Vocab

intrepid

brave, adventurous

balk

hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking

gaunt

extremely thin and bony, as in suffering from hunger or illness

persnickety

placing too much emphasis on trivial or minor details

whet

to sharpen the point of something

brusque

slightly rude in speech or manner

hone

to make more pointed (could be used for skills)

espouse

adopt or support

odious

arousing or deserving hatred 

posterity

all future generations