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250 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
pacify v
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To bring into a peaceful state
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packet n
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A bundle, as of letters
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pact n
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A covenant
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pagan n
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A worshiper of false gods
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pageant n
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A dramatic representation, especially a spectacular one
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palate n
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The roof of the mouth
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palatial adj
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Magnificent
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paleontology n
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The branch of biology that treats of ancient life and fossil organisms
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palette n
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A thin tablet, with a hole for the thumb, upon which artists lay their colors for painting
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palinode n
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A retraction
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pall v
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To make dull by satiety
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palliate v
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To cause to appear less guilty
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pallid adj
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Of a pale or wan appearance
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palpable n
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perceptible by feeling or touch
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palsy n
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Paralysis
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paly adj
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Lacking color or brilliancy
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pamphlet n
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A brief treatise or essay, usually on a subject of current interest
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pamphleteer v
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To compose or issue pamphlets, especially controversial ones
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panacea n
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A remedy or medicine proposed for or professing to cure all diseases
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Pan-American adj
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Including or pertaining to the whole of America, both North and South
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pandemic adj
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Affecting a whole people or all classes, as a disease
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pandemonium n
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A fiendish or riotous uproar
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panegyric n
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A formal and elaborate eulogy, written or spoken, of a person or of an act
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panel n
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A rectangular piece set in or as in a frame
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panic n
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A sudden, unreasonable, overpowering fear
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panoply n
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A full set of armor
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panorama n
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A series of large pictures representing a continuous scene
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pantheism n
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The worship of nature for itself or its beauty
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Pantheon n
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A circular temple at Rome with a fine Corinthian portico and a great domed roof
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pantomime n
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Sign-language
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pantoscope n
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A very wide-angled photographic lens
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papacy n
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The official head of the Roman Catholic Church
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papyrus n
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The writing-paper of the ancient Egyptians, and later of the Romans
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parable n
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A brief narrative founded on real scenes or events usually with a moral
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paradox n
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A statement or doctrine seemingly in contradiction to the received belief
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paragon n
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A model of excellence
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parallel v
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To cause to correspond or lie in the same direction and equidistant in all parts
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parallelism n
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Essential likeness
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paralysis n
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Loss of the power of contractility in the voluntary or involuntary muscles
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paralyze v
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To deprive of the power to act
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paramount adj
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Supreme in authority
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paramour n
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One who is unlawfully and immorally a lover or a mistress
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paraphernalia n
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Miscellaneous articles of equipment or adornment
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paraphrase v
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Translate freely
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pare v
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To cut, shave, or remove (the outside) from anything
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parentage n
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The relation of parent to child, of the producer to the produced, or of cause to effect
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Pariah n
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A member of a degraded class; a social outcast
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parish n
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The ecclesiastical district in charge of a pastor
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Parisian adj
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Of or pertaining to the city of Paris
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parity n
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Equality, as of condition or rank
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parlance n
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Mode of speech
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parley v
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To converse in
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parliament n
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A legislative body
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parlor n
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A room for reception of callers or entertainment of guests
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parody v
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To render ludicrous by imitating the language of
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paronymous adj
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Derived from the same root or primitive word
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paroxysm n
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A sudden outburst of any kind of activity
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parricide n
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The murder of a parent
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parse v
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To describe, as a sentence, by separating it into its elements and describing each word
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parsimonious adj
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Unduly sparing in the use or expenditure of money
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partible adj
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Separable
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participant n
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One having a share or part
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participate v
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To receive or have a part or share of
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partition n
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That which separates anything into distinct parts
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partisan adj
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Characterized by or exhibiting undue or unreasoning devotion to a party
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passible adj
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Capable of feeling of suffering
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passive adj
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Unresponsive
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pastoral adj
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Having the spirit or sentiment of rural life
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paternal adj
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Fatherly
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paternity n
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Fatherhood
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pathos n
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The quality in any form of representation that rouses emotion or sympathy
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patriarch n
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The chief of a tribe or race who rules by paternal right
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patrician adj
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Of senatorial or noble rank
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patrimony n
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An inheritance from an ancestor, especially from one's father
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patriotism n
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Love and devotion to one's country
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patronize v
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To exercise an arrogant condescension toward
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patronymic adj
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Formed after one's father's name
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patter v
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To mumble something over and over
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paucity n
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Fewness
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pauper n
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One without means of support
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pauperism n
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Dependence on charity
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pavilion n
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An open structure for temporary shelter
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payee n
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A person to whom money has been or is to be paid
