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295 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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abase
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lower, degrade, humiliate
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abash
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embarass
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aberrant
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abnormal or deviant
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aberration
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abnormality, departure from the norm, mental irregularity or disorder
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abeyance
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suspended action
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abject
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wretched, lacking pride
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abjure
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renounce upon oath, disavow
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ablution
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washing
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abnegation
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renunciation, self-sacrifice
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abominate
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loathe, hate
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abortive
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unsucessful, fruitless
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abrogate
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abolish
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abscission
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removal by cutting off
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abscond
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depart secretly and hide
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absolve
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pardon an offense
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abtruse
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obscure, profound
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abut
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border upon, adjoin
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abysmal
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bottomless
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accede
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agree
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acclivity
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sharp upslope of a hill
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accolade
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award of merit
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accost
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approach and speak first to a person
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accoutre
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equip
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accretion
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growth, increase
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accrue
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come about by addition
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acerbic
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bitter or sour in nature, sharp and cutting
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acerbity
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bitterness of speech and temper
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acetic
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vinegary
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adiculous
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slightly sour, shar, caustic
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acquiesce
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assent, agree passively
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acrid
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sharp, bitterly pungent
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acrimonious
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bitter in words or manner
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acrophobia
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fear of heights
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actuarial
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calculating, pertaining to accountant tables
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actuate
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motivate
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acuity
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sharpness
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acute
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quickly perceptive, brief and severe
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adamant
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hard, inflexible
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addle
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muddle, drive crazy
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adept
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expert at
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adherent
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supporter, follower
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adjunct
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something (generally nonessential or inferior) added on or attached
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adjuration
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solemn urging
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adjutant
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staff officer assiting the commander, assistant
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admonish
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warn, reprove
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adroit
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skillful
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adulate
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flattery, admiration
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adulterate
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make impure by adding inferior or tainted substances
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advent
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arrival
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adventitious
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accidental, casual
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advert
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refer to
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aerie
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nest of a large bird of prey
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affable
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easily approachable, warmly friendly
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affected
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artifical, pretended, assumed in order to impress
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affidavit
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written statement made under oath
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affix
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attach or fasten on
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affront
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insult, offense
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affliction
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state of distress, cause of suffering
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agape
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openmouthed
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agglomeration
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collection, heap
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aggrandize
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increase or intensify
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aghast
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horrible, dumbfounded
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agog
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highly excited, intensely curious
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alacrity
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cheerful promptness, eagerness
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alcove
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nook, recess
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alimentary
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supplying nourishment
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allay
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calm, pacify
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alloy
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mix, make less pure, lessen or moderate
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allusion
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indirect reference
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alluvial
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pertaining to soil deposits left by running waters
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aloof
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apart, reserved
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ambivalence
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the state of having conflicting or contradictory emotions
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ambrosia
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food of the gods
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ambulatory
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able to walk, not bedridden
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ameliorate
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improve
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amenable
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readily managed or willing to be led
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amiable
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agreeable, loveable, warmly friendly
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amicable
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polite, not quarrelsome
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amity
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friendship
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amok(amuck)
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in a state of rage
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analgesic
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causing insensitivity to pain
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anathema
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solemn curse
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ancillary
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serving as an aid or accessory, auxiliary
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anecdote
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short account of an amusing or interesting event
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anemia
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situation in which the blood lacks red corpuscles
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anesthetic
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substance that removes sensation with or without consciousness
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animadversion
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critical remark
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animus
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hostile feeling or intent
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anneal
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reduce brittleness by heating and cooling
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annex
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attach, take posession of
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annuity
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yearly allowance
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anodyne
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drug that removes pain, opiate
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anomalous
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abnormal, irregular
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antecede
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precede
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antediluvian
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antiquated, extremely ancient
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anthology
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book of literary selections by various authors
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anthropoid
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manlike
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anthropomorphic
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having human form or characteristics
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antic
