foul adjective Extremely unpleasant, especially in smell, taste, or quality. A foul smell drifted from the trash cans left out in the summer heat. + melancholy noun A deep, thoughtful sadness, often without an obvious cause. A gentle melancholy settled over her as she packed up her childhood home. + perturbed adjective Worried, unsettled, or bothered by something. Ravi looked perturbed when the map no longer matched the path. + calumny noun A false and malicious statement made deliberately to damage someone's reputation. The senator dismissed the accusations as calumny spread by his political rivals. + contumely noun Insolent or scornful language and treatment intended to humiliate someone. He bore the crowd's contumely in silence rather than respond to their insults. + fardels noun Heavy burdens or bundles carried on one's back; figuratively, the hardships and troubles of life. The peddler trudged along the road, his fardels of cloth weighing down his shoulders. + pernicious adjective Having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or not immediately obvious way. The pernicious rumor slowly damaged her reputation long before anyone traced its source. + wanton adjective Deliberate and without any justifiable reason, especially describing cruel or destructive behavior. The court condemned the wanton destruction of protected wetlands for the new development. + usurper noun A person who seizes a position of power or authority without legal right. The soldiers proclaimed the general a usurper after he forced the king from his throne. + prologue noun An introductory section of a book, play, or other work that provides context before the main story begins. The novel's prologue reveals a murder that the rest of the book slowly explains. + eulogy noun A speech or piece of writing that praises someone, especially one who has recently died. His daughter delivered a moving eulogy at the funeral. + antic noun A playful, mischievous, or extravagant act, usually used in the plural to describe a series of such behaviors. The puppy's antics kept the whole family laughing during dinner. + apparition noun A ghostly or unexpected figure that appears suddenly, often seeming supernatural. Guests at the old inn swore they saw an apparition drifting through the hallway at midnight. + auspicious adjective Showing signs that something is likely to succeed; favorable or promising. Winning the first contract was an auspicious start to the new business. + bequeath verb To leave property or money to someone through a will, or more broadly to pass something on to a successor. Her grandmother bequeathed the old farmhouse to her three grandchildren after she passed away. + carrion noun The decaying flesh of dead animals, typically eaten by scavengers. Vultures circled overhead, waiting to feed on the carrion left by the lion's kill. + countenance noun A person's facial expression or the general look of their face. Her calm countenance revealed nothing of the anxiety she felt inside. + diadem noun An ornamental headband or crown worn as a symbol of royalty or high honor. The queen wore a jeweled diadem during the coronation ceremony. + dirge noun A slow, mournful song or poem expressing grief, traditionally performed at a funeral. The choir sang a somber dirge as the coffin was carried out of the church. + filial adjective Relating to, or appropriate to, the relationship of a son or daughter to a parent. He visited his aging mother every Sunday out of a strong sense of filial duty. + harbinger noun A person or thing that signals the approach of something else, often before it fully arrives. The first robin of spring is often seen as a harbinger of warmer weather. + hoodwink verb To deceive or trick someone, often through clever or dishonest means. The con artist hoodwinked several investors into funding a company that never existed. + impotent adjective Lacking the power, strength, or ability to act effectively or achieve a desired result. The council felt impotent to stop the flooding despite weeks of emergency meetings. + incestuous adjective Involving sexual relations between close relatives, or, more broadly, marked by excessively close and self-serving relationships. The ancient myth describes an incestuous marriage between siblings who ruled the kingdom together. + knave noun A dishonest or unprincipled man. The old story warned children never to trust a knave who flatters too easily. + obsequious adjective Excessively eager to please or obey someone, often in an insincere or servile way. The obsequious waiter praised every choice we made, hoping for a bigger tip. + orison noun A prayer, especially one spoken formally or with solemnity. The monk knelt each evening to recite his orisons before the small stone altar. + portentous adjective Seeming to warn of a significant, often ominous, event about to happen. A portentous silence fell over the crowd just before the storm broke. + prodigal adjective Spending money or resources in a recklessly wasteful and extravagant way. The prodigal heir spent his entire inheritance on parties within a single year. + sepulcher noun A small room or vault used for burial, especially one built into a wall or cut from rock. Pilgrims still visit the ancient sepulcher believed to house the remains of the saint. +