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159 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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abash
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embarrass
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abate
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subside or moderate
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abdicate
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renounce; give up (position
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abet
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assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage
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abeyance
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suspended action
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abject
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(of a condition) wretched; as low as possible; lacking pride; very humble; showing lack of self-respect; Ex. abject apology
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abjure
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renounce upon oath
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ablution
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washing
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abnegation
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renunciation; self-sacrifice; self-abnegation
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abominate
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loathe; hate
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abominable
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detestable; extremely unpleasant
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abortive
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unsuccessful; fruitless
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abrogate
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abolish
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abscission
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cutting off; separation
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abstemious
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sparing in eating and drinking; temperate
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abstruse
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obscure; profound; difficult to understand
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abut
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border upon; adjoin
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abysmal
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bottomless
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accede
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agree
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acclivity
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sharp upslope of a hill; OP. declivity
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accost
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approach and speak first to a person
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accoutre
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equip; N. accoutrement
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accretion
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growth or increase in size by gradual addition; growth; increase; increase by natural growth; Ex. towers and other accretions of the castle; V. accrete
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acerbity
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bitterness of speech and temper; ADJ. acerbic: bitter; acrid (in taste
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acetic
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vinegary
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acidulous
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slightly sour (in taste or manner); sharp; caustic
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acme
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peak; pinnacle; highest point
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acrid
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bitter (to the taste or smell); sharp; bitterly pungent
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acrimonious
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stinging; caustic; bitter in words or manner; N. acrimony: bitter ill-natured animosity in speech or behavior
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acrophobia
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fear of heights
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actuarial
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calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
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actuary
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someone who advises insurance companies
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actuate
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motivate; activate; cause to act
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acumen
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mental keenness; sharpness of judgment; ability to judge quickly and well; Ex. business acumen
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adage
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wise saying; proverb
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addle
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make or become confused; muddle; drive crazy; become rotten (egg)
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adjunct
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something attached to but holding an inferior position
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adjuration
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solemn urging; V. adjure: entreat earnestly; enjoin solemnly
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adjutant
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staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
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admonish
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warn or speak to with gentle disapproval; reprove
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adorn
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decorate
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adroit
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skillful (in using mind or hand)
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adulation
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flattery; admiration that is more than is necessary or deserved
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adventitious
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accidental; casual; happening by chance
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advert
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refer
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aegis
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shield; protection; defense
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aerie(aery
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eyrie
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affable
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easily approachable; easy to talk to; warmly friendly
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affected
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artificial; pretended
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affidavit
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written statement made under oath (for use as proof in a court of law)
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agglomeration
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collection; heap; V. agglomerate: gather into a rounded mass; N. aggolmeate: jumbled mass; heap
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aggregate
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sum; total; ADJ. V: gather into a mass or whole; accumulate; add up to; Ex. aggregate 100 dollars
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agog
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highly excited; intensely curious
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agrarian
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pertaining to land or its cultivation; Ex. agrarian reform
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alacrity
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cheerful promptness without reluctance
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alimentary
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supplying nourishment
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allay
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calm; pacify
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allegory
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story
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alloy
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mixture as of metals; something added that lowers in value or purity; V: mix; make less pure; lower in value or quality; spoil; CF. unalloyed: not in mixture with other maetals; pure; complete; unqualified; Ex. unalloyed happiness
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alluvial
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pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
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aloof
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apart; not open in one's relationship with other people; reserved; ADV.
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aloft
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upward; high up in the air
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ambivalence
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the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions
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amble
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walking at an easy unhurried pace; V: walk slowly and aimlessly
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ambrosia
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food of the gods
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ameliorate
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improve
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amenable
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obedient; compliant; readily managed; responsive; willing to be led; answerable or accountable legally; responsible; able to be tested by; Ex. amenable to sensible suggestions; Ex. He is very amenable; Ex. amenable to the usual tests
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amity
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friendship; peaceful relationship as between nations
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amnesty
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pardon (allowed by government to political criminals)
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amorous
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moved by sexual love; loving; of sexual love; Ex. amorous advances
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anachronism
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an error involving time in a story; something or someone misplaced in time; ADJ. anachronistic
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analgesic
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causing insensitivity to pain; N.
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analgesia
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condition of being unable to feel pain
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anathema
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solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse; V. anathematize
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ancillary
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serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary; N.
