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353 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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theme
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a main or recurring idea
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plot
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the series of events in a story
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exposition
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the beginning of a work of fiction in which the reader is introduced to the characters, setting and any other information that he needs to understand the story
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climax
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the point at which the conflict must be resolved
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metaphor
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an implied (suggest) comparison
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simile
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a comparison using like or as
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persona
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the mask of "voice" that an author adopts in a piece of writing
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genre
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type, kind, sort
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essay
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a brief piece of nonfiction that presents a personal point of view
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ballad
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a simple poem or song, especially one telling a story
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irony
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the contrast between what appears to be and what actually is
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quaff
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to drink heartily
a hearty drink |
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infantry
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soldiers on foot
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trappings
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possessions or belongings
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quaint
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pleasantly odd or old fashioned
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range
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to set in a row or proper order
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zephyr
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a gentle breeze
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imagery
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language that appeals to the five senses
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foil
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to prevent from reaching an end
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crown
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a unit of British currency
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Rhyme Scheme
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the pattern of rhyme in a stanza
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meter
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the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry
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iamb
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one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable
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iambic pentameter
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describes a line of poetry that contains 5 iambs
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denotation
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a words literal meaning
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connotation
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the emotions that we associate with a word
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surreptitious
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sneaky, clandestine
furtive sly |
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imprecation
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a curse (wishing someone bad luck)
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hubbub
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uproar, tumult
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gait
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a manner of moving on foot
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barrow
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a male hog
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hart
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a male deer
a stag |
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acute
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sharp
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red-letter
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memorably happy
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red-herring
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something that draws attention away from the main issue
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fallible
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capable of error
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peccadillo
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a bad habit
a moral flaw |
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profane
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to show disrespect (to something holy)
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advent
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an arrival especially of something awaited
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singular
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unique
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edifice
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building
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bray
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the harsh shrill cry of a donkey
to make the harsh shrill cry of a donkey |
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enchant
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to cast a spell on
to charm to bewitch to fascinate |
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patronize
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to treat in a condescending way
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temperate
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mild; moderate
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toddy
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a drink made of liquor, sugar, spices, and hot water
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ornate
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highly decorated
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highball
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an alcoholic beverage served in a tall glass
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grimace
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to make a facial expression of disgust, disapproval or pain
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bewilder
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to confuse
to befuddle to puzzle to perplex |
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seemly
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proper
appropriate decorous |
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unseemly
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improper
inappropriate indecorous |
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discreet
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capable of observing a prudent
(wise) silence |
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altriuism
altruist |
unselfish concern for others (welfare)
the person who shows this |
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antihero
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a protagonist who is notably lacking in heroic qualities
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hyperbole
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exaggeration
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style
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the way in which an author uses language
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euphemism
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a polite way of saying something offensive
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alliteration
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the repetition of the same consonant
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onomatopoeia
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a words sound suggests its meaning
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allusion
alude |
a reference
to refer to |
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anastrophe
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the switching of normal word order for the purpose of meter or rhyme
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personification
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the giving of human qualities to inanimate objects
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reverie
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a daydream
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cease
cessation |
to stop
the act of stopping |
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discern
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to detect with eyes
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connive
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to pretend ignorance of wrongdoing
to cooperate secretly with wrongdoing to secretly allow something wrong to be done |
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encounter
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a meeting
to meet |
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pittance
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a meager amount
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unscrupulous
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having no morals
unprincipled |
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scrupulous
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having mortals
principles |
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scruples
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a sense of moralities
a principle |
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landsman
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a fellow countryman
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sanctify
sanctified |
to make holy
the holiness |
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burly
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strong and heavily built
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deft
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quick and neat in action
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weary
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tired
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toil
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hard work
to work hard |
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pallid
pallor |
pale
paleness |
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seethe
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to churn or foam as if boiling
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vehement
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intensely emotional impassioned
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to lessen
lessen lessen |
diminish
abate mitigate |
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ennui
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boredom
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5 Questions that Adjectives Answer
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Which?