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extravagantly odd
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anticlimax
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letdown in theme or emotion
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antipathy
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aversion, dislike
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antiquated
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obsolete, outdated
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antiseptic
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substance that prevents infection
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antithesis
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contrast, direct opposite of
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aperture
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opening, hole
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aphasia
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loss of speech due to injury or illness
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aphorism
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pithy maxim or saying
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apiary
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place where bees are kept
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aplomb
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poise, assurance
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apogee
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highest or furthest point
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apologist
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one who writes in defence of a cause or institution
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apostate
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one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs
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apothegm
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pithy, compact saying
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apotheosis
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elevation to godhood, an ideal example of something
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apparition
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ghost, phantom
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apellation
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name, title
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application
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diligent attention
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apposite
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appropriate, fitting
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apprehensive
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fearful, discerning
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apprise
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inform
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approbation
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approval
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appurtenances
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subordiante possessions, anything incidental to or belonging to land considered a part of the real property
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apropos(adj)
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to the point and timely
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apropos(prep)
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with reference to, regarding
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aquiline
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curved, hoooked
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arabesque
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style of decoration involving intertwined planes and abstract curves
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arable
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fit for growing crops
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arbiter
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person with power to decide a matter in dispute
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arbitrary
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unreasonable or capricious
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arboretum
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place where different varieties of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited
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arcane
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secret, mysterious, known only to the initiated
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archetype
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prototype, primitive pattern
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ardor
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heat, passion, zeal
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argot
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slang
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aria
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operatic solo
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arraign
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charge in court, indict
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array
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marshal, draw up in order, - clothe, adorn
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arrears
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being in debt
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arrest
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stop or check
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arrhythmic
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lacking rhythm or regularity
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arroyo
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stream or small river
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artful
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cunning, crafty, sly
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artifice
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deception, trickery
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artisan
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manually skilled worker
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artless
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without guile, open and honest
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ascendancy
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controlling influence
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ascetic
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practicing self-denial, austere
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ascribe
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refer, attribute, assign
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aseptic
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preventing infection, having a cleansing effect
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ashen
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ash-colored, pale
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asinine
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stupid
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askance
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with a sideways or indirect look
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askew
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crookedly, slanted, at an angle
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asperity
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sharpness of temper
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aspersion
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slanderous remark
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aspirant
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seeker after position or status
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assail
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assault
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assay
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analyze, evaluate
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assent
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agree, accept
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assiduous
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diligent
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assuage
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ease or lessen pain, satisy hunger, soothe anger
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assurance
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promise or pledge
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astringent
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binding, causing contraction, harsh or severe
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astute
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wise, shrewd, keen
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asunder
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into parts, apart
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atavism
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resembalance to remote ancestors
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atrophy
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washing away
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attenuate
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make thinner, weaken or lessen
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attribute
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ascribe, explain
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attrition
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gradual decrease in numbers
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audacious
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daring, bold
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augury
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omen, prophecy
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august
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impressive, majestic
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aureole
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sun's corona, halo
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auroral
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pertaining to the aurora borealis
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auspicious
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favoring success
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austere
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forbiddingly stern
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authoritarian
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suboordianting the individual to the state, complete domination
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autocratic
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having absolute, unchecked power
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automaton
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mechanism that imitates actions of humans
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autonomous
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self-governing
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auxiliary
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offering or providing help
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avenge
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take vengeance for something
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aver
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assert confidently or declare, state formally as a fact
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averse
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reluctant, disinclined
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avid
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greedy, eager for
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avocation
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secondary of minor occupation
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avuncular
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like an uncle
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awl
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pointed tool used for piercing
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awry
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distorted, crooked
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axiom
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self-evident truth requiring no proof
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azure
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sky-blue
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badger
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pester, annoy
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badinage
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teasing conversation
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bait
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tease, harass
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baleful
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threatening, menacing, sinister, foreshadowing evil
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balk
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stop short -- foil
