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312 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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abate
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To lessen in quantity, intensity or degree
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abscond
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To leave suddenly and secretly to avoid arrest
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accede
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To give one's consent
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acclaim
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To praise enthusiastically (usu. in public)
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accolade
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Praise, approval
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accretion
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A gradual increase in size by external addition
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acquit
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To clear from a charge or accusation
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acrid
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Harshly bitter in taste or smell
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addle
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To muddle or confuse
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adorn
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To make beautiful; to put ornaments on something
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adulation
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Intense adoration or praise; ass-kissing
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aggravate
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To make heavier, worse or more troublesome; to provoke
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agile
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Quick, light, nimble
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alchemy
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The medieval science of turning metals to gold; any magical or false mutational process
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allege
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To assert without proof
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allegiance
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Loyalty or the obligation of loyalty
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aloof
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Physically or emotionally distant; reserved or remote
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ambidextrous
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Having the ability of using both hands with equal skill or ease
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anecdote
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A short account of an interesting event
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anguish
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Agonizing mental or physical pain
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animosity
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Strong criticism
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antidote
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Anything that will counteract or remove the effects of poison, disease, or the like
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apartheid
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A policy of racial segregation practiced in South Africa against non-white people
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apparition
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Ghost
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apprehensive
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Anxious or fearful about the future; uneasy
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apt
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Inclined; having a natural tendency to
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ardor
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Intensity of passion or affection
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arduous
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Demanding great effort or labor; difficult
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arid
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Extremely dry
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arrogance
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Overbearing pride
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articulate
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Marked by the use of clear, expressive language
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ascertain
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To discover with certainty
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astringent
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Harsh or severe in nature; sharp and penetrating
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astute
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Shrew in judgment
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audacious
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Fearlessly daring (oft. recklessly so); brave or bold
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autocrat
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A single ruler having unlimited power; a despot
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auxiliary
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Giving assistance or support; helping; supplementary
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aversion
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A fixed, intense dislike
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avid
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Marked by keen interest and enthusiasm
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bask
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To expose oneself to pleasant warmth; to take pleasure or satisfaction
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belligerent
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Inclined or eager to fight; hostile
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benevolence
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An inclination to perform generous acts; a generous act
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benign
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Of a gentle or mild character; harmless
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blatant
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Unpleasantly loud and noisy; totally or offensively conspicuous
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brash
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Hasty and unthinking; lacking in tact or sensitivity
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brazen
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Brashly audacious (oft. rudely so)
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brittle
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Likely to break, snap or crack; fragile
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callous
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Hardened; unfeeling
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candid
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Unprejudiced or impartial; open and sincere
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cantankerous
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Ill-tempered and quarrelsome
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canvass
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To examine carefully or discuss thoroughly; scrutinize
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catalyst
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Someone or something that makes a process or event happen
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circuitous
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Indirect, roundabout
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clamor
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A loud outcry or noise; din
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coagulation
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The hardening of a substance into something thicker and firmer
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coalesce
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To grow together
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coax
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To persuade through flattery
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coddle
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To treat indulgently; to baby
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coerce
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To force to act or think in a certain way through the use of pressure, threat or force; to compel
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colloquial
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Particular to common speech as distinguished from literary
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commemorate
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To honor the memory of through ceremony
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conceit
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An unduly high opinion of one's self or abilities
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concord
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Harmony or agreement
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concur
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To agree
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condense
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To reduce in quantity or length
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congeal
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To coagulate
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conjoin
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To join together
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consecrate
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To declare or make sacred
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console
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To comfort
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conspicuous
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Easy to notice; obvious
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consummate
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To bring to completion; complete or perfect in all respects
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copious
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Abundant
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cordial
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Warm and sincere; friendly
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counterfeit
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To forge falsely; Something illegally or falsely made
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covet
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To secretly desire something which is not yours
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cower
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To cringe in fear
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cryptic
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Having hidden meaning; obscure
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cumbersome
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Difficult to handle because of weight or bulk; onerous
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curt
