Vf Sept 07 A

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totem

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noun

anything serving as a distinctive, often venerated, emblem or symbol.

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stucco

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noun

any of various finishes made with cement, plaster, or mortar, as albarium.

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breastworks

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noun

A temporary, quickly constructed fortification, usually breast-high. See Synonyms at bulwark.

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garrison

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noun
–noun
1. a body of troops stationed in a fortified place.

2.any military post, esp. a permanent one.

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redoubt

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noun

A small, often temporary defensive fortification.

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rebar

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noun

a steel bar or rod used to reinforce concrete.

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flanks

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noun.

1. The section of flesh on the body of a person or an animal between the last rib and the hip; the side.

2. A cut of meat from the flank of an animal.

3. A lateral part or side: the flank of a mountain.

4.
1. The right or left side of a military formation: an attack on both flanks.

2. The right or left side of a bastion.

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haunch

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–noun

1. the hip.

2. a hindquarter of an animal.

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colic

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noun

1. Severe abdominal pain caused by spasm, obstruction, or distention of any of the hollow viscera, such as the intestines.

2. A condition of unknown cause seen in infants less than three months old, marked by periods of inconsolable crying lasting for hours at a time for at least three weeks.

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siree

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(used as an intensive with no or yes): Will I go there again? No, sirree!

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polemic

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noun

–noun

1. a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine, etc.

2. a person who argues in opposition to another; controversialist.

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lurid

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adj

adjective

1. gruesome; horrible; revolting: the lurid details of an accident.

2. glaringly vivid or sensational; shocking: the lurid tales of pulp magazines.

3. terrible in intensity, fierce passion, or unrestraint: lurid crimes.

4. lighted or shining with an unnatural, fiery glow; wildly or garishly red: a lurid sunset.

5. wan(), pallid(), or ghastly in hue; livid.

Hint 12

wan –adjective
1. of an unnatural or sickly pallor; pallid; lacking color: His wan face suddenly flushed.

2. showing or suggesting ill health, fatigue, unhappiness, etc.: a wan look; a wan smile.

3. lacking in forcefulness, competence, or effectiveness: their wan attempts to organize the alumni.

pallid () adj
–adjective
1. pale; faint or deficient in color; wan: a pallid countenance.

2. lacking in vitality or interest: a pallid musical performance.

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dreck

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–noun Slang.

1. excrement; dung.

2. worthless trash; junk.

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wainscot

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–noun

1. wood, esp. oak and usually in the form of paneling, for lining interior walls.

2. the lining itself, esp. as covering the lower portion of a wall.

3. a dado, esp. of wood, lining an interior wall.

4. British. oak of superior quality and cut, imported from the Baltic countries for fine woodwork.

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wry

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1. produced by a distortion or lopsidedness of the facial features: a wry grin.

2. abnormally bent or turned to one side; twisted; crooked: a wry mouth.

3. devious in course or
purpose; misdirected; contrary; perverse; distorted (as in meaning)

4. bitterly or disdainfully ironic or amusing: a wry remark.

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flabby

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1. hanging loosely or limply, as flesh or muscles; flaccid.

2. lacking strength or determination.

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pinched

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v. tr.

1. To squeeze between the thumb and a finger, the jaws of a tool, or other edges.

2. To squeeze or bind (a part of the body) in a way that causes discomfort or pain: These shoes pinch my toes.

3. To nip, wither, or shrivel: buds that were pinched by the frost; a face that was pinched with grief.

4. To straiten(): "A year and a half of the blockade has pinched Germany" (William L. Shirer).

5. Slang To take (money or property) unlawfully. See Synonyms at steal.

6. Slang To take into custody; arrest.

7. To move (something) with a pinch bar.

8. Nautical To sail (a boat) so close into the wind that its sails shiver and its speed is reduced.

Hint 17

()straiten
verb (used with object)
1. to put into difficulties, esp. financial ones: His obligations had straitened him.

2. to restrict in range, extent, amount, pecuniary means, etc: Poverty straitens one's way of living.

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temperamental

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–adjective
1. having or exhibiting a strongly marked, individual temperament
.
2. moody, irritable, or sensitive: a temperamental artist.

3. given to erratic behavior; unpredictable.

4. of or pertaining to temperament; constitutional: temperamental differences.