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animadversion
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critical remark; V. animadvert: comment critically with disapproval
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animus
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hostile feeling or intent; animosity; hostility; disposition
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annals
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records arranged in yearly parts; history
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anneal
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reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling (metal or glass)
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annex
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attach; add to a large thing; take possession of; incorporate (territory) into a larger existing political unit (by force); N: building added to a large one
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anodyne
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drug that relieves pain or trouble; opiate; ADJ. Ex. anodyne statement
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anoint
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consecrate; put oil on (in a religious ceremony)
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antediluvian
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antiquated; extremely ancient
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anthropomorphic
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having human form or characteristics
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antipathy
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aversion; dislike or opposition
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ape
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imitate or mimic (a person's behavior or manner)
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aperture
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opening; hole; adjustable opening in a camera that limits the amount of light
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aphorism
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pithy maxim or saying; ADJ. aphoristic
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apiary
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a place where bees are kept
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apiculture
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bee-keeping
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apiarist
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person who keeps bees
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aplomb
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poise; composure in difficult situations; assurance; self-confidence
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apocryphal
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(of a story) widely believed but untrue
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apogee
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highest point; the point farthest from the earth; OP. perigee
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apologist
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one who writes in defense of a cause or institution; N. apologia
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apoplexy
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stroke; loss of consciousness caused by too much blood in the brain
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apostate
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one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs; N. apostasy
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apothecary
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druggist; pharmacist
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apothegm(apophthegm)
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pithy
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apotheosis
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elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something
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appellation
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name; title
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append
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attach
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apposite
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appropriate; fitting
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approbation
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approval
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appropriate
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acquire; take possession of for one's own use without permission; set aside for a particular purpose; allocate; CF. misappropriate
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appurtenances
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subordinate possessions; something added to a more important thing
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apropos
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with reference to; regarding; Ex. remarks apropos (of) the present situation; ADJ. ADV.
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aquiline
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curved; hooked; of or like an eagle; Ex. aquiline nose
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arable
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fit for growing crops; Ex. arable land
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arbiter
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person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge who is in a position ot make influential judgments; Ex. supreme arbiter of fashion in beachware
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arboretum
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place where different trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited
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arboreal
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of or living in trees
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arcade
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a covered passageway usually lined with shops
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arcane
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esoteric; secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated; Ex. arcane ritual; Ex. arcane process closed to the uninitiated listener
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arch-
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chief; first; Ex. archbishop
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archipelago
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group of closely located islands
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ardor
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heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent
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argot
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slang; speech spoken by only a small group of people
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aria
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operatic solo; a song sung by one person in an opera or oratorio
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arraign
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charge in court; indict
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arroyo
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gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater
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articulate
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effective; distinct; expressing ideas clearly; having clear sounds; having joints; Ex. articulate speech; V: express thoughts and feeling clearly; pronounce clearly; unite by joints
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artifice
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deception; trickery
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artless
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without guile; open and honest
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ascendancy
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controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant
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ascetic
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practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts; austere; Ex. ascetic life of Buddhist monks; N. asceticism
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aseptic
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preventing infection; having a cleansing effect
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ashen
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ash-colored; deadly pale
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askance
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with a sideways or indirect look (with disapproval or distruct); Ex. look askance at
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asperity
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sharpness; roughness; severity (of temper or weather); Ex. asperities of a Russian winter
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aspersion
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slanderous remark; Ex. cast aspersions on
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aspirant
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seeker after position or status
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assay
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analyze (to discover what materials are present); evaluate (soil or ore)
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assent
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agree; accept; N. assessment
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assiduous
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diligent
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assuage
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mak less severe; ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger)
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regent
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a person who governs in place of a ruler who is ill
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astringent
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binding; causing contraction (stopping bleeding); harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism
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asunder
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into parts; apart; V. sunder
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atavism
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resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; ADJ. atavistic
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attenuate
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make thin; weaken
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attrition
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rubbing away by friction; gradual decrease in numbers or strength; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment; Ex. a war of attrition
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augment
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increase; add to
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augury
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omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of (something in future)
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august
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impressive; majestic
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aureole
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sun's corona; halo; bright circle of light
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auroral
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pertaining to the aurora borealis; CF. aurora australis
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auspicious
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favoring success; giving signs of future success; Cf. auspices
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austere
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forbiddingly stern; ascetic; without comfort or enjoyment; severely simple and unornamented; Ex. a monk's austere life; Ex. austere grandeur of the cathedral; N. austerity
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autocratic
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having absolute unchecked power; dictatorial; N. autocrat
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avarice
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greediness for wealth
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aver
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state confidently; declare as true
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aviary
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enclosure for birds; large cage
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avocation
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secondary or minor occupation
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avuncular
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of or like an uncle
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awl
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pointed tool used for piercing
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awry
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distorted; crooked; bent; Ex. Our plans have gone awry.
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axiom
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self-evident truth requiring no proof
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azure
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sky blue
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