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386 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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abate
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to reduce in amount degree or intensity; to lessen
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aberrant
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deviated from the normal or expected course
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abhor
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to detest
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abridge
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to reduce the length of; condense, especially a text
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abstruse
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difficult to understand
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accord
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an agreement or exercising free choice
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adamant
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impervious to pleas or reasoning, unyielding
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admonish
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to reprove warn or caution gently but earnestly
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adulate
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to fawn over; to excessively praise
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adverse
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acting or serving to oppose, antagonistic or unfavorable harmful
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aerate
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to expose to fresh air
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affable
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easy or pleasant to talk to, amiable
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altruism
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unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness
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amalgamate
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to unite into a whole
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ambiguous
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doubtful or uncertain
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ambivalence
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having conflicting feelings
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ameliorate
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to make better or improve
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amorphous
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without definite shape or form
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analgesic
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a medication that reduces or eliminates pain
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androgynous
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sexless
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anesthetic
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something that causes total or partial loss of physical sensation
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antidote
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an agent that counteracts a poison
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antipathy
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strong repugnance; an intense hatred or dislike for
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apathetic
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lack of emotion or concern
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apt
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well suited, appropriate or liable to, likely to quick to learn or understand
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arcane
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known to only a few, esoteric
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archaic
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no longer current; antiquated
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archetype
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an ideal example or original model after which other similar things are patterned
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astral
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of or resembling the stars
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astute
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shrew; exercising keen awareness or judgment
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atrium
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central area in a building, usually with a skylight
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august
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venerable; inspiring awe
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autonomous
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not controlled by others; independent self governing
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avant=grade
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a group active in the invention and application of new techniques in a given field, especially in the arts
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aversion
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intense dislike or hatred
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assiduous
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constant or diligent in application
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audacious
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adventurous, daring
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bovine, equine, ovine, porcine
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cows, horses, sheep, pigs
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banal
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completely ordinary
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belie
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to contradict
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blithe
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carefree, lighthearted
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brouhaha
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an uproar
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buffoon
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a ludicrous or bumbling person a fool
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buttress
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something that supports or reinforces
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cacophony
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jarring discordant sound
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cadebce
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a balanced rhythmic flow as in poetry marching
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cajole
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to urge with gentle repeated appeals flattery or teasing
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calumny
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a false statement deliberately made to injure another person's reputation slander
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canonize
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to declare a person a saint
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cantankerous
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ill tempered and quarrelsome
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capacious
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able to hold in large amount, spacious
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capricious
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impulsive, unpredictable
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caricature
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a representation in which they are exaggerated for comic effect; satire
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cartographer
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mapmaker
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catigate
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the criticize
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catholic
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universal, general
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cavalier
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haughty, carefree
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cerebral
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intellectual rather than emotional
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chasm
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a gorge
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chauvinist
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perjeudice of superiority
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chronology
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sequnce of events
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calivoyant
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a person who has the power to see objects not perceived by the senses
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coagulation
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formatoin of a soft semisolid or solid mass
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collude
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to act together secretly for an illegal purpose
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complacent
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content with self-satisfactoin; without concern
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conceit
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high opinion of one self
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concordant
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agreeing
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conflagration
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large fire
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conflate
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the bring together
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congeal
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to solidify
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congrous
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harmonious, suitable together
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connotation
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something suggested in addition to the literal meaning
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contaminate
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impure or unclean
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contentious
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argumentative
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corroborate
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the stregthen or support
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credulous
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gullible
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cryptic
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having a hidden meaning
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crystallize
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to give a definite or permanent form to
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curator
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one who manages and overseas a museum or other collection
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cursory
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performed with haste and scant attention to detail
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cynicism
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an attitude of jaded negativity
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daunt
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to intimidate or discourage
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dearth
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a scarce supply or lack of something
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debacle
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a sudden disastrous collapse downfall or defeat
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debase
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to lower in character, quality or value; degrade
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dogmatic
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marked by an authoritative, arrogant assertion of unproven principles; dictatorial
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deify
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to make a god of; to worship; to exalt
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deleterious
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harmful; injurious
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diminutive
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extremely small in size, tiny
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denigrate
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attack the reputation of defame
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deride
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to speak or treat with contemptuous mirth
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descant
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an ornamental musical melody played above a theme or a discussion or discourse on a particular theme or subject
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despot
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a ruler with absolute power; a tyrant
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didactic
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intending to instruct
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dilatory
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tending to delay
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dilettante
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a dabbler in an art of field of knowledge, and amateur
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disconsolate
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hopelessly sad, extremely dejected
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discordant
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lack of agreement; a harsh mingling of sounds
