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387 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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abdicate
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to give up position, right, power
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abjure
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to reject,
abandon formalities |
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ablution
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act of cleansing
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abnegate
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to deny, renounce
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abrogate
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to abolish, invalidate
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abstemious
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consuming moderatly
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abstruse
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difficult to understand
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abut
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to touch, be in contact with
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acerbic
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bitter, sharp in taste
or temper |
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acme
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highest point, summit
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acquiesce
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to agree/comply
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adroit
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skillful, accomplished, highly competent
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adumbrate
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to sketch, to outline in a shadowy way
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aerie
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nook or nest built high in the air
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altruism
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unselfishly concerned for others' welfare
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ambulatory
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itenerant, walking around
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amortize
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to diminsh by installment payments
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ancillary
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accessory, subordinate, helping
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antediluvian
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prehistoric, before the biblical flood, ancient beyond measure
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anthropomorphic
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attribuuting human qualities to non humans, having human qualities
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aplomb
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poise, confidence
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apostate
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one who renounces a religious faith
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apothegm
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a short, instructive saying
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apotheosis
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deification, glorified ideal
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arboreal
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relating to trees, living in trees
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assidious
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dligent, persistent, hard working
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bacchanalian
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drunkenly festive
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balk
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to shirk, refuse, prevent
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beatific
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saintly, angelic
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behemoth
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huge creature
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benison
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blessing
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bifurcate
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divide into two parts
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bilious
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easile irritated, related to bile
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bonhomie
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good natured geniality, atmosphere of good cheer
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bulwark
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defense wall, anything serving as a defense
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cajole
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to flatter coax, persuade
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calamitous
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disastrous, catastrophic
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calumny
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false and malicious accusation, misrepresentation, slander
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canard
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a lie
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carom
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to strike and rebound
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cavalcade
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a procession
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chagrin
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shame, emberassment, humiliation
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charlatan
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quake, fake
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chattel
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piece of personal property
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chimirical
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fanciful, imaginary, visionary,
impossible |
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choleric
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easily angered, short tempered
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churlish
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rude
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cistern
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tank for rainwater
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coalesce
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to grow together, cause to unite as one
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coffer
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strongbox, large chest for money
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cognomen
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family name, any name, nickname
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comeliness
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physical grace and beauty
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commodious
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roomy, spacious
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compunctious
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feeling guilty, having misgivings
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conciliatory
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overcoming distrust, hostility
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conflagration
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big destructive fire
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congenial
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similar in tastes, habits
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consanguineous
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of the same orgin, related by blood
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contentious
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quarrelsome, disagreeable, belligerent
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contumacious
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rebellious
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corpulence
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obesity, fatness, bulkiness
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corrugate
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to mold in shape with parellel grooves and ridges
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cosset
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to pamper, treat with care
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coterie
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small group of people with similar purpose
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coven
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group of witches
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curmudgeon
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cranky person
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declivity
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downward slope
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deleterious
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harmpul, destructive, detrimental
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deluge
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flood
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demagogue
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leader, rabble-rouser who appeals to emotion, prejudice
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denigrate
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slur, blacken someones reputation
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descry
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to discover, reveal
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diaphanous
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allowing light to show through, delicate
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dictum
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authoritative statement, popular saying
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didactic
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exessively instructive
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diluvial
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relating to a flood
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diminutive
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small
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discomfit
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to cause perplexity and embarassment
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distaff
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female branch of family
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dither
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to move or act confusedly without clear purpose
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diurnal
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daily
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doctrinaire
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rigidly devoted to theories
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dolor
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sadness
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doughty
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couragous
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droll
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amusing in a wry, subtle way
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dyspeptic
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suffering from indigestion, gloomy and irritable
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ebullient
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exhilarated
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effluvia
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outpouring of gasses, vapors
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egregious
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conspiciously bland
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emmend
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to correct a text
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emollient
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soothing qualities, for skin
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encomium
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warm praise
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endemic