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attenuate

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–verb (used with object)

1. to weaken or reduce in force, intensity, effect, quantity, or value: to attenuate desire.

2. to make thin; make slender or fine.

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equivocate

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verb

to use ambiguous or unclear expressions, usually to avoid commitment or in order to mislead; prevaricate() or hedge(): When asked directly for his position on disarmament, the candidate only equivocated.

Hint 20

() prevaricate: intransitive verb
to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie.

hedge () transitive verb
1. to enclose with or separate by a hedge: to hedge a garden.

2. to surround and confine as if with a hedge; restrict (often fol. by in, about, etc.): He felt hedged in by the rules of language.

3. to protect with qualifications that allow for unstated contingencies or for withdrawal from commitment: He hedged his program against attack and then presented it to the board.

4. to mitigate a possible loss by counterbalancing (one's bets, investments, etc.).

5. to prevent or hinder free movement; obstruct: to be hedged by poverty.

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stony

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adj.
1. full of or abounding in stones or rock: a stony beach.

2. pertaining to or characteristic of stone; resembling or suggesting stone, esp. in its hardness.

3. unfeeling; merciless; obdurate: a stony heart.

4. motionless or rigid; without expression, as the eyes or a look: a hard, stony stare.

5. petrifying(); stupefying: stony fear.

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()petrify:
–verb (used with object)
1. to convert into stone or a stony substance.

2. to benumb or paralyze with astonishment, horror, or other strong emotion: I was petrified with fear.

3. to make rigid or inert; harden; deaden: The tragedy in his life petrified his emotions

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stumblebum

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noun Informal.
1. a clumsy, second-rate prizefighter.

2. a clumsy, incompetent person.

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fulminate

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verb (used without object)

1. to explode with a loud noise; detonate.

2. to issue denunciations or the like (usually fol. by against): The minister fulminated against legalized vice.

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schlockmeister

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noun

a person who deals in or sells inferior or worthless goods; junk dealer.

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sui generis

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of his, her, its, or their own kind; unique.

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chagrin

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noun
a feeling of vexation, marked by disappointment or humiliation.

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be spoiling for,

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Informal.

to be very eager for; be desirous of: It was obvious that he was spoiling for a fight.

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rapacious

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–adjective
1. given to seizing for plunder or the satisfaction of greed.

2. inordinately greedy; predatory; extortionate: a rapacious disposition.

3. (of animals) subsisting by the capture of living prey; predacious.

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bounder

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noun

An ill-bred, unscrupulous man; a cad()

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()cad noun
n. A man whose behavior is unprincipled or dishonorable.

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paragon

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–noun
1. a model or pattern of excellence or of a particular excellence.

2. an unusually large, round pearl.

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sinecure

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noun

A position or office that requires little or no work but provides a salary.

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Falstaffian

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–adjective
of, pertaining to, or having the qualities of Falstaff, esp. his robust, bawdy humor, good-natured rascality(), and brazen braggadocio(): Falstaffian wit.

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()bawdy: adj
indecent; lewd; obscene: another of his bawdy stories.

()rascality: adj
A base or mischievous act.

()braggadocio noun
1. empty boasting; bragging.

2. a boasting person; braggart.

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commentariat

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a collective term for commentators and analysts of the news

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louche

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adj.

dubious; shady; disreputable.

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racy

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adj

1. slightly improper or indelicate; suggestive; risqué.

2. vigorous; lively; spirited.

3. sprightly(); piquant(); pungent: a racy literary style.

4. having an agreeably peculiar taste or flavor, as wine, fruit, etc.

Hint 35

()sprightly--adj
animated, vivacious, or gay; lively.

() piquant–adjective
1. agreeably pungent or sharp in taste or flavor; pleasantly biting or tart: a piquant aspic.

2. agreeably stimulating, interesting, or attractive: a piquant glance.

3. of an interestingly provocative or lively character: a piquant wit.

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bugaboo

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adj.

something that causes fear or worry; bugbear; bogy.

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handmaiden

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–noun
1. something that is necessarily subservient or subordinate to another: Ceremony is but the handmaid of worship
.
2. a female servant or attendant.

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portico

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noun

a structure consisting of a roof supported by columns or piers, usually attached to a building as a porch.