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158 Cards in this Set
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earthy |
unrefined; coarse. His earthy remarks often embarrassed the women in the audience.
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ebb
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recede; lessen. His fortunes began to ebb during the recession.
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ebullient
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showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm. His ebullient nature could not be repressed.
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eccentric
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odd; whimsical; irregular. The comet passed close by the earth in its eccentric orbit.
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eccentricity
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oddity; idiosyncrasy. Some of his friends tried to account for his rudeness to strangers as the eccentricity of genius.
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ecclesiastic
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pertaining to the church. The minister donned his ecclesiastic garb and walked to the pulpit.
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eclectic
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selective; composed of elements drawn from disparate sources. His style of interior decoration was eclectic: bits and pieces of furnishings from widely divergent periods, strikingly juxtaposed to create a unique color.
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eclipse
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darken; extinguish; surpass. The new stock market high eclipsed the previous record set in 1985.
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ecologist
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person concerned with the interrelationship between living organisms and their environment. The ecologist was concerned that the new dam would upset the natural balance of the creatures living in Glen Canyon.
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economy
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efficiency or conciseness in using something. Reading the epigrams of Pope, I admire the economy of his verse: in few words he conveys worlds of meaning.
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ecstasy
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rapture, joy; any overpowering emotion. The announcement that the war had ended brought on an ecstasy that resulted in many uncontrolled celebrations.
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eddy
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swirling current of water, air, etc. The water in the tide pool was still, except for an occasional eddy.
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edify
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instruct; correct morally. Although his purpose was to edify and not to entertain his audience, many of his listeners were amused and not enlightened.
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eerie
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weird. In that eerie setting, it was easy to believe in ghosts and other supernatural beings.
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efface
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rub out. The coin had been handled so many times that its data had been effaced.
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effectual
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efficient. If we are to succeed, we must seek effectual means of securing our goals.
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effeminate
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having womanly traits. His voice was high-pitched and effeminate.
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effervescence
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inner excitement; exuberance. Nothing depressed her for long; her natural effervescence soon reasserted itself.
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effete
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worn out; exhausted; barren. The literature of the age reflected the effete condition of the writers; no new ideas were forthcoming.
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efficacy
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power to produce desired effect. The efficacy of this drug depends on the regularity of the dosage.
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effigy
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dummy. The mob showed its irritation by hanging the judge in effigy.
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effluvium
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noxious smell. Air pollution has become a serious problem in our major cities; the effluvium and the poisons in the air are hazards to life.
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effrontery
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shameless boldness. She had the effrontery to insult the guest.
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effusion
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pouring forth. The critics objected to her literary effusion because it was too flowery.
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effusive
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pouring forth; gushing. Her effusive manner of greeting her friends finally began to irritate them.
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egoism
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excessive interest in one's self; belief that one should be interested in one's self rather than in others. His egoism prevented him from seeing the needs of his colleagues.
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egotism
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conceit; vanity. She thought so much of herself that we found her egotism unwarranted and irritating.
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egregious
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notorious; conspicuously bad; shocking. She was an egregious liar; we all knew better than to believe a word she said.
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egress
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exit. Barnum's sign "To the Egress" fooled many people who thought they were going to see an animal and instead found themselves in the street.
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ejaculation
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exclamation. He could not repress an ejaculation of surprise when he heard the news.
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elaboration
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addition of details; intricacy. Tell what happened simply, without any elaboration.
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elated
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overjoyed; in high spirits. Grinning from ear to ear, Bonnie Blair was clearly elated by her Olympic victory.
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elegy
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poem or song expressing lamentation. On the death of Edward King, Milton composed the elegy "Lycidas."
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elicit draw out by discussion.
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draw out by discussion.The detectives tried to elicit where he had hidden his loot.
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elixir
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cure-all; something invigorating. The news of her chance to go abroad acted on her like an elixir.
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ellipsis
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omission of words from a text. Sometimes an ellipsis can lead to a dangling modifier, as in the sentence "Once dressed, you should refrigerate the potato salad.
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elliptical
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oval; ambiguous, either purposely or because key words have been left out. An elliptical billiard ball wobbles because it is not perfectly round; an elliptical remark baffles because it is not perfectly clear.
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eloquence
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expressiveness; persuasive speech. The crowds were stirred by Martin Luther King's eloquence.
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elucidate
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explain; enlighten. He was called upon to elucidate the disputed points in his article.
