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290 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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ABANDON
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total lack on inhibition
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ABASE
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to humble, disgrace
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ABATEMENT
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decrease, reduction
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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 or normal
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ABET
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to aid, act as accomplice
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ABEYANCE
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temporary suppression or suspension
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ABHOR
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to loathe, detest
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ABJECT
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miserable, pitiful
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ABJURE
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to reject, abandon formally
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ABLUTION
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act of cleansing
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ABNEGATE
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to deny, renounce
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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 abolish or invalidate 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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ABSTEMIOUS
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moderate in appetite
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ABSTRACT
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theoretical; complex, difficult
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ABSTRUSE
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difficult to comprehend
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ACCEDE
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to express approval; agree to
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ACCESSIBLE
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attainable, available; approachable
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ACCESSORY
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attachment, ornament; accomplice, partner
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ACCOLADE
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praise, distinction
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ACCOST
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to approach and speak to someone
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ACCRETION
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growth in size or increase in amount
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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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ACQUITTAL
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release from blame
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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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ACUTE
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sharp, pointed
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ADAGE
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old saying or proverb
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ADAMANT
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uncomprimising, 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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ADJUNCT
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something added, attached, or joined
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ADMONISH
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to caution or reprimand
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ADROIT
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skillful, accompmlished, highly competent
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ADULATION
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high praise
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ADULTERATE
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to corrupt or make impure
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ADUMBRATE
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to sketch, outline in a shadowy way
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ADVANTAGEOUS
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favorable, useful
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ADVERSARIAL
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antagonistic, competitive
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ADVERSE
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unfavorable, unlucky, harmful
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AERIAL
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having to do with the aire
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AERIE
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nook or nest built high in the air
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AERODYNAMIC
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relating to objects moving through 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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AFFINITY
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fondness, liking; similarity
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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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AGGRANDIZE
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to make larger or greater in power
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AGGREGATE (n)
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collective mass or sum; total
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AGGRIEVE
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to afflict, distress
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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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AGNOSTIC
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one doubting that people can know God
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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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ALCHEMY
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medieval chemical philosophy based on changing metal into gold
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ALGORITHM
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mechanical problem-solving procedure
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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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ALIGNED
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precisely adjusted; committed to one side or party
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ALLAY
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to lessen, ease, or soothe
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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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ALLITERATION
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repetition of the beginning sounds of words
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ALLOCATION
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allowance, portion, share
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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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ALLUSIVENESS
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quality of making many indirect references
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ALOOF
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detached, indifferent
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ALTERCATION
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noisy dispute
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ALTRUISM
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unselfish concern for others' welfare
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AMALGAM
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mixture, combination, alloy
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AMBIDEXTROUS
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able to use both hands equally well
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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, likeable
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AMICABLE
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friendly, agreeable
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AMITY
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friendship
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AMORAL
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unprincipled, unethical
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AMOROUS
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strongly attracted to love; showing love
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AMORPHOUS
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having no definite form
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AMORTIZE
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to diminish by installment payments
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AMPHIBIAN (n)
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creature equally at home on land or in water
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AMPHITHEATER
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arena theater with rising tiers around a central open space
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AMPLE
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abundant, plentiful
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AMPLIFY
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to increase, intensify
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AMULET
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ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits
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ANACHRONISM
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something chronologically inappropriate
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ANACHRONISTIC
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outdated
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ANALOGOUS
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comparable, parallel
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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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ANCILLARY
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accessory, subordinate, helping
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ANECDOTE
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short, usually funny account of an event
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ANGULAR
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characterized by sharp angles; lean and gaunt
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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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ANODYNE
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something that calms or soothes pain
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ANOINT
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to apply oil to, esp. as a sacred rite
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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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ANTEDILUVIAN
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prehistoric, ancient beyond measure
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ANTEPENULTIMATE
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third from last
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ANTERIOR
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preceding, previous, before, prior to
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ANTHOLOGY
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collection of literary works
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ANTHROPOMORPHIC
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attributing human qualities to non-humans
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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 or ancient
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ANTITHESIS
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exact opposite or direct contrast
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APATHETIC
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indifferent, unconcerned
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APATHY
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lack of feeling or emotion
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APHASIA
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inability to speak or use words
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APHELION
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point in a planet's orbit that is farthest from the sun
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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 (n)
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one who renounces a religious faith
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APOSTROPHE
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speech to the reader or someone not present
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APOTHEOSIS
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glorification; glorified ideal
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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 possession of
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AQUATIC
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belonging or living in water
