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274 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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attrition
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a gradual loss; natural or accepted decrease in number and size
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dearth
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a lack, a scarcity
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frugal
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economical, penny-pinching
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minuscule
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tiny, very small
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munificent
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generous, lavish
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nominal
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insignificant or small
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parsimony
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stinginess
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paucity
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scarcity, insufficiency
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penury
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poverty
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prodigious
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enormous, extraordinary
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prodigy
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a gifted child
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proliferate
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to spread or grow rapidly
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squander
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to waste
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acrid
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bitter; stinging, or caustic
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adulation
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wild or excessive admiration
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affinity
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attraction; sympathy; kinship; similarity
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kinship
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human relationship: by blood or marriage
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alacrity
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cheerful eagerness; briskness; readiness to respond
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bane
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posion; torment; cause of harm
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confluence
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a flowing together, a convergence
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deride
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to ridicule or laugh at contemptuously
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derogatory
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disapproving; degrading
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narcissism
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an abiding love of oneself, self - admiration
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nihilism
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total reject of social mores
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annihilate
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to completely destroy
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predilection
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a natural preference; liking
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prudent
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having foresight; being careful or wise
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rancor
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bitter, long-lasting ill will or resentment
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resentment
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ill feeling
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revere
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to respect highly, to honor
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vilify
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to vile, to defame
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acerbic
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bitter; sour, severe
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affable
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easygoing
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affability
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graciousness, friendliness
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altruism
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selflesness, generosity, serving others without expectation of person gain
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altruistic
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charitable, selfless
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altruist
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benefactor
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amiable
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friendly, genuinely likeable (often used to describe a relationship)
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avuncular
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kindly, like an understanding uncle
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belligerent
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combative, quarrelsome, warlike; (combatant)
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bellerigerence
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aggression, animosity
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caustic
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corrosive, burning like acid
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chicanery
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deceitful, underhanded behavior (especially legal or political)
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congenial
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aggreeably suitable, pleasant
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genial
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pleasing, kind, sympathetic, helpful
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congenital
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hereditary, inborn, natural
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contentious
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argumentative, quarrelsome
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synic
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one who deeply distrusts human nature, pessimist
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cynical
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suspicious and negative
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synicism
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distrust, grumpiness, pessimism
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gregarious
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sociable, outgoing, friendly
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insidious
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treacherous and sneaky
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largess
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generosity on a big scale, as well as the gift itself
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pejorative
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negative and disparaging
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philanthropy
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love of humankind as expressed by the willingness to do good deeds
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philanthropic
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benevolent, charitable, generous
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philanthropist
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humanitarian
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misanthropy
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a hatred or distrust of humankind
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misanthropic
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hatred; dislake, or distrust of humankind
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vitriol
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sulfuric acid; something caustic or severe in effect
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vitriolic
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expressing bitter hatred; nasty; burning like acid
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abridge
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to shorten, to condense
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abridged
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shortened, condensed
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abridgment
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a shortened or condensed form of a book, speech
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augment
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to make bigger, to add to, to increase
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augmentation
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an enlargement, an expansion
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brevity
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briefness
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chronic
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constant; lasting a long time (usually associated with something negative and undesirable)
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circuitous
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roundabout, rambling, indirect
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circumlocution
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an indirect or evasive expression; workiness
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circumlocutory
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indirect, wordy, vague
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concise
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brief and to the point
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concision
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briefness, succinctness
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copious
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abundant, plentiful
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curtail
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to shorten, to cut short
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laconic
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using few words (almost to the point of rudeness)
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perfunctory
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careless and without enthusiasm
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ponderous
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so massive as to be clumsy or heavy; so long as to be dull (speeches, ideas)
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profuse
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flowing; extravagant
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profusion
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an excess, an abundance
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protract
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to prolong, lengthen
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protracted
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extended, prolonged
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provisional
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conditional, temporary, tentative
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terse
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using no unnecessary words, very succinct
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terseness
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briefness, succinctness
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acquiesce
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to comply passively; to assent quietly; to agree
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acquiescence
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consent, submission
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allocate
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distribute; to assign; to allot
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apprehensive
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anxious or worried (from feeling powerless)
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apprehension
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a sense of fear or hesitation
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ascendancy
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supremacy, domination
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ascendant
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superior, dominant
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autocratic
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ruling with absolute authority; extremely bossy
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autocracy
