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207 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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babble
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chatter idly or foolishly; make continuous sounds like water running gently over rounded stone; N.
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bacchanal
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noisy party with a lot of drinking
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Bacchanalia
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the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus
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bacchanalian
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drunken
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backslide
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revert (to bad habits); N. reverter
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badger
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pester; annoy continually with demands; persuade by asking again and again; Ex. The children badgered me into taking them into the cinema; N: a kind of mountain animal
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badinage
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teasing conversation; banter; joking talk
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baffle
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frustrate; perplex
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bait
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harass; tease; torment; Ex. badger baiting; N: food or other lure used to catch fish or trap animals
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baleful
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evil; malignant in intent or effect; deadly; having a malign influence; portending evil; ominous; threatening; Ex. baleful look
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balk
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stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate
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ballast
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heavy substance used to add stability or weight; V. supply with ballast
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balm
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something that relieves pain; oily liquid with a pleasant smell from trees
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balmy
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soft and mild (of air); fragrant
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banal
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hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clich\'ed
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bandy
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discuss lightly or glibly; discuss in a frivolous manner; exchange (words) heatedly; quarrel; Ex. bandy words with
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bane
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posion; cause of ruin; ADJ. baneful: harmful; poisonous
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bank
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heap; piled-up mass; embankment; lateral tilting (as of an aircraft in turning); V: pile up; protect with a bank; tilt in turning
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bantering
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joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter
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bar
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railing in a courtroom; legal profession; vertical line dividing a staff into equal measures; Ex. prisoner at the bar; V: shut in or out with bars; forbid; exclude; CF. barrister
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barb
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sharp projection from fishhook, arrow, or other object; openly cutting remark
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bard
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poet
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barefaced
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shameless and noticeable; blatant; bold; unconcealed; having no covering on the face; Ex. barefaced lie
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bargain
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agreement between two groups or people; something for sale at a price advantageous to the buyer; V: negotiate; trade; Ex. bargaining power
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baroque
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highly ornate
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barrage
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barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion; large number of questions or statements; Ex. a barrage of criticism
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barrister
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counselor-at-law or lawyer in the higher court of law; CF. bar
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barterer
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trader; V. barter: trade; exchange good for other goods rather than money
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base
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contemptible; morally bad; inferior in value or quality; Ex. base motives/conduct; Ex. base metal such as iron
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bask
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luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth
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bastard
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illegitimate child
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bastion
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stronghold; something seen as a source of protection; Ex. the last bastion of male chauvinism
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bate
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let down; lessen the force of; moderate; restrain; Ex. with bated breath; CF. abate
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battalion
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army unit made up of four or more companies
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bauble
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trinket; cheap jewel; trifle
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bawdy
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indecent; obscene; about sex in a rude funny way; CF. bawd
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bearing
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deportment; connection
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beatific
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giving or showing bliss; blissful
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beatitude
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blessedness; state of great happiness
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bedizen
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dress with vulgar finery
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bedraggle
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wet thoroughly; ADJ. bedraggled: draggled
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beeline
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direct quick route
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befuddle
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confuse thoroughly
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beget
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father; become the father of; produce; give rise to
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begrudge
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envy; give or allow unwillingly; grudge; Ex. We shouldn't begrudge him his success.
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beguile
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deceive; mislead or delude; cheat; pass time pleasantly; charm or attract; Ex. beguiling smile
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behemoth
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huge creature; something of monstrous size or power
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beholden
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obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude
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behoove(behove)
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be suited to; be incumbent upon; be right and necessary; Ex. It behooves one to do.
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belabor
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harp on; dwell on tediously; explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally; beat severely; attack physically
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belated
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delayed
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beleaguer
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besiege or attack (with an army); harass; beset
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belie
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contradict; give a false impression; disguise; Ex. The poor sales belied our high hopes; Ex. Her smile belies her true feeling of displeasure.