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Brief or short in speech or manner (oft. rudely so)
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curtail
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To cut short
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dainty
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Delicately beautiful or charming
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debacle
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A sudden collapse, downturn or defeat; a total failure
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decimate
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To kill or destroy a large portion of something
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decorum
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Appropriateness of conduct; the conventions of polite behavior
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decree
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An authoritative order having the force of a law
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defiance
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Bold resistance to authority or an opposing force
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deluge
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To overwhelm with (usu. water); a flood
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deplete
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To reduce or lessen by use, exhaustion, or waste
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deposition
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Testimony taken under oath (usu. written down)
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deride
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To speak of with contempt and mirth
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derision
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Ridicule
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derivative
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Something derived; unoriginal
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derogatory
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Disparaging or belittling
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deter
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To hinder or prevent
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detraction
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A derogatory comment on a person's character or reputation
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deviant
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Differing from the norm or the accepted standards of society; one who differs from the norm or the accepted standards of society
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dexterity
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Skill and grace in physical activity (oft. of the hands); adroitness
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dilate
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To make wider or larger
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diligent
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Marked by painstaking effort
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disallow
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To withhold permission or sanction
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discern
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To perceive with the eyes; to detect through careful observation
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discredit
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To injure the reputation of
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discreet
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Showing prudence and self-restraint; modest
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disdain
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To regard or treat with haughty contempt; scorn
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disheveled
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Disordered or untidy
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disinterested
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Impartial; indifferent
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dismal
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Causing gloom; dreary; characterized by a lack of merit
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disproof
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The act of refuting; evidence the refutes
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distraught
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Deeply agitated; insane
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drone
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To speak in a monotonous tone; a male bee that performs no work
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dubious
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Doubtful
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duress
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Constraint by threat; coercion
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elucidate
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To make clear by explanation
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emaciate
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To make or become extremely thin
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embezzle
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To take (usu. money) for one's own use in violation of a trust
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emote
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To express emotion, esp. in an excessive or theatrical manner
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emulate
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To strive to equal or excel; to imitate
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encapsulate
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To encase in a capsule; to sum up
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endorse
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To write one's signature on the back of a check; to give approval or support to
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enduring
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Lasting
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engrave
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To cut, carve or etch into some material
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engrossing
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Fascinating
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entangle
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To entwine in a confusing mass
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entice
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To attract or lure
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equilibrium
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A state of balance
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eradicate
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To pull up by the roots; to destroy
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erratic
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Irregular
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erroneous
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Mistaken
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evoke
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To summon or call forth
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exhaustive
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Treating all parts or aspects without omission; thoroughly
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exploit
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An act or deed, esp. a heroic one; to use (deceitfully)
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extinct
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No longer in existence
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extinguish
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To put out or douse (usu. a fire); to destroy
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extort
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To obtain from another by coercion or intimidation
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extraneous
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Inessential or irrelevant
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extrovert
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A gregarious or outgoing individual
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exuberant
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Full of unrestrained joy or enthusiasm
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falter
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To waver or stumble, oft. due to a loss of confidence
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feign
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To give a false appearance of
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felon
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One who has committed crime more severe than a misdemeanor
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ferocity
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Savageness
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fetish
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An object of unreasonably excessive attention or interest
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fetter
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A chain or shackle for the ankles; to restrain or restrict
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fidelity
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Loyalty
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fidget
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To behave or more nervously or restlessly
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figurehead
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Someone of nominal leadership but no real authority
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finesse
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Refined or delicate performance, execution or artisanship
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finicky
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Hard to please
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fission
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The act or process of splitting into parts
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fixate
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To make stable; to fix one's attention on; to obsess on
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flamboyant
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Highly elaborate; given to ostentatious display
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flaunt
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To exhibit shamelessly or ostentatiously
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flop
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To fall or lie down heavily and noisily; to fail utterly
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foil
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To prevent from being successful; to thwart; a pole-like sword
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foolproof
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Designed to be impervious to human error; infallible
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forage
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The act of searching for food or provisions
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forfeit
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To surrender something as a punishment