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peaceable adj
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Tranquil
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peaceful adj
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Tranquil
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peccable adj
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Capable of sinning
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peccadillo n
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A small breach of propriety or principle
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peccant adj
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Guilty
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pectoral adj
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Pertaining to the breast or thorax
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pecuniary adj
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Consisting of money
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pedagogics n
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The science and art of teaching
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pedagogue n
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A schoolmaster
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pedagogy n
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The science and art of teaching
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pedal n
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A lever for the foot usually applied only to musical instruments, cycles, and other machines
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pedant n
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A scholar who makes needless and inopportune display of his learning
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peddle v
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To go about with a small stock of goods to sell
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pedestal n
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A base or support as for a column, statue, or vase
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pedestrian n
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One who journeys on foot
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pediatrics n
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The department of medical science that relates to the treatment of diseases of childhood
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pedigree n
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One's line of ancestors
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peddler n
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One who travels from house to house with an assortment of goods for retail
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peerage n
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The nobility
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peerless adj
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Of unequaled excellence or worth
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peevish adj
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Petulant (irritable)
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pellucid adj
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Translucent
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penalty n
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The consequences that follow the transgression of natural or divine law
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penance n
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Punishment to which one voluntarily submits or subjects himself as an expression of
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penitence
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penchant n
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A bias in favor of something
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pendant n
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Anything that hangs from something else, either for ornament or for use
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pendulous adj
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Hanging, especially so as to swing by an attached end or part
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pendulum n
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A weight hung on a rod, serving by its oscillation to regulate the rate of a clock
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penetrable adj
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That may be pierced by physical, moral, or intellectual force
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penetrate v
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To enter or force a way into the interior parts of
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penetration n
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Discernment
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peninsular adj
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Pertaining to a piece of land almost surrounded by water
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penitence n
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Sorrow for sin with desire to amend and to atone
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penitential adj
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Pertaining to sorrow for sin with desire to amend and to atone
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pennant n
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A small flag
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pension n
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A periodical allowance to an individual on account of past service done by him/her
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pentagram n
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A figure having five points or lobes
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pentavalent adj
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Quinqeuvalent
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pentad n
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The number five
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pentagon n
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A figure, especially, with five angles and five sides
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pentahedron n
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A solid bounded by five plane faces
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pentameter n
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In prosody, a line of verse containing five units or feet
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pentathlon n
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The contest of five associated exercises in the great games and the same contestants
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penultimate adj
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A syllable or member of a series that is last but one
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penurious adj
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Excessively sparing in the use of money
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penury n
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Indigence
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perambulate v
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To walk about
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perceive v
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To have knowledge of, or receive impressions concerning, through the medium of the body senses
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perceptible adj
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Cognizable
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perception n
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Knowledge through the senses of the existence and properties of matter or the external world
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percipience n
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The act of perceiving
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percipient n
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One who or that which perceives
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percolate v
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To filter
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percolator n
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A filter
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percussion n
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The sharp striking of one body against another
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peremptory adj
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Precluding question or appeal
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perennial adj
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Continuing though the year or through many years
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perfectible adj
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Capable of being made perfect
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perfidy n
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Treachery
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perforate v
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To make a hole or holes through
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perform v
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To accomplish
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perfumery n
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The preparation of perfumes
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perfunctory adj
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Half-hearted
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perhaps adv
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Possibly
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perigee n
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The point in the orbit of the moon when it is nearest the earth
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periodicity n
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The habit or characteristic of recurrence at regular intervals
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peripatetic adj
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Walking about
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perjure v
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To swear falsely to
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perjury n
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A solemn assertion of a falsity
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permanence n
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A continuance in the same state, or without any change that destroys the essential form or nature
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permanent adj
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Durable
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permeate v
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To pervade
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permissible adj
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That may be allowed
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permutation n
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Reciprocal change, different ordering of same items
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pernicious adj
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Tending to kill or hurt
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perpendicular adj
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Straight up and down
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perpetrator n
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The doer of a wrong or a criminal act
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perpetuate v
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To preserve from extinction or oblivion
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perquisite n
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Any profit from service beyond the amount fixed as salary or wages
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persecution n
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Harsh or malignant oppression
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perseverance n
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A persistence in purpose and effort
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persevere v
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To continue striving in spite of discouragements
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persiflage n
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Banter
