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326 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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lout
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clumsy person
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low
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moo
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lucid
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easily understood, clear, intelligible
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lucrative
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profitable
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lucre
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money
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ludicrous
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laughable, trifiling
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lugubrious
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mournful
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lull
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moment of calm
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lumber
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move heavily or clumsily
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lumen
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unit of light energy
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luminary
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celebrity, dignitary
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lurid
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wild, sensational, graphic, gruesome
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lurk
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lie stealthily in waiting, slink, exist unperceived
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luscious
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pleasing to taste or smell
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luxuriant
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abundant, rich and splendid, fertile
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macabre
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gruesome, grisly
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macerate
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soften by soaking in liquid, waste away
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Machiavellian
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crafty, double-dealing
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machinations
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evil schemes or plots
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maculated
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spotted, stained
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madrigal
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pastoral song
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maelstrom
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whirlpool
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magisterial
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authoritative, imperious
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magnanimity
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generosity
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magnate
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person of prominence or influence
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magniloquent
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boastful, pompous
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maladroit
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clumsy, bungling
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malady
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illness
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malaise
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uneasiness, feeling of ill health
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malapropism
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comic misuse of a word
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malcontent
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person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs
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malediction
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curse
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malefactor
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evildoer, criminal
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malevolent
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wishing evil
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malfeasance
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wrongdoing
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malicious
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hateful, spiteful
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malign
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speak evil of, bad-mouth, defame
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malignant
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injurious, tending to cause death, aggresively malevolent
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malingerer
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one who feigns illness to escape duty
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malleable
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capable of being shaped by pounding
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malodorous
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foul-smelling
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manacle
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restrain, handcuff
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mandate
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order, charge
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mangy
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shabby, wretched
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maniacal
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raging mad, insane
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manifest
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evident, visible, obvious
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manifesto
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declaration, statement of policy
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manifold
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numerous, varied
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mannered
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affected, not natural
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manumit
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emancipate, free from bondage
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marked
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noticable, targeted for vengeance
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marred
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damaged, disfigured
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marshal
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put in order
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martial
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warlike
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martinent
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person who observes regulations strictly
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matriarch
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woman who rules a family or larger social group
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matriculate
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enroll
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matrix
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point of origin, array of numbers, mold or die
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maudlin
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effusively sentimental
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mawkish
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mushy and gushy, icky-sticky sentimental
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mayhem
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injury to body
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mealymouthed
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indirect in speech, hypocritical, evasive
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meddlesome
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interfering
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mediate
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settle a dispute through the services of an outsider
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mediocre
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ordinary, commonplace
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medium(1)
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element that is a creature's natural environment
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medium(2)
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appropriate occupation or means of expression, channel, compromise
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medley
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mixture
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meek
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submissive, patient and long-suffering
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megalomania
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mania for doing grandiose things
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melee
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fight
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mellifluous
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sweetly or smoothly flowing, melodius
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memento
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token, reminder
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memorialize
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commemorate
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menagerie
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collection of wild animals
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mendacious
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lying, habitually dishonest
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mendicant
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beggar
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menial
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suitable for servants, lowly, mean
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mercantile
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concerning trade
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mercenary
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motivated solely by money or gain
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mercurial
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capricious, changing, fickle
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meretricious
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flashy, tawdry
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metallurgical
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pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores
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metaphysical
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pertining to speculative philosophy
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mete
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measure, distribute
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meteoric
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swift, momentarily brilliant
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meticulous
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excessively careful, painstaking, scrupulous
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mettle
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courage, spirit
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miasma
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swamp gas, heavy vaporous atmosphere from decaying matter, corrupting influence
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microcosm
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small world, the world in miniature
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migant
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changing its habitat, wandering
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milieu
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environment, means of expression
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militate
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work against
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minatory
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menacing, threatening
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mincing
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affectedly dainty
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minutiae
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petty details
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mire
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entangle, stick in swampy ground
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mirth
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merriment, laughter
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misadventure
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mischance, ill luck
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misanthrope
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one who hates mankind
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misapprehension
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error, misunderstanding
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miscellany
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mixture of writings on various subjects
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mischance
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ill luck
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misconstrue
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interpret incorrectly, misjudge
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miscreant
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wretch, villian
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misgivings
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doubts
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mishap
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accident
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misnomer
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wrong name, incorrect designation
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misogamy
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hatred of marriage
