 | Term | Definition |
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divulge |
(v) to tell; to reveal (as a secret) |
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abet |
(v) to assist or encourage, especially in wrongdoing |
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dogmatic |
(adj) arrogant and stubborn about one's (often unproven) beliefs |
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insipid |
(adj) lacking flavor; dull; not at all stimulating |
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extraneous |
(adj) inessential; not constituting a vital part |
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coerce |
(v) to force by using pressure, intimidation, or threats |
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jaundiced |
(adj) prejudiced; hostile |
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meticulous |
(adj) extremely careful about small details; precise |
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temerity |
(n) recklessness; a foolish disregard of danger |
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gregarious |
(adj) sociable; fond of the company of others |
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heresy |
(n) the crime of holding a belief that goes against established doctrine |
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docile |
(adj) easy to teach or manage |
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libation |
(n) a drink, especially an alcoholic one |
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anathema |
(n) a hated, repellant person or thing |
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banter |
(n) teasing; playful conversation |
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castigate |
(v) to criticize or punish for the purpose of correction |
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gauche |
(adj) lacking social graces; tactless |
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ignominy |
(n) public shame, disgrace, or dishonor |
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motley |
(adj) made up of different, dissimilar parts; being of many colors |
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emaciated |
(adj) extremely thin; wasted away |
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avarice |
(n) greed; desire for wealth |
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furtive |
(adj) stealthy; secretive |
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bacchanalian |
(adj) wild and drunken |
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extradite |
(v) to turn over or deliver to the legal jurisdiction of another government or authority |
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copious |
(adj) numerous; large in quantity |
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irascible |
(adj) easily angered |
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mercenary |
(n) a professional soldier hired by a foreign army |
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bastion |
(n) a strong defense or fort (one likened to these) |
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jettison |
(v) to cast overboard; to discard |
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ostracize |
(v) to banish; to shut out from a group or society by common consent |
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bigot |
(n) one who is intolerant of differences in people |
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expunge |
(v) to erase or eliminate |
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candid |
(adj) outspoken; blunt |
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argot |
(n) special words or phrases used by a specific group of people |
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negligence |
(n) careless neglect, often resulting in injury |
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appease |
(v) to calm ; to make satisfied (often only temporarily) |
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strident |
(ad) harsh sounding; grating |
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chaos |
(n) completely disorder |
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augment |
(v) to enlarge; to increase in amount or intensity |
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jingoism |
(n) extreme, chauvinistic patriotism, often favoring an aggressive, warlike foreign policy |
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rancor |
(n) extreme hatred or ill will |
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inexorable |
(adj) unrelenting; unavoidable |
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extol |
(v) to praise highly |
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clement |
(adj) merciful; lenient |
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cliché |
(n) a worn-out idea or overused expression |
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adamant |
(adj) unyielding; firm in opinion |
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diffident |
(adj) lacking in self-confidence; shy |
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opus |
(n) a creative work, especially a numbered composition |
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ostensible |
(adj) professed but not necessarily true |
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disparity |
(n) inequality; difference |
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condone |
(v) to forgive or overlook an offense |
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nuance |
(n) a slight or subtle degree of difference |
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connoisseur |
(n) an expert in matters of culture, food, or wine |
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enigma |
(n) a mystery; something seemingly inexplicable |
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apathy |
(n) lack of interest; state of not caring |
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officious |
(adj) excessively eager to deliver unasked-for or unwanted help |
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credence |
(n) belief or trust |
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jaunty |
(adj) having a buoyant, self-confident air; brisk and crisp |
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dilettante |
(n) one who merely dabbles in an art or science |
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cult |
(n) an organized group of people with an obsessive devotion to a person or set of principles |
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cynical |
(adj) doubtful or distrustful of the goodness or sincerity of human motive |
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ambivalent |
(adj) uncertain; unable to decide between two opposing points of view |
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demagogue |
(n) a leader who appeals to citizens' emotions to obtain power |
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demure |
(adj) quiet and modest; reserved |
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intrepid |
(adj) without fear; brave |
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destitute |
(adj) extremely poor; lacking necessities like food and shelter |
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erudite |
(adj) scholarly; learned |
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dilemma |
(n) a difficult choice; a seemingly unsolvable problem |
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culmination |
(n) the highest point of attainment; the end or climax |
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concur |
(v) to be of the same opinion; to agree with |
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abate |
(v) to lessen in violence or intensity |
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decorum |
(n) conformity to accepted standards of conduct; proper behavior |
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abhor |
(v) to detest; to hate strongly |
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dole |
(v) to distribute; to give out sparingly |
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gamut |
(n) the whole range or extent |
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extrovert |
(n) one who is outgoing; one who is energized rather than drained by interactions with others |
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droll |
(adj) amusing in an odd or whimsical way |
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duplicity |
(n) intentional deceit in speech or conduct |
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effigy |
(n) a crude dummy or image representing a hated person or group |
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austere |
(adj) stern; severe; plain |
