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326 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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abberviate
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to make briefer/shorten
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aberration
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a deviation from what is normal or natural
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abeyance
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A TEMPORARY LAPSE IN ACTIVITY
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abjure
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TO RENOUNCE OR REJECT; TO OFFICIALLY DISCLAIM
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abrade
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to irritate by rubbing; wear down in spirit
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abridge
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to shorten; reduce
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abrogate
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TO NULLIFY; ABOLISH
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abscond
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to make a secret DEPARTURE
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accretion
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A GRADUAL BUILD UP OR ENLARGEMENT
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adjunct
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something added to another thing, but not part of it
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adroit
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skillful; adept
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adulterate
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to corrupt or make impure
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adversary
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an enemy or opponent
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aesthete
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SOMEONE DEVOTED TO BEAUTY AND BEAUTIFUL THINGS
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affability
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the quality of being easy to talk to and gracious
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affected
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FALSE; ARTIFICIAL
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affinity
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a feeling of shared attraction; a similarity
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aggrandize
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to make bigger or greater; to inflate
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agitation
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a disturbance; a disturbing feeling of upheaval and excitement
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alias
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an assumed name
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allegiance
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loyalty or devotion shown to one's government or to a person
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allocate
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to apportion for a specific purpose; to distribute
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amalgamate
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to blend thoroughly
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ameliorate
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to make something better or more tolerable
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amortize
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TO PAY OFF OR REDUCE A DEBT GRADUALLY THROUGH PERIODIC PAYMENTS
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amplify
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to enlarge, expand or increase
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anachronistic
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out of the proper time
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anarchy
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absence of law or order
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animosity
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hatred; hostility; resentment
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anomaly
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something different or irregular
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antagonism
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hostility, conflict, opposition
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antipathy
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a long-held feeling of dislike or aversion
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apprehension
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a feeling or fear or foreboding; an arrest
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arabesque
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INTRICATE DELICATE PATTERS INVOLVING INTERTWINING LINES AND SOMETIMES INCORPORATING FLOWERS, ANIMALS AND FRUITS
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arbitrary
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based on random or merely personal preference
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archaic
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old-fashioned; obsolete
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ador
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a strong feeling of passion, energy or zeal
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arid
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very dry; boring and meaningless
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articulate
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to express oneself clearly and effectively
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asperity
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HARSHNESS; SEVERITY
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assail
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TO ATTACK WITH BLOWS OR WORDS
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assay
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TO ANALYZE FOR PARTICULAR COMPONENTS; TO DETERMINE WEIGHT
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assimilate
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to absorb into a system or culture
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assuage
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to ease or pacify
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audacious
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bold, daring, adventurous
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authroitarian
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favoring or demanding blind obedience to leaders
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authoritative
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official, conclusive
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avenge
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to exact a punishment for or on behalf of someone
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aver
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TO CLAIM TO BE TRUE; TO AVOUCH
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avow
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TO DECLARE BOLDY
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barren
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desolate; infertile
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belligerent
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quarrelsome, combative
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billegerent
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AN OPPOSING ARMY; A PARTY WAGING WAR
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benevolent
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wishing or doing good
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berate
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to scold or criticize harshly
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boggle
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to overwhelm with amazement
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bogus
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phony; a sham
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bombastic
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inflated or pompous
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boor
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CRUDE, INSENSITIVE AND OVERBEARING
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brazenly
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acting with disrespectful boldness
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broach
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to bring up an issue for discussion; to propose
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burgeon
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TO BLOOM; literally or figuratively
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burnish
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TO SHINE BY POLISHING
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buttress
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something that supports or strengthens
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cacophony
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discordant sounds; dissonance
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cadge
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to beg for; to sponge; to take advantage of someone
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calibrate
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to determine or mark graduations
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castigate
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to chastise; to punish severly
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catalytic
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bring about; causing
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caustic
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burning or corrosive
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chaos
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disorder, confusion, chance
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charisma
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dynamic charm or appeal
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chary
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SLOW TO ACCEPT; CAUTIOUS
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chronology
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an arrangement of events by order of occurance
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churlish
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COARSE AND ILL-MANNERED
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circumspect
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PRUDENT; CAUTIOUS
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cleave
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EITHER:
stick closely together OR split apart |
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coagulant
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any material that causes another to thicken or clot
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coalesce
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to fuse or unite
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coerce
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to force someone to either do something or keep from doing something
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cogent