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discreet
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having or showing prudence and self-restraint in speech and behavior
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discrete
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individually distinct; separate
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disparage
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to speak in a slighting way; belittle
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dissemble
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to disguise the real nature of something
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dissonance
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a harsh, disagreeable combination of sounds; discord
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divulge
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to make known
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dubious
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fraught with uncertainty; undecided
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duplicity
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deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech
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edifice
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a building, especially a large building
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emigrate
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to leave one country in order to settle in another
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emollient
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softening and soothing, especially to the skin
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empathy
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identification with and understanding of another's situation or feelings
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endemic
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prevalent to a particular area or people
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enervating
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to weaken or destroy the strength or vitality
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enmity
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deep-seated often mutual hatred
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entomology
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a study of insects
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enunciate
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to pronounce with clarity, articulate
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epilogue
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a short summary at the end of written work
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prologue
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an introduction or preface
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epistle
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a letter, especially long formal one
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epitomize
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to be a typical example of, embody
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epitaph
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an inscription on a tombstone
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equanimity
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even-tempered; calm and composed
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erroneous
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incorrect or mistaken
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esoteric
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intended for or understood by few; secret
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estrange
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to make hostile; unsympathetic or indifferent, alienate
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eulogy
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a speech praising someone who has died
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euphoric
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a feeling of great happiness or well being
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expeditious
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acting or done with speed and efficiently
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expiate
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to atone or make amends for
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extol
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to praise highly
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exuberant
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high-spirited lively growing abundantly
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frigid
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extremely cold
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fallacy
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a false idea, deceit
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fatalism
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the doctrine that all events are determined by fate and therefore unalterable
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feign
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to represent falsely; to pretend
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feudalism
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a political and economic system of medieval
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foible
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a minor weakness or failing of character
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frenetic
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wildly excited or active frantic frenzied
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fricassee
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poultry or meat cut up and stewed in a gravy
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fulsome
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offensively flattering or insincere
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gargantuan
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of immense size; GIGANTIC
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gaudy
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showy in a tasteless or vulgar way
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genealogy
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the study of ones ancestry; a family tree
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genteel
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refined in manner, well-bred and polite
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gesticulate
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to make gestures while speaking, especially with hands
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hackneyed
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overused, trite
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hapless
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luckless unfortunate
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hedonism
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pursuit of or devotion to pleasure
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gregarious
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sociable
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hallmark
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indicating quality or excellence
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heretic
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one who holds unorthodox opinions
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hierarchy
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a grading or ranking or people or things by rank or ability
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hysterical
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marked by excessive or uncontrollable emotion such as fear or panic
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imperial
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of or relating to an empire, emperor or empress
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incisive
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penetrating, clear and sharp
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inclination
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a tendency or disposition toward something
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iconoclast
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one who attacks traditional ideas or institutions; a radical
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idiosyncrasy
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a structural or behavior peculiarity eccentricity
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idiom
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an expression having meaning that cannot be derived from the individual meanings of its words
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immutable
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not subject to change
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ineffable
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incapable or being expressed; unspeakable
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innocuous
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harmless
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insolent
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disrespectfully arrogant, rule
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insuperable
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impossible to overcome; insurmountable
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interstice
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a gap, space or time between things
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homogeneous
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referring to things similar or uniform in nature
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heterogeneous
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consisting of dissimilar elements or parts a mix
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hubris
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overbearing pride arrogance
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indelible
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impossible to remove erase or wash away
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indignation
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anger aroused by something unjust or mean
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infinite
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having no boundaries or limits, immeasurably great or large
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infinitesimal
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immeasurably or incalculably small
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impetuous
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impulsive
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impugn
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to challenge or fight against to attack as false
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inanimate
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lacking the qualities of a living organism
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incandescent
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shining brilliantly or brightly
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incongruous
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lacking in harmony incompatible
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inexorable
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relentless
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ingenious
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clever or inventive imaginative
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ingenuous
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artless lacking in cunning or guile
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innate
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possessed at birth, inherent
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innovative
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new or creative
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intemperate
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lack of control especially in the consumption of alcoholic beverages; excessive
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insidious
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intending to entrapl treacherous
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insinuate
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to enter into imperceptibly
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insipid
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not tasty or lacking interest; dull
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intransigent
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uncompromising
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irony
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the use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; an incongruity between what might be expected and what actually happens
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inundate
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to flood or overwhelm
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invective
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harsh and insulting language used to attack and denounce
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invocation
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the act of appealing to a higher power for help or inspiration
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jaded
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worn out, weary, cynically callous
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juxtapose
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to place side by side
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languid
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lacking energy or vitality weak
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latent
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having potential but not evident or active
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laudatory
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expressing or conferring praise
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levee
