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220 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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abscond
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to depart secretly
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acerbic
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[uh SUR bik] adj. sharp and forthright
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acidulous
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[u SID yoo lus] adj. sharp-tasting; sour
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acrimonious
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[a kri MOH ni us] adj. angry and bitter
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aesthete
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person who is appreciative of art and beauty
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aloof
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[uh LOOF] distant, reserved in manner; uninvolved <on roof because aloof>
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alturistic
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concerened unselfishly for others' welfare
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ambiance
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[AM bee uns] mood, feeling; general atmosphere <ambulance>
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amenity
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something that contributes to physical or material comfort
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amulet
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[AM yoo lit] n. ornament or small piece of jewellery worn as protection against evil
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anachronistic
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out-of-date, nont attributed to the correct historical period
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ancillary
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[an SIL uh ri] adj. providing subsidiary support; additional, supplementary
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arcane
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[ar KAYN] adj. understood by few; mysterious
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ascetic
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[u SE tik] strictly self-disciplined and avoiding any pleasures or luxuries
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askew
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to one side; crooked; awry; a sidelong look of contempt <cue>
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asperity
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[u SPER ri ti] n. harshness of tone or manner; rough edge on a surface
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assuage
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lessen; appease
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asunder
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[uh SUN dur] in separte parts; apart from each other in position <thunder>
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auspicious
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[aw SPI shus] adj. indicating a good chance of success; favorable
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austere
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[aw STEER] stern, as in manner; without excess, unadorned, severly simple and plain <steer>
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ballistics
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[buh LISS ticks] the study of the dynamics or flight characteristics of projectiles <lipstick>
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banal
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dull because of overuse
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beguile
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to deceive, delude, cheat
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beleaguer
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[be LEE gur] to besiege; beset, surround, harass <beleaguer big leaguers>
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bemusing
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[bi MYOOZ ing] adj. confusing or bewildering
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beneficent
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beneficial; characterized by performing acts of kindness or charity
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benign
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of a kind and gentle disposition; favorable
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bludgeon(BLUD jun)
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a short heavy, thick club that has one end larger than the other <dungeon>
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bolster
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v. support or strengthen
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bonhomie
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good-natured disposition
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boon
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blessing, something to be thankful for
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braggart
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n. one who boasts a great deal
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bravura
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great skill and brilliance
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brevity
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n. briefness or conciseness in speech or writing
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bulwark
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[BULL wurk] a defensive wall; something serving as a principal defense <bulls work>
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cacophony
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[kuh KAFH uh nee] harsh sounds <cough>
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cairn
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pile of stones built as a memorial or landmark
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calumny
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[KAL lum nee] making of false and defamatory statements about someone
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camaraderie
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trust; sociability
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candor
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honesty, openness
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castigate
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reprimand severely
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caustic
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[KAW stik] adj. able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action; scathingly sarcastic
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cerebral
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[suh REE brul] of or relating to the brain; an intellectual person <cereal>
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chattel
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[chatel] an item of personal, movalble property; slave <cattle>
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circumlocution
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[sur kum loh KYOO shun] n. speaking in circles; roundabout speech
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colloquial
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[ku LOH kwee ul] adj. pertaining to common everyday speech; conversational
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complacent
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adj. self-satisfied; smug
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concise
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adj. using few words in speaking and writing
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concoct
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make a meal by combining ingredients
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conflate
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[kun FLAYT] combine into one
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connoisseur
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[kahn uh SUR]an expert, particularly in matter of art and taste <king of the sewer>
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contemptuous
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[kun TEM choo us] adj. lacking respect; scornful
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coterie
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[KOH tuh ree] a circle of close associates or friends <coat for three>
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countenance
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[COWN tuh nuhns] n. facial expression; support or approval
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covert
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hidden, secret
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cower
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cringe from fear; to shrink away <coward>
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cranny
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a small opening as in a wall or rock face <granny>
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cryptic
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adj. mysterious or obscure in meaning
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demagogue
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leader, rabble-rouser, usually appearling to emotion or prejudice
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depraved
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morally debased, wretched
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diabolical
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fiendish; wicked
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diffuse
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[di FYOOS] adj. spread out, not concise; wordy
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dilatory
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[DIL lu tor ee] slow to act; intended to cause delay
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discreet
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careful not to give offense or attract attention
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disdainful
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adj. full of bitter scorn and pride; aloof
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disembody
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seperating from or existing without body
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dupe
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to deceive or trick; one who is tricked
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efface
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[uh FACE] to rub away <erase face>
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egotistical
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adj. excessively self-absorbed; very conceited
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eloquence
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n. artful ease with speaking; speech that can impact people's feelings
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emollient