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belonging to a particular area
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ennui
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boredom, lack of interest, energy
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epicure
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person with refined taste in food/wine
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epotome
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representative of an entire group, summary
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ersatz
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fake
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eschew
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to abstain from, avoid
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evince
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to show clearly, display, signify
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exorcise
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expel evil spirits
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expatiate
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to wander, discuss, describe at length
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expiate
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to attone for, make ammends for
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expunge
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to erase, eliminate completely
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expurgate
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to censor
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extemporaneous
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unrehearsed, spur of the moment
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extol
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to praise
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extrapolate
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to estimate
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facetious
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witty in an inappropriate way
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fatuous
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stupid, smugly foolish
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fealty
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intense loyalty
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fecund
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fertile, fruitful, productive
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fetid
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foul-smelling, putrid
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fey
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dooomed
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filch
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to steal
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filial
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appropriate for a child
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flaccid
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limp, flabby, weak
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foliate
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to grow, sprout leaves
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forswear
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to repudiate, renounce, disclaim
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fracas
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noisy dispute
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fractious
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unruly, rebellious
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frenetic
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wildly frantic, fenzied
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fulminate
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to explode with anger
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fulsome
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excessive, overdone, sickeningly abundant
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furtive
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secret, stealthy
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gainsay
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to deny
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gambol
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dance or skip playfully
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gauche
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crude, socially awkward
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germinate
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to begin to grow
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gibe
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to make heckling taunting remarks
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glib
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fluent in an insincere manner, offhand, casual
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gnostic
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having to do with knowledge
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grandiloquence
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pompous talk, fancy but meaningless
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gratuitous
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free, voluntary
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gustatory
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relating to sense of taste
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hackneyed
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worn out by over-use
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harangue
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a pompous speech
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hegemony
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leadership, domination, usually by a country
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heretical
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opposed to an established religious orthodoxy
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hermetic
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tightly sealed
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hoary
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very old, whitish or gray from age
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husband
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to farm, manage carefully and thriftfully
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idiosyncracy
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peculiarity of temperament, excentricity
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ignominious
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disgraceful, dishonerable
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ilk
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type, kind
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illusory
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unreal, deceptive
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imbue
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to infuse, dye, wet, moisten
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impecuniuous
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poor, having no money
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imperious
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arrogantly self absorbed, domineering, overbearing
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impolitic
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unwise
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impromptu
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spontanous, without rehearsal
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impugn
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to call into quesiton, attack verbally
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incarnate
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having bodily form
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incendiary
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combustible, flammable
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inculcate
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to teach, impress the mind
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inculpate
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to plabe, charge with a crime
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indefatigable
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never tired
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indigent
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very poor
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indolent
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habitually lazy, idle
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undubitable
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unquesitonable
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inert
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unable to move, tending to inactivity
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infalliable
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incapable of making a mistake
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ingenious
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original, clever, inventive
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ingratiate
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to bring one'self into another's good graces
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ingress
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entrance
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innuendo
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indirect and sly criticism
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insidious
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sly, treacherous, devious
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insuperable
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insurmountable
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interdict
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to forbid, prohibit
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interlocutor
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someone taking a part in a dialogue
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interloper
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trespasser, meddling in other's affairs
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internecine
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deadly to both sides
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interpolate
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to insert, change by adding new words or material
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interstice
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a space between things
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intimation
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clue, suggesiton
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intrepid
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fearless
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intrinsic
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inherent, internal
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inure
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to harden, accustom
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inveterate
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confirmed, deeply rooted
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invidious
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likely to provoke ill will
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itenerant
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wandering from place to place
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jibe
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to shift suddenly from one side to the other
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jingoism
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beligerent support of one's country
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jocular
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jovial, playful, humorous
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juggernaut
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huge force destroying everything in its path
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jurisprudence
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philosophy of law
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kismet
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fate
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knell
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sound of a funeral bell, omen of death, failure