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missive
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letter
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mite
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very small object or creature, small coin
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mitigate
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appease, moderate
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mode
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prevailing style, manner, way of doing something
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modicum
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limited quantity
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modish
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fashionable
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modulate
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tone down in intensity, regulate, change from one key to another
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mogul
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powerful person
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mollify
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soothe
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mollycoddle
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pamper, indulge excessively
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molt
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shed or cast off hair or feathers
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molten
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melted
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momentous
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very important
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monolithic
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solidly uniform, unyielding
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monotony
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sameness leading to boredom
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monumental
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massive
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moodiness
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fits of depression or gloom
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moratorium
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legal delay of payment
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morbid
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given to unwholesome though, moody, characteristic of disease
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mordant
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biting, sarcastic, stinging
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mores
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conventions, moral standards, customs
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moribund
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dying
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morose
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ill-humored, sullen, melancholy
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mortify
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humiliate, punish the flesh
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mote
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small speck
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motility
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the ability to move spontaneously
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mottled
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blotched in coloring, spotted
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mountebank
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charlatan, boastful pretender
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muddle
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confuse, mix up
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mulct
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defraud a person of something
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multifarious
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varied, greatly diversified
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multiform
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having many forms
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mundane
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wordly as opposed to spiritual, everyday
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munificent
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very generous
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murky
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dark and gloomy
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muse
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ponder
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muster
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gather, assemble
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musty
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stale, spoiled by age
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mutability
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ability to change in form, fickleness
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myopic
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nearsighted, lacking foresight
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nadir
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lowest point
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nascent
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incipient, coming into being
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natation
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swimming
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natty
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neatly or smartly dressed
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nefarious
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very wicked
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nemesis
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someone seeking revenge
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neologism
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new or newly coined word or phrase
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neophyte
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recent convert, beginner
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nepotism
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favoritism to a relative
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nettle
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annoy, vex
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nexus
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connection
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nib
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beak, pen point
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nicety
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precision, minute distinction
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niggardly
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meanly stingy, parsimonious
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niggle
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spend too much time on minor points, carp
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noisome
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foul-smelling, unwholesome
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nomenclature
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terminology, system of names
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nominal
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in name only, trifling
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noncommital
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neutral, unpledged, undecided
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nodescript
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undistinctive, ordinary
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nonentity
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persons of no importance, nonexistence
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nonplus
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bring to a halt by confusion, perplex
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nostrum
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questionable medicine
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notable
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conspicuous, important, distinguished
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notoriety
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disrepute, ill fame
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novelty
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something new, newness
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noxious
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harmful
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nubile
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marriageable
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nugatory
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futile, worthless
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numismatist
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person who collects coins
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oaf
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stupid, awkward person
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obdurate
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stubborn
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obeisance
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bow
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obfuscate
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confuse, muddle, cause confusion, make unnecessarily complex
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oblique
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indirect, slanting
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oblivion
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obscurity, forgetfulness
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oblivious
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inattentive or unmindful, wholly absorbed
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obloquy
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slander, disgrace, infamy
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obnoxious
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offensive
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obscure
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dark, vague, unclear, (v) make unclear
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obsequy
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funeral ceremony
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obstinate
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stubborn, hard to control or treat
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obstreperous
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boisterous, noisy
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obtrude
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push forward or intrude, stick out or extrude
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obtuse
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blunt, stupid
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obviate
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make unnecessary, get rid of
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occlude
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shut, close
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occult
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mysterious, secret, supernatural
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oculist
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physician who specialized in the treatment of eyes
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odious
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hateful, vile
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odium
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detestation, hatefulness, disrepute
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odoriferous
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giving off an odor
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odorous
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having an odor
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odyssey
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long, eventful journey
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offhand
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casual, done without prior thought
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officious
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meddlesome, excessively pushy in offering one's services
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ominous
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threatening
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onerous
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burdensome
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onomatopoeia
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words formed from sounds
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onus
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burden, responsibility
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opalescent
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iridescent, lustrous
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opportune
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timely, well chosen
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opportunist
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individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances
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opprobrium
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infamy, vilification
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optician
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maker and seller of eyeglasses
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optometrist
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one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects
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opus
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work
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oracular
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prophetic, uttered as with divine authority, mysterious or ambiguous
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orator
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public speaker
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oratorio
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dramatic poem set to music
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ordain
