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137 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
au courant
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well informed, up to date
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blase
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tried of pleasures, bored
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bourgeois
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having to do with the middle class; petty materialistic interests
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chic
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stylish
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clairvoyant
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clear sighted, unusually perceptive; able to perceive matters beyond ordinary senses
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complaisant
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willing to please, obliging, amiable
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debonair
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gracious, courteous, charming
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gauche
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lacking social grace, crude, tactless, awkward
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maladroit
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unskillful, clumsy (adroit)
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naive
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simple in nature, artless, ingenious
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nonchalant
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without concern or enthusiasm
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attache
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member of diplomatic staff or ambassador or minister
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bourgeoisie
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middle class
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charge d'affaires
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temporary substitute for an ambassador
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concierge
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doorkeeper, janitor; hotel employee who handles mail & others tasks
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confrere
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colleague, co worker
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connoisseur
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expert, critical judge
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coterie
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set or circle of acquaintances, clique
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debutante
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young woman who has just had her intro in society
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devotee
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follower, fan
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elite
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n. group of individuals thought to be superior; aristocracy; choice part
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emigre, emigree
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n. refugee; person who has fled from his native land because of political conditions
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entourage
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n. group of attendants, assistants, or associates accompanying a person
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entrepreneur
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n. one who assumes the risks and management of a business
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envoy
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n. diplomatic agent or messenger
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fiance, fiancee
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n. person engaged to be married
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gendarme
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n. armed police officer, especially in France and other European countries
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gourmand
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n. person excessively fond of eating and drinking; glutton
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gourmet
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n. connoisseur in eating and drinking
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ingenue
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n. actess playing the role of a naive young woman; naive young woman
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maître d'hôtel
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headwaiter
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martinet
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n. person who enforces very strict disipline
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nonpareil
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n. person of unequalled excellence; paragon
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nouveaux riches
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n. persons newly rich
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parvenu
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(m.) n. person suddenly risen to wealth or power who lacks the proper social qualifications; upstart
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parvenue
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(f.) n. person new to wealth or power who lacks the proper social qualifications; upstart
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protégé
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(f.) n. someone taught, protected, or advanced by a person of experience or influence
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raconteur
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n. person who excells in telling stories, anecdotes, etc.
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valet
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n. manservant who attends to the personal needs of his employer, as by taking care of his clothes
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aplomb
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n. absolute confidence in oneself; poise; self-possession
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éclat
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n. brilliancy of achievement
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élan
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n. enthusiasm; eagerness for action
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ennui
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n. feeling of weariness and discontent; boredom; tedium
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esprit de corps
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n. feeling of union and common interest pervading a group; devotion to a group or to its ideals
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finesse
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n. skill and adroitness in handling a difficult situation
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legerdemain
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n. sleight of hand; artful trick
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malaise
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n. vague feeling of bodily discomfort or illness
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noblesse oblige
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noblesse oblige
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rapport
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n. relationship characterized by harmony; conformity, or affinity
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sangfroid
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n. coolness of mind in difficult circumstances; composure; equanimity
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savoir faire
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n. knowledge of just what to say or do; tact
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avant-garde
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n. experimentalists or innovators
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bas-releif
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n. sculpture in which the figures project only slightly from the background
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baton
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n. rod a conductor uses to direct an orchestra or band
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chef d'oeuvre
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n. chief work; masterpiece in are, literature, etc.