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belittle
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disparage; depreciate
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bellicose
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warlike
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belligerent
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quarrelsome
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bemoan
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lament; moan for; express sorrow or disapproval of
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bemused
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confused; lost in thought; preoccupied
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benediction
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blessing
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benefactor
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gift giver; patron; person who does good or who gives money for a good purpose
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beneficent
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kindly; doing good
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beneficial
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helpful; useful; advantageous
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beneficiary
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person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy or will
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benefit
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advantage; anything that brings helpl, advantage, or profit; money provided by the government to the people; fund-raising public entertainment; Ex. unemployment benefit; V: receive benefits; be beneficial to; give benefits
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benevolent
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generous; charitable; having a wish to do good
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benign
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kindly; favorable; not malignant (disease); Ex. benign tumor
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benison
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blessing
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bent
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determined; Ex. bent on advancing in the business; N: natural talent or inclination
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bequeath
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leave to someone by means of a will; hand down in his will; N. bequest
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berate
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scold strongly
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bereaved
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deprived of (someone beloved through death)
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bereavement
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state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved; state of being bereaved or bereft
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bereft
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deprived of (something valuable); lacking
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berserk
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mad with violent anger; frenzied; madly excited
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beseech
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beg; plead with
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beset
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harass or trouble from all directions; hem in
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besiege
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surround with armed forces; harass (with requests); annoy continually
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besmirch
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soil; defile; make dirty
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bestial
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beastlike; brutal; inhuman; very cruel
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bestow
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confer
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betoken
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signify; indicate; be a sign of
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betray
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be unfaithful; reveal (unconsciously or unwillingly); Ex. Her trembling hands betray her anxiety.
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betroth
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become engaged to marry
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bevy
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large group; Ex. a bevy of starlets
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beware
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be cautious (of)
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bewitch
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cast a spell over; captivate completely
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bicameral
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two-chambered as a legislative body
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bicker
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quarrel
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bid
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command; utter (a greeting); offer as a price; N: offer of a price; amount offered; earnest effort to gain something; Ex. bid for freedom
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biennial
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every two years
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bifurcated
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divided into two branches; forked
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bigot
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one who is intolerant (in matters of religion or politics)
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bigotry
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stubborn intolerance
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bilious
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suffering from indigestion; sick from having too much bile; irritable; easily irritated
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bilk
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swindle; cheat
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billow
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large wave of water; a great swell or surge (of smoke); V: surge, swell, roll in billows
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billowing
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swelling out in waves; surging
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bivouac
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temporary encampment; camp without tents; V.
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bizarre
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fantastic; violently contrasting; noticeably odd; strikingly unconventional
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blackball
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vote against (an applicant); ostracize; N: negative vote
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blanch
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bleach; whiten; make white or pale
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bland
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soothing or mild (food); agreeable; causing no trouble or offence
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blandishment
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flattery
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blare
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loud or harsh roar or screech; dazzling blaze of light
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blas\'e
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bored with pleasure or dissipation; uninterested or bored
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blasphemy
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irreverence; sacrilege; cursing; bad language about God or holy things; V. blasphem; ADJ. blasphemous; CF. sacrilege
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blatant
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extremely (offensively) obvious; loudly offensive; Ex. blatant lie; N. blatancy
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bleak
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cold or cheerless; frigid; unlikely to be favorable; depressing
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blemish
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mar; spoil the beauty or perfection of; N: flaw or defect (that spoils perfection); Ex. blemishes in the crystal; CF. unblemished
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blight
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plant disease; V: infect with blight; ruin; destroy
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blighted
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suffering from a disease; destroyed
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bliss
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complete happiness; ADJ. blissful
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blithe(blithesome)
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gay; joyous
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bloated
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(unpleasantly) swollen or puffed as with water or air
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blotch
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spot; blot; CF. blot+botch
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blowhard
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talkative boaster; braggart
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bludgeon
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club; heavy-headed weapon; V.
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blue
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gloomy; depressed
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blues
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state of depression or melancholy; style of slow, mournful music (evolved from southern Black American songs)
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bluff
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pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff; ADJ: rough but good-natured
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blunder
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error; stupid mistake
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blunt
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having a dull edge; abrupt and frank in speech or manner; brusque; V: make or become blunt
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blurt
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utter impulsively from nervousness or excitement
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blush
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become red in the face (from embarrassment or shame); become red or rosy; N.
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bluster
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blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully; speak in a noisy or bullying manner; CF. breeze, gust, gale
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bode
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foreshadow; portend
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bog
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soft wet land; V: hinder or be hindered; Ex. bogged down in the mud
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bogus
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counterfeit; not authentic; intentionally false; Ex. bogus interview
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bohemian
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unconventional (in an artistic way)
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boisterous
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violent; rough; noisy
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bolster
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support; reinforce
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bolt
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door bar; fastening pin or screw; length of fabric; large roll of cloth; V: dash or dart off; fasten (a door); gobble down
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bombardment
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attack (as with missiles or bombs); V. bombard
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bombast
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grandiloquent, pompous speech
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bombastic
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pompous; using inflated language
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bookish
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fond of books and reading
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boon
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blessing; benefit; something very helpful
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boor
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rude, insensitive person
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boorish
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rude; insensitive
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boost
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lift by pushing up from below; increase; raise; N: push upward; increase
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botch
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mismanage; blow
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bouillon
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clear beef (or meat) soup
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bound
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leap or spring; limit or confine; constitute the limit of; Ex. bounded by Canada; N: leap or jumping; boundary; ADJ: certain; having a duty to do something (legally or morally); confined by bonds; Ex. We are bound to be late; Ex. I am bound to say my opinion; CF. bounce, rebound
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bountiful
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generous; graciously generous; showing bounty
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bourgeois
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middle class; selfishly materialistic; too interested in material possessions
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bout
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match; short period of great activity; Ex. wrestling bout; bout of drinking/flu
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bovine
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cowlike; placid and dull; slow-thinking; calm
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bowdlerize
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expurgate; CF. Thomas Bowdler
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brackish
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somewhat saline
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brag
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boast
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braggadocio
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boasting
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braggart
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boaster; bragger
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braid
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plait; interweave strands or lengths of; make by weaving strands together; N: braided segment (as of hair)
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brand
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trademark; mark burned on the hide of an animal; mark burned into the flesh of criminals; mark of disgrace; V: mark with a brand; give a lasting bad name; stigmatize; Ex. The press branded him a liar.
