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287 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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abscond
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to depart clandestinely; to steal off and hide
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aberrant
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deviating from the norm
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alacrity
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eager and enthusastic willingness
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anomaly
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deviation from the normal order, form, or rule; abnormality
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approbation
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an expression of approval or praise
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arduous
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strenuous, taxing, requiring significant effort
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assuage
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to ease or lessen; to appease or pacify
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audacious
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daring and fearless; recklessly bold
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austere
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without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic
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axiomatic
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taken as a given; possessing self-evident truth
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canonical
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following or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards
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capricious
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inclined to change one's mind impulsively; erratic; unpredictable
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censure
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to criticize severely; to officially rebuke
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chicanery
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trickery or subterfuge
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connoisseur
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an informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert
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convoluted
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complex or complicated
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disabuse
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to undeceive; to set right
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discordant
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conflicting; dissonant or harsh in sound
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disparate
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fundamentally distinct or dissimilar
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effrontery
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extreme boldness; presumptuousness
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eloquent
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well-spoken; expressive; articulate
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enervate
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to weaken; to reduce in vitality
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ennui
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dissatisfaction and restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy
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equivocate
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to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent
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erudite
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very learned; scholarly
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exculpate
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exonerate; to clear of blame
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exigent
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urgent; pressing; requiring immediate action or attention
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extemporaneous
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improvised; done without preparation
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filibuster
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intentional obstruction, esp. using prolonged speechmaking to delay legislative action
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fulminate
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to loudly attack or denounce
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ingenuous
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artless; frank and candid; lacking in sophistication
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inured
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accustomed to accepting something undesirable
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irascible
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easily angered; prone to temperamental outbursts
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laud
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to praise highly
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lucid
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clear; easily understood
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magnanimity
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the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, esp. in forgiving
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martial
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associated with war and the armed forces
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mundane
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of the world; typical of or concerned with the ordinary
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nascent
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coming into being; in early developmental stages
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nebulous
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vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form
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neologism
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a new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses
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noxious
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harmful; injurious
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obtuse
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lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression
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obviate
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to anticipate and make unnecessary
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onerous
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troubling; burdensome
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paean
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a song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving
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parody
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a humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect, esp. in literature and art
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perennial
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recurrent through the year or many years; happening repeatedly
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perfidy
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intentional breach of faith; treachery
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perfunctory
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cursory; done without care or interest
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perspicacious
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acutely perceptive; having keen discernment
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prattle
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to babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner
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precipitate
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acting with excessive haste or impulse
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predilection
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a disposition in favor of something; preference
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prescience
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foreknowledge of events; knowing of events prior to their occurring
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prevaricate
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to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
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qualms
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misgivings; reservations; causes for hesitancy
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recant
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to retract, esp. a previously held belief
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refute
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to disprove; to successfuly argue against
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relegate
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to forcible assign, esp. to a lower place or position
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reticent
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quiet; reserved; reluctant to express thoughts and feelinds
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solicitous
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concerned and attentive; eager
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sordid
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characterized by filth, grime, or squalor; foul
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sporadic
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occurring only occasionally, or in scattered instances
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squander
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to waste by spending or using irresponsibly
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static
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not moving, active, or in motion; at rest
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stupefy
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to stun, baffle, or amaze
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stymie
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to block; thwart
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synthesis
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the combination of parts to make a whole
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torque
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a force that causes rotation
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tortuous
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winding; twisting; excessively complicated
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truculent
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fierce and cruel; eager to fight
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veracity
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truthfulness; honesty
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virulent
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extremely harmful or poisonout; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
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voracious
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having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous
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waver
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to move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettle in opinion
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abate
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to lessen in intensity or degree
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accolade
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an expression of praise
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adulation
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excessive praise; intense adoration
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aesthetic
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dealing with, appreciatiation of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
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ameliorate
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to make better or more tolerable
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ascetic
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one who practices rigid self-denial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
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avarice
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greed, esp. for wealth
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axiom
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a universally recognized principle
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burgeon
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to grow rapidly or flourish
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bucolic
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rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
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cacophony
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harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
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canon
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an established set of principles or code of laws, often religous in nature
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castigation
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severe criticism or punishment
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catalyst
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a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change
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caustic
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burning or stinging; causing corrosion
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chary
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wary; cautious; sparing
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cogent
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appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
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complaisance
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the willingness to comply with the wishes of others
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contentious
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argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controvresy or disagreement
