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250 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Abate
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To reduce in amount, degree, or severity
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Abscond
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to leave secretly
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Abstain
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to choose not to do something
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Adulterate
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to make impure
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Unadulterated
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pure
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Adultery
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illicit relationship, an affair
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Abyss
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an extremely deep hole
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Abyssal
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pertaining to great depth
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Abyss
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an extremely deep hole
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Abysmal
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extremely bad
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Advocate
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to speak in favor of
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Advocacy
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Active support for
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Aesthetic
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concerning the appreciation of beauty
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Aesthete
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someone unusually sensitive to beauty
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Aestheticism
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concern with beauty
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Aggrandize
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to increase in power, influence and reputation
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Alleviate
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to make more bearable
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Amalgamate
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to combine; to mix together
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Amalgam
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a mixture, especially of 2 metals
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Ambiguous
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doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted in several ways
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Ambiguity
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the quality of being ambiguous
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Ameliorate
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to make better; to improve
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Anachronism
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something out of place in time
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Analogous
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similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
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Analogy
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a similarity between things that are otherwise dissimilar
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Analogue
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something that is similar in some way to something else
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Anomaly
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deviation from what is normal
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Anomalous
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deviating from what is normal
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Antagonize
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to annoy or provoke in anger
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Antagonistic
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tending to provoke conflict
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Antagonist
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Someone who fights another
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Antipathy
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extreme dislike
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Apathy
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lack of interest or emotion
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Arbitrate
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to judge a dispute between two opposing parties
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Arbitration
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a process by which a conflict is resolved
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Arbitrator
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a judge
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Archaic
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ancient; old fashioned
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Archaism
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an outdated word or phrase
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Ardor
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intense and passionate feeling
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Ardent
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expressing ardor; passionate
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Articulate
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able to speak clearly and expressively
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Assuage
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to make something unpleasant less severe
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Attenuate
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to reduce in force or degree; to weaken
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Audacious
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fearless and daring
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Audacity
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the quality of being audacious
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Austere
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severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
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Austerity
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severe, especially poverty
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Banal
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predictable, cliched, boring
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Banality
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the quality of being banal
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Bolster
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to support; to prop up
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Bombastic
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pompous in speech and manner
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Bombast
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pompous speech or writing
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Cacophony
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harsh, jarring noise
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Candid
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impartial and honest in speech
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Capricious
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changing one's mind quickly and often
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Caprice
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whim, sudden fancy
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Castigate
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to punish or criticize harshly
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Catalyst
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something that brings about a change in something else
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Catalyze
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to bring about a change in something else
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Caustic
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biting in wit
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Chaos
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great disorder or confusion
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Chaotic
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jumbled, confused
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Chauvinist
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someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
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Chicanery
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deception by means of craft or guile
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Cogent
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convincing and well reasoned
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Cogitate
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to thjink deeply
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Condone
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to overlook, pardon, or disregard
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Convoluted
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intricate and complicated
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Corroborate
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to provide supporting evidence
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Credulous
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too trusting; gullible
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Credulity
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quality of being credulous
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Crescendo
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steadily increasing volume or force
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Decorum
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appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
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Decorous
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conforming to acceptable standards
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Deference
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respect, courtesy
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Defer
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to delay; to show someone deference
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Deferent
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courteous and respectful
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Deride
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to speak of or treat with contempt
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Derision
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mockery and taunts
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Derisive
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in a mocking manner
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Desiccate
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to dry out thoroughly
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Dessicant
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something that removes water from another sunstance
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Desultory
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jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
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Diatribe
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an abusive, condemnatory speech
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Diffident
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lacking self confidence
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Dilate
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to make larger; to expand
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Dilatory
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intended to delay
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Dilettante
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someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
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Dirge
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a funeral hymn or mournful speech
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Disabuse
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to set right; to free from error
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Discern
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to percieve; to recognize
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Discernment
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taste and cultivation
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Disparate
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fundamentally different; entirely unlike
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Dissemble
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to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character
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Dissonance
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a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds
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Dogma
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a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief
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Dogmatic
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dictatorial in one's opinion
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Dupe
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to decieve; a person who is easily decieved
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Eclectic
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selecting from or made up from a variety of sources
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Efficacy
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effectiveness
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Efficacious
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effective; productive
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Elegy
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a sorrowful poem or speech
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Elegiac
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like an elegy; mournful
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Eloquent
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persuasive and moving, especially in speech
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Emulate
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to copy; to try to equal or excel
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Enervate
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to reduce in strength
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Unnerve
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To deprive of strength or courage
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Engender
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to produce, cause, or bring about
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Enigma
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a puzzle; a mystery
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Enumerate
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to count, list, or itemize
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Ephemeral
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lasting a short time
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Equivocate
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to use expressions of double meanings in order to mislead
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Equivocal
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undecided; trying to decieve
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Equivocation
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the act or state of equivocating
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Erratic
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wandering and unpredictable
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Errant
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straying, mistaken, roving
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Erudite
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learned, scholarly, bookish
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Erudition
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extensive knowledge or learning
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Esoteric
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known or understood by only a few
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Estimable
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admirable
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Esteem
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high regard
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Eulogy
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speech in praise of someone
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Euphemism
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use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one.
