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270 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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paean
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song of praise or joy
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palatial
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magnificent
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palimpsest
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parchment used for second time after original writing has been erased
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pall
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grow tiresome
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pallet
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small, poor bed
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palliate
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ease pain; make less severe or offensive
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pallid
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pale; wan
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palpable
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tangible; easily perceptible
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panacea
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cure-all; remedy for all diseases
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pandemic
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widespread; affecting the majority of people
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pander
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cater to the low desires of others
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panegyric
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formal praise
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pantomime
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acting without dialogue
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papyrus
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ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant
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parable
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short, simple story teaching a moral
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paradigm
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model; example; pattern
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paradox
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something apparently contradictory in nature; statement that looks false but is actually correct
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paragon
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* model of perfection
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parallelism
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state of being parallel; similarity
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parameter
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limit; independent variable
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paraphernalia
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equipment; odds and ends
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parasite
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animal or plant living off another; toady; sycophant
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pariah
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social outcast
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parity
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equality; close resemblance
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parlance
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language; idiom
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parley
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conference
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parochial
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narrow in outlook; provincial; related to parishes
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paroxysm
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fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage
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parquet
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floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosaic-like pattern
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parry
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ward off a blow; deflect
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partisan
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* one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party
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pastiche
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imitation of another's style in musican composition or in writing
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pastoral
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rural
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patent
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open for the public to read; obvious
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pathological
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* pertaining to disease
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pathos
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tender sorry; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings
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patina
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green crust on old bronze works; tone slowly taken by varnished painting
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patois
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local or provincial dialect
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patrician
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noble; aristocratic
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paucity
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* scarcity
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pauper
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very poor person
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peccadillo
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slight offense
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pecuniary
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pertaining to money
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pedagogue
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teacher
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pedagogy
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teaching; art of education
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pedant
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scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities
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pedantic
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* bookish; showing off learning
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pedestrian
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ordinary; unimaginative
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peerless
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having no equal; incomparable
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pejorative
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negative in connotation; having a belittling effect
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pell-mell
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in confusion; disorderly
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pellucid
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transparent; limpid; easy to understand
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penchant
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* strong inclination; liking
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pendant
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hanging down from something
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pendulous
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hanging; suspended
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penumbra
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partial shadow (in an eclipse)
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penury
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* severe poverty; stinginess
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peon
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landless agricultural worker; bond servant
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percussion
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striking one object against another sharply
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perdition
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damnation; complete ruin
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peregrination
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journey
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peremptory
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demanding and leaving no choice
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perennial
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* something long-lasting
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perfidious
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* treacherous; disloyal
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perforate
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pierce; put a hole through
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perfunctory
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* superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm
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perigree
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point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the Earth
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peripatetic
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walking about; moving
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perjury
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false testimony while under oath
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permeable
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* penetrable; porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through
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pernicious
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very destructive
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peroration
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conclusion of an oration
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perpetual
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everlasting
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perpetuate
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make something last; preserve from extinction
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perquisite
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any gain above stipulated salary
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personable
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attractive
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perspicacious
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having insight; penetrating; astute
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perspicuity
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clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity
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perspicuous
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plainly expressed
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pert
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impertinent; forward
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pertinacious
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stubborn; persistent
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peruse
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read with care
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pervasive
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* spread throughout
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perverse
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stubbornly wrongheaded; wicked and unacceptable
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perversion
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corruption; turning from right to wrong
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pestilential
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causing plague; baneful
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pestle
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tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl
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petrify
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turn to stone
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petulent
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touchy; peevish
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pharisaical
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pertaining to the Pharisees, who paid scrupulous attention to tradition; self-righteous; hypocritical
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phenomena
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observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation
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philanthropist
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lover of mankind; doer of good
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philatelist
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stamp-collector
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philistine
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narrow-minded person
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philology
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study of language
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phlegmatic
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* calm; not easily disturbed
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phoenix
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symbol of immortality or rebirth
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phylum
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major classification, second to kingdom, of plants and animals; division
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physiognomy
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face
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physiological
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pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms
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piebald
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of different colors; mottled; spotted
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piecemeal
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one part at a time; gradually
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pied
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variagated; multicolored
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piety
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* devoutness; reverence for God
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pillage
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plunder
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pillory
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punish by placing in a wooden frame; subject to criticism and ridicule
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pine
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languish, decline; long for; yearn
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pinion
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restrain
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piquant
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pleasantly tart-tasting; stimulating
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pique
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irritation; resentment
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pique
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provoke or arouse; annoy
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piscatorial
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pertaining to fishing
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pitfall
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hidden danger; concealed trap
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pith
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core or marrow; essense; substance
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pittance
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small allowance or wage
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placate
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* pacify; conciliate
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plaintive
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mournful
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plait
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braid; intertwine
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plasticity
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* ability to be molded
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platitude
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* trite remark; commonplace statement
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platonic
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purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire
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plaudit
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enthusiastic approval; round of applause
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plausible
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having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious
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plebeian
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common; pertaining to the common people
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plenary
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complete; full
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plenitude
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abundance; completeness
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plethora
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* excess; overabundance
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pliant
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flexible; easily influenced
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plight
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condition; state (especially a bar state or condition); predicament
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pluck
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courage
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plumage
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feathers of a bird
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plumb
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examine critically in order to understand; measure depth (by sounding)
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plumb
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vertical
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plummet
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* fall sharply
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plutocracy
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society ruled by the wealthy
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podiatrist
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doctor who treats ailments of the feet
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polemic
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controversy; argument in support of point of view
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polemical
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aggressive in verbal attach; disputatious
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politic
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expedient; prudent; well devised
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polity
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form of government of nation or state
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polyglot
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speaking several languages
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pomposity
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self-important behaviour; acting like a stuffed shirt
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ponderous
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weighty; unwieldy
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pontifical
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pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious
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pore
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study industriously; ponder; scrutinize
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porous
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* full of pores; like a sieve
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portend
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foretell; presage
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portent
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sign; omen
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posterity
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descendants; future generations
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postulate
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self-evident truth
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posture
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assume an affected pose; act artificially
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potable
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suitable for drinking
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potentate
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monarch; sovereign
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poultice
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soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of hte body
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practicable
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feasible
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pragmatic
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* practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something
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pragmatist
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practical person
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prate
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speak foolishly; boast idly
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prattle
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babble
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preamble
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* introductory statement
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precarious
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* uncertain; risky
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precedent
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preceeding in time, rank, etc.
