a defense especially of one's opinions, position, or actions

glowing or glittering with red or golden light

acting like an uncle, as in being kind, patient, generous, etc., especially to younger people

to compliment upon a happy event; congratulate.

to infer (an unknown) from something that is known; conjecture

suggestive of or tending to cause tears; mournful

of or relating to a deity or other being conceived of as having the form of an animal

a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly.

needless repetition of an idea, especially in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in "widow woman"

a colonnade surrounding a building or an open space

the act or an instance of making something obscure, dark, or difficult to understand

to dispense in dollops

in poetry, a "foot" of two syllables, both of which are long in quantitative meter or stressed in accentual meter

having very little inflection; limited to a narrow pitch range

to join closely and intimately

not being what it purports to be; false or fake