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FORCEFUL AND CONVINCING
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commensurate
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ALIGNED WITH; PROPORTIONAL
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commingle
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to blend or mix
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complaisant
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TENDING TO BOW TO OTHER'S WISHES
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compound
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to intensify or exacerbate
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conceivable
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possible; imaginable
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concur
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to agree or approve
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condensation
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a reduction to a denser form
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condescending
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having an attitude of superiority toward another; patronizing
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condone
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to overlook; to permit to happen
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congruent
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coinciding; harmonious
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conjunction
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the occurrence of two or more events together in time or space
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consolation
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relief or comfort in sorrow or suffering
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consternation
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shock; amazement; dismay
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convergence
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act of coming together in unity or similarity
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conviviality
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FOND OF GOOD COMPANY AND EATING AND DRINKING
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convoluted
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twisting; complicated; intricate
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cordon
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TO FORM A PROTECTIVE OR RESTRICTIVE BARRIER
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corral
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to enclose; collect; gather
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corroborating
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supporting with evidence; confirming
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corrosive
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eating away, gnawing, destroying
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cosmpolitanism
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international sophistication; worldliness
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covert
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secret; clandestine
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covetous
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envious, particularly of another's possesions
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craven
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COWARDLY
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credulous
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ready to believe; gullible
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cryptic
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puzzling; ambiguous
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culmination
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the climax
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culpable
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DESERVING BLAME
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curmudgeon
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A CRUSTY, ILL TEMPERED PERSON
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cursory
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HASTY AND SUPERFICIAL
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debilitating
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weakening; sapping the strength of
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decelerate
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to slow down
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decimation
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almost complete destruction
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decry
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TO CRITICIZE OR CONDEMN
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defamation
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act of harming someone by libel or slander
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defer
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to graciously submit to another's will
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deliberate
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to think about an issue before reaching a decision
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demagogue
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A LEADER WHO PLAYS DISHONESTLY ON THE PREJUDICES AND EMOTIONS OF HIS FOLLOWERS
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demographic
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relating to the statistical study of populations
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demonstratively
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OPENLY DISPLAYING FEELING
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derisive
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expressing ridicule or scorn
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derivative
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imitating or borrowed from a particular source
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dessicate
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to dry out to wither
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despotic
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oppressive and tyrannical
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desultory
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DISCONNECTED; AIMLESS
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deviate
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to depart from the standard or norm
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diatribe
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abusive or bitter speech or writing
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diffident
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HESITANT, RESERVED, SHY
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digress
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to wander from the main path or main topic
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dirge
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song or hymn of grief
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disabuse
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to correct a fallacy; to clarify
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disburse
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to pay out or distribute
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discern
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to detect, notice or observe
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discordant
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characterized by conflict
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discourse
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formal and orderly exchange of ideas
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discredit
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to cause disbelief in the accuracy of something
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discreet
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showing good judgement in speech and behavior
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discrete
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SEPARATE; UNCONNECTED
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disparity
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difference in quality or kind
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dissemble
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TO PRETEND; TO SIMULATE
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dissipate
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to spread out or scatter
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dissonance
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lack of music harmony; lack of agreement between ideas
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distillation
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something distilled; process that drives gas or vapor from liquids or solids
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diverge
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to move in two different directions
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diversify
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to balance by adding diversity
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divest
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TO RID OR BE FREED OF PROPERTY, AUTHORITY OR TITLE
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divulge
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to reveal
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dogmatic
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holding firmly to a particular set of beliefs without any proof
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dolt
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stupid or foolish person
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dormant
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temporarily innactive
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dross
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SOMETHING THAT IS TRIVIAL OR INFERIOR; AN IMPURITY
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dubious
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doubtful, uncertain
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dupe
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someone who is easily cheated
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eccentricity
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odd or whimsical behavior
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edifying
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instructive or enlightening
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efficacy
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the power to produce the desired effect
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effrontery
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shameless; boldness
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elaborate
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to expand or develop something
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elegy
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A SONG OR A POEM EXPRESSING SORROW
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embellish
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to enhance or exaggerate; to decorate
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embezzle
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to steal money or property that has been entrusted to your care
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emollient