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lachrymose
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tearful
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lambaste
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disaprove angrily
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lapidary
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relating to precious stones
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largess
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generosity, gift
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lassitude
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lethargy, sluggishness
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legerdemain
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trickery
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levity
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humour, frivolty, gaiety
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lexiocon
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dictionary, list of words
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libidinous
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lustful
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licentious
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immoral, unrestrained by society
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limpid
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clear and simple in style
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liniment
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medicinal liquid used to ease pain
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lionize
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to treat as a celebrity
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lissome
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easily flexed, limber in style
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lugubrious
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sorrowful, mournful
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macabre
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gruesome, producing horror
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machination
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plot or scheme
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malaproprism
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humorous misuse of a word
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malevolent
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ill-willed, causing evil or harm to others
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manifold
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diverse, varied, compromised of many parts
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martinet
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strict disciplinarian, one who rigidly follows the rules
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maudlin
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overly sentimental
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mawkish
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sickeningly sentimental
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megalomania
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mental state with delusions of wealth and power
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mendacious
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dishonest
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mendicent
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begger
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mercurial
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quick, shrewd, unpredictable
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meretorious
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deserving praise/reward
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minatory
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menacing, threatening
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mnemonic
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relating to memory, designed to assist memory
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molt
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to shed hair, skin, outer layer periodically
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mordacious
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caustic biting
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mote
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small particle, speck
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multifarious
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diverse
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munificient
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generous
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nadir
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lowest point
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nascent
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starting to develop
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nebulous
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vague. cloudy
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necromancy
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black magic
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nefarious
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vicious, evil
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neologism
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new word, expresison
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neophyte
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novice, beginner
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nihilism
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belief that existience and all traditional values are meaningless
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noisome
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stinking, putrid
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noxious
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harmful, unwholesome
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numismatics
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coin collecting
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obfuscate
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confuse, obscure
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obstreperous
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troublesome, unruly
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omnipotent
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having unlimited power
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omniscient
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having infinte knowledge
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oscillate
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move back and forth
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ouster
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explusion, ejection
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paean
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song of praise, thanksgiving
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palliate
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to make less serious, ease
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panacea
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cure-all
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panegyric
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elaborate praise, formal hymmn of praise
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panoply
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impressive array
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parley
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discussion, usually between two enemies
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parochial
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of limites scope or outlook provincial
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parsimony
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stinginess
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pastiche
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piece of literature or music imitating other works
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phalanx
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massed group of soldiers, people, or things
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philistine
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narrow-minded person, someone lacking appreciation for art or culture
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plait
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to braid
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plangent
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resoudning, plaintive
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plaudit
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applause
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pneumatic
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relating to air, compressed by air
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polemic
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controversy, argument, verbal attack
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polygot
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speaker of many languages
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posit
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to put into position, suggest an idea
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precept
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principle, law
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precursor
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forerunner, predecessor
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predeliction
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preference, liking
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prescient
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having foresight
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privation
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lack of usual necessities, comforts
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probity
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honesty, high-mindedness
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progenitor
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originator, forefather
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prognosticate
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to predict
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prolific
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productive, fertile
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prolix
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wordy
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promulgate
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to make known publicly
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propinquity
|
nearness
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propitious
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favorable, advantageous
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proselytize
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to induce someone into particular belief/religion
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prostrate
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lying face down
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protagonist
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main character in story play, hero
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provident
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prudent, frugal
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provincial
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rustic, unsophisticated, limited in scope
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prurient
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lustful, exhibiting lewd desires
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puerile
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childish, immature, silly
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pulchitrude
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beauty
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pundit
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an authority/critic
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pusillanimous
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cowardly
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querulous
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inclined to complain irritable
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qoutidian
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occuring daily, commonplace