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persist v
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To continue steadfast against opposition
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persistence n
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A fixed adherence to a resolve, course of conduct, or the like
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personage n
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A man or woman as an individual, especially one of rank or high station
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personal adj
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Not general or public
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personality n
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The attributes, taken collectively, that make up the character and nature of an individual
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personnel n
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The force of persons collectively employed in some service
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perspective n
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The relative importance of facts or matters from any special point of view
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perspicacious adj
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Astute
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perspicacity n
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Acuteness or discernment
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perspicuous adj
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Lucid
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perspiration n
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Sweat
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perspire v
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To excrete through the pores of the skin
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persuade v
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To win the mind of by argument, eloquence, evidence, or reflection
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persuadable adj
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capable of influencing to action by entreaty, statement, or anything that moves the
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feelings
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pertinacious adj
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Persistent or unyielding
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pertinacity n
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Unyielding adherence
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pertinent adj
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Relevant
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perturb v
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To disturb greatly
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perturbation n
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Mental excitement or confusion
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perusal n
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The act of reading carefully or thoughtfully
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pervade v
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To pass or spread through every part
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pervasion n
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The state of spreading through every part
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pervasive adj
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Thoroughly penetrating or permeating
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perverse adj
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Unreasonable
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perversion n
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Diversion from the true meaning or proper purpose
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perversity n
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Wickedness
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pervert n
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One who has forsaken a doctrine regarded as true for one esteemed false
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pervious adj
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Admitting the entrance or passage of another substance
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pestilence n
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A raging epidemic
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pestilent adj
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Having a malign influence or effect
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pestilential adj
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having the nature of or breeding pestilence
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peter v
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To fail or lose power, efficiency, or value
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petrify v
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To convert into a substance of stony hardness and character
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petulance n
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The character or condition of being impatient, capricious or petulant
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petulant adj
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Displaying impatience
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pharmacopoeia n
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A book containing the formulas and methods of preparation of medicines for the use of druggists
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pharmacy n
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The art or business of compounding and dispensing medicines
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phenomenal adj
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Extraordinary or marvelous
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phenomenon n
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Any unusual occurrence
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philander v
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To play at courtship with a woman
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philanthropic adj
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Benevolent
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philanthropist n
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One who endeavors to help his fellow men
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philanthropy n
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Active humanitarianism
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philately n
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The study and collection of stamps
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philharmonic adj
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Fond of music
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philogynist n
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One who is fond of women
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philologist n
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An expert in linguistics
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philology n
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The study of language in connection with history and literature
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philosophize v
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To seek ultimate causes and principles
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philosophy n
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The general principles, laws, or causes that furnish the rational explanation of anything
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phlegmatic adj
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Not easily roused to feeling or action
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phonetic adj
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Representing articulate sounds or speech
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phonic adj
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Pertaining to the nature of sound
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phonogram n
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A graphic character symbolizing an articulate sound
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phonology n
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The science of human vocal sounds
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phosphorescence n
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The property of emitting light
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photoelectric adj
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Pertaining to the combined action of light and electricity
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photometer n
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Any instrument for measuring the intensity of light or comparing the intensity of two lights
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photometry n
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The art of measuring the intensity of light
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physicist n
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A specialist in the science that treats of the phenomena associated with matter and energy
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physics n
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The science that treats of the phenomena associated with matter and energy
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physiocracy n
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The doctrine that land and its products are the only true wealth
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physiognomy n
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The external appearance merely
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physiography n
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Description of nature
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physiology n
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The science of organic functions
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physique n
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The physical structure or organization of a person
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picayune adj
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Of small value
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piccolo n
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A small flute
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piece n
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A loose or separated part, as distinguished from the whole or the mass
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piecemeal adv
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Gradually
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pillage n
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Open robbery, as in war
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pillory n
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A wooden framework in which an offender is fastened to boards and is exposed to public scorn
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pincers n
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An instrument having two lever-handles and two jaws working on a pivot
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pinchers n
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An instrument having two jaws working on a pivot
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pinnacle n
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A high or topmost point, as a mountain-peak
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pioneer n
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One among the first to explore a country
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pious adj
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Religious
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pique v
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To excite a slight degree of anger in
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piteous adj
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Compassionate
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pitiable adj
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Contemptible
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pitiful adj
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Wretched
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pitiless adj
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Hard-hearted
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