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Exacerbate
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to make worse
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Exculpate
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to clear from blame; prove innocent
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Exigent
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urgent; requiring immediate action
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Exonerate
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to clear from blame
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Explicit
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clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression
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Explicable
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capable of being explained
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Explicate
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to give a detailed explanation
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Fanatical
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acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
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Fawn
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to grovel
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Fervid
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intensely emotional; feverish
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Fervent
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enthusiastic
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Fervor
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passion
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Florid
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excessively decorated or embellished
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Foment
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to arouse or incite
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Frugality
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a tendency to be thrifty or cheap
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Garrulous
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tending to talk a lot
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Gregarious
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outgoing, sociable
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Guile
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deceit or trickery
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Guileless
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innocent, without trickery
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Gullible
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easily decieved
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Gull
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a person who is easily tricked
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Homogenous
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of a similar kind
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Homogenized
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thoroughly mixed together
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Iconoclast
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one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions
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Imperturable
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not capable of being disturbed
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Perturb
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to disturb greatly
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Impervious
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impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected
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Impetuous
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quick to act without thinking
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Impetus
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impulse
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Implacable
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unable to be calmed down or made peaceful
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Placate
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to make peaceful
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Incohate
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not fully formed; disorganized
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Ingenuous
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showing innocence or childlike simplicity
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Ingenue
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a naive girl or young woman
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Disingenuous
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giving a false impression of innocence
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Inimical
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hostile, unfriendly
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Innocuous
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harmless
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Insipid
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lacking interest or flavor
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Intransigent
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uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled
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Inundate
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to overwhelm; to cover with water
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Irascible
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easily make angry
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Irate
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angry
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Laconic
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using few words
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Lament
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to express sorrow; to grieve
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Laud
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to give praise; to glorify
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Laudable
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worth of praise
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Laudatory
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expressing praise
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Lavish
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to give unsparingly (v); extremely generous or extravagant (adj.)
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Lethargic
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acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner
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Loquacious
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talkative
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Eloquence
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powerful, convincing speaking
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Loquacity
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the quality of being loquacious
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Lucid
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clear and easily understood
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Lucidity
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clarity
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Lucent
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glowing with light
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Luminous
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bright, brilliant, glowing
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Illuminate
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to shine light on
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Luminary
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an inspiring person
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Malinger
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to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill
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Linger
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to be slow in leaving
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Malleable
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capable of being shaped
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Metaphor
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a figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol
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Metaphorical
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standing as a symbol for something else
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Meticulous
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extremely careful about details
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Misanthrope
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a person who dislikes others
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Mitigate
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to soften; to lessen
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Mollify
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to calm or make less severe
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Monotony
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lack of variation
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Monotone
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a sound that is made at the same tone or pitch
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Naive
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lacking sophistication or experience
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Naivete
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the state of being naive
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Obdurate
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hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion
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Obsequious
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overly submissive and eager to please
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Obeisance
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a physical show of respect or submission, such as a bow
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Obstinate
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stubborn, unyielding
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Obviate
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to prevent; to make unnecessary
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Occlude
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to stop up; to prevent the passage of
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Onerous
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troublesome and oppressive; burdensome
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Opaque
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impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light
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Opacity
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the quality of being obscure and indecipherable
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Opprobrium
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public disgrace
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Ostentation
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excessive showiness
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Ostensible
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apparent
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Paradox
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a contradiction or dilemma
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Paragon
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model of excellence or perfection
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Pedant
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someone who shows off learning
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Pedantic
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making an excessive display of learning
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Perfidious
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willing to betray one's trust
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Perfidy
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deceit, treachery
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Perfunctory
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done in a routine way; indifferent
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Permeate
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to penetrate
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Impermeable
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unable to be permeated
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Philanthropy
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charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness
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Philanthropist
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someone who is generous and desires to promote goodness
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Placate
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to soothe or pacify
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Placid
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tolerant; calm
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Implacable
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unable to be made peaceful
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Plastic
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able to be molded, altered, or bent
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Plethora
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excess
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Pragmatic
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practical as opposed to idealistic
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Pragmatism
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a practical approach to problem solving
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Precipitate
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to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation
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Precipitous
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very steep
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Precipice
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a steep cliff
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Precipitation
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weather phenomena, like rain or snow, that fall from the sky
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Prevaricate
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to lie or deviate from the truth
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Pristine
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fresh and clean; uncorrupted
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Prodigal
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lavish; wasteful
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Prodigality
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excessive or reckless spending
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Proliferate
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to increase in number quickly
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Prolific
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very productive or highly able to reproduce rapidly
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Propitiate
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to conciliate; to appease
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Propitious
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advantageous, favorable
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Propriety
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correct behavior; obedicence to rules and customs
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Appropriate
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suitable for a particular occasion or place
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Prudence
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wisdom, caution, or restraint
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Prude
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someone who is excessively concerned with propriety
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Prudish
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prissy and puritanical
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Pungent
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sharp and irritating to the senses
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Quiescent
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motionless
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Quiescence
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state of rest or inactivity
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Rarefy
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to make thinner or sparser
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Rarefaction
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the process of making something less dense
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Repudiate
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to reject the validity of
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Reticent
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silent, reserved
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Rhetoric
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effective writing or speaking
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Satiate
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to satisfy fully or overindulge
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