What kind? What Color? How many (much)? Whose? |
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parapet
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a low railing or wall as along the edge of a balcony
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benevolent
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charitable (loving); well-wishing
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deprecate
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to express disapproval of
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assent
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to agree
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dissent
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to disagree
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retrospect
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a view of the past
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opulent
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richly abundant / lavish
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reproach
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to scold
to reprimand to reprove |
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speakeasy
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a place for the illegal sale and consumption of alcohol
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salient
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prominent; outstanding
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frump
frumpy |
an unattractive woman who wears dowdy or unfashionable clothes
resembling an unattractive woman who... |
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articulate
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well spoken
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audacity
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bold daring
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audacious
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boldly daring
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memento mori
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any reminder of death or mortality such as a death's head or any ornament of death
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effulgent
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brilliant, radiant
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effulgence
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brilliance, radiance
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lot
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fate, destiny
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appendage
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attachment
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futile
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useless, vain
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hasten
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to hurry; hie
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audible
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able to be heard
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asperity
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ill-temper; irritability
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inert
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powerless to move or act
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furtive
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sly; surreptitious
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acute
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sharp
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august
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inspiring awe, reverence, or admiration
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prudent
prudence |
exercising good judgement
good judgement |
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wrath
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rage
great anger |
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foliage
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leafage
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pique
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a feeling of resentment resulting from wounded pride
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throng
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a crowd
a host a multitude |
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edifice
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building
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utopia
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a perfect society
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sepulcher
sepulchre |
a tomb
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auspicious
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favorable
showing promise |
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ponderous
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heavy
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congenial
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friendly
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meager
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lean, scant
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transgress
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to sin
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transgression
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a sin
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transgressor
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a sinner
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venerable
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worthy of respect, usually because of age or dignity
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ensue
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to follow, as events
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statute
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a law
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personage
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a person of distinction
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attire
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clothing
apparel raiment |
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iniquity
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wickedness
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visage
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a face
a countenance |
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editorial narrator
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a narrator who offers opinions
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discern
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to detect with the eyes
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clad
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dressed
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wherefore
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why
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whither
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where
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mishap
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an unfortunate accident
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abate
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to lesson
to diminish to mitigate |
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sojourn
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a temporary stay
to stay temporarily |
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grave
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solemn
serious |
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sermon
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a religious lecture
a homily |
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infamy
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fame (neg), notoriety
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infamous
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famous (neg), notorious
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audible
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able to be heard
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sagacious
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wise
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sagacity
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wisdom
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mien
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an overall appearance
bearing |
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obstinate
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stubborn
obdurate |
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repent
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to be sorry
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apprehensive
apprehension |
anxious
anxiety |
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purport
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meaning, significance
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counsel
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advice
to advise |
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discourse
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a conversation
a lecture a discussion to converse to lecture to discuss |
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hue
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color
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swoon
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to faint
a faint |
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quell
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to suppress by force
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apprehension
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anxiety
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apprehensive
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anxious
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potent
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strong
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efficacy
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effectiveness
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tempest
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a violent storm
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tempestuous
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stormy
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scrutiny
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close examination
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scrutinize
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to examine closely
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folly
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foolishness
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feign
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to fake; to pretend
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bliss
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complete and utter happiness
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paramour
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a secret lover; an illicit lover
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cuckold
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a man whose wife has been unfaithful