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[i MOL li unt] having the qualit of softenin or soothing the skin; attempthing to avoid confrontation or anger; calming
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empathy
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sensitivity to the feelings of others
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enmity
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hostility; antagonism
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enshroud
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to cover, enclose with a dark cover
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espouse
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[ih SPOWZ] v. adopt or support
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exorbitant
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extravagant, going beyond what is reasonable
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expunge
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[ex PUNGE] to remove; to delete; to erase <sponge>
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exquisite
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carefully selected; beautiful
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fawn
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to flatter excessively, seek the favor of
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fealty
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[FEE ul ti] n. feudal tenant's or vassal's sworn loyalty to a lord
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feat
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act or deed
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feign
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to pretend, give a false impression; to invent falsely
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foray
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sudden attack into enemy territory
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forbear
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[for BAYR] to refrain from; to abstain; to be patient or tolerant <forbear feeding the four bears>
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furtive
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secrety, stealthy
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garrulous
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[GA ru lus] adj. talkative; loquacious<garrulous gorillas>
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giddy
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light-headed, dizzy, frivolous <city>
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gingerly
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careful, cautious
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girth
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the distance around something; to encircle; to secure with a band that encircles the body of an animal <birth>
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gossamer
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delicate cobwebs; sheer gauzy fabric
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grandiloquent
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[gran DIL oh kwunt] adj. using big and fancy words when speaking for the purpose of impressing others
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hackneyed
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made commonplace by overuse
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hanker
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yearn
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harrowing
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extremely distressed; disturbing, frightening <hare rowing>
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haughty
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adj. having great pride in oneself and dislike for others
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hermit
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person who lives in seclusion and solitude
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histrionic
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[his tree AHN ik] overly dramatic, theatrical <history>
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hyperbolic
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exaggerated
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hypothesis
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assupmtion, theory requiring proof
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illicit
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illegal, improper
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impede
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[im PEED] to obstruct or interfere with; to delay <impede speeding>
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impenitent
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[im PEN ih tunt] not feeling shame or regret
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impetuous
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rash, impulsive
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impugn
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[im PYOON] dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of
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incite
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[en SIGHT] to arouse to action
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incongruous
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[in KAHN grew us] not appropriate, unsuited to the surroudings; not fitting in <congress>
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indolent
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habitually lazy, idle
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indubitable
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[in DYOO bi tu bl] adj. impossible to doubt, unquestionable
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inextricable
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not able to be moved or disentangled
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infamy
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reputation for bad deeds
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inimical
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unfriendly
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inscrutable
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[in SKROO tu bul] adj. impossible to understand or interpret
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insipid
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lacking flavor or taste; unexciting
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insolent
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adj. boldly disrespectful in speech or behavior; rude
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invidious
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likely to provoke ill-will, offensive
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kismet
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[KIZ met] n. destiny; fate
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lackluster
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lacking vitality, energy, brightness; boring
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laconic
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adj. using few words in speech
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lassitude
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[LAS uh tood] listlessness; torpor, weariness <lazy dude>
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loquacious
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[loh KWAY shus] adj. very talkative; liking to talk; garrulous
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magnanimous
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generous, noble in spirit
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mainstay
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n. chief support or main part
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malefactor
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culprit; evildoer
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malevolent
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ill-willed; causing evil or harm to others
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malignant
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disposed to do evil; injurious
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marina
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place to keep a boat
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maverick
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unorthodox, independent-minded person
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maxim
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short statement expressim a general truth or rule of conduct
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mendacious
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dishonest
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mercenary
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motivated only by greed
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milieu
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[mill you] environment or surroundings <milieu of mildew>
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misanthrope
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person who hates human beings
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mordant
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adj. sharply sarcastic
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munificent
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generous
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muster
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gather together
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nefarious
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vicious, evil
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noxious
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harmful to living things; injurious to health
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obdurate
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[OB dyoo ruht] stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action
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obstreperous
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[ub STRE pur us] noisy and difficult to control
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odious
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hateful, contemptible
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ostentatious
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adj. having to do with showing off; pretentious
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pacific
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peaceful
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parsimonious
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extremely unwilling to spend money or use resources
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penurious
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[pi NYOO ri us] extremely poor; parsimonious
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perfidious
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[pur FI di us] deceitful and untrustworthy [perfidious lover]
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perverse
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improper; showing deliberate will not to fit in
