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471 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
cabal
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n. secret political plot
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cache
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n. place for hiding food, treasure or weapons
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cacophonous
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(adj.) sounding jarring
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cacophony
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n. loud unpleasant mixture of discordant sounds
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cadaver
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n. dead body of a person; corpse ;
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cadaverous
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adj. looking like a corpse; very pale and gaunt ;
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cadence
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n. rhythm in sound
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cadet
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n. young person training to become a policeman or an officer in the armed forces
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cajole
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v. ~ sb(into/out of sth); ~ sb (into/out of doing sth) persuade sb (to do sth) by flattery or deceit; coax sb
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calamity
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n. serious misfortune or disaster
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calculated
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undertaken after considering the likelihood of success or failure
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caldron
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= cauldron
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caliber
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ability; capacity
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calligraphy
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n. beautiful handwriting
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callous
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adj. cruelly insensitive or unsympathetic
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callow
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adj. immature and inexperienced
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callus
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n. area of thick hardened skin
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calorific
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adj. of or producing heat
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calumny
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n. false statement about sb, made to damage his character
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camaraderie
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n. friendship and mutual trust; comradeship ;
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cameo
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n. small piece of hard stone with a raised design, esp one with two coloured layers so that the background is of a different colour from the design
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camp
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n. place where people (eg holiday-makers, Scouts or explorers) live temporarily in tents or huts
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canard
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n. false report or rumour
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candor
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unreserved, honest, or sincere expression:FORTHRIGHTNESS
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canine
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adj. of, like or relating to dogs
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canker
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n. disease that destroys the wood of plants and trees
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canny
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adj. shrewd and careful, esp in business matters
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cant
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n. insincere talk, esp about religion or morality; hypocrisy ;
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cantankerous
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adj. bad-tempered; quarrelsome ;
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cantata
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n. short musical work, often on a religious subject, sung by soloists and usu a choir, accompanied by an orchestra
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canter
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n. (of a horse) movement that is faster than a trot but slower than a gallop
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canto
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n. any of the main divisions of a long poem
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canvass
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v. ~ (for sth) go around an area asking (people) for (political support)
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capacious
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adj. that can hold much; roomy
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capacity
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n. ability to hold or contain sth
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capillary
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n. any of the very narrow blood vessels connecting arteries and veins in the body
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capitulate
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v. ~ surrender (to sb), esp on agreed conditions
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caprice
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n. sudden change in attitude or behaviour with no obvious cause; whim ;
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capricious
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adj. characterized by sudden changes in attitude or behaviour; unpredictable; impulsive
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capsize
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v. overturn or be overturned
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caption
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n. short title or heading of an article in a magazine, etc ,
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captious
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adj. fond of criticizingor raising objections about unimportant matters; quibbling ;
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carafe
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n. glass container in which wine or water are served at meals .
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carapace
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n. shell on the back of a tortoise or crustacean
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carat
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n. unit of weight (
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carcinogenic
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[ carcinogen: ] "carcino'genic adjective
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cardinal
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adj. most important; chief; fundamental
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cardiologist
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n.
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careen
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v. turn on its side (esp for cleaning or repairing)
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career
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n. profession or occupation with opportunities for advancement or promotion
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carefree
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adj. without responsibilities or worries; cheerful
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caricature
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n. picture,description or imitation of sb/sth that exaggerates certain characteristics in order to amuse or ridicule
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carillon
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n. set of bells sounded either from a keyboard or mechanically
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carnage
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n. killing of many people
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carnal
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adj. of the body; sexual or sensual
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carnivorous
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adj. flesh-eating
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carousal
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(noisy party with) drinking and merry-making
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carping
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adj. tending to make petty complaints; fault-finding
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carrion
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n. dead and decaying flesh
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cartographer
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n. person who draws maps and charts
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cascade
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n. waterfall, esp one of a series forming a large waterfall
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caste
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n. any of the hereditary Hindu social classes
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castigation
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severe punishment
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castrate
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v. remove the testicles of (a male animal or person); geld
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casual
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adj. happening by chance
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casualty
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n. person who is killed or injured in war or in an accident
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cataclysm
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n. sudden violentchange or disaster, eg a flood, an earthquake, a revolution or a war
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catalyst
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n. substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without itself changing
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catapult
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n. Y-shaped stick with a piece of elastic attached to it, used esp by children for shooting stones .
