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130 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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paean
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a song of praise or thanksgiving
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palaver
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idle talk
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paleontology
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study of past geological eras through fossil remains
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palette
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board for mixing paints; range of colors
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palisade
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fence made up of stakes
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pall (n)
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covering that darkens or obscures; coffin
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pall (v)
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to lose strength or interest
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palliate
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to make less serious, ease
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panacea
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cure-all
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pandemic
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spread over a whole area or country
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panegyric
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elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise
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panoply
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impressive array
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paradigm
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ideal example, model
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paragon
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model of excellence or perfection
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pare
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to trim
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pariah
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outcast
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parley
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discussion, usually between enemies
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parochial
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of limited scope or outlook, provincial
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parody
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humorous imitation
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parry
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to ward off or deflect
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parsimony
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stinginess
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pastiche
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piece of literature or music imitating other works
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patent (adj)
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obvious, unconcealed
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pathogenic
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causing disease
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pathos
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pity, compassion
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peccadillo
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minor sin or offense
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peculation
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theft of money or goods
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pedagogue
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teacher
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pedant
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one who pays undue attention to book learning and rules; one who displays learning ostentatiously
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pedestrian (adj)
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commonplace
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pediment
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triangular gable on a roof or facade
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pellucid
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transparent; translucent; easily understood
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penance
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voluntary suffering to repent for a wrong
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penchant
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inclination
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penitent
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expressing sorrow for sins or offenses, repentant
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penultimate
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next to last
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penumbra
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partial shadow
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penury
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extreme poverty
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perambulate
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walk about
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percipient
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discerning, able to perceive
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perdition
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complete and utter loss; damnation
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peregrinate
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wander from place to place
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peremptory
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imperative; dictatorial
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perfidious
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faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy
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perihelion
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point in orbit nearest to the sun
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peripatetic
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moving from place to place
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periphrastic
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containing too many words
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permeable
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penetrable
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pert
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lively and bold
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pertinacious
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persistent, stubborn
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perusal
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close examination
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pervert (v)
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to cause to change in immoral ways; to misuse
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pettish
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fretful
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petulance
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rudeness, peevishness
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philanderer
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pursuer of casual love affairs
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philistine
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narrow-minded person, someone lacking appreciation for art or culture
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philology
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study of words
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phlegm
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coldness or indifference
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phlegmatic
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calm in temperament; sluggish
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phonetics
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study of speech sounds
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picayune
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petty, of little value
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piddling
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trivial
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pillory
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to expose to ridicule and abuse
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pique
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fleeting feeling of hurt pride
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pithy
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profound, substantial; concise, succinct, to the point
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plaintive
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expressing sorrow
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platt
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to braid
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plangent
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loud sound; wailing sound
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platitude
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stale, overused expression
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plaudit
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applause
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plucky
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courageous, spunky
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ply (v)
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to use diligently; to engage; to join together
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politic
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shrewd and practical; diplomatic
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polyglot
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speaker of many languages
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pompous
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self-important
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pontificate
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to speak in a pretentious manner
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pore (v)
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to study closely or meditatively
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portly
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stout, dignified
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posterity
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future generations; all of a person''s descendants
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potentate
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monarch or ruler with great power
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prattle (n)
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meaningless, foolish talk
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precept
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principle; law
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precipice
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edge, steep overhang
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precipitate (adj)
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sudden and unexpected
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precipitous
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hasty, quickly, with too little caution
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precis
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short summary of facts
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precocious
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unusually advanced at an early age
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predestine
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to decide in advance
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predicate
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to found or base on
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predilection
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preference, liking
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premonition
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forewarning, presentiment
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preponderance
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majority in number; dominance
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prepossessing
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attractive, engaging, appealing
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presage
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to foretell, indicate in advance
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prescient
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having foresight
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prescribe
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to set down a rule; to recommend a treatment
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presentiment
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premonition, sense of foreboding
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prestidigitation
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sleight of hand
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presumptuous
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rude, improperly bold
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privation
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lack of usual necessities or comforts
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probity
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honesty, high-mindedness
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proclivity
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tendency, inclination
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prodigal
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wasteful, lavish, extravagent
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prodigious
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vast, enormous, extraordinary
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profligate
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corrupt, degenerate
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profuse
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lavish, extravagent
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progeny
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offspring, children
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prognosticate
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to predict
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prolix
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tedious; wordy
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promulgate
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to make known publicly
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propinquity
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nearness
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propitiate
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to win over, appease
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propitious
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favorable, advantageous
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proscribe
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to condemn; to forbid, outlaw
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proselytize
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to induce someone to convert to a particular belief or religion
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prostrate
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lying face downward, lying flat on the ground
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protean
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readily assuming different forms or characters
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protestation
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declaration
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provident
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prudent, frugal
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providential
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prudent, lucky
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provincial
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rustic, unsophisticated, limited in scope
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prurient
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lustful, exhibiting lewd desires
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pugilism
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boxing
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pugnacious
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quarrelsome, eager and ready to fight
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pulchritude
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beauty
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punctilious
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careful in observing rules of behavior or ceremony
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pundit
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an authority or critic
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purgation
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process of cleansing, purification
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puritanical
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adhering to a rigid moral code
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pusillanimous
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cowardly
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