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balm
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something that relieves pain
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balmy
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mild, fragrant
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banal
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hackneyed, commonplace, trite
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bandy
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discuss lightly or glibly, exchange words heatedly
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bane
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curse, cause of ruin
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baneful
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destructive causing ruin or death
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bantering
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good-naturedly ridiculing
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barefaced
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shameless, bold, unconcealed
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baroque
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highly ornate
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barrister
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counselor-at-law
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bastion
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stronghold, something seen as a source of protection
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bate
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let down, restrain
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bawdy
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indecent, obscene
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beatific
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showing or producing joy, blissful
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beatify
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bless or sanctify, proclaim someone dead to be one of the blessed
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bedizen
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dress with vulgar finery
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bedraggle
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wet thoroughly
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beget
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father, produce, give rise to
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begrudge
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resent
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beguile
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mislead or delude, cheat, pass time
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beholden
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obligated, indebted
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behoove
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be necessary and proper for, be incumbant upon
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belabor
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explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree, assail verbally
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beleaguer
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beseige or attack, harass
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belie
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contradict, give a false impression
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belittle
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disparage, deprecate
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bellicose
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warlike, pugnacious
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bemoan
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lament, express disapproval of
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bemused
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confused, lost in thought
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beneficient
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kindly, doing good
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benign
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kindly, favorable, not malignant
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benison
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blessing
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bereavement
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state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved
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bereft
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deprived of, lacking
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beset
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harass or trouble, hem in
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besmirch
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soil, defile
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betoken
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signify, indicate
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bevy
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large group
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bienniel
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every two years
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bifurcated
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divided into two branches, forked
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bilious
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suffering from a liver complaint, peevishly ill humored
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bilk
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swindle, cheat
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bivouac
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temporary encampment
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blanch
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bleach, whiten
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blandish
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cajole, coax with flattery
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blandishment
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flattery
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blare
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loud, harsh roar or screech
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blasé
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bored with pleasure or dissipation
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blithe
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carefree and unconcerned
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blowhard
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talkative boaster
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bluff(adj)
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rough but good natured
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bluff(n)
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pretense of strength, deception, high cliff
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bode
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foreshadow, portend
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bohemian
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unconventional in an artistic way
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bolster
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support, reinforce
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bombastic
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pompous, using inflated language
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boon
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blessing, benefit
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boorish
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rude, insensitive
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bowdlerize
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expurgate, remove obscenities from
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brackish
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somewhat saline
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braggadocio
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boasting
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brandish
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wave around, flourish
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brazen
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insolent
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brindled
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tawny or grayish with streaks or spots
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bristling
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rising like bristles, showing irritation
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broach
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introduce, open up
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brocade
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rich, figured fabric
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brook(v)
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tolerate, endure
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browbeat
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bully, intimidate
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brunt
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main impact or shock
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brusque
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blunt, abrupt
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bucolic
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rustic, pastoral
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buffet(v)
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slap, banter, knock around
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bugaboo
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bugbear, object of baseless terror
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bulwark
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earthwork or other strong defence
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bureaucracy
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overregulated administrative system marked by red tape
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burgeon
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grow forth, send out buds
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burlesque
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give an imitation that ridicules
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burnish
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make shiny by polishing
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buxom
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full-blosomed, plump, jolly
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cabal
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small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests
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cache
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hiding place
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cacophonous
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discordant, inharmonious
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cadaver
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corpse
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cadaverous
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like a corpse
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cadence
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rhythmic rise and fall of words
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cadge
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beg, mooch, panhandle
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caliber
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ability, quality
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callow
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youthful, immature, unexperienced
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calorific
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heat-producing
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calumny
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malicious misrepresentation, slander
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cameo
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shell or jewel carved in relief
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canard
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false or unfounded story, fabricated report
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canny
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shrewd, thrift
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cant
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insincere expressions of piety, jargon of theives
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cantankerous
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ill-humored, irritable
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cantata
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story set to music to be sung by a chorus
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canter
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slow gallop
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