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cataract
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n. large steep waterfall
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catastrophe
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n. sudden great disaster or misfortune
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catcall
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n. shrill whistle expressing disapproval
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catechism
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n. summary of the principles of a religion in the form of questions and answers
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categorical
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adj. unconditional; absolute; explicit
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cater
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v. ~ (for sth/sb) provide food and services, esp at social functions
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catharsis
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n. (instance of the) release of strong feelings through the effect of art, esp drama
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cathartic
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adj. causing catharsis; purgative ; n. purgative drug
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catholic
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adj. = Roman Catholic (Roman)
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caucus
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n. (meeting of the) parliamentary members of a particular political party or any other legislature
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caulk
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v. make (esp a boat) watertight by filling the seams or joints with waterproof material
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causal
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adj. of or forming a cause; relating to cause and effect ;
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caustic
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adj. that can burn or destroy things by chemical action
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cauterize
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burn with hot iron or caustic
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cavalcade
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n. procession of people on horseback, in cars, etc
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cavalier
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n. Cavalier supporter of Charles I in the English Civil War
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cavil
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v. ~ (at sth) (fml ) make unnecessary complaints (about sth)
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cede
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v. ~ sth give up one's rights to or possession of sth
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celerity
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n. quickness
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celestial
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adj. of the sky
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celibate
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adj. remaining unmarried, esp for religious reasons
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cemetery
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n. area of land, not a churchyard, used for burying the dead ,
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censor
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n. person authorized toexamine books, films, plays, letters, etc and remove partswhich are considered indecent, offensive, politically unacceptable or a threat to security
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censorious
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adj. tending to find faults in people or things; severely critical ;
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censure
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v. ~ sb criticize sb severely; rebuke sb formally
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centaur
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n. one of a tribe of creatures with a man's head, arms and upper body on a horse's body and legs
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centigrade
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adj. of or using a temperature scale with the freezing-point of water at 0 and the boiling-point at 100
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centrifugal
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adj. moving away from the centre or axis
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centrifuge
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n. rotating machine using centrifugal force to separate substances, eg milk and cream
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centripetal
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adj. moving towards the centre or axis
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centurion
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n. officer commanding a unit of 100 soldiers
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cerebral
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adj. of the brain
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cerebration
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n. working of the brain; thinking ;
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ceremonious
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adj. full of ceremony; very formal ;
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certitude
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n. feeling of certainty; lack of doubt ;
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cessation
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n. action or act of ceasing; pause
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cession
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n. action of ceding sth, esp land or rights
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chafe
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v. ~ become irritated or impatient (because of sth)
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chaff
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n. outer covering of corn, etc, separated from the grain by threshing or winnowing
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chaffing
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(n.) banter; teasing
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chagrin
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n. feeling of disappointment or annoyance
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chalice
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n. large cup for holding wine, esp one from which consecrated wine is drunk at the Eucharist
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chameleon
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n. any of various types of small lizard that can change colour according to its surroundings
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champion
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n. person, team, animal or plant that has defeated or excelled all others in a competition
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championship
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n. contest to decide who is the champion
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chancellor
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n. head of government in Austria etc
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chant
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n. simple tune to which psalms or canticles are fitted by singing several syllables or words to the same note
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chaotic
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adj. in a state of chaos; completely disorganized
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chapel
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n. small building or room used for Christian worship, eg in a school, prison, large private house, etc
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chaperon
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n. older person, usu a woman, who looks after a girl or a young unmarried woman on social occasions
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chaplain
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n. clergyman attached to the chapel of a school, prison, etc, or serving in the armed forces
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char
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v. (cause sth to) become black by burning; scorch
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charisma
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n. power to inspire devotion and enthusiasm
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charlatan
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n. person who falsely claims to have special knowledge or skill, esp in medicine
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charm
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n. power of pleasing, fascinating or attracting people; attractiveness
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chary
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adj. ~ (of sth) cautious; wary
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chase
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v. ~ sb/sth run after in order to capture or overtake sb/sth
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chasm
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n. deep opening in the ground; abyss; gorge ;
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chassis
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n. framework on which the body and working parts of a vehicle, radio or television are built , ; .