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SOMETHING THAT SOFTENS OR SOOTHES
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empirical
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based on experience or personal observation
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emulate
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to imitate or copy
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encomium
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A FORMAL EXPRESSION OF PRAISE
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enervate
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to reduce the energy or strength of something
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engender
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TO PRODUCE OR TO CAUSE
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enhance
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to improve in value or quantity
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enigmatic
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puzzling or mysterious
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enmity
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hatred or hostility
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ensure
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to make certain; to guarantee
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epicure
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SOMEONE WHO APPRECIATES FINE WINE OR FOOD
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epithet
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TERM OR WORDS USED TO CHARACTERIZE A PERSON OR THING, OFTEN IN A DISPARAGING WAY
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equable
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STEADY, UNIFORM
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equivocate
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TO USE MISLEADING OR INTENTIONALLY CONFUSING LANGUAGE
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eradicate
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to destroy completely
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erudition
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EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE, USUALLY ACQUIRED FROM BOOKS
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esoterica
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items of interest to a select group
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espouse
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to take up as a cause or adopt
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estimable
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worthy of esteem and admiration
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eulogy
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a formal tribute usually delivered at a funeral
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euphemism
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an agreeable expression that is substituted for an offensive one
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exacerbate
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to make worse or more severe
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excoriation
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THE ACT OF CONDEMNING SOMEONE WITH HARSH WORDS
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exculpate
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to free from blame or guilt
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executor
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the person appointed to execute someone's will
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exigent
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URGENT, REQUIRING IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
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extant
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CURRENTLY IN EXISTENCE
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extenuate
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TO MAKE LESS SERIOUS
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extol
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to greatly praise
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extraneous
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irrelevant, nonsensical
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extrapolate
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to deduce from something known; to infer
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extricate
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to free from a difficult or complicated situation
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facetious
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HUMOROUS IN A MOCKING WAY; NOT SERIOUS
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facilitiate
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to make easier or moderate
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fallacy
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an error in fact or logic
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fatuous
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INANELY FOOLISH; SILLY
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fawn
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to flatter in a subservient manner
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feckless
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WEAK AND INEFFECTIVE; IRRESPONSIBLE
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feint
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a bluff; a mock blow
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ferret
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to bring to light by an extensive search
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finesse
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skillful maneuvering; delicate workmanship
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florid
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FLOWERY, FANCY, REDDISH
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flourish
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AN EXTRANEOUS EMBELLISHMENT; A DRAMATIC GESTURE
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fluctuation
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a shifting back and forth
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foil
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to thwart or frustrate
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foment
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TO ROUSE OR INCITE
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forestall
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to hinder or prevent by taking action in advance
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fortuitious
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lucky, fortunate
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foster
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to nurture or encourage
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fracas
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A NOISE FIGHT; A BRAWL
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functionary
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SOMEONE HOLDING OFFICE IN A POLITICAL PARTY OR GOVERMENT
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gainsay
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TO CONTRADICT OR OPPOSE; DENY; DISPUTE
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garble
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to distort or slur
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garrulous
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ANNOYINGLY TALKATIVE
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generic
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general; having no brand name
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gist
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the main point; essence
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gouge
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to cut out. to scoop out with one's thumbs or a sharp instrument; to overcharge or cheat
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guile
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deceit duplicity
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hackneyed
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WITHOUT ORIGINALITY; TRITE
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harrow
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to cultivate with a harrow; to torment or vex
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harrowing
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nerve-wracking; traumatic
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haughty
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overly proud
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hierarchy
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a ranking of people, things or ideas from highest to lowest
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homogeneous
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uniform; made entirely of one thing
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hone
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to improve and make more acute or affective
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hoodwink
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to deceive by trickery or false appearances
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iconoclast
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SOMEONE WHO ATTACKS TRADITIONAL IDEAS OR BELIEFS
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idolatry
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to worship a person, thing or institution as a god
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idyll
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A RUSTIC, ROMANTIC INTERLUDE; POETRY THAT CELEBRATES SIMPLE PASTORAL LIFE
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illicit
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ILLEGAL, WRONGFUL
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illuminate
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to brighten with light; to enlighten or elucidate
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immaculate
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totally unblemished; spotlessly clean
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immaterial
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of no consequence; unimportant
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immutable
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incapable of CHANGE
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impartial
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fair, equal, unbiased
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impassivity
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apathy, unresponsiveness
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imperceptible
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impossible to perceive
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imperturbable
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cannot be disconcerted, disturbed or excited
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impetuous
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acting hastily or impulsively
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implacable
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unbending; resolute
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implosion
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to collapse inwardly from the outside pressure