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emulate |
(v) to strive to be like; to imitate |
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sere |
(adj) dry and withered |
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enhance |
(v) to increase the value or beauty of something |
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contrite |
(adj) feeling regret for having committed some wrongdoing |
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magnanimous |
(adj) noble; generous in forgiving; free from petty feeling or acts |
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enunciate |
(v) to pronounce clearly and distinctly |
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collaborate |
(v) to work with another toward a goal |
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impound |
(v) to confine; to retain in legal custody |
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impeccable |
(adj) faultless; without sin or blemish |
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evoke |
(v) to summon forth |
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inane |
(adj) without sense or meaning; silly |
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unctuous |
(adj) exaggeratedly or insincerely polite |
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expatriate |
(n) one who chooses to live outside of or renounce his or her native country |
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frowzy |
(adj) unkempt |
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heinous |
(adj) hatefully or shockingly evil |
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expound |
(v) to explain in detail; to clarify |
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cajole |
(v) to persuade with false promises and flattery |
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inscrutable |
(adj) not easily understood; hard to fathom |
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balk |
(v) to refuse stubbornly or abruptly; to stop short and refuse to go on |
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acrimony |
(n) ill-natured, bitter hostility |
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dour |
(adj) stern and ill-humored |
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exult |
(v) to rejoice; to feel triumphant |
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omniscient |
(adj) having unlimited knowledge; all-knowing |
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feasible |
(adj) reasonable; capable of being carried out |
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fiasco |
(n) a complete, ridiculous failure |
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metier |
(n) the work one is especially suited for; one's specialty; an occupation |
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fluctuate |
(v) to raise and fall; to vary irregularly |
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harry |
(v) to annoy or harass |
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incognito |
(adj) disguised; pretending not to be oneself |
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lethargy |
(n) lack of energy ; sluggishness |
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epistle |
(n) a letter or literary composition in letter form |
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avid |
(adj) enthusiastic; extremely interested |
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gadfly |
(n) an irritating and persistent person |
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humility |
(n) absence of vanity; humbleness |
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dolorous |
(adj) exhibiting sorrow or pain |
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gargantuan |
(adj) of huge or extraordinary size and power |
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arduous |
(adj) difficult; requiring much effort |
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affable |
(adj) friendly; agreeable; easy to talk to |
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grandiloquent |
(adj) pompous or high-flown in speech |
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agragrian |
(adj) having to do with farms, farmers, or the use of land |
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grimace |
(n) a facial expression of fear, disapproval, or pain |
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harangue |
(n) a long, strongly-expressed speech or lecture |
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formidable |
(adj) arousing fear or awe |
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sycophant |
(n) a flatterer; one who fawns on others in order to gain favor |
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explicit |
(adj) clearly and openly stated; leaving nothing to the imagination |
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altercation |
(n) a heated argument |
| |
lexicon |
(n) a dictionary; a specialized vocabulary used in a particular field or place |
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hue |
(n) a particular shade of a given color |
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galvanize |
(v) to startle into sudden activity |
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sanction |
(n) permission; support |
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hyperbole |
(n) extreme exaggeration for effect and not meant to be taken literally |
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ominous |
(adj) threatening; foreboding evil |
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audacity |
(n) rude boldness; nerve |
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evince |
(v) to demonstrate clearly; to prove |
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implacable |
(adj) unable to be appeased or pacified |
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exhort |
(v) to urge on with stirring words |
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incarcerate |
(v) to put into prison; to confine |
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incisive |
(adj) sharp; keen; cutting straight to the heart of the matter |
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expedient |
(adj) practical; providing an immediate advantage |
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pertinent |
(adj) having to do with the subject at hand; revelant |
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inert |
(adj) unable to act or move; inactive; sluggish |
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circumvent |
(v) to get around; to bypass |
| |
clandestine |
(adj) secret |
| |
acquit |
(v) to find not guilty of a fault or crime |
| |
deprecate |
(v) to express disapproval of |
| |
barrister |
(n) lawyer, (British) |
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adulation |
(v) excessive praise or admiration |
| |
culinary |
(adj) having to do with the kitchen or cooking |
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bawdy |
(adj) indecent; humorously obscene |
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chastise |
(v) to punish severely |
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jocose |
(adj) joking, humorous |
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myriad |
(n) a very large number |
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latent |
(adj) present, but no active; hidden |
| |
pernicious |
(adj) destructive; deadly |
| |
frugal |
(adj) thrifty; economical in money matters |
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levity |
(n) lightness of disposition; lack of seriousness |
| |
hoax |
(n) a practical joke; a trick |
| |
amicable |
(adj) friendly; peaceable |
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obstreperous |
(adj) aggressively boisterous; stubborn and defiant |
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enraptured |
(adj) delighted beyond measure |
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marital |
(adj) having to do with marriage |
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bask |
(v) to lie in or be exposed to warmth |
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genial |
(adj) friendly; amiable |
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charlatan |
(n) one who pretends to have professional knowledge in order to swindle others |
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mundane |
(adj) commonplace; of the earth and not spiritual |
| |
fickle |
(adj) likely to change on a whim or without apparent reason |
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juggernaut |
(n) a terrible destructive or irresistible force |
| |
naive |
(adj) simple in nature; not affected or worldly; especially innocent |
| |
nocturnal |
(adj) having to do with the night, occurring at night |
| |
novice |
(n) a beginner; one who is inexperienced |