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contrite
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regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
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culpable
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deserving blame
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dearth
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smallness of quantity or number, scarcity; a lack
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demur
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to question or oppose
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didactic
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intended to teach or instruct
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discretion
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cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
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disinterested
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free of bias or self-interest; impartial
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dogmatic
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expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improvable principles
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ebullience
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the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
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eclectic
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composed of elements drawn from various sources
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elegy
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a mournful poem; esp. one lamenting the dead
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emollient
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soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smoothes the skin
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empirical
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based on observation or experiment
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enigmatic
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mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
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ephemeral
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brief; fleeting
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esoteric
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intended for or understood by a small, specific group
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eulogy
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a speech honoring the dead
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exonerate
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to remove blame
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facetious
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playful; humorous
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fallacy
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an invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief
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furtive
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marked by stealthl covert; surreptitious
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gregarious
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sociable, outgoing; enjoying the company of others
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harrangue
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to deliver a pompous speech or tirade; a long, pompous speech
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heretical
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violating accepted dogma or convention
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hyperbole
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an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech
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impecunious
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lacking fonds; without money
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incipient
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beginning to come into being or to become apparent
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inert
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unmoving; lethargic; sluggish
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innocuous
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harmless; causing no damage
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intransigent
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refusing to compromise
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inveigle
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to obtain by deception or flattery
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morose
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sad; sullen; melancholy
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odious
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evoking intense aversion or dislike
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opaque
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impenetrable by light; not reflecting light
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oscillation
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the act or state of swinging back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm
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penurious
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penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
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pernicious
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extremely harmful; potentially causing death
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peruse
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to examine with great care
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ubiquitous
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existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread
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urbane
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sophisticated; refined; elegant
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vilify
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to defame; to characterize harshly
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viscous
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thick; sticky
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acumen
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keen, accurate judgment or insight
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adulterate
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to reduce purity by combining with inferior ingredients
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amalgamate
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to combine several elements into a whole
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archaic
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outdated; associated with an earlier, perhaps more primitive, time
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aver
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to state as a fact; to declare or assert
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bolster
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to provide support or reinforcement
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bombastic
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pompous; grandiloquent
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diatribe
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a harsh denunciation
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dissemble
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to disguise or conceal; to mislead
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eccentric
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departing from norms or conventions
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endemic
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characteristic of or often found in a particular locality, region or people
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evanescent
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tending to disappear like vapor; vanishing
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exacerbate
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to make worse or more severe
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fervent
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greatly emotional or zealous
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fortuitous
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happening by accident or chance
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germane
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relevant to the subject at hand; appropriate in subject matter
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grandiloquence
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pompous speech or expression
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hackneyed
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rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
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halcyon
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calm and peaceful
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hedonism
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devotion to pleasurable pursuits, esp. to the peasures of the senses
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hegemony
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the consistent dominance of one state or ideology over others
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iconoclast
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one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions
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idolatrous
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given to intense or excessive devotion to something
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impassive
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revealing no emotion
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imperturbably
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marked by extreme calm, impassivity and steadiness
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implacable
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not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
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impunity
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immunity from punishment or penalty
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inchoate
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in an initial stage; not fully formed
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infelicitous
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unfortunate; inappropriate
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insipid
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without taste or flavor; lacking in spirit; bland
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loquacious
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extremely talkative
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luminous
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characterized by brighthness and the emission of light
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malevolent
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having or showing often vissious ill will, spite, or hatred
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malleable
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capable of being shaped or formed; tractable; pliable
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mendacity
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the condition of being untruthful; dishonesty
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meticulous
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characterized by extreme care and precision; attentive to detail
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misanthrope
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one who hates all other humans
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mitigate
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to make or become less severe or intense; to moderate
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obdurate
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unyielding; hardhearted; intractable
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obsequious
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exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
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occlude
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to obstruct or block
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opprobrium
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disgrace; contempt; scorn
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pedagogy
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the profession or principles of teaching, or instructing
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pedantic
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the parading of learning; excessive attention to minutiae and formal rules
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penury
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poverty; destitution
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pervasive
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having the tendency to permeate or spread throughout
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pine
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to yearn intensely; to languish; to lose vigor
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pirate
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to illegally use or reproduce
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pith
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the essential or central part
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pithy
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precise and brief
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placate
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to appease; to calm by making concessions
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platitude
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a superficial remark, esp. one offered as meaningful
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plummet
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to plunge or drop straight down
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polemical
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controversial; argumentative
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prodigal
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recklessly wasteful; extravagant; profuse; lavish
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profuse
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given or coming forth abundantly; extravagant