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elusive
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evasive; baffling; hard to grasp. His elusive dreams of wealth were costly to those of his friends who supported him financially.
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elysian
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relating to paradise; blissful. An afternoon sail on the bay was for her an elysian journey.
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emaciated
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thin and wasted. His long period of starvation had left him emaciated.
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emanate
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issue forth. A strong odor of sulfur emanated from the spring.
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emancipate
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set free. At first, the attempts of the Abolitionist to emancipate the slaves were unpopular in New England as well as in the South.
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embargo
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ban on commerce or other activity. As a result of the embargo, trade with colonies was at a standstill.
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embark
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commence; go on board a boat; begin a journey. In devoting herself to the study of gorillas, Dian Fossey embarked on a course of action that was to cost her life.
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embed
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enclose; place in something. Tales of actual historical figures like King Alfred have become embedded in legends.
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embellish
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adorn. My mother-in-law's stories about her journey from Russia made us laugh because she embellished the bare facts of her travels with humorous anecdotes.
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embezzlement
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stealing. The bank teller confessed his embezzlement of the funds.
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embroil
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throw into confusion. He became embroiled in the heated discussion when he tried to arbitrate the dispute.
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embryonic
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undeveloped; rudimentary. The evil of class and race hatred must be eliminated while it is still in an embryonic state; otherwise, it may grow to dangerous proportions.
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emend
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correct, usually a text. The critic emended the book by retranslating several passages.
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emendation
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correction of errors; improvement. Please initial all the emendations you have made in this contract.
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emetic
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substance causing vomiting. The use of an emetic like mustard is useful in cases of poisoning.
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eminent
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high; lofty. After his appointment to this eminent position, he seldom had time for his former friends.
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emissary
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agent; messenger. The secretary of State was sent as the President's special emissary to the conference on disarmament.
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emollient
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soothing or softening remedy. He applied an emollient to the inflamed area.
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emolument
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salary; compensation. In addition to the emolument this position offers, you must consider the social prestige it carries with it.
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empathy
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ability to identify with another's feelings, ideas, etc. What made Ann such a fine counselor was her empathy, her ability to put herself in her client's place and feel his emotions as if they were her own.
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empirical
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based on experience. He distrusted hunches and intuitive flashes; he placed his reliance entirely on empirical data.
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emulate
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rival; imitate. As long as our political leaders emulate the virtues of the great leaders of this country, we shall flourish.
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enamored
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in love. Narcissus became enamored of his own beauty.
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enclave
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territory enclosed within an alien land. The Vatican is an independent enclave in Italy.
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encomiastic
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praising; eulogistic. Some critics believe that his encomiastic statements about Napoleon were inspired by his desire for material advancement rather than by an honest belief in the Emperor's genius.
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encomium
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high praise; eulogy. Uneasy with the encomiums expressed by his supporters, Tolkien felt unworthy of such high praise.
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encompass
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surround. Although enemy forces encompassed us, we were cheerful for we were well stocked and could withstand a siege until our allies joined us.
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encroachment
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gradual intrusion. The encroachment of the factories upon the neighborhood lowered the value of the real estate.
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encumber
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burden. Some people encumber themselves with too much luggage, when they take short trips.
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endearment
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fond word or act. Your gifts and endearments cannot make me forget your earlier insolence.
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endemic
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prevailing among a specific group of people or in a specific are or country. This disease is endemic in this part of the world; more than 80 percent of the population is at one time or another affected by it.
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endorse
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approve; support. Everyone waited to see which one of the rival candidates for the city council the mayor would endorse.
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endue
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provide with some quality; endow. He was endued with a lion's courage.
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enduring
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lasting; surviving. Keats believed in the enduring power of great art, which outlast its creator's brief lives.
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energize
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invigorate; make forceful and active. Rather than exhausting Maggie, dancing energized her.
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enervate
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weaken. She was slow to recover from her illness; even a short walk to the window enervated her.
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enfranchise
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admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote). Although blacks were enfranchised shortly after the Civil War, women did not receive the right to vote until 1920.
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engage
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attract; hire; pledge oneself; confront. "Your case has engaged my interest, my lord," said Holmes, "You many engage my services."
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engender
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cause; produce.To receive praise for real accomplishments engenders self-confidence in a child.
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engross
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occupy fully. John was so engrossed in his studies that he did not hear his mother call.
