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257 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
ABANDON (n.)
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total lack of inhibition
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ABASE
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to humble; disgrace
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ABATE
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decrease, reduce
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ABDICATE
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to give up a position, right, or power
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ABERRATION
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something different from the usual
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ABET
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to aid; act as accomplice
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ABHOR
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to loathe, detest
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ABOLITIONIST
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one who opposes the practice of slavery
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ABORTIVE
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interrupted while incomplete
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ABRIDGE
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to condense, shorten
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ABROGATE
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to put an end to, abolish by authority
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ABSCOND
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to depart secretly
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ABSOLVE
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to forgive, free from blame
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ABSTAIN
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to choose not to do something
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ACCOLADE
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praise, distinction
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ACCRUE
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to accumulate, grow by additions
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ACERBIC
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bitter, sharp in taste or temper
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ACME
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highest point; summit
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ACQUIESCE
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to agree; comply quietly
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ACRID
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harsh, bitter
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ACRIMONY
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bitterness, animosity
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ACUITY
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sharpness
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ACUMEN
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sharpness of insight
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ADAGE
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old saying or proverb
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ADAMANT
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uncompromising, unyielding
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ADAPT
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to accommodate; adjust
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ADHERE
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to cling or follow without deviation
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ADJACENT
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next to
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ADMONISH
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to caution or reprimand
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ADROIT
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skillful, accomplished, highly competent
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ADULATION
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high praise
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ADUMBRATE
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to sketch, outline in a shadowy way
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ADVERSARIAL
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antagonistic, competitive
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AERIE
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nook or nest built high in the air
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AESTHETIC
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pertaining to beauty or art
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AFFABLE
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friendly, easy to approach
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AFFECTED (adj.)
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pretentious, phony
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AFFLUENT
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rich, abundant
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AFFRONT (n.)
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personal offense, insult
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AGENDA
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plan, schedule
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AGILE
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well coordinated, nimble
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AGITATION
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commotion, excitement; uneasiness
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AGRARIAN
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relating to farming or rural matters
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ALACRITY
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cheerful willingness, eagerness; speed
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ALIAS
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assumed name
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ALIENATED
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distanced, estranged
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ALLEGORY
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symbolic representation
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ALLEVIATE
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to relieve, improve partially
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ALLURE (v.)
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to entice by charm; attract
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ALLUSION
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indirect reference
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ALOOF
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detached, indifferent
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ALTRUISM
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unselfish concern for others' welfare
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AMBIGUOUS
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uncertain; subject to multiple interpretations
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AMBIVALENCE
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attitude of uncertainty; conflicting emotions
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AMELIORATE
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to make better, improve
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AMENABLE
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agreeable, cooperative
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AMEND
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to improve or correct flaws in
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AMENITY
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pleasantness; something increasing comfort
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AMIABLE
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friendly, pleasant, likable
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AMICABLE
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friendly, agreeable
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AMORAL
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unprincipled, unethical
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AMORPHOUS
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having no definite form
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AMPHIBIAN
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creature equally at home on land or in water
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AMPLE
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abundant, plentiful
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AMULET
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ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits
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ANACHRONISTIC
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outdated
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ANARCHY
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absence of government or law; chaos
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ANATHEMA
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ban, curse; something shunned or disliked
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ANIMATION
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enthusiasm, excitement
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ANIMOSITY
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hatred, hostility
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ANNUL
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to cancel, nullify, declare void, or make legally invalid
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ANOMALY
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irregularity or deviation from the norm
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ANONYMITY
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condition of having no name or an unknown name
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ANTAGONIST
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foe, opponent, adversary
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ANTECEDENT (adj.)
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coming before in place or time
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ANTHOLOGY
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collection of literary works
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ANTIPATHY
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dislike, hostility; extreme opposition or aversion
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ANTIQUATED
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outdated, obsolete
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ANTIQUITY
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ancient times; the quality of being old
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ANTITHESIS
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exact opposite or direct contrast
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APATHY
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lack of feeling or emotion
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APHORISM
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old saying or short, pithy statement
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APOCRYPHAL
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not genuine; fictional
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APOSTATE
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one who renounces a religious faith
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APPEASE
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to satisfy, placate, calm, pacify
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APPROBATION
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praise; official approval
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APPROPRIATE (v.)