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chaste
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adj. not having had sexual intercourse; virgin ;
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chasten
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v. punish in order to correct or improve; discipline ;
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chastise
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v. punish (sb) severely, esp by beating
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chauvinist
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n, adj displaying or feeling chauvinism
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check
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v. ~ (up) make sure of sth by examining or investigating it
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checkered
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adj. chequered
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cherubic
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adj. with a plump and innocent face
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chicanery
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n. use of clever but misleading talk in order to trick sb, esp in legal matters; dishonest practice
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chide
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v. ~ sb (for sth) (dated or fml ) rebuke; scold
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chimerical
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adj. unreal; fanciful
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chip
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n. thin piece cut or broken off from wood, stone, china, glass, etc
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chisel
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n. tool with a sharp cutting edge at the end, for shaping wood, stone or metal
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chivalrous
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adj. showing the qualities of a perfect knight
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choice
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n. ~ act of choosing between two or more possibilities
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choir
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n. organized group of singers, esp one that performs in church services
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choleric
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adj. easily angered; bad-tempered ;
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chore
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n. small routine task
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choreography
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n. steps for ballet and dancing on stage
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chortle
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n. loud chuckle of pleasure or amusement
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chorus
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n. group of singers; choir
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chronic
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adj. lasting for a long time; continually recurring
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chronicle
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n. record of historical events in the order in which they happened
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chuckle
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v. laugh quietly or to oneself
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churlish
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adj. It seems churlish to refuse such a generous offer
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ciliated
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having minute hairs
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cipher
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n. (method of) secret writing in which a set of letters or symbols is used to represent others; code
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circlet
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n. circular band, eg of precious metal, flowers, etc, worn round the head as an ornament
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circuit
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n. line, route or journey round a place
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circuitous
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adj. long and indirect; roundabout
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circumlocution
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n. use of many words to say sth that could be said in a few words
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circumscribe
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v. restrict (sth) within limits; confine
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circumspect
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adj. considering everything carefully before acting; cautious; wary ;
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circumvent
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v. find a way of overcoming or avoiding (sth)
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cistern
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an artificial reservoir (as an underground tank) for storing liquids and especially water (as rainwater)
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citadel
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fortress
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cite
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quote; commend
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civil
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adj. of or relating to the citizens of a country
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clairvoyant
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n, adj having such power
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clamber
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v. climb, esp with difficulty or effort, using the hands and feet
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clamor
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shout, complain with a lot of noise
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clandestine
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adj. done secretly; kept secret; surreptitious
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clangor
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make a loud resonant noise
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clap
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v. ~ sth (together) strike (the palms of one's hands) together
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clapper
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n. piece of metal, etc fixed loosely inside a bell and making it sound by striking the side
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clarion
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adj. loud, clear and rousing
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clasp
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n. device for fastening things together
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claustrophobia
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n. abnormal fear of being in an enclosed space
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clavicle
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n. collar-bone .
