 | Term | Definition |
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atherosclerosis |
n. disease characterized by cholesterol deposits in the arteries |
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atrophy |
v. waste away, degenerate (Medicine) |
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attain |
v. reach, achieve, fulfill (goal, desire, etc.) |
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attest |
v. certify, testify; confirm |
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attribution |
n. reference; quality, trait |
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attune |
v. fit, harmonize; adjust, coordinate |
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augur |
v. predict, foretell the future |
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augury |
n. sign of what will happen, omen |
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auspices |
n. patronage; support; sponsorship: under the auspices of the Department of Education. |
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auspicious |
adj. of good omen; favorable, beneficent |
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austere |
laconic:speech=austere:design abstemious:indulge=austere:decorate imperial:significant=spartan:austere baroque◇austere |
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auspice |
n. approval; patronage; omen, sign |
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authenticity |
specious:authenticity apocryphal:authentic discompose:pacific=fabricate:authentic |
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autocracy |
n. dictatorship, despotism, totalitarianism |
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autocrat |
n. ruler with unlimited authority, dictator |
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autonomously |
adv. independently |
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autonomy |
n. independence |
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auxiliary |
additional; supplementary; reserve: an auxiliary police force. used as a substitute or reserve in case of need: The hospital has an auxiliary power system in case of a blackout. |
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avaricious |
adj. greedy, desiring power or wealth |
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avenge |
v. get revenge for |
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aver |
v. declare, state |
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aversion |
n. disgust, distaste, detestation |
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avert |
v. prevent, avoid; turn away |
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aviary |
n. place for keeping many birds |
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avid |
adj. eager; greedy |
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avidity |
n. eagerness, enthusiasm, desirousness |
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avow |
v. declare; acknowledge; confess |
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awash |
adj. floating on the water's surface; at or just above the surface of the water; overflowing with water, waterlogged |
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awe |
n. fear, fright; respect, veneration |
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awe-inspiring |
adj. arousing reverence and respect, arousing fear and wonder, amazing in such a way as to make a person lightly afraid (e.g.: "New York city is an awe inspiring sight") |
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awl |
n. pointed tool for making small holes, pick |
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axiom |
n. premise, basic assumption, truism, recognized truth |
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axiomatic |
adj. self-evident, certain, unquestioned |
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backdrop |
n. back curtain on a stage; background v. serve as a background to |
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backwaters |
n. area of stagnant water formed by backflow from a body of water |
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bacterium |
n. singular form of bacteria |
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badger |
v. bother, harass, annoy |
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badinage |
v. joke, jest n. good natured banter; joking |
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baffle |
v. bewilder, confuse; frustrate |
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bait |
badger, tease, harass bait◇disarm 使生气◇赢得…的好感;把…争取过来 bait◇mollify 使生气◇平息 |
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bale |
[beil] n.大包裹,灾祸,不幸 v. package, tie up n. bundle, package; evil; misery (Archaic) |
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baleful |
adj. sinister; malicious, spiteful; furious; deadly ['beilful] adj.邪恶的,恶意的 |
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balk |
v. refuse to move forward; hesitate; hinder, thwart balk◇move ahead willingly |
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ballad |
n. sentimental song that tells a story, narrative poem adapted for singing |
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ballast |
v. stabilize with ballast; steady n. heavy object used to stabilize boats; gravel; stabilizer |
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balm |
n. ointment, lotion, cream; soothing medication |
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balmy |
adj. calm; mild; soothing; crazy (Slang) |
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banal |
adj. stale, trite; commonplace, usual [b2'na:l] adj.陈腐的 |
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banality |
n. commonality, state of being usual, normalcy |
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bane |
n. poison; destruction; misfortune, cursedness [bein] n.祸根 |
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banish |
v. expel; send away, dismiss |
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banister |
n. railing, handrail |
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banter |
v. joke, tease, converse in friendly manner |
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barge |
n. flat-bottomed freight boat v. transport freight in a barge |
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barrage |
v. overwhelm or bombard with questions |
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barter |
v. exchange goods and services n. exchanging of goods and services; trade |
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base |
adj. low, nasty, despicable, ignoble |
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baseness |
n. lowness, meanness, ignobility |
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battalion |
n. military unit composed of two or more companies |
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bauxite |
n. a rock consisting of aluminum oxides and hydroxides with various impurities: the principal ore of aluminum. |
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bazaar |
n. outdoor sale, market; fair |
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beater |
n. one who beats; wild game flusher; stick used to beat carpet; kitchen utensil which is used for mixing ['bi:t2] n.搅拌器 |
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befuddlement |
n. confusion |
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beget |
v. to cause to exist or occur; produce: Violence begets more violence. |
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begrudge |
v. hold a grudge against someone; reluctantly permit or allow; be jealous |
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belabor |
v. criticize, ridicule; excessively elaborate on a topic; beat, hit (also belabour) |
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belch |
v. emit, discharge (i.e. smoke); burp |
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beleaguer |
v. surround with troops, besiege; harass |