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enhance
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advance; improve. Your chances for promotion in this department will be enhanced if you take some more courses in evening school.
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enigma
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puzzle. Despite all attempts to decipher the code, it remained an enigma.
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enigmatic
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obscure; puzzling. Many have sought to fathom the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa.
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enjoin
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command; order; forbid. The owners of the company asked the court to enjoin the union from picketing the plant.
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enmity
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ill will; hatred. At Camp David President Carter labored to bring an end to the enmity that prevented Egypt and Israel from living in peace.
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ennui
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boredom. The monotonous routine of hospital life induced a feeling of ennui, which made him moody and irritable.
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enormity
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hugeness (in a bad sense). He did not realize the enormity of his crime until he saw what suffering he had caused.
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enrapture
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please intensely. The audience was enraptured by the freshness of the voices and the excellent orchestration.
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ensconce
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settle comfortably. The parents thought that their children were ensconced safely in the private school and decided to leave for Europe.
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ensue
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follow. The evils that ensued were the direct result of the miscalculations of the leaders.
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enthrall
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capture; enslave. From the moment he saw her picture, her beauty enthralled him.
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entice
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lure; attract; tempt. She always tried to entice her baby brother into mischief.
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entity
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real being. As soon as the charter was adopted, the United Nations became an entity and had to be considered as a factor in world diplomacy.
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entomology
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study of insects. I found entomology the least interesting part of my course in biology; studying insects bored me.
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entrance
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put under a spell; carry away with emotion. Shafts of sunlight on a wall could entrance her and leave her spellbound.
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entreat
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plead; ask earnestly. She entreated her father to let her stay out till midnight.
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entree
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entrance; a way in. Because of his wealth and social position, he had entree into the most exclusive circles.
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entrepreneur
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businessperson; contractor. Opponents of our present tax program argue that it discourages entrepreneurs from trying new fields of business activity.
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enumerate
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list; mention one by one. Huck hung his head in shame as Miss Watson enumerated his many flaws.
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enunciate
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speak distinctly. How will people understand you if you do not enunciate?
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environ
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enclose; surround. A wall environed Paris. eon long period of time; an age. It has taken eons for our civilization to develop.
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epaulet
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ornament worn on the shoulder (of a uniform, etc.). The shoulder loops on Sam Spade's trench coat are the nonmilitary counterparts of the fringed epaulets on George Washington's uniform.
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ephemeral
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short-lived; fleeting. The mayfly is an ephemeral creature.
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epic
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long heroic poem, novel, or similar work of art. Kurosawa's film Seven Samurai is an epic portraying the struggle of seven warriors to destroy a band of robbers.
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epicure
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connoisseur of food and drink. Epicures frequent this restaurant because it features exotic wines and dishes.
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epigram
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witty thought or saying, usually short . Poor Richard's epigrams made Benjamin Franklin famous.
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epilogue
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short speech at conclusion of dramatic work. The audience was so disappointed in the play that many did not remain to hear the epilogue.
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episodic
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loosely connected. Though he tried to follow the plot of Gravity's Rainbow, John found the novel too episodic.
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epistemologist
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philosopher who studies the nature of knowledge. "What is more important, a knowledge of nature of the nature of knowledge?" the epistemologist asked the naturalist.
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epitaph
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inscription in memory of a dead person. In his will, he dictated the epitaph he wanted placed on his tombstone.
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epithet
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word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing. So many kings of France were named Charles that modern students need epithets to tell them apart: Charles the Wise, for example, was someone far different from Charles the Fat.
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epitome
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perfect example or embodiment. Singing, "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" in The Pirates of Penance, Major-General Stanley proclaimed himself the epitome of an officer and a gentleman.
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epoch
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period of time. The glacial epoch lasted for thousands of years.
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equable
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tranquil; steady; uniform. After the hot summers and cold winters of New England, he found the climate of the West Indies equable and pleasant.
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equanimity
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calmness of temperament. In his later years, he could look upon the foolishness of the world with equanimity and humor.
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equestrian
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rider on horseback. These paths in the park are reserved for equestrians and their steeds.
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equilibrium
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balance. After the divorce, he needed some time to regain his equilibrium.
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equine
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resembling a horse. His long, bony face had an equine look to it.
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equinox
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period of equal days and nights; the beginning of spring and autumn. Heavy rainstorms usually mark the vernal equinox.