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cleave
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v. break or split, esp along a natural line
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cleft
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n. crack or split occurring naturally
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clemency
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n. mildness (esp of weather)
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cliche
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n. phrase or idea which is used so often that it has become stale or meaningless
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clientele
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n. customers or clients as a group
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climactic
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adj. forming a climax
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clime
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n. (arch or joc ) country; climate(1b)
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clip
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n. any of various wire or metal devices used for holding things together
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clipper
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n. clippers instrument for clipping nails, hair, hedges, etc
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clique
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n. small group of people, often with shared interests, who associate closely and exclude others from their group
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cloister
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n. covered passage around an open court or quadrangle, with a wall on the outer side and columns or arches on the inner side, esp within a convent or college, or attached to a cathedral
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clot
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n. half-solid lump formed from a liquid, eg from blood when it is exposed to the air
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clout
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n. heavy blow with the hand or a hard object
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clown
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n. comic entertainer who paints his face and dresses in a ridiculous way and performs funny or foolish tricks
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cloying
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adj. sickeningly sweet
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coagulate
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v. change from a liquid to a thick and semi-solid state; clot
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coalesce
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v. combine and form one group, substance, mass, etc
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coalition
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n. action of uniting into one body or group
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coax
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v. (~ sb sth) persuade sb gently or gradually
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coda
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n. final passage of a piece of music
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coddle
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v. treat with great care and tenderness
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codicil
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n. later addition to a will, esp one that changes part of it
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codify
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v. arrange (laws, rules, etc) systematically into a code(3a)
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coercion
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n. coercing or being coerced
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coeval
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adj. ~ (fml ) existing at the same time or having the same age as sb/sth else; contemporary ;
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cog
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each of a series of teeth on the edge of a wheel, that fit between those of a similar wheel, so that each wheel can cause the other one to move
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cogent
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adj. convincing; strong
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cogitate
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v. ~ sth (fml or joc ) think deeply about sth
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cognate
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adj. ~ (linguistics ) (of a word or language) having the same source or origin as another one
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cognitive
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adj. of or relating to cognition
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cognizance
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n. knowledge; awareness
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cohabit
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v. ~ (fml ) (usu of an unmarried couple) live together
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cohere
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v. stick together in a mass or group
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cohesion
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n. tendency to stick together; unity
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cohorts
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[ cohort: ] one of the ten units of between 300 and 600 men in an ancient Roman Legion
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coiffure
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n. way in which (esp a woman's) hair is arranged; hairstyle ;
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coin
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n. piece of metal used as money
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coincidence
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n. occurrence of similar events or circumstances at the same time by chance
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coincident
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adj. happening at the same time by chance
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colander
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n. metal or plastic bowl with many small holes in it, used to drain water from vegetables, etc, esp after cooking
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collaborate
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v. ~ (on sth) work together (with sb), esp to create or produce sth
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collage
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n. fixing pieces of paper, cloth, photographs, etc to a surface
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collate
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v. ~ A and B/~ A with B examine and compare in order to find the differences between them
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collateral
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adj. side by side; parallel ;
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collation
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n. action of collating
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collected
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adj. in control of oneself; calm
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colloquial
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adj. belonging to or suitable for normal conversation but not formal speech or writing
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colloquy
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n. conversation
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collusion
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n. ~ ~ (between sb and sb) (fml ) secret agreement or co-operation between two or more people with the aim of deceiving or cheating others
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colossal
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adj. very large; immense; huge
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colossus
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n. statue much larger than life size
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coma
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n. state of deep unconsciousness, usu lasting a long time and caused by severe injury or illness
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comatose
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adj. in a coma; deeply unconscious ;
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combustible
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adj. that can catch fire and burn easily
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comeback
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a return to a former position, status, etc.
