to assert or affirm with confidence; declare in a positive or peremptory manner.

work, especially hard work.

the raised part of a sundial that casts the shadow; a style.

a state of freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety; tranquillity.

a hoofed mammal.

a small, three-masted vessel of the Mediterranean, formerly much used by corsairs, now employed to some extent in commerce.

a mound or hill in which fairies live.

covered with a frostlike bloom or powdery secretion, as a plant surface.

a whimsical or fanciful ornament or contrivance; gimmick.

stubbornly perverse or rebellious; willfully and obstinately disobedient.

a tentlike dwelling of the Mongol and Turkic peoples of central Asia, consisting of a cylindrical wall of poles in a lattice arrangement with a conical roof of poles, both covered by felt or skins.

fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking.

a long, narrow indentation of the seacoast.

unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of others.

tending to a violet color.

to be a pioneer in (a particular subject, technique, etc.).

pertaining to or resembling a crow.

large; powerful; impressive.

to chant; intone.

a type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist.

to tumble over; capsize.

needing to move.

a stylized bird motif traditional in Pennsylvania German art.

an extreme fear or dislike of touching or being touched.

the point in a lunar orbit that is nearest to the moon.

a figure artificially constructed in the form of a human being and endowed with life.

a narrow street or alley.

of, being, or relating to any group that has been dispersed outside its traditional homeland, either involuntarily or by migration.

acquaintances, friends, neighbors, or the like; persons living in the same general locality and forming a more or less cohesive group.

to thicken, as by evaporation; make or become dense.

any song of praise, joy, or triumph.

pensive, especially in a melancholy way.

to behave in a high-spirited, festive manner; make merry.

to impede or hinder; hamper.

of or relating to winter; wintry.

the great circle formed by the intersection of the plane of the earth's orbit with the celestial sphere; the apparent annual path of the sun in the heavens.

an acrobatic movement, either forward or backward, in which the body rolls end over end, making a complete revolution.

a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.

the variation and differences in neurological structure and function that exist among human beings, especially when viewed as being normal and natural rather than pathological.

to disappear gradually; vanish; fade away.

of or relating to reverence of forebears or tradition, especially if carried to excess.

an elderly Russian woman, especially an elderly grandmother.

to remove or destroy utterly; extirpate.

surfaces, as clothing or door handles, that can become contaminated with pathogens when touched by the carrier of an infection, and can then transmit the pathogens to those who next touch the surfaces.

the status or role of a person who advocates and actively works for the inclusion of a marginalized or politicized group in all areas of society, not as a member of that group but in solidarity with its struggle and point of view and under its leadership.

a rosette, knot of ribbon, etc., usually worn on the hat as part of a uniform, as a badge of office, or the like.

the responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving.

a right, privilege, etc., limited to a specific person or to persons of a particular category.

a hooded pullover jacket originally made of fur and worn in the Arctic, now made of any weather-resistant fabric.