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145 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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au courant(adj)
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well informed; up-to-date
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blase(adj)
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tired of pleasures
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bourgeois(adj)
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1. Having to do with the middle class
2. Concerned with petty, materialistic interests; lacking in culture or refinement |
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chic(adj)
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stylish
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clairvoyant(adj)
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clear-sighted; unusually perceptive
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complaisant(adj)
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willing to please; obliging; amiable
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debonair(adj)
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courteous, gracious, and charming
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gauche(adj)
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lacking social grace; crude; tactless; awkward
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maladroit(adj)
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unskillful or clumsy
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nonchalant(adj)
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without concern or enthusiasm
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attache(n)
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member of the diplomatic staff of an ambassador or minister
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bourgesoisie(n)
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the middle class
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charge d'affaires
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Temporary substitute for an ambassador
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concierge(n)
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doorkeeper; custodian; janitor
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confrere(n)
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colleague; co-worker; comrade
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conoisseur(n)
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expert; critical juidge
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coterie(n)
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set or circle of accquaintances; clique
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debuntante(n)
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young women who has just had her debut
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devotee(n)
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zealous follower; ardent adherent of something or someone; fan
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elite(n)
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group of individuals thought to be superior; aristocracy
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emigre(n)
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refugee; person who flees from his or her native land for political reasons
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entourage(n)
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group of attendants, assistants, or associates accompanying a person
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entrepeneur(n)
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one who assumes the risks and management of a business
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envoy(n)
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diplomatic agent or messanger
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fiance(n)
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person engaged to marry
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gendarme(n)
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armed police officer; especially in France and other European countries
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gourmand(n)
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person excessively fond of eating and drinking; glutton
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gourmet(n)
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conoisseur in eating and drinking
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ingenue(n)
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actress playing the role of a naive young woman
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maitre d'hotel(n)
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head waiter
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martinet(n)
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person who enforces very strict discipline
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nonpareil(n)
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person of unequaled excellence
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nouveax riches(n pl.)
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persons newly rich
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parvenu(n)
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person suddenly risen to wealth or power who lacks proper social qualifications
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protege(n)
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person under the care or protection of another
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rancoteur(n)
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person who excels in story telling
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valet(n)
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manservant who attends to personal needs of his employer, as by taking care of the employer's clothes
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aplomb(n)
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absolute confidence in oneself; poise; self possession
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eclat
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brilliancy of acheivment
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elan(n)
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enthusiasm; eagerness for action
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ennui(n)
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feeling of weariness and discontent; boredom
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espirit de corps(n)
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feeling of union and common interest pervading a group; devotion to a group or its ideals
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finesse(n)
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skill and adriotness in handling a difficult situation
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legerdemain (n)
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sleight of hand; an artful trick
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malaise(n)
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vague feeling of bodily discomfort or illness
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noblesse oblige(n)
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principle that persons of high rank or birth are obligated to act nobly
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rapport(n)
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relationship characterized by harmony, comformity, or affinity
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sangfroid(n)
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coolness of mind or composure in difficult circumstances; equanimity
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savoir faire(n)
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knowledge of just what to do; tact
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adeiu(n)
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good bye or farewell
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au revoir(n)
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good bye till we meet again
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billet-doux(n)
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love letter
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don mot(n)
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clever saying; witty remark
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brochure(n)
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pamphlet; treatise
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canard(n)
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false rumor; absurd story; hoax
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cliche(n)
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tired or worn out expression
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entre nous(adv)
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between us; confidentially
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mot juste(n)
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the exactly right word
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nom de plume(n)
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pen name
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precis(n)
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summary
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repartee(n)
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skill of replying quickly, cleverly, and humorouslyl witty reply
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resume(n)
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1. breif account of personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experience submitted by an applicant
2. Summary |
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riposte(n)
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1. quick retort or a witty reply
2. In fencing, a quick return thrust after a parry |
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tete-a-tete(n)
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private conversation between two persons
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bete noire(n)
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object or person dreaded; bugbar
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carte blanche(n)
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full of discretionary power; freedom to use ones own judgment
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cause celebre(n)
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famous case in law that arouses considerable interest; an incident or situation attracting much attention
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contretemps(n)
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inopportune occurence; embarrassing situation or mishap
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cul-de-sac(n)
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blind alley
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debacle(n)
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collapse; overthrow; rout
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fait accompli(n)
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thing already done
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faux pas(n)