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comely
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having a pleasing appearance:not homely or plain
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comestible
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something fit to be eaten
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comeuppance
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desert punishment
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comity
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friendly social atmosphere:social harmony
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commandeer
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v. take possession or control of forcibly or for official (esp military) purposes
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commemorate
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v. keep (a great person, event, etc) in people's memories
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commemorative
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adj. helping to commemorate
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commensurate
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adj~(fml ) in the right proportion (to sth); appropriate
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commiserate
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v. ~ (on/over sth) (fml ) feel, or say that one feels, sympathy
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commodious
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adj. having a lot of space available for use; roomy
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commonplace
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adj. ordinary; not interesting
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commonwealth
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n. independent State or community
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communal
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adj. for the use of all; shared
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commune
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v. ~ ~ (together) talk to sb intimately; feel close to sb/sth
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compact
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adj. closely packed together
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compartment
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n. any of the sections into which a larger area or enclosed space, esp a railway carriage, is divided
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compassion
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n. ~ pity for the sufferings of others, making one want to help them
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compatible
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adj. ~ (of people, ideas, arguments, principles, etc) suited; that can exist together
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compelling
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adj. extremely interesting and exciting, so that one has to pay attention
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compendium
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n. ~ (of sth) brief but full account; summary
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compilation
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n. compiling
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compile
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v. ~ sth (for/from sth) collect (information) and arrange it in a book, list, report, etc
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complacency
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n. ~ (usu derog ) calm feeling of satisfactionwith oneself, one's work, etc
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complacent
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adj. ~ (usu derog ) calmly satisfied with oneself, one's work, etc
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complaisant
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adj. ready to please; obliging
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complement
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n. ~ thing that goes well or suitably with sth else, or makes it complete
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complementary
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adj. ~ combining well to form a balanced whole
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compliance
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n. ~ action in accordance with a request or command; obedience
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compliant
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adj. ~ (usu derog ) (too) willing to comply (with other people, with rules, etc)
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complicity
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n. ~ action of taking part with another person (in a crime or some other wrongdoing); shared responsibility
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component
|
n. any of the parts of which sth is made
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comport
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v. ~ oneself with sth conduct oneself in the specified way; behave
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compost
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n. mixture of decayed organic matter, manure, etc added to soil to improve the growth of plants
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composure
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n. state of being calm in mind or behaviour
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compound
|
n. thing made up of two or more separate things combined together
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comprehend
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v. understand fully
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comprehensive
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adj. that includes everything
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compress
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v. ~ sth press sth together; force sth into a small(er) space
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comprise
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v. have as parts or members; be made up of
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compromise
|
n. giving up of certain demands by each side in a dispute, so that an agreement may be reached which satisfies both to some extent
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compulsion
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n. ~ compelling or being compelled
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compulsive
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adj. extremely interesting; fascinating
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compulsory
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adj. that must be done; required by the rules, etc; obligatory
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compunction
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n. ~ (fml ) (usu in negative sentences ) feeling of guilt or regret for one's action
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compute
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v. ~ sth calculate sth with a computer
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concatenate
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to link together in a series or chain
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concave
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adj. curved inwards like the inner surface of a sphere or ball .
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concede
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v. ~ sth admit that sth is true, valid, proper, etc
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conceit
|
n. excessive pride in oneself or in one's powers, abilities, etc
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concentric
|
adj. ~ (of circles) having the same centre
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conception
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n. conceiving or being conceived
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concerted
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adj. arranged or done in co-operation
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concession
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n. ~ conceding
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|
conciliatory
|
adj. intended or likely to conciliate
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concise
|
adj. giving a lot of information in few words; brief
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conclave
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n. private meeting
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conclusive
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adj. convincing; ending doubt
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concoct
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v. make (sth) by mixing ingredients (esp ones that do not usu go together)
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concomitant
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adj. ~ (fml ) accompanying; happening together
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concord
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n. harmony between people; lack of quarrelling and unfriendliness
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concordat
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n. agreement, esp between a State and the Church on church affairs
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concur
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v. (fml ) ~ (with sb/sth) (in sth) agree; express agreement
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concurrent
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adj. ~ existing, happening or done at the same time
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condescend
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v. do sth that one regards as undignified or below one's level of importance
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condign
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adj. (of punishment, etc) severe and well deserved
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condiments
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[ condiment: ] any spice or sauce such as salt, pepper, mustard, etc.