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to take posession of
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ARABLE
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suitable for cultivation
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ARBITRARY
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depending solely on individual will; inconsistent
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ARBOREAL
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relating to trees; living in trees
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ARCANE
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secret, obscure, known only to few
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ARCHAIC
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antiquated, from an earlier time; outdated
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ARCHIPELAGO
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large group of islands
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ARDENT
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passionate, enthusiastic, fervent
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ARDUOUS
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extremely difficult, laborious
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ARID
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extremely dry or deathly boring
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ARSENAL
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ammunition storehouse
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ARTICULATE (adj.)
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well spoke, expressing onself clearly
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ARTISAN
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craftsperson; expert
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ASCEND
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to rise or climb
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ASCETIC
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self-denying, abstinent, austere
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ASHEN
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resembling ashes; deathly pale
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ASKEW
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crooked, tilted
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ASPERSION
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false rumor, damaging report, slander
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ASPIRE
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to have great hopes; to aim at a goal
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ASSAIL
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to attack, assault
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ASSIDUOUS
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diligent, persistent, hard-working
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ASSUAGE
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to make less severe, ease, relieve
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ASTRINGENT
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harsh, severe, stern
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ASTUTE
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having good judgment
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ATONE
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to make amends for a wrong
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ATROCIOUS
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monstrous, shockingly bad, wicked
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ATTAIN
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to accomplish, gain
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ATTENUATE
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to make thin or slender; weaken
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AUDACIOUS
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bold, daring, fearless
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AUDIBLE
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capable of being heard
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AUGMENT
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to expand, extend
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AUGURY
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prophecy, prediction of events
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AUGUST
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dignified, awe inspiring, venerable
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AUSPICIOUS
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having favorable prospects, promising
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AUSTERE
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stern, strict, unadorned
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AUTHORITARIAN
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extremely strict, bossy
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AUTOCRAT
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dictator
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AVARICE
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greed
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AVENGE
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to retaliate, take revenge for an injury or crime
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AVER
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to declare to be true, affirm
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AVERSION
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intense dislike
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AVERT
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to turn (something) away; prevent, hinder
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AVIARY
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large enclosure housing birds
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AWRY
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crooked, askew, amiss
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BALEFUL
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harmful, with evil intentions
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BALLAD
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folk song, narrative poem
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BALM
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soothing, healing influence
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BANAL
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trite, overly common
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BANE
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something causing death, destruction, or ruin
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BANTER
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playful conversation
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BASTION
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fortification, stronghold
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BAY (v.)
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to bark, especially in a deep, prolonged way
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BEGUILE
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to deceive, mislead; charm
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BEGUILE
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to deceive, mislead; charm
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BEHEMOTH
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huge creature
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BELABOR
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to insist repeatedly or harp on
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BELIE
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to misrepresent; expose as false
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BELLICOSE
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warlike, aggressive
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BELLIGERENT
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hostile, tending to fight
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BENEFACTOR
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someone giving aid or money
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BENEFICENT
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kindly, charitable; doing good deeds; producing good effects
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BENIGHTED
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unenlightened
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BENIGN
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kindly, gentle, or harmless
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BEQUEATH
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to give or leave through a will; to hand down
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BERATE
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to scold harshly
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BESEECH
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to beg, plead, implore
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BESTIAL
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beastly, animal-like
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BIAS
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prejudice, slant
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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list of books
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BISECT
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to cut into two (usually equal) parts
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BLANCH
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to pale; take the color out of
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BLANDISH
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to coax with flattery
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BLASPHEMOUS
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cursing, profane, irreverent
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BLATANT
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glaring, obvious, showy
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BLIGHT (v.)
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to afflict, destroy
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BOISTEROUS
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rowdy, loud, unrestrained
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BOMBASTIC
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using high-sounding but meaningless language
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BOOR
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crude person, one lacking manners or taste
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BOTANIST
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scientist who studies plants
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BOVINE
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cowlike; relating to cows
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BRAZEN
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bold, shameless, impudent; of or like brass
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BROACH (v.)
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to mention or suggest for the first time
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BURGEON
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to sprout or flourish
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BURNISH
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to polish, make smooth and bright
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BUTTRESS (v.)