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philanthropic
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humanitarian, charitable
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phlegmatic
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[fleg MAT tik] unemotional and stolidly calm
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platitude
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quality of being dull; obvious remark
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poise
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balance
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porcelain
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type of ceramic ware
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porcine
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[PORE sein] reminiscent of or pertaining to a pig; resembling a pig
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portentous
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[por TEN tus] adj. ominous
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prattle
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v. to speak on and on in a senseless and silly manner; to talk foolishly*prattle - baby's rattle
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presumptuous
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adj. too fwd or bold; overstepping proper bound
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pretentious
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prentending to be important, intelligent or cultured
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prevaricate
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to quibble, evade the truth
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probity
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[PROH bi ti] n. honesty and decency
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prodigal
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recklessly extravagant
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profligate
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corrupt, wasteful, extravagant
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propitiate
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[pru PISH ih ayt] v. win or regain the favor of, appease
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propitious
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[pru PISH us] adj. auspicious
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proponent
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[pru POH nuhnt] n. person who advocates a theory, proposal or project
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propulsive
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propelling force; act of propelling <propeller>
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prosaic
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dull; common place
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providential
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adj. opportune, occurring at a favorable time
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pugnacious
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quarrelsome
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querulous
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complaining; irratable
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queue
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to form or wait in line <Qs>
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quiescent
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[kwye EH sunt] adj. quiet; still; inactive
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quixotic
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[kwik SAHT ik] idealistic; totally impractical <idiotic>
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rancor
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bitter hatred
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rant
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V. to talk very loudly, even wildly
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recondite
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[ri KON dit] adj. obscure
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rectitude
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moral uprightness; honesty
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reprobate
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morally undisciplined person
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reticent
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[RET uh sunt] adj. not talking much; reserved
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revile
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hate; detest
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rhetorical
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adj. relating to speech that is used to persuade or have some effect; insincere in expression
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roster
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[raw ster] a list of names; especially of personnel available for duty <rooster on roster>
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rupture
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break or burst suddenly
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scathing
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adj. witheringly scornful; severely critical
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sinuous
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curvy, wavy
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slat
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thin strip of wood or metal
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slothful
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lazy
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solicitous
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attentive; eager
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spurious
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lacking authenticity, false
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stalwart
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[STAWL wurt] adj. loyal, reliable, and hard-working / n. stalwart supporter
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stolid
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[STAH lid] calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation
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substantiate
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to verify, confirm, provide supporting evidence
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succinct
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adj. clearly and briefly stated; concise
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supercilious
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[soo pur SI li us] adj. looking down on others; proud and scornful
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surfeit
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[SUR fit] excess; cause to be wearied of somethin through excess
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surreptitious
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secret, stealthy
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sustenance
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n. food and drink regarded as sustaining life; process of sustaining or keeping alive
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swagger
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v. to walk around in a proud, showy manner; to boast in a loud manner
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synergistic
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participating in synergy
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taciturn
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[TAS i turn] adj. silent; sparing of words; close mouthed
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talisman
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[TAL iz mun] n. object thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck
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teeter
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wobble
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tentative
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hesistant
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terse
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adj. using only the words that are needed to make the point; very concise
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toady
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flatterer, yes-man, hanger on
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trenchant
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[TREN chunt] cutting, incisive, having a sharp point; caustic, sarcastic <trench ant>
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trite
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unoriginal and stale due to overuse
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turbid
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[TUR bid] adj. cloudy, opaque; obscure
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undulate
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fluctuate
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ungainly
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ugly; clumsy
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vapid
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lacking freshness & zest; flat; stale
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variegated
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[VA ri gay tid] exhibiting different colors, especially as irregular patches or streaks
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veracious
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[vu RAY shs] adj. speaking or representing the truth
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verbose
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[vur BOHS] adj. using too many words; wordy; long-winded<verbose - a lot of verbs - wordy>
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verity
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n. truth
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vindicate
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to clear from blame or suspicion
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virulent
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extremely infectious; irritating, harsh or hateful
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vitiate
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[VI shi ayt] spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of; destroy or impair the legal validity of
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voluble
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[VAHL yu bul] adj. talking a great deal with ease; glib
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watershed
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area that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas; turning point in a state of affairs
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winsome
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attractive, appealing
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withering
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adj. scornful
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