harridan \HAIR-uh-din\, noun) - A worn-out strumpet; a vixenish woman; a hag.

"Emily was hard-pressed not to laugh out loud several times, for if the harridan knew who Emily really was, she would no doubt be groveling and...Read More

implacable \im-PLAK-uh-bull\ (adjective) - Not placable; not to be appeased; incapable of being pacified; inexorable; as, an implacable foe.

'It is the truth. Truth is implacable. But the nature and meaning of this truth ...Read More

virtu \vuhr-TOO; vir-\ (noun) - 1 : love of or taste for fine objects of art. 2 : Productions of art (especially fine antiques). 3 : Artistic quality.

"There were gorgeous carpets and hangings, frescoed ceilings, spurious...Read More

febrile \FEB-ruhl; FEE-bruhl; -bryl\ (adjective) - Of or pertaining to fever; indicating fever or derived from it; feverish.

"As a wave of vibrant excitement washed over me, I tremulously got hold of the rumpled letter, ...Read More

concinnity \kuhn-SIN-uh-tee\ (noun) - 1 : Internal harmony or fitness in the adaptation of parts to a whole or to each other. 2 : Studied elegance of design or arrangement -- used chiefly of literary style. 3 : An instance...Read More

gambol \GAM-buhl\ (intransitive verb) - To dance and skip about in play; to frolic.

(noun) - A skipping or leaping about in frolic.

"As he jogged along a little distance ahead of us, the young dogs would gambol about him...Read More