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250 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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daub
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smear (as with paint)
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dearth
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scarcity
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debacle
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sudden downfall; complete disaster
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debauch
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corrupt; seduce from virtue
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debonair
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friendly; aiming to please
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debunk
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expose as false, exaggerated, worthless, etc.; ridicule
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decry
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express strong disapproval of; disparage
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deface
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mar; disfigure
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default
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failure to act
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defer
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v. delay till later; exempt temporarily
v. give in respectfully; submit |
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deference
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courteous regard for another's wish
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defray
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pay the costs of
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defuse
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remove the fuse of a bomb; reduce or eliminate a threat
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degenerate
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become worse; deteriorate
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deign
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condescend (lower oneself; act haughtily); stoop
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demur
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object (because of doubts, scruples); hesitate
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demure
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grave; serious; coy
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denigrate
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blacken
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denizen
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inhabitant or resident; regular visitor
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denotation
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meaning; distinguishing by name
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denounce
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condemn; criticize
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deplore
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regret; disapprove
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deposition
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testimony under oath
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depravity
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extreme corruption; wickedness
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deprecate
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express disapproval of; protest against; belittle
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depredation
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plundering
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descant
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discuss fully
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descry
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catch sight of
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desolate
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adj. unpopulated
v. rob of joy; lay waste to; forsake (abandon) |
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despondent
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depressed; gloomy
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determination
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resolve; measurement or calculation; decision
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detraction
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slandering; aspersion
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detrimental
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harmful; damaging
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dialectical
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relating to the art of debate; mutual or reciprocal
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diaphanous
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sheer; transparent
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diffidence
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shyness
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diffuse
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wordy; rambling; spread out (like a gas)
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dilapidated
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ruined because of neglect
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dilatory
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delaying
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dilettante
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aimless follower of the arts; amateur; dabbler
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dinghy
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small ship's boat
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dingy
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dull; not fresh; cheerless
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diorama
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life-size three-dimensional scene from nature or history
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disabuse
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correct a false impression; undeceive
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disaffected
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disloyal
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disavowal
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denial; disclaiming
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discomfit
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put to rout; defeat; disconcert
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discrete
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separate; unconnected
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discursive
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digressing; 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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dislodge
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remove (forcibly)
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dispatch
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speediness; prompt execution; message sent with all due speed
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dispel
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scatter; drive away; cause to vanish
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dissemble
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disguise; pretend
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dissident
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dissenting; rebellious
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dissipate
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squander; waste; scatter
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dissolution
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breaking of a union; decay; termination
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divest
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strip; deprive
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divine
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perceive intuitively; foresee the future
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divulge
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reveal
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doctrinaire
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unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding
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doff
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take off
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doggerel
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poor verse
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dogmatic
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opinionated; arbitrary; doctrinal
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doldrums
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blues; listlessness; slack period
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don
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put on
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dormer
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window projecting from roof
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dossier
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file of documents on a subject
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dowdy
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slovenly; untidy
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draconian
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extremely severe
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dregs
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sediment; worthless residue
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drivel
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nonsense; foolishness
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droll
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queer and amusing
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dulcet
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sweet sounding
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duress
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forcible restraint, especially unlawfully
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dutiful
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respectful; obedient
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ebullient
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showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm
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eclectic
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composed of elements drawn from disparate sources
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eclipse
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darken; extinguish; surpass
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eddy
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swirling current of water, air, etc.
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effusive
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pouring froth; gushing
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egregious
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notorious; conspicuously bad or shocking
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elegy
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poem or song expressing lamentation
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elicit
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draw out by discussion
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ellipsis
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omission of words from a text
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elliptical
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oval; ambiguous, either purposely or because key words have been left out
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embargo
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ban on commerce or other activity
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empathy
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ability to identify with another's feelings, ideas, etc.
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empirical
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based on experience
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enclave
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territory enclosed within an alien land
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enervate
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weaken
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engage
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attract; hire; pledge oneself; confront
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ennui
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boredom
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ensconce
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settle comfortably
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enterprising
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full of initiative
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entitlement
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right to claim something; right to benefits
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eon
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long period of time; an age
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episodic
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loosely connected; divided into incidents
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epitome
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perfect example or embodiment
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equable
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tranquil; steady; uniform
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equine
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resembling a horse
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equitable
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fair; impartial
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equity
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fairness; justice
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erratic
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odd; unpredictable
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eschew
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avoid
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esoteric
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hard to understand; known only to the chosen few
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ethos
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underlying character of a culture, group, etc.
