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299 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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abate
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v. to lessen in intensity, decrease; R: a-(ad) to
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Because she didn't want to serve for life, her wanted the judge to abate his charges.
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aberrant
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adj. abnormal; R: ab- wander
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Non-divorced parents are aberrant in today's society.
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abeyance
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n. suspended action, inactivity, dormant, latent
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During the abeyance of the opera, people huddled outside to smoke a quick cig before returning to Act 3.
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abscission
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n. removal
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The abscission of cancerous cells diminishes the likelihood of proliferation
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abscond
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v. depart secretly and hide (clandestinely)
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Because she knew she wouldn't be missed if she left early, she absconded.
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abstemious
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adj. sparing in eating/drinking
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Because her diet was abstemious, she worried that she might be anorexic.
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admonish
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v. warn; reprove
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She admonished her daughter that its unsafe to walk alone at night.
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adulterate
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v. reduce purity
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aesthetic
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adj. dealing w/ arts
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aggregate
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v. gather, accumulate
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alacrity
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n. eagerness
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alleviate
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v. relieve
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amalgamate
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v. combine
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ambiguous
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adj. unclear/doubtful
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ambivalence
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n. contradicting emo attitudes
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ameliorate
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v. improve
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anachronism
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n. out of historical/chronological context
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apotheosis
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n. diefication, glorification, perfect example
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approbation
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n. approval or praise
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appropriate
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v. take as own
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arduous
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adj. strenuous
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artless
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adj. w/o guile, natural, w/o artificiality
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ascetic
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n. practice self denial
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assauge
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v. lessen, pacify
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assiduous
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adj. hard-working
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attenuate
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v. rarefy, weaken, lessen
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audacious
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adj. daring, fearless, bold
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austere
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adj. w/o adornment, bare, simple
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autonomous
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adj. self governing
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aver
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v. state as fact, confirm, support
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banal
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adj. commonplace, unoriginal
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belie
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v. misrepresent
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beneficent
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adj. kindly, doing good
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bolster
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v. provide support
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bombastic
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adj. vain
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boor
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n. rude, insensitive
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burgeon
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v. rapid growth, flourish
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burnish
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v. polish
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levity
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n. not serious (joking), frivolity
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buttress
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n. support
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loquacious
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adj. talkative
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laconic
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adj. using few words
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lassitude
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n.weariness
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latent
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adj. potential but underdeveloped, hidden
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laud
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v. praise highly
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lethargic
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adj. drowsy, dull
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levee
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n. earth/stone to prevent flooding
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lucid
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adj. intelligible, clear
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luminous
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adj. brightness, light, clear
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magnanimity
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n. generosity
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malingerer
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n. one who fakes illness to escape duty
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malleable
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adj. capable of being shaped by pounding, impressionable
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maverick
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rebel, nonconformist
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mendacious
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adj. lying, dishonest
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meticulous
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adj. excessively careful
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misanthrope
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n. one who hates mankind
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mitigate
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v. appease, moderate
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mollify
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v. soothe
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morose
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adj. ill-humored, sullen, meloncholy
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mundane
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adj. worldly, secular, everyday
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negate
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v. cancel out, nulify, deny
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neophyte
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n. recent convert, novice
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obdurate
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adj. stubborn
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obsequious
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adj. slavishly attentive, servile, sycophantic
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obviate
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v. make unnecessary, get rid of
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occlude
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v. shut, close
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officious
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adj. meddlesome, excessively pushy in offering one's services
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An officious person is persistent
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onerous
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adj. burdonsome
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opprobrium
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n.infamy, vilification, evil
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oscillate
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v. vibrate pendulumlike, waver
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ostentatious
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adj. showy
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harangue
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long passionate speech
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homogeneous
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adj. of same kind
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hyperbole
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n. exaggeration, overstatement
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jejune
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adj. uninteresting, immature, lacking nutrition
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list
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v. tilt or lean to side
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lachrymose
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adj. causing tears
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limn
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v. draw, outline in detail
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libertine
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n. unrestrained by morality
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labile
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adj. readily open to change, unstable
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lumber
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v. move heavily/clumsily
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jocose
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adj. given to joking, humorous
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jibe
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v. agree, accord
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limpid
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adj. transparent, simple, untroubled
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sage
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n. person celebrated for wisdom
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salubrious
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adj. healthful
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sanction
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v. approve, ratify
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secrete
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v. hide away, release substance
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shard
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n. fragment
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skeptic
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n. doubter
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solicitous
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adj. worried, concealed
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soporific
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adj. sleep causing
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specious
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adj. seeming reasonable, but incorrect, misleading
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stigma
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n. token of disgrace, brand
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stint
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v. be thrifty, set limits, n. supply, allotted time, assigned portion of work
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stipulate
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v. specify
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stolid
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adj. dull, impassive
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strut
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v. pompous walk, n. supporting bar
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subpoena
