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190 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
abase
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lower, degrade, humiliate
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abash
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embarrass
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abate
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*subside or moderate
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abdicate
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renounce, give up
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aberrant
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*renounce, give up
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abet
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assist, usually in doing something wrong, encourage
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abeyance
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*suspended action
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abhor
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detest, hate
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abject
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wretched, lacking pride
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abjure
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renounce upon oath, disavow
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ablution
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washing
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abnegation
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renunciation, self-sacrifice
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abominate
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loathe, hate
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abortive
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unsuccessful, fruitless
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abrogate
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abolish
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abscission
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removal by cutting off, as in surgery, separation
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abscond
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*depart secretly and hide
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abstemious
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*sparing in eating and drinking
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abstruse
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obscure, profound, difficult to understand
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abut
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border upon, adjoin
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abysmal
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bottomless
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abyss
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enormous chasm; vast, bottomless pit
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accede
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agree
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acclimate
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adjust to climate or environment; adapt
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acclivity
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sharp upslope of a hill
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accord
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agreement
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accost
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approach and speak first to a person
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accoutre
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equip
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accretion
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growth; increase
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accrue
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come about by addition
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acerbic
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bitter or sour in nature; sharp and cutting
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acerbity
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bitterness of speech and temper
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acetic
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vinegary
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acidulous
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slightly sour; sharp; caustic
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acme
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peak; pinnacle; highest point
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acquiesce
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assentl agree passively
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acrid
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sharp; bitterly pungent
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acrimonious
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bitter in words or manner
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acrophobia
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fear of heights
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actuarial
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calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
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actuate
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motivate
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acumen
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mental keenness
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adamant
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hard; inflexible
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addendum
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addition; appendix to a book
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addle
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muddle; drive crazy; become rotten
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adjunct
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something (generally nonessential or inferior) added on or attached
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adjuration
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solemn urging
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adjutant
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staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
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admonish
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*warn, reprove
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adroit
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skillful
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adulterate
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*make impure by adding inferior or tainted substances
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adventitious
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accidental; casual
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advert
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refer (to)
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aegis
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shield; defense
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aerie
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nest of a large bird of prey
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aesthetic
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*artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful
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affected
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artificial; pretended; assumed in order to impress
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affidavit
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written statement made under oath
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affinity
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kinship
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affront
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insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect
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aggregate
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*gather; accumulate
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agog
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highly excited; intensely curious
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agrarian
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pertaining to land or its cultivation
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alacrity
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*cheerful promptness; eagerness
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alchemy
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medieval form of speculative thought that aimed to transform base metals (lead or copper) into silver or gold and to discover a means of prolonging life
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alimentary
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supplying nourishment
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allay
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calm; pacify
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allegory
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story in which character are used as symbols; fable
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alleviate
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*relieve
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alloy
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(2nd meaning) mix; make less pure; lessen or moderate
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alluvial
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pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
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aloft
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upward
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amalgamate
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*combine; unite in one body
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ambiguous
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*unclear or doubtful in meaning
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ambivalence
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*the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
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amble
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moving at an easy pace
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ambrosia
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food of the gods
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ambulatory
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able to walk; not bedridden
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ameliorate
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*improve
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amenable
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readily managed or willing to be led
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amicable
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politely friendly; not quarrelsome
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amity
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friendship
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amorphous
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formless; lacking shape or definition
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amok (also amuck)
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in a state of rage
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anachronism
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*something or someone misplaced in time
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analgesic
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causing insensitivity to pain
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analogous
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*comparable
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anarchy
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*absence of governing body; state of disorder
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anathema
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solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse
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ancillary
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serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary
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angular
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sharp-cornered; stiff in manner
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animadversion
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critical remark
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animus
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hostile feeling or intent
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annals
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records; history
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anneal
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reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling
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annex
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attach; take possession of
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annotate
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comment; make explanatory notes
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annuity
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yearly allowance
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anodyne
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drug that relieves pain; opiate
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anomalous
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*abnormal; irregular
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antediluvian
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antiquated; extremely ancient
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anthropoid
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manlike
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anthropomorphic
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having human form or characteristics
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antic
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extravagantly odd
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anticlimax
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letdown in though or emotion
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antipathy
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*aversion; dislike
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antiquated
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obsolete; outdated
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apathy
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*lack of caring; indifference
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aperture
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opening; hole
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aphasia
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loss of speech due to injury or illness
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aphorism
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pithy maxim or saying (usually philosophic or scientific)
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apiary
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place where bees are kept
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aplomb
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poise; assurance
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apocalyptic
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prophetic; pertaining to revelations
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apocryphal
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spurious; not authentic
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apogee
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highest point
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apologist
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one who writes in defense of a cause or institution
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apostate
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one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs
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apothegm
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pithy, compact saying
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apotheosis
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elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something
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appease
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*pacify or soothe; relieve
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appellation
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name; title
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apposite
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appropriate; fitting
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apprehend
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arrest (as criminal); dread; perceive
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apprise
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*inform
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approbation
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*approval
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appurtenances
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subordinate possessions
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apropos
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to the point and timely
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apropos
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(secondary meaning) with reference to; regarding
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aquiline
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curved, hooked
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arabesque
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style of decoration involving intertwined plants and abstract curves; ballet position with one leg supporting the weight of the body, while the other leg is extended in back
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arable
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fit for growing crops
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arbiter
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person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge
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arcade
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a covered passageway, usually lined with shops
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arcane
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secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated
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archipelago
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group of closely located islands
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ardor
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heat; passion; zeal
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arduous
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*hard; strenuous
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argot
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slang
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aria
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operatic solo
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arraign
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charge in court; indict
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array
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marshal; draw up in order
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array
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(secondary meaning) clothe; adorn
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arrears
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being in debt
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arroyo
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gully
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arsenal
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storage place for military equipment
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artful
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cunning; crafty; sly
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artifice
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deception; trickery
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artisan
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manually skilled worker; craftsman, as opposed to artist
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artless
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*without guile; open and honest
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ascendancy
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controlling influence
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ascertain
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find out for certain
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ascetic
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*practicing self-denial; austere
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aseptic
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preventing infection; having a cleansing effect
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ashen
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ash-coloured; deadly pale
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asinine
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stupid
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askance
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with a sideways or indirect look
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asperity
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sharpness (of temper)
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aspersion
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slanderous remark
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assail
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assault
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assay
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analyze; evaluate
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assent
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agree; accept
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assiduous
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*diligent
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assuage
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*ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger)
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asteroid
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small planet
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astringent
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binding; causing contraction
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astute
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wise; shrewd; keen
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asunder
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into parts; apart
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atavism
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resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback
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atone
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make amends for; pay for
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attenuate
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*make thinner; weaken or lessen (in density, force, degree)
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augment
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increase; add to
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augury
|
omen; prophecy
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august
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impressive; majestic
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aureole
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sun's corona; halo
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auspicious
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favouring success
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austere
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*forbiddingly stern; severely simple and unornamented
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autocratic
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having absolute, unchekced power; dictatorial
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audacious
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*daring; bold
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automaton
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mechanism that imitates actions of humans
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autonamous
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*self-governing
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avarice
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greediness for wealth
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aver
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*assert confidently or declare; as used in law, state formally as a fact
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averse
|
reluctant; disinclined
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avert
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prevent; turn away
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aviary
|
enclosure for birds
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avocation
|
secondary or minor occupation
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avuncular
|
like an uncle
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awl
|
pointed tool used for piercing
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axiom
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self-evident truth requiring no proof
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