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forgery
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Counterfeiting
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fragile
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Easily broken; delicate
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fragrant
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Having a pleasant odor
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frantic
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Highly excited with strong emotion or frustration; frenzied
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gesticulate
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To make gestures for emphasis (esp. while speaking)
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gist
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The central idea; essence
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glimmer
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A dim or intermittent flicker or flash of light
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gloat
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To feel or express great self-satisfaction (oft. maliciously)
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glut
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To fill beyond capacity; oversupply or excess
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gnaw
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To bite at, chew on or generally erode with the teeth
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gorge
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A deep, narrow passage with steep, rocky sides; a ravine; to eat in a gluttonous manner
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gouge
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To scoop or dig out; to charge an excessively high price
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grave
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Requiring serious thought; somber in conduct or character
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graze
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To feed on leisurely and continuously; to touch lightly
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grovel
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To behave in a servile manner; to lie in a prostrate manner
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guile
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Cunning treachery; skillful deceit
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gullible
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Easily deceived or duped
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gush
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To flow forth suddenly in great volume (esp. tears or praise)
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gust
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A strong, abrupt burst of wind
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hack
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To cut or chap with repeated, irregular blows
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haughty
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Scornfully and condescendingly proud
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heed
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To pay attention to and consider
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heinous
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Grossly wicked or reprehensible; abominable
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heresy
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An opinion or doctrine at variance with established religious beliefs, esp. from Christian dogma by a church member
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highbrow
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Highly cultured or intellectual
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hospitable
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Disposed to treat strangers or guests with warmth and generosity
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hovel
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A small, miserable dwelling
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idolatry
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The worship of idols; excessive devotion to something
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ignoble
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Not noble in character; base
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illicit
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Illegal
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illustrious
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Well-known and distinguished
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impair
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To cause to diminish in strength or quality
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impede
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To be an obstacle to or to place obstacles in the way of
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impermeable
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Impossible to penetrate or permeate
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implosion
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A violent collapse inward
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inane
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Lacking sense or substance; empty or stupid
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incense
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To cause to become extremely angry; an aromatic substance that is burned to produce a pleasant odor
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incessant
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Unceasing
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incite
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To provoke and urge on
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incongruous
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Lacking in harmony; incompatible or not in agreement
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incredulous
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Skeptical or disbelieving
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increment
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A small, often imperceptible addition or augmentation
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incumbent
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Obligatory; Resting or leaning on something else; Someone currently holding a specified office
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indistinct
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Not clearly or sharply delineated; vague
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inept
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Not apt or fitting; foolish; incompetent
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infallible
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Incapable of erring or failing
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inferno
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A place or condition suggestive of hell; a place of fiery heat
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infuse
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To fill or cause to be filled with something
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ingenuous
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Lacking in worldliness; openly straightforward
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ingest
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To take into the body by the mouth for digestion; to take in
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interim
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An interval of time between acts or periods; temporary
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introspection
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Contemplation of one's own thoughts and feelings
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invalid
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One who is disabled by illness or injury; not valid
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invincible
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Unconquerable
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iota
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A very small amount; a bit
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ire
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Wrath
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irksome
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Causing annoyance, weariness or vexation
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jabber
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To talk rapidly or unintelligibly
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jovial
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Merry
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lackluster
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Lacking brightness, luster or vitality; dull
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lament
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To express grief for or about; to regret deeply
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lavish
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Marked by or produced with extravagance; to give in abundance
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legacy
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Money or property bequeathed to another by will; something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor
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lethargy
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A state of inactivity, sluggishness and apathy
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lurk
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To lie in wait, as in ambush
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malcontent
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One who is dissatisfied with the existing state of affairs
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malign
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To speak evil of; evil in nature or spirit
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manacle
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A device for confining the hands
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massacre
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A cruel, indiscriminate killing of a large number of human beings
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maul
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To injure by beating; to handle roughly
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mesmerize
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To hypnotize
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meticulous
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Extremely careful and precise; excessively concerned with details
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mischievous
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Causing mischief; Playfully naughty; troublesome
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miser
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One who lives very meagerly to save money; a greedy person
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moderation
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Temperance
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morbid
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Of, relating to or caused by disease; psychologically unhealthy
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morose