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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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ARBITRATOR
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mediator, negotiator
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ARBOREAL
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relating to trees; living in trees
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ARBORETUM
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place where trees are displayed and studied
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ARCANE
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secret, obscure, known only to a 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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ARDOR
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great emotion or passion
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ARDUOUS
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extremely difficult, laborious
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ARID
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etremely dry or deathly boring
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ARRAIGN
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to call to court to answer a charge
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ARROGATE
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to demand, claim arrogantly
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ARSENAL
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ammunition storehouse
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ARTICULATE (adj)
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well-spoken, expressing oneself clearly
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ARTIFACT
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historical relic, item made by human craft
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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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ASCENDANCY
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state or rising, ascending; power or control
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ASCERTAIN
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to determine, discover, make certain of
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ASCETIC (adj)
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self-denying, abstinent, austere
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ASCRIBE
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to attribute to, assign
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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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ASSENT (v)
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to express agreement
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ASSERT
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to affirm, attest
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ASSIDUOUS
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diligent, peristent,hard-working
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ASSIGNATION
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appointment for lovers' meeting; assignment
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ASSIMILATION
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act of blending in, becoming similar
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ASSONANCE
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resemblance in sound, especially in vowel sounds; partial rhyme
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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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ASUNDER (adv)
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into different parts
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ASYMMETRICAL
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not corresponding in size, shape, position, etc.
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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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ATROPHY (v)
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to waste away, wither from disuse
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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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ATTEST
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to testify, stand as proof of, bear witness
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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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AUDIT (n)
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formal examiniation of financial records
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AUDITORY
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having to do with hearing
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AUGMENT
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to expand, extend
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AUGURY (adj)
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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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AUTONOMOUS
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separate, independent
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AUXILIARY
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supplementary, reserve
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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
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AVIARY
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large enclosure housing birds
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AVOW
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to state openly or declare
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AWRY
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crooked, askew, amiss
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AXIOM
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premise, postulate, self-evident truth
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BALEFUL
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harmful, with evil intentions
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BALK (v)
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to refuse, shirk; prevent
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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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BAN (v)
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to forbid, outlaw
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BANAL
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trite and overly common
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BANE
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something causing ruin, death, or destruction
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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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BECALM
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to make calm or still; keep motionless by lack of wind
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BECLOUD
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to confuse; darken with clouds
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BEGUILE
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to decieve, 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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BELATED
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late
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BELEAGUER
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to harass, plague
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BELFRY
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bell tower, room in which a bell is hung
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BELIE
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to misrepresent; expse as false
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BELITTLE
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to represent as unimportant, make light of
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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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BELLOW
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to roar, shout
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BEMUSE
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to confuse, stupefy; plunge deep into thought
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BENCHMARK
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standard of measure
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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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BESTOW
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to give as a gift
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BETOKEN
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to indicate, signify, give evidence of
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BEVY
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group
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BIAS
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prejudice, slant
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BIBIOGRAPHY
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list of books
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BIBLIOPHILE
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book lover
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BILATERAL
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two-sided
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BILK
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to cheat, defraud
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BILLET
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board and lodging for troops
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BIPED
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two-footed animal
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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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BLITHE
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joyful, cheerful, or without appropriate thought
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BLUDGEON
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to hit as with a short heavy club
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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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BONANZA
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extremely large amount; something profitable
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BONHOMIE
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good-natured geniality; atmosphere of good cheer
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BOON
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blessing, something to be thankful for
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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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BOUNTIFUL
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plentiful
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BOURGEOIS
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middle-class
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BOVINE
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cow-like; relating to cows
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BRAZEN
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bold, shameless, imprudent; of or like brass
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BREACH
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act of breaking, violation
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BRIGAND
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bandit, outlaw
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BROACH
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to mention or suggest for the first time
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BRUSQUE
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rough and abrupt in manner
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BUFFET (v)
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to strike, hit
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BUFFOON
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clown or fool
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BULWARK
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defense wall; anything serving as defense
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BURGEON
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to sprout or flourish
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BURLY
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brawny, husky
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BURNISH
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to polish, make smooth and bright
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BURSAR
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treasurer
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BUSTLE
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commotion, energetic activity
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BUTT
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person or thing that is object of ridicule
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BUTTRESS (v)
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to reinforce or support
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BYWAY
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back road
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CACOPHONOUS
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jarring, unpleasantly noisy
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CADENCE
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rhythmic flow of poetry; marching beat
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