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250 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
herpetologist
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one who studies reptiles
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hoary
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white with age
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holster
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pistol case
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horatory
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encouraging; exhortive
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hue and cry
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outcry
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humdrum
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dull; monotonous
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hummock
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a small hill
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humus
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substance formed by decaying vegetable matter
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husbandry
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frugality; thrift; agriculture
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ichthyology
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the study of fish
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igneous
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produced by fire; volcanic
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hibernal
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wintry
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immure
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imprison; shut up in confinement
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imperious
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domineering; haughty
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impertinent
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insolent; rude
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impetuous
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violent; hasty; rash
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implacable
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incapable of being pacified
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imponderable
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weightless
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imposture
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assuming a false identity; masquerade
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improvident
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thriftless
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impugn
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dispute or contradict; challenge; gainsay
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impunity
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freedom from punishment or harm
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incendiary (n)
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arsonist
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immolate
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to offer as a sacrifice
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incipient
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beginning; in an early stage
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inclement
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stormy; unkind
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increment
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increase
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incrustation
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hard coating or crust
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incubus
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burden; mental care; nightmare
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indemnify
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make secure against loss; compensate for loss
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indite
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write; compose
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indolent
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lazy
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ineffable
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unutterable; cannot be expressed
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inductive
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pertaining to induction; proceeding from the specific to the general
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ineluctable
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irresistible; not to be escaped
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infidel
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unbeliever
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ingrate
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ungrateful person
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ingratiate
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become popular with
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insensate
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without feeling
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insolvent
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bankrupt; lacking money to pay
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insuperable
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insurmountable; unbeatable
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internecine
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mutually destructive
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interregnum
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period between two reigns
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inveterate
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deep-rooted; habitual
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invidious
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designed to create ill will or envy
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iridescent
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exhibiting rainbowlike colors
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isthmus
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narrow neck of land connecting two larger bodies of land
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jaundiced
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prejudiced (envious, hostile, or resentful); yellowed
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jaunt
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trip; short journey
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jaunty
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lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree
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jibe
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agree; be in harmony with
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jingoist
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extremely agressive and militant patriot; warlike chauvinist
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jocose
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given to joking
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jocund
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merry
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junket
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trip, especially one taken for pleasure by an official at public offense
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junta
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group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal
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ken
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range of knowledge
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kernel
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central or vital part; whole seed
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killjoy
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grouch; spoilsport
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kismet
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fate
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knell
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tlling of a bell, especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.
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knit
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contract into wrinkles; grow together
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knoll
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little, round hill
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lancet
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small surgical tool for making incisions
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larder
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pantry; place where food is kept
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lateral
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coming from the sides
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latitude
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freedom from narrow limitations
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leaven
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cause to grow lighter; enliven
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leery
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suspicious; cautious
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legacy
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a gift made by a will
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legerdemain
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sleight of hand
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levy
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impose (a fine); collect (a payment)
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libretto
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text of an opera
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ligneous
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like wood
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limpid
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clear
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lineaments
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features, especially of the face
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liquidate
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settle accounts; clear up
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litany
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supplicatory prayer
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litigation
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lawsuit
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lilotes
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understatement for emphasis
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lode
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metal-bearing vein
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loll
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lounge about
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lope
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gallop slowly
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lout
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clumsy person
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lucre
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money
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lumen
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a unity of light energy (one candle's worth)
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lumiary
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celebrity; dignitary
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macerate
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soften by soaking in liquid; waste away
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maculated
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spotted; stained
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magnamity
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generosity
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lumen
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a unity of light energy (one candle's worth)
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magniloquent
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boastful; pompus
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malfeasance
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wrongdoing
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maritime
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bordering on the sea; nautical
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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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metallurgical
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pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores
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miasma
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swamp gas; heavy vaporous atmosphere, often emanating from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence
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militate
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work against
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mincing
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affectedly dainty
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mysogamy
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hatred of marriage (mysogynist: hater of women)
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missive
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letter
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mogul
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powerful person
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mollycoddle
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pamer; indulge excessively
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mordant
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biting; sarcastic; stinging
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moribund
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dying
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motley
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multicolored; mixed
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mountebank
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charlatan; boastful pretender
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mulct
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defraud a person of something
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natty
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neatly or smartly dressed
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neologism
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newly coined phrase
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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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niggle
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spend too much time on minor points; carp
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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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obstetrician
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physician specializing in delivery of babies
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opalescent
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iridescent; lustrous
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ornithologist
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scientific student of birds
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opiate
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medicine to induce sleep or deaden pain
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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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palimpsest
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parchment used for the second time after original writing has been 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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pan
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criticize harshly
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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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pandemonium
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wild tumult
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panoramic
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denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view
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paroxysm
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fit or attack of 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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pastiche
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immitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing
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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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parity
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equality; close resemblance
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pendant
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hanging down from something
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penumbra
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partial shadow (in an eclipse)
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perennial
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something long-lasting
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perigree
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point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth.