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mortify
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to embarrass; to humiliate
to deny the flesh; to discipline one's body and appetites by self-denial |
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purge
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to cleanse;
to purify |
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purgation
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a cleansing
a purification |
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sable
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the color black
ebony jet black |
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ascetic
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one who lives a life of self-denial
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mishap
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an unfortunate accident
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imbibe
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to drink [alcohol]
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venerable
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worthy of respect usually because of age or dignity
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aver
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to state positively;
to declare as true a vouch to avow |
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rank
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disagreeably strong-smelling
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efficacy
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effectiveness
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apprehension
apprehensive |
anxiety
anxious |
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censura
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a pause within a line of poetry
symbol: || |
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tone
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the author's attitude toward his subjects
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treason
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betrayal
treachery perfidy, perfidious |
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erudite
erudition |
learned; scholarly
scholarship; learnedness |
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placid
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calm; serene, tranquil; pacific
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apt
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quick to learn
likely suitable |
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dirges
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song of lamentation (mourning)
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divine
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to discover by intuition
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censer
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a covered incense burner swung on chains in a religious ritual
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respite
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a period of relief
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nepenthe
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a potion that prevents one from feeling grief
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daunt
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to frighten
to intimidate |
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undaunted
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unafraid, unintimidated
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beguile
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to trick
to deceive |
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to beg
to ask earnestly |
entreat
implore beseech |
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obeisance
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a movement of the body made in token of respect
deference; homage |
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mien
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overall appearance; bearing
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decorum
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propriety; properness
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decorous
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proper
fitting appropriate |
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craven
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a coward
cowardly (adj.) |
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ungainly
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clumsy
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Shakespearean sonnet (English sonnet)
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a sonnet with the rhyme scheme:
ABAB CDCD EFEFGG |
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else
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otherwise
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heroic couplet
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2 lines of rhyming iambic pentameter
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sonnet
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a lyric poem of 14 lines written in iambic pentameter
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lyric
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suitable for singing; melodic
expressing direct and usually intense personal emotion |
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host
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a multitude or a crowd
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pensive
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thoughtful or reflective often in a melancholy way
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jocund
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merry
cheerful |
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bog
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a swamp or marsh; quagmire
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chariot
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a two-wheeled horse drawn vehicle of ancient time, used in war or races
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frigate
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a swift warship
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haply
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by chance
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laden
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burdened or weighed down
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meet
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proper behavior
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plume
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a feather
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prancing
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to move about in a spirited manner
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rue
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regret
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seraph
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an angel
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transverse
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a route, or way
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wend
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to proceed along one's way
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oxymoron
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a combination of words that have opposite or very different meanings
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notion
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an idea
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plume
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a feather
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apparel
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clothing
attire |
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beseech
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to implore
to beg to ask earnestly to entreat |
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replicate
|
to duplicate
to reproduce |
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entourage
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group of people accompanying an important person
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to land
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to alight
(light) |
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to light
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to land
to alight |
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alighted
|
landed
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exalt
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to elevate
to praise |
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soothsayer
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a fortune-teller
a prophet a clairvoyant a seer a sibyl |
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wont
|
a custom
a habit |
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countenance
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a face
a visage |
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vex
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to irk
to annoy |
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construe
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to interpret
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Plebian
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a commoner
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Cogitate
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to think carefully about
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yoke
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a wooden frame that joins oxen working together
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accouter
accoutre accoutrements (n) |
to equip (v)
equipment often of a soldier |
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obsequious
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much to willing to serve or obey
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fawn
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to seek favor by groveling (v)
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apostrophe
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the addressing of an absent person, or of an inanimate object
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ere
|
before
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durst (v)
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to dare
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mark
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to take note of
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feeble
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weak
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conjure
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to summon a spirit by sorcery
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brook (v)
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to tolerate
to endure to put up with |
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recount
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to tell as a story
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entreaty (n)
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a plea