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proliferate
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to grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
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queries
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questions; inquiries; doubts in the mind; reservations
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querulous
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prone to complaining or grumbling; peevish
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rancorous
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characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment
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recalcitrant
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obstinately defiant of authority; difficult to manage
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repudiate
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to refuse to have anything to do with; disown
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rescind
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to invalidate; to repeal; to retract
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reverent
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marked by, feeling, or expressing a feeling of profound awe and respect
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rhetoric
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the art or study of effective use of language for communication and persuasion
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salubrious
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promoting health or well-being
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solvent
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able to meet financial obligations; able to dissolve another substance
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specious
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seeming true, but actually being fallacious; misleadingly attractive; plausible but false
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spurious
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lacking authenticity or validity; false; counterfeit
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subpoena
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a court order requiring appearance and/or testimony
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succinct
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brief; concise
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superfluous
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exceeding what is sufficient or necessary
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surfeit
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an overabundant supply; excess; to feed or supply to excess
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tenacity
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the quality of adherence or persistence to something valued; persistent determination
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tenuous
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having little substance or strength; flimsy; weak
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tirade
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a long and extremely critical speech; a harsh denunciation
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transient
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fleeting; passing quickly; brief
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zealous
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fervent; ardent; impassioned, devoted to a cause
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acerbic
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having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
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aggrandize
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to increase in intensity, power, influence, or prestige
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alchemy
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a midieval science aimed as the transmutation of metals, esp. base metals into gold
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amenable
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agreeable; responsive to suggestion
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anachronism
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something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context
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astringent
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having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue
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contiguous
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sharing a border; touching; adjacent
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convention
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a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude
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credulous
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tending to believe too redily; gullible
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cynicism
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an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness
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decorum
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polite or appropriate conduct or behavior
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derision
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scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment
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desiccate
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to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
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dilettante
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one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the ar ts or a branch of knowledge
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disparage
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to slight or belittle
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divulge
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to disclose something secret
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fawn
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to flatter or priase excessively
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flout
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to show contempt for, as in rule or convention
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garrulous
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pointlessly talkative, talking too much
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glib
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marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
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hubris
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overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
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imminent
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about to happen; impending
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immutable
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not capable of change
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impetuous
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hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement
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indifferent
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having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice
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inimical
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damaging; harmful; injurious
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intractable
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not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
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intrepid
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steadfast and courageous
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laconic
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using few words; terse
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maverick
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an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
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mercurial
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characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
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mollify
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to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
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neophyte
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a recent convert; a beginner; novice
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obfuscate
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to deliberately obscure; to make confusing
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obstinate
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stubborn; hardheaded; uncompromising
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ostentatious
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characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy
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pervade
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to permeate throughout
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phlegmatic
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calm; sluggish; unemotional
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plethora
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an overabundance; a surplus
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pragmatic
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practical rather than idealistic
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presumptuous
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overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties
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pristine
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purel uncorrupted; clean
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probity
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adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
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proclivity
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a natural predisposition or inclination
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profligate
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excessively wasteful; reclessly extravagant
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propensity
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a natural inclination or tendency, penchant
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prosaic
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dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
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pungent
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characterized by a smtrong, sharp, smell or taste
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quixotic
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foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
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quotidian
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occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
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rarefy
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to make or become thin, less dense; to refine
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recondite
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hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure
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refulgent
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radiant; shiny; brilliant
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renege
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to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
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sedulous
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diligent; persistent; hard-working
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shard
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a piece of broken pottery or glass
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soporific
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causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep
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sparse
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thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals
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spendthrift
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one who spends money wastefully
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subtle
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not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern
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tacit
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implied; not explicitly stated
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terse
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brief and concise in wording
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tout
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to publicly praise or promote
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trenchant
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sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
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unfeigned
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genuine; not false or hypocritical
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untenable
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indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable
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vacillate
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to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another; waver
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variegated
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multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different color
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vexation
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annoyance; irritation
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vigilant
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alertly watchful
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vituperate
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to use harsh condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; berate
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volatile
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readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive
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