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peroration
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conclusion of an oration.
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pertinacious
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stubborn; persistant
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pharisaical
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pertaining to the Pharisees, wo paid scrupulous attention to tradition; self-rightious; hypocritical
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perspicuity
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clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity
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philatelist
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stamp-collector
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physiognomy
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face
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piebald
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of different colors; mottled; spotted
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pied
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variegated; multicolored
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pillory
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punish by placing in a wooden frame; subject to criticism and ridicule
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pinion
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restrain
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pique
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irritation; resentment
provoke or arouse |
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plaintive
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mournful
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plait
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braid; intertwine
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plaudit
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enthusiastic approval; round of applause
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plenary
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complete, full
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pluck
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courage
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plumb
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examine critically in order to understand; measure depth (by sounding)
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plumb (adj)
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vertical
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plutocracy
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society ruled by the wealthy
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pontifical
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pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious
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prate
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speak foolishly; boast idly
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precipitate (adj)
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rash; premature; hasty; sudden
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precis
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concise summing up of the main points
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prelate
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church dignitary
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prevaricate
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lie
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primogeniture
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seniority by birth
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privation
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hardship; want
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prodigious
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marvelous; enormous
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profligate
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dissipated; wasteful; wildly imoral
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prolixity
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tedious wordiness; verbosity
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promontory
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headland
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prophylactic
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used to prevent disease
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propitious
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favorable; fortunate; advantageous
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proscenium
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part of stage in front of curtain
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prosody
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the art of versification
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provenance
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origin or source of something
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provender
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dry food; fodder
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provident
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displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies
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proviso
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stipulation
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proxy
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authorized agent
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pugilist
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boxer
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pulchritude
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beauty; comeliness
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pulmonary
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pertaining to the lungs
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punctilious
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stressing niceties of conduct or form; minutely attentive (perhaps too much so) to fine points.
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punitive
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punishing
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purchase
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firm grasp or footing
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pylon
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marking post to guide aviators; steel tower supporting cables or telephone lines
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quisling
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traitor who aids invaders
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quorum
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number of members necessary to conduct a meeting
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rakish
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stylish; sporty
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ramshackle
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rickety; falling apart
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rarified
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made less dense (a gas)
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ratiocination
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reasoning; act of drawing conclusions from premises
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ravel
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fall apart into tangles; unravel or untwist; entangle
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reactionary
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opposing progress; politically ultraconservative
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rebus
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a puzzle in which pictures stand for words
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recrimination
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countercharges
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regatta
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boat or yacht race
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regeneration
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spiritual rebirth
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remonstrance
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protest; objection
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remunerative
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compensating; rewarding
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repartee
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clever reply
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reprobation
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severe disapproval (reprobate: person hardened in sin)
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repartee
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clever reply
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reprove
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censure; rebuke
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restive
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restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control
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retrench
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cut down; economize
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ribald
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wanton; profane
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riddle
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pierce with holes; permeate or spread throughout
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rider
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amendment or clause added to a legistlative bill
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rife
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abundant; current
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rile
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vex; irritate; muddy
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roil
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to mae liquids murky by stirring up sediment; to disturb
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roseate
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rosy; optimistic
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rostrum
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platform for speech-making; pulpit
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rue
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regret; lament; morn
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runic
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mysterious; set down in an ancient alphabet
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rusticate
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banish to the country; dwell in the country
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sanguinary
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bloody
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sanguine
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cheerful; hopeful
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saturnine
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gloomy
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scad
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a great quantity
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scintilla
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shred; least bit
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scott
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stamp out; thwart; hinder
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scurrilous
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obscene; indecent
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scurvy
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despicable; contemptible
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scuttle
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sink (a ship)
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seamy
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sordid; unwholesome
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secrete
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hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism
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sedulous
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diligent
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septic
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putrid; producing putrefaction
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shyster
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lawyer using questionable methods
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sibylline
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prophetic; oracular
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simper
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smirk; smile affectedly
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sinewy
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tough, strong, firm
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skinflint
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stingy person; miser
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skulduggery
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dishonest behavior
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slag
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residue from smelting metal; dross; waste matter
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sleeper
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something originally of little value or importance that in time becomes very valuable
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sleight
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dexterity (also deceitful skill)
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slipshod
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untidy or slovenly; shabby
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sluice
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artificial chanel for directing or controlling the flow of water
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smelt
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melt or blend ores, changing their chemical composition
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solder
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repair or make whole by using a metal alloy
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solecism
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construction that is flagrantly incorrect gramatically
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solvent
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able to pay all debts
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spangle
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small metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation
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spate
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sudden flood
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sphinx-like
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enigmatic, mysterious
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spoonerism
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accidental transposition of sounds in successive words.
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