 | Term | Definition |
| |
scintillate |
v. to give off sparks; to be animated or brilliant |
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trivial |
adj. of little worth or importance |
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engaging |
adj. attractive; charming |
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arbitrary |
adj. determined by chance or individual preference, not by reason, necessity or principle |
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import |
n. significance |
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overwrought |
adj. extremely nervous or excited |
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corollary |
n. a natural consequence or effect; a deduction or an inference |
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profound |
adj. very deep; penetrating beyond the superficial |
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herald |
v. to bear news; to announce |
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condiment |
n. a seasoning or relish for food, such as pepper, mustard, sauces, etc. |
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purvey |
v. to supply |
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hermetic |
adj. completely sealed, esp. from entry or escape of air |
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largess |
n. generosity in giving gifts |
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volatile |
adj. tending to vary widely; unstable; quickly evaporating |
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craven |
adj. cowardly; contemptibly timid |
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podium |
n. a raised platform on which a speaker or conductor stands |
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disarray |
n. confusion, disorder |
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mercurial |
adj. easily changeable; erratic |
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relentless |
adj. harsh; pitiless; persistent |
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versatile |
adj. competent in many things |
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bland |
adj. having a moderate, undisturbed quality |
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extract |
v. to remove, esp. with effort |
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infinitesimal |
adj. exceedingly small; minute |
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ecstasy |
n. state of overwhelming joy; rapture |
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atavistic |
adj. reverting to past traits, esp. to traits absent for a long time |
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innocuous |
adj. harmless |
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venial |
adj. easily excused or forgiven |
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peer |
n. a person or thing of the same rank |
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montage |
n. a composite elements, esp. pictures, placed closely next to one another |
| |
heyday |
n. a time of success or popularity |
| |
winsome |
adj. charming, esp. in a childlike or innocent way |
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menial |
adj. lowly or servant-like |
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rank |
adj. conspicuously offensive, esp. in smell or taste; complete |
| |
self-abnegation |
n. the putting aside of personal interest for the sake of others |
| |
nurture |
v. to nourish, educate, or encourage |
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matrix |
n. a surrounding substance within which something else originates or is contained |
| |
mutable |
adj. subject to change; prone to frequent change; inconstant |
| |
expatriate |
n. v. to send into exile; n. one who has moved to a foreign country |
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plaintive |
adj. expressing sorrow |
| |
patrimony |
n. property inherited from one's father or other ancestor |
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sedition |
n. the promotion of rebellion against the government |
| |
coincide |
v. to occur at the same time or be at the same place; to agree exactly |
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accrue |
v. to come as a gain; to increase |
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arrogant |
adj. having more pride and self-importance than is proper |
| |
grisly |
adj. inspiring horror because of appalling crudity or inhumanity; gruesome |
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placid |
adj. calm, undisturbed |
| |
matriarch |
n. a woman who rules a family or clan; a highly respected woman who is a mother |
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relief |
n. a distinction or prominence due to contrast |
| |
pilfer |
v. to steal a small amount |
| |
mannerism |
n. a distinctive behavioral trait; an idiosyncrasy |
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