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a system run by a person with absolute authority
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capitulate
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to give up or give in, to surrender
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chagrin
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humiliation; embarrassed disappointment
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chagrined
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mortified, humiliated
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chastise
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to punish, to discipline
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daunt
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to make fearful, to intimidate
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daunting
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intimidating
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undaunted, dauntless
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confident; fearless courageous; determined, resolute
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deference
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submissiveness to another's will
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deference
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to submit, to refer; to detain, to postpone
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deferential
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considerate, respectful
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demagogue
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a manipulative leader, a rabble-rouser
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diffident
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timid, lacking self-confidence, shy, unassuming
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imperial
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regal, stately (like an emperor or empire)
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imperious
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bossy, arrogant, overbearing
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servile
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submissive, like a servant, slavish
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servility
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submissiveness
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supercilious
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haughty and patronizing
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sycophant
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a self-serving flatterer, one who is servile to people with power
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sycophantic
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fawning, ingratiating
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admonish
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to warn; to express disapproval
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admonishment
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warning, caution, censure
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alleviate
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to relieve (usually temporarily or imcompletely)
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ameliorate
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to improve, to make more tolerable
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anguish
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agonizing physical, mental, or emotional pain; to suffer
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appease
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to aoothe or pacify by giving in
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approbation
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approval, praise
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disapprobation
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disapproval, objection
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contrite
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admitting guilt, remorseful
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contrition
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guilt, regret, repentance
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debilitate
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to weaken, to cripple
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debility
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weakness, disability
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debilitating
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weakening, injurious
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reparation
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repair(n) amends, repair, compensation for wrong
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reprisal
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military action taken in revenge for another; the act of taking "an eye for an eye"
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reproach
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to scold (usually from disappointment), to blame, to disgrace
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irreproachable
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blameless; flawless, impeccable
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respite
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a period of rest or relief
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salutary
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healthful, curative, remedial
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sanguine
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cheerful; optimistic, hopeful
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sanguinary
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bloodthirsty; bloody
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subjugate
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to subdue; to dominate, to enslave
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venerate
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to revere, to treat as holy (especially because of great age)
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venerable
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worthy of being esteemed, praiseworthy
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vex
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to annoy, to pester, to confuse
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vexation
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aggravation, nuisance, annoying puzzlement
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apocryphal
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of doubtful authenticity; fictitious, mythical
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artifice
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a clever trick; cunning, guile
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axiom
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a self-evident rule or truth, a widely accepted saying
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belie
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to contradict, to give a false impression of
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contrived
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artificial, labored, forced
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definitive
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conclusive, providing the last word
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delude
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to deceive, to trick
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delusion
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a fantasy, a misconception
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duplicity
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the act of being two-faced or double-dealing, a deception
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duplicitous
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double-crossing, underhanded, deceitful
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mendacious
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lying, dishonest
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mendacity
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deceit, falsehood
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postulate
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something accepted as true without proof; to present an idea as truth
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precept
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a rule to live by; a principle establishing behavior
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premise
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an assumption or basis for a conclusion
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putative
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commonly accepted, supposed, or reputed (but not proven)
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spurious
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false beyond a doubt, fake
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veracity
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truthfulness
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verisimilitude
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the appearance of truth, similarity to reality
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anomaly
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irregularity, abnormality, deviation
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anomalous
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abnormal, unconventional
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apotheosis
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ideal, the perfect or divine version
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awry
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off course; twisted to one side
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banal
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unoriginal, ordinary, dull
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banality
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tritenness, an unoriginal statement
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consummate
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perfect, complete, supreme; to finish, to complete
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degenerate
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to break down, to deteriorate
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degenerate
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a person whose behavior has declined morally
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empirical
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based on experience or observation
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exemplify
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to illustrate by example; to serve as a good example
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exemplar
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an ideal model
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exemplary
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outstanding and worthy of imitation
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gratuitous
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unprovoded, unsolicited, uncalled for and freely given out (in a negative sense)
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gratuity
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a tip, a reward
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idiosyncratic
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peculiar, eccentric
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inane
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silly or senselss
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inanity
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silliness, shallowness, idiocrasy
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profound
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deep, meaningful
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profundity
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depth, the quality of being profound
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quixotic
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romatic or idealistic to a foolish degree
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replete
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completely filled, abounding
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repletion
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saturation;abundance
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sacrosanct
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sacred, untouchable, unassailable
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singular
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unique, extraordinary, exceptional, strange
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singularity
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a unique occurrence; the quality of being unique
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sublime
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awe-inspiring, extremely high, lofty, and majestic
