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ricochet
spring back; spring away from an impact
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clavicle
bone linking the scapula and sternum
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etymology
a history of a word
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equivocate
be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
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decoupage
art produced by decorating a surface with cutouts and then coating it with several layers of varnish or lacquer
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dillydally
postpone doing what one should be doing
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effervescent
(of a liquid) giving off bubbles
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flimflam
a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property
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haberdashery
a store where men's clothes are sold
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hullabaloo
disturbance usually in protest
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debacle
a sudden and violent collapse
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juxtapose
place side by side
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lackadaisical
idle or indolent especially in a dreamy way
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qualm
uneasiness about the fitness of an action
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polygamy
having more than one spouse at a time
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oxymoron
conjoining contradictory terms (as in `deafening silence')
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paradigm
a standard or typical example
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obfuscate
make obscure or unclear
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harbinger
something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone
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humdinger
someone of remarkable excellence
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ampersand
a punctuation mark (&) used to represent conjunction (and)
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maladroit
not adroit
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ambidextrous
equally skillful with each hand
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smithereens
a collection of small fragments considered as a whole
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persnickety
characterized by excessive precision and attention to trivial details
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snorkel
breathing device consisting of a bent tube fitting into a swimmer's mouth and extending above the surface; allows swimmer to breathe while face down in the water
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pantaloon
trousers worn in former times
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discombobulate
cause to be confused emotionally
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tink
make or emit a high sound
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osmosis
(biology, chemistry) diffusion of molecules through a semipermeable membrane from a place of higher concentration to a place of lower concentration until the concentration on both sides is equal
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gazebo
a small roofed building affording shade and rest
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quibble
evade the truth of a point or question by raising irrelevant objections
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lallygag
be about
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tomfoolery
foolish or senseless behavior
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anomaly
deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule
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boondocks
a remote and undeveloped area
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abyss
a bottomless gulf or pit; any unfathomable (or apparently unfathomable) cavity or chasm or void extending below (often used figuratively)
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void
an empty area or space
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amok
wildly; without self-control
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huddle
a disorganized and densely packed crowd
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crosswalk
a path (often marked) where something (as a street or railroad) can be crossed to get from one side to the other
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midrib
the vein in the center of a leaf
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parapet
a low wall along the edge of a roof or balcony
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skitter
to move about or proceed hurriedly
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rookery
a breeding ground for gregarious birds (such as rooks)
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catamaran
a sailboat with two parallel hulls held together by single deck
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ramshackle
in deplorable condition
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croquet
a game in which players hit a wooden ball through a series of hoops; the winner is the first to traverse all the hoops and hit a peg
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swayback
having abnormal sagging of the spine (especially in horses)
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kettle
a metal pot for stewing or boiling; usually has a lid
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centerpiece
something placed at the center of something else (as on a table)
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stammer
speak haltingly
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wisteria
any flowering vine of the genus Wisteria
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lapel
lap at the front of a coat; continuation of the coat collar
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twig
a small branch or division of a branch (especially a terminal division); usually applied to branches of the current or preceding year
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wilt
any plant disease characterized by drooping and shriveling; usually caused by parasites attacking the roots
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binoculars
an optical instrument designed for simultaneous use by both eyes
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footstool
a low seat or a stool to rest the feet of a seated person
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plunk
set (something or oneself) down with or as if with a noise
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leaflet
a small book usually having a paper cover
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stance
a rationalized mental attitude
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crawdad
small freshwater decapod crustacean that resembles a lobster
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cricket
leaping insect; male makes chirping noises by rubbing the forewings together
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tangle
twist together or entwine into a confusing mass
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cartwheel
a wheel that has wooden spokes and a metal rim
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carousel
a large, rotating machine with seats for children to ride or amusement
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temple
place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity
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stipple
engrave by means of dots and flicks
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meantime
the time between one event, process, or period and another
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subtle
difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
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fluster
cause to be nervous or upset
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peephole
a hole (in a door or an oven etc) through which you can peep
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skywalk
an elevated walkway between buildings (usually enclosed)
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raffle
a lottery in which the prizes are goods rather than money
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echoic
like or characteristic of an echo
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sequence
a following of one thing after another in time
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finch
any of numerous small songbirds with short stout bills adapted for crushing seeds
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eavesdrop
listen without the speaker's knowledge
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turmoil
a violent disturbance
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spectacle
something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight)
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tether
tie with a tether
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dovecote
a birdhouse for pigeons
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phrenology
a now abandoned study of the shape of skull as indicative of the strengths of different faculties
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galoot
a disreputable or clumsy man
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poppycock
senseless talk
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boycott
a group's refusal to have commercial dealings with some organization in protest against its policies
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jaded
exhausted
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moniker
a familiar name for a person (often a shortened version of a person's given name)
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tiddlywinks
a game in which players try to flip plastic disks into a cup by pressing them on the side sharply with a larger disk
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stymie
hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of
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tawdry
tastelessly showy
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mummery
meaningless ceremonies and flattery
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serendipity
good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries
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somersault
an acrobatic feat in which the feet roll over the head (either forward or backward) and return
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tidings
information about recent and important events
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mischief
reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others
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curmudgeon
a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
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rabble
a disorderly crowd of people
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bevy
a flock of birds (especially when gathered close together on the ground)
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cranny
a small opening or crevice (especially in a rock face or wall)
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niche
a small concavity
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roustabout
a member of a ship's crew who performs manual labor
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seersucker
a light puckered fabric (usually striped)
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shellac
lac purified by heating and filtering; usually in thin orange or yellow flakes but sometimes bleached white
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ottoman
a low seat or a stool to rest the feet of a seated person
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epiphany
a divine manifestation
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dandelion
any of several herbs of the genus Taraxacum having long tap roots and deeply notched leaves and bright yellow flowers followed by fluffy seed balls
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preternatural
existing outside of or not in accordance with nature
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trimester
a period of three months; especially one of the three three-month periods into which human pregnancy is divided
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sequester
keep away from others
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malcontent
discontented as toward authority