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condole
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v. ~ with sb (fml ) express sympathy (for a misfortune, bereavement, etc) ,
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condone
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v. treat or regard as if it were not serious or wrong; overlook; forgive
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conducive
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adj. ~ to sth allowing or helping sth to happen
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conduit
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n. large pipe through which liquids flow
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confidant
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n. trusted person to whom one speaks about one's private affairs or secrets
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confide
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v. ~ sth to sb tell (a secret) to sb
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confidence
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n. ~ (in sb/sth) firm trust (in sb, in sb's ability, or in what is said, reported, etc)
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confidential
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adj. to be kept secret; not to be made known to others
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confine
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v. ~ sb/sth keep (a person or an animal) in a restricted space
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confiscate
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v. take possession of by authority, without payment or compensation
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conflagration
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n. great and destructive fire
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confluence
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n. place where two rivers flow together and become one
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conformist
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n. person who conforms to accepted behaviour, the established religion, etc
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conformity
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n. ~ (fml ) (behaviour, etc) conforming to established rules, customs, etc ,
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confound
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v. puzzle and surprise (sb); perplex
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congeal
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v. (cause to) become thick or solid, esp by cooling
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congenial
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adj. pleasing because of similarities in temperament, interests,etc
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congenital
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adj. present from or before birth
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conglomerate
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n. materials gathered together into a rounded mass
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conglomeration
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n. assortment of different things gathered together or found in the same place
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congruence
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correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship
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congruent
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adj. having the same size and shape
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conifer
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n. type of tree that bears cones (cone 3)
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conjecture
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v. ~ (fml ) form (and express) an opinion not based on firm evidence; guess
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conjugal
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adj. of marriage or the relationship between a husband and a wife
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conjure
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v. do clever tricks which seem magical, esp with quick movements of the hands
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connivance
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n. ~ conniving (at a wrong action)
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connoisseur
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n. person with good judgement on matters in which appreciation of fineness or beauty is needed, esp the fine arts
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connotation
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n. idea which a word makes one think of in addition to the main meaning
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connubial
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adj. of marriage; of husband and wife
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consanguineous
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adj. Descended from the same parent or ancestor.
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consanguinity
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n. relationship by being descended from the same family
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conscientious
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adj. careful to do what one ought to do, and do it as well as one can
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conscript
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v. ~ sb force sb by law to serve in the armed forces
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consecrate
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v. bring into religious use or (sb) into a religious office by a special ceremony
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consensus
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n. ~ agreement in opinion; collective opinion
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consequential
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adj. following as a result or an effect (esp indirect)
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conservatory
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n. room with glass walls and roof used to protect plants from cold, built against an outside wall of a house, and with a door into the house .
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consign
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v. ~ sb/sth to sb/sth hand over sb/sth to sb/sth; give sb/sth up to sb/sth
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consistency
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n. (approv ) quality of being consistent(1)
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console
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v. ~ sb give comfort or sympathy to (sb who is unhappy, disappointed, etc)
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consolidation
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n. consolidating or being consolidated
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consonance
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n. harmony
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consonant
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n. speech sound produced by completely or partially obstructing the air being breathed out through the mouth
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consort
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n. husband or wife, esp of a ruler
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conspiracy
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n. ~ act of conspiring, esp joint planning of a crime
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conspire
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v. ~ (against sb); ~ (together) (against sb) make secret plans (with others), esp to do wrong
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consternation
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n. surprise and anxiety; great dismay
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constituency
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n. (body of voters living in a) district having its own elected representative in parliament
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constituent
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adj. forming or helping to make a whole
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constitution
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n. laws and principles according to which a state is governed
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constraint
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n. con-straining or being constrained
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construe
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v. ~ sth (fml ) explain the meaning of (words, sentences, actions, etc); interpret sth
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consummate
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adj. highly skilled; perfect
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contagion
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n. spreadingof disease by being close to or touching other people
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contaminate
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v. ~ sth/sb make sth/sb impure by adding dangerous or disease-carrying substances
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contempt
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n. ~ (for sb/sth) feeling that sb/sth is completely worthless and cannot be respected
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contend
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v. ~ with/against sb/sth; ~ for sth struggle in order to overcome a rival, competitor or difficulty
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contention
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n. ~ contending (contend 1); competition
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contentious
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exhibiting an often perverse and wearisome tendency to quarrels and disputes
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contest
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dispute
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context
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writings preceding and following passage quoted
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contiguous
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adj. ~ (fml ) touching; neighbouring; near
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continence
