as the model of a larger group or system
minuscule
very small, tiny; a lowercase letter
obfuscate
to darken or obscure; to confuse or bewilder
paternalism
the policy or practice of treating or governing people in the manner of a father dealing with his children
polarize
to cause to concentrate around two conflicting or contrasting positions; to cause light to vibrate in a pattern
purview
the range, extent, or scope of something; in law, the scope or limit of what is provided in a statute
sanguine
having a ruddy complexion; of a naturally cheerful, confident, or optimistic outlook
solecism
a substandard or ungrammatical usage; a breach of etiquette; any impropriety or mistake
vassal
a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he or she owes allegiance; a subordinate or dependent; a servant; subservient
verisimilitude
the quality of appearing to be true, real, likely, or probable