spleen
a large dark-red oval organ on the left side of the body between the stomach and the diaphragm; produces cells involved in immune responses
dialectic
a contradiction of ideas that serves as the determining factor in their interaction
persnickety
characterized by excessive precision and attention to trivial details
aesthetics
(art) the branch of philosophy dealing with beauty and taste (emphasizing the evaluative criteria that are applied to art)
parody
a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, usually in a humorous way
veritable
not counterfeit or copied
tangential
of superficial relevance if any
fastidious
giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness
sally
a military action in which besieged troops burst forth from their position
garrulous
full of trivial conversation
aphorism
a short pithy instructive saying
brusque
marked by rude or peremptory shortness
individuate
give individual character to
symbiosis
the relation between two different species of organisms that are interdependent; each gains benefits from the other
fillip
anything that tends to arouse
baroque
of or relating to or characteristic of the elaborately ornamented style of architecture, art, and music popular in Europe between 1600 and 1750
empirical
derived from experiment and observation rather than theory
subversive
in opposition to a civil authority or government
vie
compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others
rueful
feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses
discursive
proceeding to a conclusion by reason or argument rather than intuition