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precept
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practical rule guiding conduct
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precipice
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cliff; dangerous position
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precipitant
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something that causes a substance in a chemical solution to separate out in solid form
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precipitate
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* rash; premature; hasty; sudden
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precipitate
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throw headlong; hasten
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precipitous
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steep; overhasty
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précis
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concise summing up on main points
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preclude
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make impossible; eliminate
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precocious
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advanced in development
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precursor
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* forerunner
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predilection
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partiality; preference
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preeminent
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outstanding; superior
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preempt
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head off; forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself; supplant
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preen
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make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction
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prefatory
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introductory
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prehensile
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capable of grasping or holding
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prelate
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church dignitary
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premonitory
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serving to warn
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preponderance
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superiority of power, quantity, etc.
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prerogative
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privilege; unquestionable right
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presage
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foretell
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prescience
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ability to foretell the future
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presentiment
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feeling something will happen; anticipatory fear; premonition
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prestige
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impression produced by achievements or reputation
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presumptuous
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* arrogant; taking liberties
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pretentious
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ostentatious; pompous; making unjustified claims; overambitious
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preternatural
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beyond that which is normal in nature
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pretext
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excuse
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prevail
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induce; triumph over
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prevaricate
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* lie
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primogeniture
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seniority by birth
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primordial
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existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary
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pristine
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* characteristic of earlier times; primitive; unspoiled
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privation
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* hardship; want
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privy
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secret; hidden; not public
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probe
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explore with tools
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probity
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* uprightness; incorruptibility
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problematic
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* doubtful; unsettled; questionable; perplexing
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proclivity
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inclination; natural tendency
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procurement
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obtaining
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prodigal
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* wasteful; reckless with money
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prodigious
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marvelous; enormous
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prodigy
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highly gifted child; marvel
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profane
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violate; desecrate; treat unworthily
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profligate
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dissipated; wasteful; wildly immoral
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profound
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* deep; not superficial; complete
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profusion
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overabundance; lavish expenditure; excess
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progenitor
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ancestor
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prognosticate
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predict
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prohibitive
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* tending to prevent the purchase or use of something; inclined to prevent or forbid
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proletarian
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member of the working class; blue collar guy
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proliferate
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* grow rapidly; spread; multiply
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prolific
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abundantly fruitful
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prolixity
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tedious wordiness; verbosity
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promiscuous
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mixed indiscriminantly; haphazard; irregular, particularly sexually
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promontory
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headland
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prompt
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cause; provoke; provide a cue for an actor
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promulgate
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proclaim a doctrine or law; make known by official publication
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prone
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inclined; prostrate
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propagate
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multiply; spread
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propellant
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substance that propels or drives forward
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propensity
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* natural inclination
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prophylactic
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used to prevent diseases
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propinquity
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nearness; kinship
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propitiate
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* appease
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propitious
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favorable; fortunate; advantageous
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propound
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put forth for analysis
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propriety
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* fitness; correct conduct
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propulsive
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driving forward
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prosaic
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dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact; factual
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proscenium
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part of stage in front of curtain
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proscribe
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* ostracize; banish; outlaw
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proselytize
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induce someone to convert to a religion or belief
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prosody
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art of vesification
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prostrate
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stretch out full on ground
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protean
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versatile; able to take on many forms
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protocol
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diplomatic etiquette
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protract
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prolong
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proturberance
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protrusion; bulge
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provenance
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origin or source of something
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provender
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dry food; fodder
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provident
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displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies
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provincial
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pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated
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provisional
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tentative
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proviso
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stipulation
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provocative
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arousing anger or interest; annoying
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prowess
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extraordinary ability; military bravery
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proxy
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unauthorized agent
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prudent
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cautious; careful
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prurient
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having or causing lustful thoughts and desires
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puerile
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childish
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pugilist
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boxer
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pugnacity
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combativeness; disposition to fight
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puissant
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powerful; strong; potent
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pulchritude
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beauty; comeliness
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pulmonary
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pertaining to the lungs
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pulverize
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crush or grind into very small particles
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punctilious
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stressing niceties of conduct or form; minutely attentive (perhaps too much so) to fine points
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pundit
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authority on a subject; learned person; expert
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pungent
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* stinging; sharp in taste or smell; caustic
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purchase
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firm grasp or footing
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purgatory
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place of spiritual expiation
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purport
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intention; meaning
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purse
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picker; contract into wrinkles
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purveyor
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furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer
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pusillanimous
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cowardly; fainthearted
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putative
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supposed; reputed
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pylon
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marking post to guide aviators; steel tower supporting cables or telephone lines
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