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an embarkment raised to prevent a river from overflowing
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licentious
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lacking moral restraint, especially sexual
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limerick
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a humorous or nonsensical verse with 5 lines
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loquacious
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very talkative
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lowing
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mooing; sound made by cattle
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ludic
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easily understood clear-minded rational
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luminary
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a body that gives off light or notable person with their field
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manifest
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clearly apparent in sight or understanding
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martial
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of or relation to the military
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monotony
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repetitiously boring or of one tone; unvarying
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mendicant
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a beggar
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malevolent
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having or exhibiting ill will; malicious
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mercurial
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quick and changeable in temperament; volatile
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meticulous
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extremely or excessively careful or precise
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milieu
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the setting or environment
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missive
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a written message
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mitigate
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to moderate; lessen
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morbid
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of or caused by disease or gruesome. grisly
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morose
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melancholy gloomy sad
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mundane
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of or concerned with the ordinary
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multiplicity
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a large number
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muse
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a source of inspiration or to think about at great length
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myopic
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shortsighted, either in vision or thinking
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narcissistic
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excessive love or admiration for oneself' conceit
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nascent
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coming into existence emergent
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nebulous
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cloudy misty or hazy vague
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nefarious
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infamous due to being very wicked
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negligible
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trifling not worth considering
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nemesis
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an unbeatable foe; the source of a downfall or ruin
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nimble
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quick and clever in movement or though
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nomad
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wanderer a person with no fixed home who moves from place to place
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nonchalant
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seeming to be coolly concerned or indifferent
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nullify
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to invalidate, to counteract the force of effectiveness of
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obnoxious
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very objectionable; odious
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obscure
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dim dark out of sight or ambiguous or vague
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obstinate
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stubbornly adhering to an attitude or course of action or difficult to manage, control or subdue
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obstreperous
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noisily and stubbornly defiant
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occlude
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to close or shut off
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officious
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overly eager in offering unwanted services or advise
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omnipotent
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all-powerful
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omnipresent
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present everywhere
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omniscient
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all-knowing
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orthodoxy
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what is commonly accepted or customary
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ostensible
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representing or appearing as such; apparent
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placate
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to allay the anger of; appease
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plagiarize
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to pass off another's ideas as one's own
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polemics
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the art or practice of debate or controversy
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panacea
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a cure-all
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paragon
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a model of excellence or perfection
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parch
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to make or become extremely dry. especially by exposure to heat
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obstinate
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stubbornly adhering to an attitude or course of action or difficult to manage, control or subdue
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obstreperous
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noisily and stubbornly defiant
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occlude
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to close or shut off
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officious
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overly eager in offering unwanted services or advise
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omnipotent
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all-powerful
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omnipresent
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present everywhere
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omniscient
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all-knowing
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orthodoxy
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what is commonly accepted or customary
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ostensible
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representing or appearing as such; apparent
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placate
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to allay the anger of; appease
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plagiarize
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to pass off another's ideas as one's own
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polemics
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the art or practice of debate or controversy
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panacea
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a cure-all
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paragon
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a model of excellence or perfection
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parch
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to make or become extremely dry. especially by exposure to heat
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parochial
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narrowly restricted in scope or outlook
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parsimony
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unusual or excessive frugality; stinginess
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artisan
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a strong supporter of a particular party or issue a guerrilla
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patriarchy
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a social system in which the father is the head of the family
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pedagogical
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related to teaching or education
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pellucid
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transparent or translucent, clear
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perfidy
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deliberate breach of faith, treachery
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perjure
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to lie under oath
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perspicuous
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easy to understand lucid
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peruse
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to read or examine, especially with great care
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pillage
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to rob of goods by force
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placebo
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an inactive substance used as a control in an experiment
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polyglot
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one who can speak, read and write in several language
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portent
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an indication os something about to occur; an omen
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pragmatic
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concerned with actual events and facts, practical
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portent
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an indication of something about to occur an omen
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pragmatic
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concerned with actual events and facts, practical
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precept
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a rule or principle prescribing a particular course of action or conduct
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precipitate
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impetuous; reckless, to hurl downward, to cause to happen suddenly, to rain or snow
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precipitous
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resembling a precipice (cliff) steep
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preclude
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to make impossible, prevent
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precocious
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marked by unusually early development or maturity
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prejudice
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an adverse judgement or opinion formed beforehand without any knowledge of the facts
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presumptuous
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going beyond what is right or proper, excessively forward, behavior based on overconfidence or arrogance
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prime number
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a positive number only divisible by itself and one, with the exception of the number 1
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pristine
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remaining in a pure state; uncorrupted
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proselytize
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to convert a person from one faith to another
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proclivity
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a natural inclination or predilection
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prodigy
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a marvel or wonder with rare or exceptional abilities
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prosaic
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straightforward, lacking in imagination
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pseudonym
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a fictitious name assumed by an author; a pen name
