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250 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
abjure
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renounce upon oath
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ablution
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washing
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abnegation
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renunciation; self-sacrifice
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abortive
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unsuccessful; fruitless
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accolade
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award of merit
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accoutre
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equip
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accost
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approach and speak first to a person
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acme
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peak; pinnacle; highest point
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actuarial
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calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
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acutate
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motivate
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adjuration
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solemn urging
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adjutant
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staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
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abase
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lower, degrade, humiliate
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advert
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refer to
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aegis
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shield, defense
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affidavit
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written statement made under oath
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agape
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open-mouthed
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agog
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highly excited; intensely curious
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alimony
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payment made to an ex-spouse after divorce
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alluvial
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pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
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amok/amuck
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in a a state of rage
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analgesic
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causing insensitivity to pain
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animadversion
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critical remark
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animus
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hostile feeling or intent
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anneal
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reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling
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annuity
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yearly allowance
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anodyne
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a drug that relieves pain, opiate
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ape
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immitate, mimic
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aphasia
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loss of speech due to injury or illness
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apiary
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a place where bees are kept
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apogee
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highest point
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apposite
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appropriate, fitting
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apropos
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with reference to; regarding
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arcade
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a covered passageway, usually lined with shops
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aria
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operatic solo
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array
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marshall; draw up in order;
clothe; adorn |
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arrears
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being in debt
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arroyo
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gully
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ascendancy
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controlling influence
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ashen
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ash-colored, deadly pale
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askance
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with a sideways or indirect look
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assay
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analyze, evaluate
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astigmatism
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eye defect that prevents proper focus
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astronomical
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enormously large or extensive
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audit
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examination of accounts
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aureole
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sun's corona; halo
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auroral
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pertaining to the aurora borealis
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awl
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pointed tool used for piercing
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awry
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distorted; crooked
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bacchanalian
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drunken
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badinage
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teasing conversation
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bait
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harass; tease
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balk
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stop short, as if faced with an obstacle; foil
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ballast
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heavy substance used to add stability or weight
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balmy
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mild, fragrant
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bandy
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discuss lightly or glibly, exchange words heatedly
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bantering
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good-naturedly ridiculing
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barb
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sharp projection from fishook or other object; openly cutting remark
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barefaced
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shameless; bold; unconcealed
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barrister
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counselor-at-law
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beatific
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giving bliss; blissful
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behemouth
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huge creature; something of monstrous size or power
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beholden
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obligated; indebted
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beleaguer
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besiege or attack; harass
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betoken
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signify; indicate
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bicameral
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two-chambered, as a legislative body
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bilious
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suffering from indigestion; irritable
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bivouac
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temporary encampment
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blandishment
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flattery
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blowhard
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talkative boaster
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bluff
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rough but good natured; pretense, deception
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bouillion
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clear beef soup
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bowdlerize
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expurgate
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braggadocio
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boasting
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brindled
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tawny or grayish with streaks or spots
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buffet
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slap; batter; knock about
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bugaboo
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bugbear; object of baseless terror
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bulwark
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earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends
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calorific
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heat-producing
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canker
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an ulcerous sore; any evil
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cant
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insincere expressions of piety; jargon of thieves
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cantankerous
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ill-humored; irritable
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cantata
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story set to music, to be sung by the chorus
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canto
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division of a long poem
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capillary
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having a very fine bore
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carafe
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glass water bottle; decanter
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cataract
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great waterfall; eye abnormality
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caucus
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private meeting of members of a party to select officers or determine policy
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caulk
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to make watertight (by plugging seams)
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cavalier
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casual, offhand; arrogant
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cavil
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make frivolous objections
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celerity
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speed; rapidity
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centrifuge
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machine that separates substances by whirling them
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chaffing
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bantering, joking
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chase
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to ornament a metal surface by indenting
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chassis
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framework and working parts of an automobile
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chisel
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swindle or cheat; cut with a chisel
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ciliated
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having minute hairs
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cipher
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nonentity, worthless person or thing; secret code
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clangor
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loud, resounding noise
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clapper
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striker(tongue) of a bell
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clarion
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shrill, trumpetlike sound
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clavicle
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collarbone
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clime
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region, climate
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codicil
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supplement to the body of a will
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cog
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tooth projecting from a wheel
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collate
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examine in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order
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colateral
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security given for loan
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colloquy
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informal discussion
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comestible
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something fit to be eaten
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comeuppance
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rebuke; deserts
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comity
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courtesy, civility
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compound
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combine; constitute; pay interest; increase
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concatenate
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link as in a chain
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concerted
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mutually agreed on; done together
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conclave
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private meeting
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concort
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prepare by combining; make up in concert
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condign
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adequate; deservedly severe
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congenital
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existing at birth
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collation
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a light meal
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connubial