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n. control of one's feelings, esp in sexual matters
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contingent
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adj. ~ on/upon sth dependent on sth that may or may not happen
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contortions
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[ contortion: ] the act or process of contorting or the state of being contorted
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contraband
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n. goods brought into or taken out of a country illegally
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contravene
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v. act or be contrary to (a law, etc); break
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contrite
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adj. filled with or showing deep regret for having done wrong; repentant
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contrivance
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n. ~ device or tool, esp one made by an individual for a particular purpose
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contrive
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v. plan (sth) cleverly or deceitfully; invent; design
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contrived
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adj. planned in advance rather than being spontaneous or genuine
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controvert
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v. deny the truth of (sth); argue about
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contumacious
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adj. obstinate and disobedient
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contusion
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n. bruise
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conundrum
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n. question, usu with a pun in its answer, that is asked for fun; riddle ;
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convene
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v. summon to come together; arrange (a meeting, etc)
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convention
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n. conference of members of a profession, political party, etc
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conventional
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adj. (often derog ) based on convention(2a)
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converge
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v. ~ ~ (at sth) (of lines, moving objects, etc) (come towards each other and) meet at a point
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conversant
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adj. ~ with sth having knowledge of sth; familiar with sth
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converse
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v. ~ (about sth); ~ (together) (fml ) talk
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convert
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v. ~ (sth) (from sth) (into/to sth) change (sth) from one form or use to another
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convex
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adj. with a curved surface like the outside of a ball
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conveyance
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n. conveying
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conviction
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n. ~ the convicting of a person for a crime
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convivial
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adj. cheerful and sociable; fond of being with others
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convoke
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v. call together or summon (a meeting, etc)
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convoluted
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adj. coiled; twisted
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convulsion
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n. sudden violent uncontrollable body movement, caused by contraction of muscles
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copious
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adj. plentiful; abundant
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coquette
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n. girl or woman who flirts
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cordial
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adj. sincere and friendly
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cordon
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n. line or ring of policemen, soldiers, etc, esp one which guards sth or prevents people entering or leaving an area
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cornice
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n. ornamental moulding, eg in plaster, round the walls of a room, just below the ceiling .
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cornucopia
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n. ornamental animal's horn shown in art as overflowing with flowers, fruit and corn, symbolizing abundance ,
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corollary
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n. ~ (fml ) natural consequence or result; thing that logically must be so, once sth else has been established
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coroner
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n. official who investigates any violent or suspicious death
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corporeal
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adj. of or for the body; bodily
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corpulent
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adj. (of a person or his body) fat
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corpus
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n. collection of written (or sometimes spoken) texts
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corpuscle
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n. any of the red or white cells in the blood
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correlate
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v. ~ ~ A and/with B have a mutual relation or connection, esp of affecting or depending on each other; (try to) show such a relation or connection between sth and sth else
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correlation
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n. ~ ~ (between A and B) mutual relationship
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corroborate
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v. confirm or give support to
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corrode
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v. ~ (away) be destroyed or destroy (sth) slowly, esp by chemical action
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corrosive
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n, adj that corrodes
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corrugated
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adj. folded, wrinkled or furrowed
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cosmic
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adj. of the whole universe or cosmos
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coterie
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n. small group of people with shared activities, interests, tastes, etc, esp one that tends to be exclusive
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countenance
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n. (expression on sb's) face
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countermand
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v. cancel (a command or an order already given), esp by giving a new and opposite one ,
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counterpart
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n. person or thing that corresponds to or has the same function as sb or sth else
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coup
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n. surprising and successful action
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couple
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n. two people or things that are seen together or associated, esp a man and woman together
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courier
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n. person employed to guide and assist a group of tourists
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court
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n. place where trials or other law cases are held
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covenant
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n. formal agreement that is legally binding
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covert
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adj. concealed; not open; secret
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covetous
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adj. ~ (derog ) having or showing a strong desire to possess (esp sth that belongs to sb else)
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cow
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n. fully-grown female of any animal of the ox family, esp the domestic kind kept by farmers to produce milk and beef
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cower
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v. crouch down or move backwards in fear or distress
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coy
|
abbr. = company
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cozen
|
cheat; hoodwink; swindle
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crabbed
|
adj. small and difficult to read
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craft
|
n. occupation, esp one that needs skill in the use of the hands; such a skill or technique
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crass
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adj. (fml derog , ) complete; very great; utter
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crave
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v. ~ sth have a strong desire for sth
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craven
|
adj. cowardly
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credence
|
n. attach/give credence to sth (fml ) believe (gossip, reports, etc)
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credential
|
something that entitles a person to confidence, authority, etc.