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sublimity
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magnificence, divinity
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subliminal
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subconscious
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adage
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an old saying, a familiar bit of wisdom
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antecedent
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an earlier, more primitive model (person or thing) for that which came after; preceding, going efore
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beget
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to give birth to, to create; to lead to; to cause
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broach
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to bring up a subject (usually a delicate one); an ornamental clasp or pin (also spelled brooch)
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conventional
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common, customary, unexceptional
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convention
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custom, or proactice; an assembly, a conference
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novel
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new and original; a work of fiction
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novelty
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originality, uniqueness (also a souvenir or trinket)
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precedent
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an earlier, similar example of someone or something
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unprecedented
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not done or known before; entirely new
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precursor
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a forerunner, a predecessor
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provident
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prepared for an providing for the future
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improvident
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negligent; wasteful; failing to provide for the future
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renaissance
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a rebirth, a revitalization
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replenish
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to fill again, to resupply, to restore
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replenishment
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a refill, a replacement of stock
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rudimentary
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basic, crude; unformed or undeveloped
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rustic
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rural, lacking in urban comforts, primitive; an unsophisticated country person
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spawn
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to produce a great number; to bring forth
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vestige
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a last remaining trace
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vestigial
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like a vestige, pertaining to an earlier form or function
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visionary
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a dreamer, a person with impractical goals or ideas about the future; idealistic and usually impractical
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assimilate
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to take in; to absorb; to learn thoroughly
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autonomous
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indpendent, self-governing
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autonomy
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freedome, independents
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celibacy
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abstinence from sex
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celibate
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chaste, abstaining from sex; one who practices self denial
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charisma
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the ability to attract followers or inspire loyality; personal magnetism
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charismatic
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alluring, charming, having charisma
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chasm
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a deep, gaping hole; a gorge
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coalition
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a group of people with common purpose( often a political one)
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collusion
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a conspiracy; a secret cooperation
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complacent
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sef-satisfied, overly contented with oneself
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complicity
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participation in wrong-doing; the act of being an accomplice
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complicit
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involved in something illegal
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consonant
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harmonious, in agreement
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dissonant
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inharmonious, discordant
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covenant
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a solemn oath or pledge; a contract (religious)
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polarize
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to break into opposing factions or groupings
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reciprocal
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mutual, shared; interchangeable
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reciprocate
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give mutually; to repay or return in kind
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reciprocity
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mutual agreement
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recluse
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a hermit, a loner
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hermit
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someone who chooses to live alone
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sequester
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to set or keep apart
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conjecture
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to guess based on little evidence
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cryptic
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mystifying, mysterious, puzzling
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delineate
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to describe accurately; to draw an outline
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discern
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to havve insight; to see things clearly; to differentiate
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discernment
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acumen, perceptoin
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perceptible
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detectable, a perceptible difference
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dubioius
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full of doubt, uncertain
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dubiety
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doubt, skepticism
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doctrinaire
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stubbornly committed to a faith or idea; an unrealistic theorist; a fanatic
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qualify
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to modify, to change; to restrict
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unqualified
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unrestricted; complete
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vicissitude
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unexpected changes in fortune; variability
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sculpt
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to carve, model,cast or create a 3d representation of something as a work of art
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pillar
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column used for support or decoration; somethiing tall and narrow; central figure
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caryatid
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a supporting colmn sculpted in the form of a woman
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celerity
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quickness; rapidity
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in situ
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in ita natural or original place
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gad
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go out have fun; to go around having fun in a carefree and aimless manner
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languorous
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listless; sluggish
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peregrination
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a journey
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quagmire
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swamp; difficult situation
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chthonic
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of underworld
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diaphanous
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sheer, clear, almost transparent
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imprecate
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curse
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inscrutable
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yielding little or no information; diffiuclt to understand; mysterious
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lapidary
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a diamond cutter; related to diamond cutting
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lucent
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glowing, giving off light
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miscreant
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a troublemaker, a evildoer
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fidelity
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loyalty;sexual faithfulness; factual accuracy
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nefandous
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so terrible as to be unspeakable
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obfuscate
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make something obscure; to make unclear; to bewilder
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rakehell
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an evil person;
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licentious
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sexually immoral
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scintillating
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giving off sparks; brilliant
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tenebrous
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dark, gloomy
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thaumaturgy
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performance of miracles
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theodicy
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defense of god's goodness despite the existence of evil
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acquaint
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make aware; introduce somebody
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hegira
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a journey from one place to a better or more desirable place
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peripatetic
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going from place to place; walking or traveling about
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diaspora
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the spreading of people from one central location to points across the globe
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gallivant
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to go from place to place for fun or pleasure
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