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n. writ summoning witness to appear
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substantiate
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v. verify, support
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supersede
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v. cause to set aside, replace
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supposition
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n. hypothesis, surmise
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gainsay
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v. deny
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garrulous
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adj. loquacious, talktative
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goad
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v. urge on
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gouge
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v. overcharge, tear out
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grandiloquent
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adj. pompous, bombastic, using high sounding language
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gregarious
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adj. sociable
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guileless
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adj. w/o deceit
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gullible
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adj. easily deceived
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frugality
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n. thrift, economy
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fledgling
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adj. inexperienced
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fervor
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n. glowing ardor, intensity of feeling, passion
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fatuous
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adj. foolish, inane
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flout
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v. reject, mock
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facetious
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adj. joking (often inappropriately), humorous
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foment
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v. stir up, instigate
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fallacious
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adj. false, misleading
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futile
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adj. useless, hopeless, ineffectual
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fawning
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adj. courting favor by cringing and flattering
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flag
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v. droop, grow feeble
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facilitate
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v. help bring about, make less difficult
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felicitous
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adj. apt, suitably expressed, well chosen
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daunt
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v. intimidate, frighten, discourage
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don-tuh
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decorum
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n. proper, orderliness and good taste in manners
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dee-core-um
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default
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n. failure to act
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deference
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n. submission to other's wishes
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de-fe-rr-ense; S=honor; state of postponing
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delineate
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v. portray, depict, sketch
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dih-lin-E-ate
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denigrate
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v. blacken
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den-ih-grate
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deride
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v. ridicule
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dih-ride
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derivative
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adj. unoriginal
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dih-riv-eh-tive
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desiccate
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v. dry up
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deh-sick-ate
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desultory
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adj. aimless, random
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deh-sull-tori; her desultory speech confused us because she kept jumping from topic to topic
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deterrent
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n. something that discourages, hinderance
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diatribe
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n. bitter scolding, invective
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diffidence
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n. shyness
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diffuse
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adj. wordy, rambling, spread out
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digression
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n. wandering away from
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dirge
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n. lament(expression of grief) w/ music
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disabuse
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v. correct false impression, undeceive
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away from deception
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discerning
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adj. mentally quick and observant, having insight
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discordant
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adj. not harmonious, conflicting
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discrete
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adj. separate, unconnected
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disingenuous
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adj. not naïve, sophisticated
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disinterested
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adj. unprejudice
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disjointed
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adj. disconnected
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disparage
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v. belittle
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disparate
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adj. basically different, unrelated
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dissemble
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v. disguise, pretend
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dissolution
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n. disintegration, looseness in morals
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dissonance
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n. discord, opposite of harmony
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distill
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v. purify, refine, concentrate
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dogmatic
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adj. opinionated, arbitrary, doctrinal
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dormant
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adj. sleeping, lethargic, latent
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dupe
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n. someone easily fooled
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divest
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v. strip, deprive
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disseminate
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v. distribute, spread, scatter
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cacophonous
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adj. discordant
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capricious
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adj. fickle
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castigation
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n. punishment, severe criticism
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caustic
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adj. burning, sarcastically biting
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chicanery
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n. trickery, deception
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coda
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n. conclusing section of musical/literary comp
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cogent
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adj. convincing
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commensurate
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adj. equal in extent
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compendium
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n. abstract, summary
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complaisant
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adj. trying to please, make perfect
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concillatory
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adj. reconciling, soothing
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condone
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v. overlook, forgive, give tacit approval
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connoisseur
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n. person competent to act as judge of art, art lover
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contention
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n. claim, thesis
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contentious
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adj. quarrelsome
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contrite
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adj. penitent, expressing remorse for one's sins
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conundrum
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n. riddle, difficult problem
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convoluted
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adj. coiled around, involved, intricate, complicated
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craven
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adj. cowardly
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ebullient
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adj. enthusiastic
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eclectic
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adj. selective, composed of elements drawm from disparate (different) sources
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efficacy
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n. power to produce desired effect
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effrontery
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n. shameless boldness
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elegy
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n. poem/song expressing lamentation (grief)
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elicit
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v. draw out by discussion
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embellish
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v. adorn, ornament, enhance
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empirical
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adj. based on experience
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emulate
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v. initate, rival
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endemic
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adj. specific group or region
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enervate
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v. weaken
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engender
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v. cause, produce
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enhance
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v. increase, improve
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ephemeral
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adj. short-lived, fleeting
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equanimity
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n. calm temperment, composure
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equivocate
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v. lie, mislead
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erudite
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adj. learned, scholarly
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esoteric
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adj. hard to understand, known only to chosen few
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eulogy
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n. expression of praise
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euphemism
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n. mild expression in place of unpleasant one
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exacerbate
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v. worsen, embittler