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credo
|
n. creed
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credulity
|
n. too great a readiness to believe things
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creed
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n. system of beliefs or opinions, esp religious beliefs
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creep
|
v. move slowly, quietly or stealthily, esp crouching low
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|
cremate
|
v. burn to ashes, esp ceremonially at a funeral
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|
crescendo
|
adj. adv of or with increasing loudness
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|
crest
|
n. tuft of feathers on a bird's head
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|
crestfallen
|
adj. sad because of unexpected failure, disappointment, etc
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crevice
|
n. narrow opening or crack in a rock, wall, etc ,
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cringe
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v. ~ move back or lower one's body in fear; cower
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|
crinkle
|
n. wrinkle or thin crease, esp in material such as tin foil or paper, or in skin ,
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|
criteria
|
n. (pl of criterion) standard by which sth is judged
|
|
crochet
|
n. method of making fabric by looping thread into a pattern of connected stitches, using a hooked needle (called a crochet-hook)
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crone
|
n. ugly withered old woman
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|
cross
|
n. mark made by drawing one line across another, eg x or + +
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|
crossbreed
|
Also: interbreed to breed (animals or plants) using parents of different races, varieties, breeds, etc.
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|
crotchety
|
adj. bad-tempered
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|
crust
|
n. hard outer surface of a loaf of bread; pastry covering of a pie, tart, etc
|
|
crux
|
n. most vital or difficult part of a matter, an issue, etc
|
|
crypt
|
n. room beneath the floor of a church
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|
cryptic
|
adj. with a meaning that is hidden or not easily understood; mysterious
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|
cubicle
|
n. small compartment made by separating off part of a larger room, eg for dressing, undressing or sleeping in
|
|
cue
|
n. ~ thing said or done to signal sb's turn to say or do sth, esp in a theatrical or other performance
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|
cuisine
|
n. (style of) cooking
|
|
culinary
|
adj. of or for cooking
|
|
cull
|
v. kill (a certain number of usu weaker animals) in a herd, in order to reduce its size
|
|
culmination
|
n. eventual conclusion or result
|
|
culpable
|
adj. ~ deserving blame; blameworthy
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|
culprit
|
n. person who has done sth wrong; offender
|
|
culvert
|
n. drain that crosses beneath a road, railway, etc; underground channel for electrical cables ;
|
|
cumbersome
|
adj. heavy and difficult to carry, wear, etc
|
|
cumulative
|
adj. gradually increasing in amount, force, etc by one addition after another
|
|
cunning
|
adj. clever at deceiving people
|
|
cupidity
|
n. greed, esp for money or possessions
|
|
curator
|
n. person in charge of a museum, an art gallery, etc
|
|
curb
|
n. ~ thing that restrains or controls
|
|
curfew
|
n. signal or time after which people must stay indoors until the next day
|
|
curmudgeon
|
n. bad-tempered person
|
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cursive
|
adj. with letters rounded and joined together
|
|
cursory
|
adj. done quickly and not thoroughly; (too) hurried
|
|
curtail
|
v. make shorter or less; reduce
|
|
cynical
|
adj. of or like a cynic
|
|
cynosure
|
n. person or thing that attracts everybody's attention or admiration; centre of attraction
|