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abet |
to aid; to encourage |
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abeyance |
a postponement |
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abide |
to remain or to put up with |
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abject |
miserable |
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abjure |
to give up (rights); to deny |
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ablution |
cleansing |
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abortive |
unsuccessful |
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abrogate |
to abolish |
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abscond |
to leave secretly |
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absolve |
to free from responsibility |
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abstemious |
to show moderation in eating or drinking |
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abut |
to border on; adjoin |
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acclaim |
to greet wih approval; praise |
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acclimate |
to get used to |
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acclivity |
an upward slope |
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accolade |
honor or award |
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accost |
to approach or speak aggressively |
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accredit |
to certify or endorse |
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accretion |
an addition or increase |
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accrue |
to accumulate |
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acrimonious |
harsh speech or action |
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acuity |
sharp perception |
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actuate |
to put into action |
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acumen |
mental insight |
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acute |
sharp; intense |
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adduca |
something offered as proof |
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adjudicate |
to judge |
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adjunct |
an assistant or in addition to |
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advent |
a coming or arrival |
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adventitious |
accidental; incidental |
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aegis |
protection |
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affable |
aggreeable |
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affectation |
phony attitude or behavior |
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affix |
to attach or add |
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affluence |
wealth |
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aggrandize |
to make greater |
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aggregate |
to collect or gather together |
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alacrity |
willingness |
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allay |
to calm |
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allege |
to charge without proof |
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allocate |
to assign for a specific purpose |
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allude |
to hint at |
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amalgamate |
to combine or unite |
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ambulatory |
able to walk |
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amenable |
agreeable |
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amazon |
strong, masculine woman |
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ambient |
surrounding |
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amenity |
courtesy or agreeableness |
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amiable |
friendly |
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amicable |
agreeable |
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amnesty |
official pardon for an offense |
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amoral |
no sense of right and wrong |
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amorous |
loving |
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ample |
abundant |
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anachronism |
something out of place or time |
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analgesic |
drug that reduces pain |
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anathema |
a curse; a person strongly disliked |
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ancillary |
subordinate |
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anecdote |
a short, entertaining story |
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anent |
concerning |
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annals |
historical records |
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annuity |
income paid at stated intervals |
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anomalous |
abnormal; irregular |
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anoxia |
lack of oxygen |
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anthology |
collection of literary works |
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antic |
playful or silly act |
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anticlimax |
something unimportant coming after something special |
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antipathy |
strongly dislike |
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antiquated |
extremely old |
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aperture |
an opening |
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apex |
the highest point |
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aphasia |
loss of the ability to speak |
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aphorism |
brief saying; a short proverb |
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aplomb |
self-confidence |
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apocryphal |
mythical; doubtful in origin |
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apoplexy |
sudden loss of consciousness; paralysis |
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apostate |
one who gives up his beliefs |
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appellation |
a name |
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apprehensive |
fearful; anxious |
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apprise |
to inform |
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approbation |
approval |
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apropos |
apropriate; fitting |
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appropriate |
to take possession of; satisfactory |
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arbiter |
a judge; referee |
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arbitrary |
biased or at random |
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arbor |
a shaded area |
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arcane |
mysterious or secret |
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archaic |
out-dated |
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archetype |
original |
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archives |
public records and documents |
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ardent |
strongly enthusiastic |
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ardous |
difficult |
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array |
an orderly arrangement |
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arrears |
in debt |
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artful |
cunning; crafty |
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artifact |
a simple, handmade object |
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artifice |
deception |
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artisan |
a skilled craftsman |
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ascendant |
rising; dominant |
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ascertain |
to find out |
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ascribe |
to attribute |
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aseptic |
without bacteria |
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asinine |
stupid or silly |
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askance |
to look at suspiciously |
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askew |
crooked; out of position |
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aspersion |
a damaging remark |
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aspire |
to have an ambition |
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assail |
to attack |
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assay |
to test |
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assent |
to agree |
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assess |
to estimate the value of; measure |
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assertive |
confident |
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assiduous |
diligence; care |
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assimilate |
to absorb |
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astringent |
substance that contracts blood vessels |
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astute |
very smart; clever |
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asunder |
into separate parts |
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asylum |
refuge |
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atrocious |
cruel; awful |
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atrophy |
to become useless; waste away |
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attenuated |
weakened |
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attest |
to confirm |
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attribute |
to assign to; a characteristic |
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attrition |
a wearing down |
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atypical |
not usual |
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audacity |
boldness |
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audit |
to examine accounts or records |
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augment |
to increase or enlarge |
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augur |
to predict |
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august |
majstic; worthy of respect |
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aura |
a glow |
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aural |
pertaining to the sense of hearing |
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auroral |
rosy |
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auspicious |
favorable; fortunate |
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austere |
severe; self-disciplined |
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authenticate |
to confirm |
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authoritarian |
bossy, like a dictator |
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authoritative |
trustworthy; having power |
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autocratic |
unlimited authority |
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autonomy |
self-rule |
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avarice |
greed; money hungry |
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avenge |
to get revenge |
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aversion |
intense dislike |
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avert |
to prevent; to turn away |
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avid |
enthusiastic |
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avocation |
a hobby |
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avow |
to declare openly |
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awry |
in the wrong direction |
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affirmative |
positive |
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amplify |
to make greater |
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