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exculpate
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v. clear from blame
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exigency
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n. urgent situation
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extrapolation
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n. projection, conjecture (hypothesize)
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iconoclastic
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adj. attacking cherished traditions
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impair
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v. injure, hurt
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impassive
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adj. w/o feeling, imperturbable, stoical
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impede
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v. hinder, block
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impermeable
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adj. impervious, not permiting passage
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imperturbable
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adj. calm, placid
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impervious
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adj. impenetrable, incapable of being damaged/distressed
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implacable
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adj. incapable of being pacified
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implicit
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adj. understood but not stated
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implode
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v. burst inward
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inadvertently
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adj. unintentionally, by oversight, carelessly
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inchoate
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adj. recently begun, rudimentary, elementary
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incongruity
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n. discord, absurdity
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inconsequential
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adj. insignificant, unimportant
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indeterminate
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adj. uncertain, not clearly fixed, indefinite
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indigent
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n. adj. poor/poverty
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indolent
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adj. lazy
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inert
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adj. inactive, lacking power to move
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ingenuous
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adj. naïve, trusting, young, unsophisticated
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inherent
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adj. firmly established by nature/habit
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innocuous
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adj. harmless
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insensible
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adj. unconscious, unresponsive
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insinuate
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v. hint, imply, creep in
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insipid
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adj. lacking in flavor, dull
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tacit
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adj. understood, not put into words
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tangential
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adj. peripheral, only slightly connected, digressing
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tenuous
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adj. thin, rare, slim
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tirade
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n. extended scolding, denunciation, harangue
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torpor
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n. lethargy, sluggishness, dormancy
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tortuous
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adj. winding, full of curves
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tractable
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adj, docile, easily managed
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transgression
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n. violation of law, sin
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truculence
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n. aggressiveness, ferocity
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vacillate
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v. waver, fluctuate
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venerate
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v. revere, regard w/ deep respect
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veracious
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adj. truthful
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verbose
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adj. wordy
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viable
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adj. practical/workable, capable of maintaining life
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viscous
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adj. sticky
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vituperative
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adj. abusive, scolding
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volative
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adj. changeable, explosive, evaporating quickly
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qualified
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adj. limited, restricted
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quibble
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n. minor objection/complaint
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quiescent
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adj. at rest, dormant, temporarily inactive
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rarefied
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adj. made less dense (of a gas)
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recalcitrant
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adj. obstinately stubborn, determined to resist authority, unruly
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recant
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v. disclaim/disavow, retract prev. statement, confess error
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recluse
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n. hermit, loner
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recondite
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adj. abstruse, profound, secret
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refractory
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adj. stubborn, unmanageable
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refute
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v. disprove
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relegate
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v. banish to inferior position, delegate, assign
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reproach
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v. express disapproval/disappointment
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reprobate
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n. person hardened by sin, devoid of a sense of decency
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repudiate
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v. disown, disavow
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rescind
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v. cancel
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resolution
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n. determination
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resolve
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n. determination, firmness of purpose
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reticent
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adj. reserved, uncommunicative, inclined toward silence
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reverent
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adj. respectful, worshipful
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insularity
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n. narrowminded, isolation
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intractable
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adj. unruly, stubborn, unyielding
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intrasigence
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n. refusal of any compromise, stubborn
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inundate
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v. overwhelm, flood, submerge
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inured
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adj. accustomed, hardened
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invective
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n. abuse
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irascible
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adj. irritable, easily angered
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irresolute
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adj. uncertain how to act, weak
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paragon
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n. model of perfection
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partisan
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adj. one-sided, prejudiced, committed to a party
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pathological
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adj. pertaining to disease
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paucity
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n. scarcity
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pedantic
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adj. showing off learning, bookish
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penchant
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n. strong inclination, liking
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penury
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n. severe poverity, stinginess
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perennial
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n. something longlasting
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perfidious
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adj. treacherous, disloyal
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perfunctory
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adj. superficial, not thorough, lacking interest care or enthusiasm
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pervasive
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adj. spread throughout
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placate
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v. pacity, conciliate
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plasticity
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n. ability to be molded
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platitude
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n. trite remark, common statement
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plethora
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n. excess, surplus
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pragmatic
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adj. practical
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preamble
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n. intro statement
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precarious
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adj. uncertain, risky
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precipitate
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adj. rash, premature, hasty, sudden
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presumptuous
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adj. arrogant, taking liberties
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prevaricate
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v. lie
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pristine
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adj. char of earlier times, primitive, unspoiled
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probity
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n. uprightness, incorruptibility
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prodigal
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adj. wasteful, reckless w. money
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profound
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adj. deep, not superficial, complete
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proliferate
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v. grow rapidly, spread, multiply
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propensity
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n. natural inclination
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propitiate
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v. appease
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propriety
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n. fitness, correct conduct
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proscribe
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v. ostracize, banish, outlaw
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pungent
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adj. stinging, sharp taste/smell, caustic
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