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decreee or command, grant holy orders, predestine
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ordination
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ceremony conferring holy orders
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orient
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get one's bearings
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ornithologist
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scientific student of birds
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orthography
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correct spelling
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osseous
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made of bone, bony
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ossify
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change or harden into bone
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ostensible
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apparant, professed, pretended
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ostentacious
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showy, pretentious, trying to attract attention
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oust
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expel, drive out
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outmoded
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no longer stylish, old-fashioned
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outstrip
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surpass, outdo
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overt
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open to view
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overweening
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presumptuous, arrogant
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overwrought
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extremely agitated, hysterical
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ovoid
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egg-shaped
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pachyderm
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thick-skinned animal
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paean
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song of praise or joy
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palatial
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magnificent
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palimpsest
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parchment used for a second time after being erased
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pall
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grow tiresome
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pallet
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small, poor bed
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palliate
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ease pain
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pallid
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pale, wan
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palpable
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tangible, easily perceivable
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palpitate
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throb, flutter
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paltry
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insignificant, petty, trifling
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pan
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criticize harshly
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panacea
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cure-all, remedy for all diseases
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panache
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flair, flamboyance
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pandemic
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widespread, affecting the majority of people
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pander
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cater to the low desire of others
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panegyric
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formal praise
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panoramic
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denoting an unobstructive and comprehensive view
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paradigm
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model, example, pattern
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paragon
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model of perfection
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parallelism
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state of being parallel, similarity
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parameter
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limit, independent variable
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paramount
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foremost in importance, supreme
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paramour
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illicit lover
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parity
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equality, close resemblance
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parlance
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language, idiom
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parley
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conference
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parochial
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narrow in outlook, provincial, related to a parish
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paroxysm
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fit of attack or pain, laughter, rage
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parquet
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floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosaic-like pattern
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parsimony
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stinginess, excessive frugality
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passe
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old-fashioned, past the prime
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pastiche
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imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing
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pastoral
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rural
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patent
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open for the public to read, obvious
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pathological
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pertaining to disease
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pathos
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tender sorrow, pity, quality in art or literature that produces these feelings
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patina
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green crust on old bronze works, tone slowly taken by varnished painting
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patois
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local or provincial dialect
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patriarch
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ruler and father of a family or tribe
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patrician
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noble, aristocratic
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patronize
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support, act superior to, be a customer at
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paucity
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scarcity
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peccadillo
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slight offense
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pecuniary
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relating to money
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pedagogue
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teacher
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pedagogy
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teaching of children
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pedant
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scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities
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pedantic
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showing off learning, bookish
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pedestrian
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ordinary, unimaginative
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peerless
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having no equal, incomparable
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pejorative
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negative in connotation, having a belittling effect
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pell-mell
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in confusion, disorderly
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pellucid
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transparent, limpid, easy to understand
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penance
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self-imposed punishment for sin
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penchant
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strong inclination, liking
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pendant
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hanging down from something
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pendulous
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hanging, suspended
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penitent
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repentant
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pensive
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dreamily thoughtful, thoughtful with a hint of sadness, contemplative
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penury
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severe poverty, stinginess
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perdition
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damnation, complete ruin
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peregrination
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journey
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peremptory
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demanding and leaving no choice
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perennial
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something long-lasting
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pefidious
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treacherous, disloyal
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perfunctory
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superficial, not thorough
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perigree
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point when the moon is closest to earth (op apogee)
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peripatetic
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walking about, moving
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permeable
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penetrable, pourous, allowing liquids or gas to pass through
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pernicious
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very destructive
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peroration
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conclusion of an oration
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perpetrate
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commit an offense
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perpetuate
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make something last, preseve from extinction
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perquisite
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any gain above stipulated salary
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personable
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attractive
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perspicacious
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having insight, penetrating, astute
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perspicuity
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clearness of expression, freedom from ambiguity
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perspicuous
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plainly expressed
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pert
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impertinent, forward
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pertinacious
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stubborn, persistent
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peruse
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read with care
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pervasive
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spread throughout
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perverse
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strongly wrongheaded
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perversion
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corruption, turning from right to wrong
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pestilential
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causing plauge, baneful
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peslte
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tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl
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petulant
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touchy, peevish
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pharisaical
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pertaining to the Pharisees, self-righteous, hypocritical
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phenomena
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observable facts, subjects of scientific investigation
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philanderer
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faithless lover, flirt
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