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raconteur
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a witty, skillful stroyteller
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raillery
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lighthearted jesting
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rancor
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bitter hatred
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rapacious
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greedy, predatory
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rapprochement
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establishing a cordial relationship
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raze
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to tear down, demolish
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recalcitrant
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refusing authority, control
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recidivism
|
tendency to repeat previous behavior
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recondite
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relating to obsucre knowledge, known to only a few
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recreant
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disloyal, cowardly
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redress
|
relief from wrong or injury
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rejoinder
|
reponse
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renege
|
go back on one's word
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renitent
|
ressiting pressure, obstinate
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repast
|
meal
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reprobate
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morally unprincipled person
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requite
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to return/repay
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respite
|
interval of relief
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restive
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unpatient, restless
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retinue
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group of attendants with important person
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revelry
|
boisterious festivity
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ribald
|
humurous in a vulgar way
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riposte
|
retort
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rococo
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highly ornamental
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rotund
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round in shape, fat
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ruminate
|
contemplate, reflect on
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sacrosanct
|
extemely sacred, beyond criticism
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sagacious
|
shrewd, wise
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salacious
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lustful
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salubrious
|
healthful
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sanguine
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ruddy cheerful, optomistic
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sapient
|
wise
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scabbard
|
sheath for sword/dagger
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scintilla
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very small amount
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scintillate
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to sparkle/flash
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scurrilous
|
vulgar, low, indecent
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sedition
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behavior promoting rebellion
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senescent
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aging, growing old
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sentient
|
aware, conscious, able to percieve
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sepulchral
|
place of burial
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seraphic
|
angelic, pure, sublime
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shirk
|
to avoid doing a task due to laziness or fear
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simper
|
smirk, smile foolishly
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sinecure
|
well paying job that requires little or no work
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sinuous
|
winding, intricate, complex
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slake
|
to quench or moderate
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slovenly
|
untidy, messy
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sojourn
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visit, stay
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solecism
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grammatical mistake
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solpsism
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belief that self is the only reality
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somnambulist
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sleepwalker
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sonorous
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producing a full rich sound
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sophist
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person good at arguing deviously
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sportive
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frolicsome, playful
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squalid
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flth, morally repulsive
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staid
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self restrained staight laced
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stentorian
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extremely loud
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striate
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stiped, grooved
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stringent
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imposing sever standards
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stymie
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to block/thwart
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subterfuge
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trick or tactic to avoid doing something
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sully
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to soil, stain
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supercilious
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arrogant, haughty, overbearing
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surly
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rude, bad tempered
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surreptitious
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chracterized by secrecy
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sybarite
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person devoted to pleasure, luxury
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sycophant
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self-serving flatterer, yes-man
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syncopation
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temporary irregularity in musical rhythm
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tableau
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wild description, striking incident or scene
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talisman
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something producing a magical effect
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tantamount
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equivalent in value
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temerity
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recklesness
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temporal
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relating to time
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tenable
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defensible, reasonable
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tenet
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belief, doctrine
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tenuous
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weak, insubstantial
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threnody
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a sad poem or song
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trammal
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to impede or hamper
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trenchant
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acute, sharp, incisive, forceful
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trite
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shallow, superfical
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truculent
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savage and cruel, fierce, ready for fight
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turgid
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swollen, bloated
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turpitude
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inherent violence, foulness, depravity
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tyro
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beginner, novice
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umbrage
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offense, resentment
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unctuous
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greasy, oily, smug and falsly earnest
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unfettered
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free, unrestrained
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unsullied
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clean
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untoward
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not favorable, unruly
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urbane
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refined, suave
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usury
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lending money at exborbitent rates
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vacuous
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empty void, without meaning
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variegated
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varied, marked with different colors
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virile
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manly, having qualities of a man
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viscous
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thick syrupy and sticky
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vitiate
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reduce in value or effectiveness
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vitrolic
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burning, caustic, sharp, bitter
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vituperate
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to abuse verbally
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vociferous
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loud, vocal, noisy
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voluble
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speaking much and easily
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waspish
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easily irritated
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wizened
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withered, shriveled, wrinkled
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wraith
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ghost
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xenephobia
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fear of strangers
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zenith
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the highest point
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