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euphoria
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feeling of great happiness and well-being (sometimes exaggerated)
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evince
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show clearly
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exacting
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extremely demanding
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exceptionable
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objectionable
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excoriate
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scold with biting harshness; strip the skin off
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execrable
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very bad
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exegesis
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explanation; interpretation, especially of a biblical text
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exhort
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urge
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exigency
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urgent situation
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exodus
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departure
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exorbitant
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excessive
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expansive
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outgoing and sociable; broad and extensive; able to increase in size
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expedient
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suitable; practical; politic
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expiate
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make amends for (a sin)
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expletive
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interjection; profane oath
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explicit
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totally clear; definite; outspoken
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exploit
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deed or action, particularly a brave deed
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expository
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explanatory; serving to explain
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expropriate
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take possession of
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expunge
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cancel; remove
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extant
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still in existence
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extradition
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surrender of prisoner by one state to another
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extraneous
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not essential; superfluous
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extrapolation
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projection; conjecture
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exult
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rejoice
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fabricate
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build; lie
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facile
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easily accomplished; ready or fluent; superficial
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faction
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party; clique; dissension
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fallacious
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false; misleading
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fatuous
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foolish; inane
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faze
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disconcert; dismay
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feasible
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practical
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feint
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trick; shift; sham blow
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felicitous
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apt; suitably expressed; well chosen
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fell
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cruel; deadly
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feral
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not domestic; wild
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ferment
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agitation; commotion
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figment
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invention; imaginary thing
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figurine
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small ornamental statuette
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filament
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fine thread or fiber; threadlike structure within a light bulb
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filch
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steal
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filibuster
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to block legislation by making long speeches
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finicky
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too particular; fussy
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fitful
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spasmodic; intermittent
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flabbergasted
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astounded; astonished; overcome with surprise
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flag
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droop; grow feeble
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flair
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talent
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flamboyant
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ornate
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fleece
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n. wool coat of a sheep
v. rob; plunder |
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flinch
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hesitate; shrink
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flit
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fly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by
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floe
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mass of floating ice
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flounder
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struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily or falter
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flout
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reject; mock
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fluke
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unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune
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foible
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weakness; slight fault
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foil
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n. contrast
v. defeat; frustrate |
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ford
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place where a river can be crossed on foot
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forestall
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prevent by taking action in advance
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formidable
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menacing; threatening
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forswear
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renounce; abandon
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fortitude
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bravery; courage
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fortuitous
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accidental; by chance
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founder
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fail completely; sink
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fracas
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brawl, melee
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fraternize
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associate in a friendly way
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fraught
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filled
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frolicsome
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prankish; gay
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frond
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fern leaf; palm or banana leaf
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fugitive
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fleeting or transitory; roving
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furlough
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leave of absence; vacation granted a soldier or civil servant
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furor
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frenzy; great excitement
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gaffe
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social blunder
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galaxy
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large, isolated system of stars, such as the Milky Way; any collection of brilliant personalities
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gale
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windstorm; gust of wind; emotional outburst (laughter, tears)
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gall
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n. bitterness; nerve
v. annoy; chafe |
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galvanize
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stimulate by shock; stir up; revitalize
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gambit
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opening in chess in which a piece is sacrificed
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gamely
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bravely; with spirit
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gargantuan
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huge; enormous
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garish
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over-bright in color; gaudy
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garnish
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decorate
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gauche
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clumsy; coarse and uncouth
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gavel
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hammerlike tool; mallet
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genesis
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beginning; origin
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geniality
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cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathy
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genteel
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well-bred; elegant
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gentility
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those of gentle birth; refinement
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gentry
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people of standing; class of people just below nobility
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germane
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pertinent; bearing upon the case at hand
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germinal
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pertaining to a germ; creative
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germinate
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cause to sprout; sprout
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gibe
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mock
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gloss over
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explain away
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glut
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overstock; fill to excess
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gorge
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n. small, steep-walled canyon
v. stuff oneself |
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graft
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piece of transplanted tissue; portion of plant inserted in another plant
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grandiose
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pretentious; high-flown; ridiculously exaggerated; impressive
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grill
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question severely
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grouse
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complain; fuss
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grueling
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exhausting
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guise
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appearance; costume
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halting
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hesitant; faltering
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harangue
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noisy speech
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harbinger
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forerunner
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harrowing
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agonizing; distressing; traumatic
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heckler
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person who harasses others
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hedonist
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one who believes that pleasure is the sole aim in life
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herbivorous
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grain-eating
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hermetic
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sealed by fusion so as to be airtight
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heterodox
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unorthodox; unconventional
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heyday
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time of greatest success; prime
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hiatus
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gap; interruption in duration or continuity; pause
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histrionic
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theatrical
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hoary
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white with age
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hoax
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trick; practical joke
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holster
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pistol case
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horde
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crowd
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horticultural
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pertaining to cultivation of gardens
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host
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great number; person entertaining guests; animal or plant from which a parasite gets its nourishment
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hovel
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shack; small wretched house
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humdrum
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dull; monotonous
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hurtle
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crash; rush
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husband
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use sparingly; conserve; save
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iconoclastic
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attacking cherished traditions
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idiom
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expression whose meaning as a whole differs from the meanings of its individual words; distinctive style
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impair
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injure; hurt
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impart
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reveal or tell; grant
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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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impervious
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impenetrable; incapable of being damaged or distressed
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impetuous
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violent; hasty; rash
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impinge
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infringe; touch; collide with
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implacable
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incapable of being pacified
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implore
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beg
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importunate
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urging; demanding
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importune
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beg insistently
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impregnable
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invulnerable
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improvident
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thriftless
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impugn
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dispute or contradict (often in an insulting way); challenge; gainsay
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incense
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enrage; infuriate
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inchoate
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recently begun; rudimentary; elementary
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