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denouement
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n. solution of the plot in a play, story, or complex situation; outcome; end
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encore
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n.audience's demand for an additonal performance; repetition or additonal performace in response to applause
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genre
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n. 1. kind; sort; category 2. style of painting depicting scenes from every day life
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musicale
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n. social gathering with music as the featured entertainment
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palette
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n. thin board (with a thumb hole at one end) on which an artist lays and mixes colors
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repertoire
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n. 1. stock of plays, operas, roles, compositions, etc., that a company or individual is prepared to perform 2. collection
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vignette
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n. short verbal descriptions; small; gracefull literary sketch
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a la carte
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adv. according to the menu (bill of fare); dish by dish, from a menu stating the price for each dish
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a la mode
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adj. 1. according to fashion; stylish 2. with ice cream
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aperitif
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n. alcoholic drink taken before a mean as an appetizer
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bonbon
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n. piece of candy
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consommé
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n. clear soup; broth
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croissant
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n. rich, flaky crescent-shaped roll
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cuisine
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n. style of cooking or preparing food
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demitasse
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n. small cup for, or of, strong black coffee
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entrée
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n. main dish at lunch or dinner
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filet (fillet)
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n. slice of meat or fish without bones
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hors d'oeuvres
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n. pl. light foods served as appetizers before the regular courses of a meal
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pièce de résistance
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n. 1. main dish 2. main item of any collection, series, program, etc.; showpiece
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soup du jour
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n. soup served in a restaurent on a particular day
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table d'hôte
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n. complete meal of several courses offered in a hotel or restaurant at a fixed price
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bête noire
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n. dreaded object or person; bugbear
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carte blanche
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n. full discretionary power; freedom to use one's own judgement
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cause célèbre
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n. famous case in law that arouses considerable interest; issue, person, incident, or situation attracting much attention
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contretemps
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n. inopportune occurrence; embarrassing situation; mishap
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cul-de-sac
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n. clind alley; dead end
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debacle
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n. collapse; disaster; overthrow; rout; fiasco
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fait accompli
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n. thing already done
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faux pas
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n. misstep; blunder in conduct, manners, or speech, etc.
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impasse
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n. deadlock; predicament with no obvious way out; stalemate
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liaison
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n. 1. bond; linking up; coordination of activities 2. person who establishes and maintains this connection
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mélange
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n. mixture; medley; potpourri
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mirage
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n. optical illusion
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adieu
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n. good-bye; farewell
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au revoir
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n. good-bye; till we meet again
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billet-doux
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n. love letter
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bon mot
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n. clever saying; witty remark; witticism
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brouchure
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n. pamphlet; booklet
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canard
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n. false rumor; absurd stroy; hoax
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cliché
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worn-out expression; trite phrase
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entre nous
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adv. between us; confidentially
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mot juste
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n. exactly right word; most suitable expression
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nom de plume
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n. pen name; pseudonym
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précis
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brief summary
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repartee
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n. skill of replying quickly, cleverly, and humorously; witty reply
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résumé
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n. 1. brief account of experience and qualifications submitted by an applicant for a position; cirriculum vitae 2. summary
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riposte
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n. 1. retort; repartee 2. in fencing, a quick return thrust after a parry
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tête-à-tête
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n. private conversation between two persons
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bouffant
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puffed out, full
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boutique
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small shop specializing in fashionable clothing
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chemise
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loose fitting, sack like dress
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coiffure
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style of arranging the hair
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corsage
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small bouquet worn by a women
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cravat
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necktie, scarf
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ensemble
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complete costume of clothing and accessories
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flamboyant
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flamelike, ornate, showy, vivid
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toupee
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wig, hair piece
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vogue
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fashion, accepted style
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ambience
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surroundings, environment
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apropos
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by the way, incidentally; appropriate, relevant, pertinent
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avoirdupois
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weight, heaviness
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bagatelle
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trifle
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coup de grace
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decisive finishing blow
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en route
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on the way, along the way
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etiquette
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req. social or official usages, code of behavior
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facade
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face or front of a building, or of anything, false front
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fete
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festival, party; honor with a fete
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foyer
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entrance hall, lobby
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milieu
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environment, setting, surroundings
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parasol
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umbrella for protection against sun
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par excellence
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above all others of the same sort
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passe
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old fashioned, behind the times
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pince-nez
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eyeglasses clipped to nose by spring
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premiere
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first performance
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queue
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line of persons or vehicles waiting their turn
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raison d'etre
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reason or justification for existing
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rendezvous
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prearranged meetin place, popular gathering place
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silhouette
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shadow, outline
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sobriquet, soubriquet
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nickname
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souvenir
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reminder, keepsake
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tour de force
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feat of strength, skill, or ingenuity
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vis a vis
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face to face with, opposite; in relation to, as compared with
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