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to reinforce or support
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CACOPHONY
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jarring, unpleasant noise
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CAJOLE
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to flatter, coax, persuade
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CALLOUS
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thick-skinned, insensitive
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CALLOW
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immature, lacking sophistication
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CANDOR
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honesty of expression
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CANNY
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smart; founded on common sense
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CAPITULATE
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to submit completely, surrender
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CAPRICIOUS
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impulsive, whimsical, without much thought
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CARICATURE
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exaggerated portrait, cartoon
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CARTOGRAPHY
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science or art of making maps
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CASTIGATE
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to punish, chastise, criticize severely
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CATALYST
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something causing change without being changed
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CATHOLIC
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universal; broad and comprehensive
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CAUCUS
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smaller group within an organization; a meeting of such a group
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CAUSTIC
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biting, sarcastic; able to burn
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CEDE
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to surrender posession of something
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CENSORIOUS
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severely critical
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CESSATION
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temporary or complete halt
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CHAGRIN
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shame, embarrassment, humiliation
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CHAMPION (v.)
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to defend or support
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CHAOTIC
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extremely disorderly
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CHARLATAN
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quack, fake
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CHARY
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watchful, cautious, extremely shy
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CHASTISE
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to punish, discipline, scold
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CHIDE
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to scold, express disapproval
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CHROMATIC
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relating to color
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CIRCUITOUS
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roundabout
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CIRCUMFERENCE
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boundary or distance around a circle or sphere
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CIRCUMSCRIBE
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to encircle; set limits on, confine
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CIRCUMSPECT
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cautious, wary
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CITADEL
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fortress or stronghold
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CIVIL
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polite; relating to citizens
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CLAIRVOYANT (adj.)
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having ESP, psychic
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CLAMOR
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to make a noisy outcry; a noisy outcry
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CLANDESTINE
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secretive, concealed for a darker purpose
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CLEMENCY
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merciful leniency
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CLOISTER (v.)
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to confine, seclude
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COALESCE
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to grow together or cause to unite as one
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CODDLE
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to baby, treat indulgently
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COERCE
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to compel by force or intimidation
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COGENT
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logically forceful, compelling, convincing
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COHERENT
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intelligible, lucid, understandable
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COLLATERAL
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accompanying
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COLLOQUIAL
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characteristic of informal speech
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COLLUSION
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collaboration, complicity, conspiracy
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COMMENSURATE
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proportional
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COMMODIOUS
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roomy, spacious
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COMMUNICABLE
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transmittable
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COMMUTE
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to change a penalty to a less severe one
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COMPENSATE
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to repay or reimburse
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COMPLACENT
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self-satisfied, smug
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COMPLEMENT
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to complete, perfect
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COMPLIANT
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submissive and yielding
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COMPLICITY
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knowing partnership in wrongdoing
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COMPUNCTION
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feeling of uneasiness caused by guilt or regret
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CONCAVE
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curving inward
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CONCEDE
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to yield, admit
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CONCILIATORY
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overcoming distrust or hostility
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CONCUR
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to agree
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CONDONE
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to pardon or forgive; overlook, justify, or excuse a fault
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CONDUIT
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tube, pipe, or similar passage
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CONFLAGRATION
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big, destructive fire
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CONFOUND
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to baffle, perplex
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CONGEAL
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to become thick or solid, as a liquid freezing
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CONGENIAL
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similar in tastes and habits
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CONGLOMERATE
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collected group of varied things
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CONJECTURE
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speculation, prediction
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CONJECTURE
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speculation, prediction
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CONSCIENTIOUS
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governed by conscience; careful and thorough
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CONSECRATE
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to declare sacred; dedicate to a goal
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CONSENSUS
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unanimity, agreement of opinion or attitude
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CONSOLATION
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something providing comfort or solace for a loss or hardship
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CONSOLIDATE
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to combine, incorporate
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CONSTRAINED
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forced, compelled; confined, restrained
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CONSTRUE
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to explain or interpret
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CONTENTIOUS
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quarrelsome, disagreeable, belligerent
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CONTINENCE
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self-control, self-restraint
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CONTRAVENE
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to contradict, deny, act contrary to
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CONTRITE
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deeply sorrowful and repentant for a wrong
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CONUNDRUM
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riddle, puzzle or problem with no solution
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CONVALESCENCE
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gradual recovery after an illness
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CONVENE
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to meet, come together, assemble
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CONVENTIONAL
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typical, customary, commonplace
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CONVEX
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curved outward
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CONVOLUTED
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twisted, complicated, involved
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ABJECT
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miserable, pitiful
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