debauch to lead astray morally; to corrupt or deprave.
deferential yielding in opinion, judgment, or wishes; showing respect.
déjà vu (French) "already seen"; a feeling that one has been in a place or had a particular experience before.
derisive ridiculing; laughing at with contempt or scorn.
desiccated completely dried; preserved by drying.
didactic used or intended for teaching or instruction.
diffident lacking self-confidence; timid; shy.
dissuade to advise against; to convince someone not to do something.
dog tags metal identification pendants worn in duplicate and resembling dogs' identification tags; in addition to other information, they include blood type.
Donald Duck a cartoon character whose nephews (Huey, Dewey, and Louie) are energetic but relatively ingenuous little scamps.
dose of clap a case of gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease.
echelon a subdivision of a military force according to rank, position or function.
enervating depriving of strength, force or vigor.
enigma a perplexing, usually ambiguous statement; a riddle.
ersatz substitute or synthetic; artificial.
erudite learned; scholarly; having or showing a wide knowledge.
ethereal of or like the ether or upper regions of space; light; airy; unearthly.
Euripedes (480–406 b.c.) tragedian of classical Athens. The highly educated Clevinger would be familiar with him.
excoriate to strip, scratch, or rub off the skin; to chafe.
exophthalmic eyes abnormal protrusion of the eyeballs, caused by various disorders.
F.O.B. a commercial term standing for "free on board"; without charge to the buyer for placing goods on board a carrier at the point of shipment.
fastidious very critical or discriminating; refined in too dainty a way.
fetid having a bad smell, as of decay; putrid.
flaccid hanging in loose folds or wrinkles; flabby.
flak the fire from antiaircraft guns.
Four-F a selective service designation for individuals unfit for the military.
furtive stealthy; sneaky; surreptitious.