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pertaining to marriage of the matrimonial state
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consanguinity
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kinship
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consign
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deliver officially; entrust, set apart
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constituent
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supporter
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consummate
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(adj) complete
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contravene
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contradict, oppose
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convivial
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festive, gay; characterized by joviality
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cordial
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gracious; heartfelt
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cornice
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projecting molding on building (usually above columns)
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corrugated
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wrinkled; ridged
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contraband (n)
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illegal trade; smuggling
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courier
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messenger
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cow
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terrorize; intimidate
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cull
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pick out; reject
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culvert
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artificial channel for water
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cupidity
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greed
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cursive
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flowing, running
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cynosure
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object of general attention
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dapper
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neat and trim
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daub
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smear (as with paint)
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debonair
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friendly; aiming to please
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de'collete'
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having a low-cut neckline
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derelict
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abandoned; negligent
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default
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failure to act
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desperado
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reckless outlaw
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devolve
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deputize; pass to others
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dialectical
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relating to the art of debate; mutual or reciprocal
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dictum
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authoritative and weighty statement; saying, maxim
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diffuse
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wordy, rambling; spread out
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dinghy
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a small boat
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disaffected
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disloyal
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disconsolate
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sad
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discursive
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disgressing; rambling
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disembark
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go ashore, unload cargo from a ship
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disgorge
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surrender something; eject; vomit
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disport
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amuse
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disquisition
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formal systematic inquiry; an explanation of the results of a formal inquiry
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distend
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expand, swell
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distrait
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absentminded
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divest
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strip, deprive
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docket
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program as for a trial; book where such entries are made
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doff
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take off (as in a hat)
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dogged
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determined, stubborn
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dormer
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window projecting from roof
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dowdy
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slovenly, untidy
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ductile
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malleable; flexible; pliable
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dissipate
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squander, waste; scatter
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dyspeptic
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suffering from indigestion
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earthy
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unrefined, coarse
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ebb
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recede; lessen
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ejaculation
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exclamation
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elysian
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relating to paradise; blissful
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embargo
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ban on commerce or other activity
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embryonic
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underdeveloped; rudimentary
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emetic
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substance causing vomiting
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emollient
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soothing or softening remedy
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emolument
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salary; compensation
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encomiastic
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praising; eulogizing
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errant
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wandering
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eschew
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avoid
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ethos
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underlying character of a culture, group, etc
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endue
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provide with some quality; endow
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engage
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attract; hire; pledge oneself; confront
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engaging
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charming, attractive
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entomology
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the study of insects
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epaulet
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ornament worn on the shoulder
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euphemism
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mild expression in place of an unpleasant one
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exchequer
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treasury
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execrable
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very bad
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exiguous
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small, minute
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expansive
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outgoing and sociable; broad and extensive; able to increase in size
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expedite
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hasten
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expostulate
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to reason earnestly with a person for purposes of dissuasion or remonstrance
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extradition
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surrender of a prisoner by one state to another
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factitious
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artificial; sham
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factotum
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handyman; person who does all kinds of work
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ectomorphic
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characterized by a light body build with slight muscular development
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fancier
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breeder or dealer of animals
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febrile
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feverish
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fell
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cruel, deadly; to cut down
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ferment
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agitation, commotion
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fiat
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command
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filch
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steal
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fillibuster
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block legislation by making long speeches
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firebrand
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hothead, troublemaker
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flaccid
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flabby
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fleece
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rob; plunder; wool coat of a sheep
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flail
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thresh grain by hand; strike or slap; toss about
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flippant
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lacking proper seriousness
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floe
|
mass of floating ice
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flotsam
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drifting wreckage
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fluted
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having vertical parallel grooves (as in a pillar)
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foil (n)
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contrast
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foist
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insert improperly; palm off
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forensic
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suitable to debate or courts of law
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fractious
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unruly
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fraught
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filled
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frieze
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an ornamental band on a wall
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fritter
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waste
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frond
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fern leaf; palm or banana leaf
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funeral
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sad, solemn
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furor
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frenzy, great excitement
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fusillade
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simultaneous firing or outburst
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florid
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ruddy; reddish; flowery
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gall
|
annoy; chafe
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gamely
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in a spirited manner, with courage
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gamut
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entire range
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gastronomy
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the science of preparing and serving good food
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gaunt
|
lean and angular; barren
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gentility
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those of gentle birth; refinement
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gerontocracy
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government ruled by old people
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gerrymander
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change voting district lines in order to favor a political party
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gestate
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evolve, as in prenatal growth
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girth
|
distance around something
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glower
|
scowl
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granulate
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form into grains
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gratuity
|
tip (as opposed to gratuitous)
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grotto
|
small cavern
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grouse
|
complain, fuss
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guffaw
|
boisterous laughter
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guy
|
cable or chain attached to something that needs to be braced or steadied
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gyroscope
|
apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc.
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hackles
|
hairs on the back and neck, especially of a dog
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haggard
|
wasted away; gaunt
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halcyon
|
peaceful, calm
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hale
|
healthy
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hap
|
chance, luck
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harbinger
|
forerunner
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harry
|
harass, annoy, torment; raid
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heckler
|
person who verbally harasses others
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