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brandish
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wave around (a weapon); flourish
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bravado
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swagger; assumed air of defiance; false show of bravery
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brave
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face courageously; Ex. brave the storm
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brawl
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noisy quarrel
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brawn
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human muscle; muscular strength; sturdiness
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brawny
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muscular; having well-developed muscles
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brazen
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insolent; without shame; bold; Ex. brazen lie; V: face with bold self-assurance or with unshamed confidence
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breach
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breaking of contract or duty; fissure or gap; opening; V.
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breadth
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width; extent
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breed
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produce young; rear; bring up; produce (an undesirable condition); N: kind or sort of animal or plant
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brevity
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conciseness; shortness of duration
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bridle
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harness fitted about a horse's head (used to restrain); curb; check; V: put a bridle on; control or restrain; show anger
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brim
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uppermost edge of a cup; projecting rim (as on a hat); Ex. The glass was full to the brim; V: be full to the brim
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brindled
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tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (of animals)
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brink
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edge (at the top of a cliff); Ex. on the brink of the Grand Canyon
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brisk
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quick and active; marked by liveliness and vigor
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bristle
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short stiff hair; V: (hair or fur) stand up stiffly
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bristling
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rising like bristles; showing irritation
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brittle
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hard but easily broken; difficult; unstable; Ex. brittle situation
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broach
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introduce as a subject; moot; open up
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brocade
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rich, figured(patterned) fabric
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brochure
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pamphlet
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broil
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cook by direct heat; N.
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bromide
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platitude; chemical compound used to calm excitement
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brooch
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ornamental clasp; pin
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brood
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sit on in order to hatch; think deeply or worry anxiously; N: the young of certain animals; group of young birds hatched at one time
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brook
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tolerate; endure; Ex. brook no interference; N: small stream
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browbeat
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bully; intimidate
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browse
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graze; feed on growing grass; skim or glance at casually
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bruise
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injure without breaking the skin; N.
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brunt
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main impact or shock (of an attack or blow); Ex. brunt of the argument
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brusque
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blunt; abrupt; curt; not wanting to waste time being nice
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buccaneer
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pirate
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bucolic
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rustic; pastoral
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buffet
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strike forcefully; slap; batter; knock out; N: table with food set out for people to server themselves; meal at which people help themselves to food that's been set
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buffoon
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stupid person; clown
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buffoonery
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clowning
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bugaboo
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bugbear; object of baseless terror
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bulge
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protruding part; swelling of a surface; Ex. The apple made a bulge in his pocket; V: swell outward; protrude
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bulk
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size or volume (esp. when very large); main part; Ex. The bulk of the work has already been done; ADJ. bulky: having great size
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bullion
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gold and silver in the form of bars
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bully
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one who is habitually cruel to weaker people; V.
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bulwark
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strong wall built for defense; earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends
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bump
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hit or knock against with force; N.
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bungle
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mismanage; blunder; botch; blow; spoil by clumsy behavior
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buoyant
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able to float; cheerful and optimistic; N. buoyancy; Ex. buoyancy of wood/water/American market
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bureaucracy
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overregulated administrative system marked by red tape; ADJ. bureaucratic
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burgeon
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grow rapidly; grow forth; send out buds; Ex. burgeoning computer industry; CF. bludgeon
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burlesque
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give an imitation that ridicules; imitate mockingly
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burnish
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make shiny by rubbing; polish
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bust
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piece of sculpture showing a person's head, shoulders, and upper chest; V: break up; arrest; Ex. crimebuster
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buttress
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support; prop up; N. stationary structure to support wall; Ex. flying buttress
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buxom
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full-bosomed; plump; jolly
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