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154 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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babble
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chatter idly or foolishly
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bacchanal
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druken
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backslide
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revert (to bad habits)
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badger
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pester; annoy
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badinage
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teasing conversation
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baffle
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frustrate; perplex
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bait
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harass; tease
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baleful
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threatening, menacing, sinister, foreshadowing evil
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balk
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stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue
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ballast
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leavy substance used to add stability or weight
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balm
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something that relieves pain
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banal
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boring; lacking originality
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bandy
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discuss lightly; quarrel
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bane
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curse; cause of ruin
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baneful
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destructive, causing ruin or death
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bantering
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good-naturedly ridiculing
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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; bold; unconcealed
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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
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barrister
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counselor-at-law
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barterer
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trader
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bask
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luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth
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bastion
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stronghold; something seen as a source of protection
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bate
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let down; restrain
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bauble
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trinket; cheap jewel; trifle
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bawdy
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indecent; raunchy
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beatific
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giving or showing bliss; blissful
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beatify
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bless or sanctify; proclaim someone dead to be one of the blessed
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bedizen
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dress with vulgar finery (tasteless)
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bedraggle
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wet thoroughly
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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; produce; give rise to
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begrudge
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resent
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beguile
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deceive; mislead; cheat
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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
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behoove
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be necessary or proper for; be incumbent upon
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belabor
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explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree
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belated
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delayed
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beleaguer
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attack, harass
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belie
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contradict; give a false impression
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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
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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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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)
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benison
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blessing
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bent
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determined; natural talent or inclination
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bequeath
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leave to someone by means of a will; hand down
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berate
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scold strongly
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bereavement
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state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved
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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)
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besmirch
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soil; defile
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bestial
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beastlike; brutal; inhuman; very cruel
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bestow (2)
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1) confer, grant
2) having discussions |
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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)
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betroth
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become engaged to marry
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bevy
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large group
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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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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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bigotry
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stubborn intolerance
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bilious
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suffering from a liver complaint; peevishly ill humored
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bilk
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swindle; cheat
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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
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bizarre
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fantastic; violently contrasting
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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
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blandish
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cajole, coax with flattery
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blare
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loud or harsh roar or screech; dazzling blaze of light
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blase
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bored with pleasure or dissipation
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blasphemy
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irreverence; sacrilege; cursing
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blatant
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extremely (offensively) obvious; loudly offensive
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bleak
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cold or cheerless; frigid; unlikely to be favorable; depressing
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blighted
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suffering from a disease; destroyed
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blithe
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carefree and unconcerned;cheerful and gay
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bloated
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(unpleasantly) swollen or puffed as with water or air
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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
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bluff (2)
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1) pretense (of strength), deception; high cliff
2) rough but good natured |
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blunder
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error; stupid mistake
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blurt
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utter impulsively from nervousness or excitement
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bluster
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blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully
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bode
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foreshadow; portend
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bogus
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counterfeit; not authentic; intentionally false
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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 (2)
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1) door bar; fastening pin or screw; length of fabric
2) dash or dart off; fasten; gobble down |
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bombardment
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attack (as with missiles or bombs)
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bombastic
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pompous; using inflated language
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boon
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blessing; benefit; something very helpful
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boorish
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rude, insensitive person
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bouillon
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clear beef (or meat) soup
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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
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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 (remove words, amend)
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brackish
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somewhat saline
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boycott
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refrain from buying or using
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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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brandish
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wave around (a weapon); flourish
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bravado
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swagger; false show of bravery
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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
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breach
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breaking of contract or duty; fissure or gap; opening
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breadth
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width; extent
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brevity
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conciseness; shortness of duration
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brindled
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tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (of animals)
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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
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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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brooch
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ornamental clasp; pin
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brook
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tolerate; endure
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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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brunt
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main impact or shock (of an attack or blow)
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brusque
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blunt; abrupt
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buccaneer
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pirate
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bucolic
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rustic; pastoral
pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life |
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buffet (2)
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1) strike forcefully; slap; batter; knock out
2) table with food laid out |
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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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bullion
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gold and silver in the form of bars
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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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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
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bureaucracy
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overregulated administrative system marked by red tape
a body of nonelective government officials an administrative policy-making group |
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burgeon
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grow rapidly; grow forth; send out buds
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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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buttress
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support; prop up
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buxom
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full-bosomed; plump; jolly
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