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incessant
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unceasing
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inchoate
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ONLY PARTIALLY FORMED OR FORMULATE
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incise
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TO CARVE INTO; ENGRAVE
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incisive
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ADMIRABLE DIRECT AND DECISIVE
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incongruous
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UNLIKELY
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incorrigible
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impossible to manage or reform
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incursion
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a hostile entrance into a territory
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indefatigable
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tireless
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indelicate
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BLUNT, UNDISGUISED
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inevitable
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unable to be avoided
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infer
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to conclude or deduce
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inimical
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UNFRIENDLY, HOSTILE, ADVERSE OR DIFFICULT
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inimitable
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incapable of being imitated
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inopportune
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awkward; untimely
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inscrutability
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quality of being extremely difficult to interpret or understand
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insensible
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unaware, incognizant, unconscious
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insinuate
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hint or intimate; to creep in
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insipid
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flavorless; uninteresting
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insolence
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an attitude or behavior that is bold and disrepsectful
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insoluble
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unable to be soled, indissoluble
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insular
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narrow or isolated in attitude or viewpoint
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intercede
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to step in, to moderate
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interim
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a break or interlude
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interpolate
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TO INTERJECT
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intransigent
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UNWILLING TO COMPROMISE
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intrinsically
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essentially, inherently
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inundate
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to overwhelm; to flood
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invective
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INSULTING, ABUSIVE LANGUAGE
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invigorate
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to give energy to; to stimulate
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irascible
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easily provoked into anger, hot headed
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jeapordize
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to put in danger
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jocular
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humorous, amusing
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labryinthine
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extremely intricate or involved
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laconic
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CONCISE TO THE POINT OF TERSENESS; TACITURN
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lambaste
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to give someone a dressing down; to attack someone verbally; to whip
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laudable
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commendable, praiseworthy
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lethargic
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lacking energy; sluggish
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levy
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TO DEMAND PAYMENT OR COLLECTION OF A TAX OR FEE
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lien
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A CLAIM AGAINST A PROPERTY FOR THE SATISFACTION OF A DEBT
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limn
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TO OUTLINE IN DISTINCT DETAIL; TO DELINEATE
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loquacity
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talkativeness, wordiness
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lucid
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clear and understandable
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magnanimous
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noble, generous
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maladroit
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INEPT, AWKWARD
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malinger
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TO PRETEND ILLNESS TO AVOID WORK
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malleable
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able to be changed or formed by outside pressures
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mandate
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order or command
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marginal
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at the outer edge or fringe
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marginalize
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to push towards the fringe
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martial
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of, relating to the military life
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mediate
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to reconcile differences between two parties
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mercenary
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doing something only for pay or personal advantage
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mercurial
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CHANGING QUICKLY AND UNPREDICTABLY
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metamorphose
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to undergo a striking transformation
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meticulous
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very careful with details
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mettle
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STRENGTH OF SPIRIT; STAMINA
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mimicry
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imitation; aping
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minatory
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MENACING; THREATENING
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mince
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to chop into small bits
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misanthrope
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SOMEONE WHO HATES OR DISTRUSTS ALL PEOPLE
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miscreant
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UNBELIEVING, HERETICAL; EVIL; VILLANOUS
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mitigate
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to make less severe
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monopoly
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A CONDITION IN WHICH THERE IS ONLY ONE SELLER OF A CERTAIN COMMODITY
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monotonous
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tediously uniform
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morose
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gloomy, sullen
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mutation
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a significant change;
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nadir
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LOWEST POINT;
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nascent
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newly born; just beginning
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noisome
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putrid, fetid, noxious
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notorious
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famous, especially for evil actions
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obdurate
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UNWILLING TO CHANGE; STUBBORN
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oblivious
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unaware or unconscious
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obscure
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little known; hard to understand
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obsolete
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no longer current; old-fashioned
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obstinate
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stubborn; unyielding
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obtuse
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DULL WITTED, INSENSITIVE; INCOMPREHENSIBLE, UNCLEAR
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obviate
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PRECLUDE; MAKE UNNECESSARY
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odium
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INTENSE FEELING OF HATRED; ABHORRENCE
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opprobrium
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DISHONOR; DISAPPROVAL
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orthodox
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conforming to a certain doctrine; conventional
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ossified
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to turn to bone; become rigidly conventional and opposed to change
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ostentatious
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overly showy, pretentious
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ostracize
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to exclude from the group
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