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spare (adj)
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lean; thin
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chide
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to scold
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fain
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willingly
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loath
loth |
hesitant; reluctant
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infirm
infirmity infirmary |
sick
sickness a place for the care of the sick or injured |
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wench
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a young woman (derogatory or humorous)
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sup
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to dine
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mettle
mettlesome |
spirit! ; courage
spirited! ; courageous |
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soliloquy
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words spoken by a character ALONE onstage to let the audience know what's going on in the speaker's mind (not speaking to audience)
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aside
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words spoken by a character that are not heard by all of the other characters onstage
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rive
riven |
to split in two
split in two |
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exalt
|
to praise; to elevate
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saucy
|
rude; impudent; impertinent
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incense
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to enrage
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sensible
|
able to feel or perceive
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surly
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having crude unpleasant disposition
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portent
portentous |
omen
ominous |
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construe
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to interpret
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prodigious
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enormous; immense
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offal
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1. waste parts, especially of a butchered animal
2. rubbish |
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wary
|
cautious; careful; chary
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redress
|
to set aright
remedy |
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hie
|
hurry
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alchemy
|
the medieval science concerned with turning base metals into gold
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taper
|
a candle
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adder
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a serpent
a snake |
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wary
chary |
cautious; careful
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remorse
|
rue or regret
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augment
|
to add to
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Entreaty
|
A plea
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Whet
|
To sharpen; to hone
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Interim (n)
|
The meantime; the meanwhile
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Visage
|
Face or countenance
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Visage
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Face or countenance
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Insurrection
|
An uprising
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Palter
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To speak or act insincerely
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Feeble
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Weak
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Carrion
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Dead rotting flesh
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Affable
|
Easy and pleasant to speak to
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Whit
|
The smallest particle
an iota |
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Gravity
|
Seriousness
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meet (adj)
|
appropriate
proper |
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contrive
|
to plot
to scheme to plan secretly |
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earnest
|
sincere
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Hew
|
to chop down
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Carcass
|
the body of a dead animal
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Chide
|
to scold
to reprimand |
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Purge
Purgation |
to cleanse
to purify a cleansing a purification |
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augur
|
to foretell by omens
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dank
|
disagreeably wet or moist
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harlot
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a prostitute
"lady of the evening" a strumpet a trollop |
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ruddy
|
having a healthy, reddish complexion
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disclose
|
to reveal
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vouchsafe
|
to condescend to grant
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entrails
|
innards
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moribund
|
near death
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imminent
|
about to happen
about to occur |
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ague
|
a fever accompanied by chills
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lament
lamentation |
to mourn
mourning |
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emulate
|
to imitate
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fray
|
a scuffle
a brawl a melee a brouhaha a donnybrook a fracas |
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puissant
|
powerful
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cur
|
a worthless dog
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firmament
|
the heavens
the skies |
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prostrate
|
lying with face to the ground especially in submission or humility
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misgiving
|
a feeling of doubt or uncertainty
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rank
|
disagreeably or unpleasantly strong-smelling
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parley
|
a conference, usually held to discuss matters in dispute
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Tragic Flaw
|
a quality in the tragic hero
Hamlet - ("some vicious mole of nature") that ultimately leads to his demise (downfall, ruin) |
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Tragic Hero
|
a protagonist with a tragic flaw (that ultimately leads to his demise)
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hubris
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excessive pride
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Seven Deadly (cardinal) Sins
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pride (hubris)
wrath (anger) covetousness (envy) gluttony sloth (laziness) avarice (greed) lust |
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Elizabethan's "Tragedy"
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the serious treatment of a subject
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catastrophe
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the unraveling of events to us
denouement - (Greek interpretation) the final part of a play. plot is explained/resolved |
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catharsis
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a cleansing
a purification |
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wistful
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full of wishful yearning
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supercilious
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feeling or showing a haughty disdain
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fractious
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incline to make trouble
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diffident
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reserved or unassertive
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5 Questions that Adverbs answer?
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When
Where How How often To what extent |
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wan
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pale or dim
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complacent
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smug
(excessive pride in one's achievements) |
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complacency
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a feeling of smug
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Wag
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Humorous person
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gayety
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cheerful
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proprietor
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owner
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poignant
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evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret
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subterfuge
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a deceptive device
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become
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to suit
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ubiquitous
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seeming to be everywhere
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Linking verbs
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Appear, become, feel, grow, look , remain, seem, smell, sound, taste
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ostentatious
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displaying wealth, knowledge in a way that is meant to attract attention or admiration
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redolent
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fragrant
(having a pleasant smell) |
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denouement
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The unravelling of events to us; the Greeks referred to as catastrophe
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declarative
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a statement; sentence of declaration
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mirth
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happy
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mutability
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the tendency of things to change
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intimate
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to hint
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