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misstep or blunder in conduct, maners, speech, etc
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impasse(n)
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deadlock; predicament affording no escape; impassible road
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liaison(n)
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bond; linking up; coordination of activities
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melange(n)
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mixturel medley; potpourri
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mirage(n)
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optical illusion
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coup d'etat(n)
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Sudden violentm or illegal overthrow of the government
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demarche(n)
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course of action, especially one involving a change of policy
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detante(n)
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a relaxng, as of strained relations between nations
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entente(n)
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understanding or agreement between governments
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laissez-faire(n)
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absence of government interference or reguation
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lettre de cachet(n)
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letter obtainable from the king of France ordering the imprisonment without trial of the person named in the letter
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premeir(n)
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prime minister
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rapproachment(n)
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establishment of cordial relations
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regime(n)
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system of government or rule
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avant-garde(n)
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experimentalists or innovators in any art
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bas-relief(n)
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carving or sculpture in which the figures project only slightly from the background
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baton(n)
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a stick with which a conductor beats time for the orchestra
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chef'd oeuvure(n)
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masterpiece in art, literature, etc
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denouement(n)
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solution of the plot in a play, story, or complex situation
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encore(n)
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repitition of a performance in response to the demand from an audience
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genre(n)
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1. kind; sort; category
2. Style of painting depiciting scenes from everyday life |
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musicale(n)
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social gathering, with music as the featured entertainment
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palette(n)
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thin board on which an artist lays and mixes colors
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repertoire(n)
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1. Stock of plays, operas, roles, compositions, etc, that a company of performers is prepared to perform
2. Collection |
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vignette(n)
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short verbal description; small, craceful literary sketch
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a la carte(adv)
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according to the bill of fare; dish by dish; with stated price for each dish
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a la mode(adj)
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1. accoridng to fasion; stylish
2. with ice cream |
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apertiff(n)
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alcoholic drink taken before a meal as an appetizer
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bonbon(n)
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piece of candy
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consomme
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clear soup; broth
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croissant(n)
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rich, falky, crescent shaped roll
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cuisine(n)
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style of cooking or preparing food
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demitasse(n(
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small cup for black coffee
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entree(n)
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main dish at lunch or dinner
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flet(n)
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slice of fish without bones or fat
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hors d'oeuvres (n)
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light food served as an appetizer before the regular course
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piece de resitance
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1. main dish
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soup du jour(n)
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special soup served in a resturant on a particular day
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table d'hote(n)
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complete meal of several courses offered in a hotel or resturant at a fixed price
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bouffant*adj)
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puffed out; full
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boutique(n)
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small shop specializing in fashionable clothes
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chemise(n)
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loose-fitting, sacklike dress
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coiffure(n)
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style of arranging hair; headdress
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corsage(n)
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small bouqet worn by a woman
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cravat(n)
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necktie
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ensemble(n)
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complete costume of harmonious clothing and accessories
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flamboyant(adj)
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flamelike; very ornate; showy
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toupee
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wig
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vogue(n)
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fashionable; accepted style
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ambience(n)
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surrounding atmosphere; environment
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apropos(adv)
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by the way; incidentally
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apropos(adj)
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appropriate; releveant; pertinet
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avoirdupois(n)
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weight; heaviness
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bagatelle(n)
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trifle
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coup de grace(n)
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decisive finish blow
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en route(adj)
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on the way
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etiquette(n)
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conduct and manners of polite society
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facade(n)
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face or front of a building, or of anything
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fete(n)
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festival; entertainment; party
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foyer(n)
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entrance hall; lobby
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milieu(n)
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environment; setting
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parasol(n)
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umbrella for protection against the Sun
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par excellence(adj)
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above all others of the same sort
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passe(adj)
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old-fashioned; behind the times; outmoded
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pince-nez(n)
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eyeglasses clipped to the nose by a spring
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premiere(n)
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first performance
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queue(n)
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line of persons waiting their turn
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raison d'etre
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reason or justification for exisiting
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rendezvous(n)
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1. meeting place fixed by prior agreement
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sillhoutte(n)
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shadow or outline
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sobriquet(n)
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nickname
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souvenir(n)
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reminder; keepsake; memento
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tour de force(n)
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feat of strength, skill, or ingenuity
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vis-vis(prep)
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face to face; opposite
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