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equipoise
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balance; balancing force; equilibrium. The high-wire acrobat used his pole as equipoise to overcome the swaying caused by the wind.
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equitable
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fair; impartial. I am seeking an equitable solution to this dispute, one that will be fair and acceptable to both sides.
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equity
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fairness; justice. Our courts guarantee equity to all.
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equivocal
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doubtful; ambiguous. The equivocal statements of the witches misled Macbeth.
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equivocate
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lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth. The audience saw through his attempts to equivocate on the subject under discussion and ridiculed his remarks.
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erode
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eat away. The dripping water eroded the limestone.
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erotic
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pertaining to passionate love. The erotic passages in this novel should be removed, as they are merely pornographic.
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errant
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wandering. Many a charming tale has been written about the knights-errant who helped the weak and punished the guilty during the Age of Chivalry.
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erratic
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odd; unpredictable. Investors become anxious when the stock market appears erratic.
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erroneous
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mistaken; wrong. I thought my answer was correct, but it was erroneous.
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erudite
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learned; scholarly. His erudite writing was difficult to read because of the many allusions, which were unfamiliar to most readers.
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escapade
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prank; flighty conduct. The headmaster could not regard this latest escapade as a boyish joke and expelled the young man.
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eschew
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avoid. He tried to eschew all display of temper.
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esoteric
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hard to understand; known only to the chosen few. New Yorker short stories often include esoteric allusions to obscure people and events: the implication is if you are in the in-crowd, you'll get the reference; if you come from Cleveland, you won't.
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espionage
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spying. In order to maintain its power, the government developed a system of espionage that penetrated every household.
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espouse
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adopt; support. She was always ready to espouse a worthy cause.
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esteem
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respect; value; judge. I esteem Ezra Pound both for his exciting poetry and for his acute comments on literature.
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estranged
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separated; alienated. The estranged wife sought a divorce.
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ethereal
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light; heavenly; fine. Visitors were impressed by her ethereal beauty, her delicate charm.
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ethnic
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relating to races. Intolerance between ethnic groups is deplorable and usually is based on lack of information.
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ethnology
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study of mankind. Sociology is one aspect of the science of ethnology.
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ethos
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underlying character of a culture, group, etc.
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Seeing
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how tenderly Spaniards treated her small daughter made author Barbara Kingsolver aware of how greatly children were valued in the Spanish ethos.
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etymology
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study of word parts. Knowledge of etymology can help you on many English tests.
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eugenic
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pertaining to the improvement of race. It is easier to apply eugenic principles to the raising of racehorses or prize cattle than t the development of human beings.
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eulogistic
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praising. To everyone's surprise, the speech was eulogistic rather than critical in tone.
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eulogy
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praise. All the eulogies of his friends could not remove the sting of the calumny heaped upon him by his enemies.
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euphemism
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mild expression in place of an unpleasant one. The expression "he passed away" is a euphemism for "he died."
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euphony
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sweet sound. Noted for its euphony even when it is spoken, the Italian language is particularly pleasing to the ear when sung.
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euphoria
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feeling of exaggerated (or unfounded) well-being. "Jill's been on cloud nine ever since Jack asked her out," said Betty, dismissing her friend's euphoria.
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euthanasia
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mercy killing. Many people support euthanasia for terminally ill patients who wish to die.
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evanescent
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fleeting; vanishing. For a brief moment, the entire skyline was bathed in an orange-red hue in the evanescent rays of the sunset.
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evasive
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not frank; eluding. Your evasive answers convinced the judge that you were withholding important evidence.
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evince
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show clearly. When he tried to answer the questions, he evinced his ignorance of the subject matter.
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evenhanded
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impartial; fair. Do men and women receive evenhanded treatment from their teachers, or, as recent studies suggest, do teachers pay more attention to male students than to females?
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evoke
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call forth. He evoked much criticism by his hostile manner.
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ewe
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female sheep. The flock of sheep was made up of dozens of ewes, together with only a handful of rams.
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exacerbate
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worsen; embitter. This latest arrest will exacerbate the already existing discontent of the people and enrage them.
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exacting
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extremely demanding. The colonies rebelled against the exacting financial claims of the mother country.
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exalt
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raise in rank or dignity; praise. The actor Alec Guinness was exalted to the rank of knighthood by the Queen; he now is known as Sir Alec Guinness.
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