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punctilious
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precisely observing formalities and etiquette
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pundit
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a learned person, an authority
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putrid
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decomposed and foul-smelling; vile or corrupt
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quandary
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a state of uncertainty
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quantify
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to determine or express the quantity (number) of
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quintessence
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the pure, highly concentrated essence of something
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quip
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a witty, often sarcastic remark
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quizzical
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suggesting puzzlement, questioning
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rancor
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bitter, long-lasting resentment, enmity
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reap
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to harvest a crop, to obtain as a result of effort
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rebuff
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to reject bluntly
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recapitulate
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to repeat in a more concise form to summarize
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redundant
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needlessly repetitive; verbose
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refute
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to prove false
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relinquish
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to give up, surrender or abandon
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repertoire
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the stock of songs plays or other works that a player or company has prepared to perform or the range of skills or accomplishments of a person
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repudiate
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to refuse to recognize or acknowledge, to reject the validity of
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residue
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the remainder of something after removal of part of it
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retroactive
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referring to a period before enactment
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rhetoric
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language that ir pretentious or insincere
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rhetorical question
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a question to which no answer is expected
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rudimentary
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being in the earliest stages of development elementary incipient
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sacrilegious
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grossly irreverent
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sacrosanct
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inviolably sacred
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salutary
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beneficial wholesome especially in matters relating to health
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sanguine
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cheerful or optimistic reddish in color
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sarcasm
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a cutting remark often intending to hurt
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satire
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an artistic work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony derision or wit
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scrupulous
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conscientious painstaking or having principles
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scurrilous
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vulgar, abusive
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shroud
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a cloth used to wrap a body for burial. something that conceals, protects or screens
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skepticism
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a doubting or questioning attitude
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solipsism
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the philosophical theory that the self is the only reality; egoism
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solvent
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able to meet financial obligations, a liquid capable or dissolving in other liquids
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smug
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self-satisfied or complacent
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soporific
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sleep inducing
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spate
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a sudden outpouring
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specious
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deceptively attractive; seemingly true but actually false
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spurious
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lacking authenticity or validity, false
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squatter
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a person illegally living on public land
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stenographer
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a person who takes notes in shorthand
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stolid
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impassive unemotional
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stringent
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severe, constricted or tight
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squander
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to spend or use extravagantly; to waste
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subterfuge
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a deceptive stratagem or device
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substantiate
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to support with proof or evidence
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superficial
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shallow, concerned with surface
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superfluous
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beyond what is required
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supplant
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to take the place of, supersede
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surmount
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to overcome or conquer
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surreptitious
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secret, stealthy
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succinct
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brief or clear in expression, consice
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sycophant
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a person who tries to win favor by flattering influential people
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symbiosis
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a close associate between two or more different organisms, especially when mutually beneficial
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synergy
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a working together so that the combined effect of two items os greater than the sum of the individual parts
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synthesis
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the process of combining separate parts to make a whole
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talismanic
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relating to something that is believed to have magic powers
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tawdry
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gaudy and cheap, shameful, indecent
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tedium
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boredom; monotony
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tenuous
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long and slender; flimsy
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tenacious
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stubbornly holding together or to a belief
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tirade
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an angry speech; a diatribe
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touchstone
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a test of authenticity or value, a standard
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toxic
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poisonous
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toxin
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a poisonous substance
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tractable
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easily managed or controlled
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tramp
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to walk heavily, or one who wanders aimlessly
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translucent
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partially transparent
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trepidation
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dread, anticipation
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trove
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hidden treasure
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truculent
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disposed to fight, pugnacious
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turpitude
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depravity, baseness
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tyranny
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a government in which one ruler is vested with absolute power, often characterized by excessive cruelty and severity
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unequivocal
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open to no doubt or misunderstanding; clear
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unpalatable
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not agreeable to the taste or not acceptable to the mind or sensibilities
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urbane
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polite and refined in manner, suave
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usurp
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to seize and hold by force without legal authority
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utopian
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excellent or ideal, but visionary
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veneer
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a thin surface layer
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verbatim
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word for word
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verbose
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using more words than is necessary; wordy
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verisimilitude
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something that appears to be true or real
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vignette
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a brief literary or dramatic sketch
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virulent
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bitterly hostile or antagonistic; extremely infectious
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viscous
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having a relatively high resistance to flow
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vitiate
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to corrupt or invalidate
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vivacious
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full of animation and spirt; lively
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vociferous
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making an outcry; clamorous
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wan
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unnaturally pale, weak or sad
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wane
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to decrease in size, intensity or degree; to fade or decline
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watershed
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a turning point, the region draining into a body of water
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wheedle
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to cajole or attempt to persuade
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winnow
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to sort into categories, especially into categories of good and bad
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wistfully
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full of wishful yearning, pensively sad, melancholy
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zealous
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filled with enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal
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