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Sullenly melancholy; gloomy
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negligent
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Characterized by or inclined to neglect, esp. habitually
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oblivious
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Completely unaware or mindful of
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ominous
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Menacing or threatening; portentous
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opaque
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Impenetrable by light; so obscure as to be unintelligible
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palate
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The roof of the mouth
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palatial
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Of the nature or a palace; magnificently enormous
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pariah
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A social outcast
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partisan
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A fervent supporter of a cause, group, person or idea
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patron
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A sponsor or benefactor; a customer (esp. a regular one)
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pedestrian
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One who journeys on foot; commonplace
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perennial
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Lasting or active throughout the entire year or many years
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perilous
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Dangerous
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permeate
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To spread or flow through; to pervade
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perpetrate
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To be responsible for or commit (esp. a crime)
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personable
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Pleasing in personality
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petrify
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To turn into wood; to cause to be stiff or stone-like
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pine
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To mourn or long for out of grief
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pivotal
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Of vital importance; crucial
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placate
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To allay the anger of (esp. by concessions); to appease
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plea
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An earnest request
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plod
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To move or walk in a heavy, laborious manner
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plummet
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To decline suddenly and steeply; something that weighs down
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poignant
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Keenly distressing to the spirit, body or mind; profoundly moving
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pompous
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Marked by excessive self-esteem or exaggerated dignity
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portent
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A sign of something important of calamitous to come; an omen
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prevalent
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Widely occurring, existing, accepted or practiced
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pristine
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In a pure state; uncorrupted
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procrastinate
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To delay or put off for later
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propensity
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An innate inclination; a tendency
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provisional
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Temporary
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proximity
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Closeness; propinquity
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prudent
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Wise in handling practical matters
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pry
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To inquire in a nosy manner or snoop; to obtain with difficulty
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pseudo-
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Prefix meaning 'false'
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quack
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An untrained person who pretends to be a physician; a charlatan
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quaff
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To drink heartily
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quell
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To put down forcibly; to suppress
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queer
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Deviating from the expected; strange
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rebuff
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A blunt or abrupt repulse or refusal
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reconcile
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To re-establish a close relationship; to bring (oneself) to accept
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regurgitate
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To spit up partially digested food (oft. used of ideas as well)
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reiterate
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To say or do repeatedly
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rejuvenate
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To restore to youthful vigor or appearance
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renowned
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Famous
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renovate
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To restore to an earlier condition; to revive
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repel
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To force or keep back in a manner, physically or mentally
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resuscitate
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To restore consciousness, vigor or life to
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revere
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To worship or adore
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reverence
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A feeling of profound awe, respect and (often) love; veneration
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scorch
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To burn
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servile
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Abjectly submissive; slavish
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shard
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A piece of broken pottery or a fragment of glass
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shrewd
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Clever or cunning; sharp or penetrating
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shrill
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High-pitched and piercing in sound; harshly keen to the senses
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slur
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To pronounce indistinctly
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squalid
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Having a dirty, mean, poverty-stricken appearance
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stipulate
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To lay down as a condition
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sublime
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Majestic
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succinct
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Concise
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suffice
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To be enough or make do
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superimpose
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To lay or place something over something else
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suppress
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To prevent from being disclosed or punished
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surcharge
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An additional amount charged
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talon
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The claw of a predatory bird
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tenacious
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Holding persistently to something (e.g. a point of view)
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thwart
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To prevent the occurrence, realization or attainment of
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transgress
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To go beyond or over; to act in violation of the law
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turbulent
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Violently agitated; tumultuous; causing unrest or restless in nature
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vain
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Not yielding the desired outcome; fruitless; excessively proud of one's appearance or accomplishments
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vestige
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A visible trace, mark, or impression, of something gone
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virtue
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A rare, curious, or beautiful quality
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vivify
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To give or bring to life; to make more lively or vivid
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vociferous
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Making a noisy and vehement outcry
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whimsical
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Capricious
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yelp
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A short, sharp cry or bark
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yen
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A strong desire or urge for something
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zealous
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Filled with enthusiastic devotion to a principle or cause
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zenith
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The peak
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