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abandon
forsake, leave behind
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abase
cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
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abate
become less in amount or intensity
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abdicate
give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations
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aberration
a state or condition markedly different from the norm
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abet
assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing
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abhor
find repugnant
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abject
of the most contemptible kind
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abortive
failing to accomplish an intended result
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abridged
(used of texts) shortened by condensing or rewriting
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abscond
run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along
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absolve
grant remission of a sin to
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accede
yield to another's wish or opinion
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accessible
capable of being reached
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accolade
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
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accost
speak to someone
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accrue
grow by addition
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acme
the highest point (of something)
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acquiesce
to agree or express agreement
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acquittal
a judgment of not guilty
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acrid
strong and sharp;"the pungent taste of radishes"
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acrimony
a rough and bitter manner
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acuity
sharpness of vision; the visual ability to resolve fine detail (usually measured by a Snellen chart)
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acute
ending in a sharp point
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adage
a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people
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adamant
very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem
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adapt
make fit for, or change to suit a new purpose
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adhere
stick to firmly
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adjacent
having a common boundary or edge; abutting; touching
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adjunct
something added to another thing but not an essential part of it
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admonish
take to task
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adroitly
with adroitness; in an adroit manner
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adulation
servile flattery; exaggerated and hypocritical praise
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adumbrate
describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of
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advantageous
giving an advantage
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aerial
characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; as impalpable or intangible as air
-
affable
diffusing warmth and friendliness
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affinity
a natural attraction or feeling of kinship
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affluent
having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value
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affront
a deliberately offensive act or something producing the effect of deliberate disrespect
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aggregate
a sum total of many heterogenous things taken together
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aggrieve
cause to feel sorrow
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agile
moving quickly and lightly
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agitation
a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance
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agrarian
relating to rural matters
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ajar
slightly open
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algorithm
a precise rule (or set of rules) specifying how to solve some problem
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alias
a name that has been assumed temporarily
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alienate
arouse hostility or indifference in where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness
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alleviate
provide physical relief, as from pain
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allude
make a more or less disguised reference to
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allure
the power to entice or attract through personal charm
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aloof
remote in manner
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altercation
noisy quarrel
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altruistic
showing unselfish concern for the welfare of others
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ambiguous
having more than one possible meaning
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ambivalence
mixed feelings or emotions
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amend
make amendments to
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amiable
diffusing warmth and friendliness
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amicable
characterized by friendship and good will
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amoral
-
amorous
inclined toward or displaying love
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amorphous
having no definite form or distinct shape
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ample
more than enough in size or scope or capacity
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amplify
increase the volume of
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anachronism
something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred
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analogous
similar or equivalent in some respects though otherwise dissimilar
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anarchy
a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government)
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angular
having angles or an angular shape
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animation
quality of being active or spirited or alive and vigorous
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animosity
a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
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anodyne
capable of relieving pain
-
anonymity
the state of being anonymous
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antagonist
someone who offers opposition
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anthropomorphic
suggesting human characteristics for animals or inanimate things
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antipathy
a feeling of intense dislike
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antiquated
so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
-
antithesis
exact opposite
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apathetic
showing little or no emotion or animation
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apocryphal
being of questionable authenticity
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apotheosis
model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
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appease
make peace with
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approbation
official approval
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appropriate
suitable for a particular person or place or condition etc
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aptly
with competence; in a competent capable manner
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aquatic
operating or living or growing in water
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arable
(of farmland) capable of being farmed productively
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arbitrary
based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice
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arbitrate
act between parties with a view to reconciling differences
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arboreal
resembling a tree in form and branching structure
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arboretum
a facility where trees and shrubs are cultivated for exhibition
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arcane
requiring secret or mysterious knowledge
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archaic
so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
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ardently
in an ardent manner
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ardor
feelings of great warmth and intensity
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arduous
characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort
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arid
lacking sufficient water or rainfall
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artful
not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
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articulate
express or state clearly
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artifact
a man-made object taken as a whole
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ascend
travel up, "We ascended the mountain"
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ascertain
learn or discover with certainty
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ascribe
attribute or credit to
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ashen
anemic looking from illness or emotion
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askew
turned or twisted to one side
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assail
attack someone physically or emotionally
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assent
to agree or express agreement
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assert
to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
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assess
evaluate or estimate the nature, quality, ability, extent, or significance of
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assimilation
the social process of absorbing one cultural group into harmony with another
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assuage
provide physical relief, as from pain
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astringent
tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue
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astute
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
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asunder
into parts or pieces
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atone
turn away from sin or do penitence
-
attainable
capable of being attained or accomplished
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attest
provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes
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audacious
disposed to venture or take risks
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audible
heard or perceptible by the ear
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augment
enlarge or increase
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august
profoundly honored
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authoritarian
characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty
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auxiliary
furnishing added support
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avail
be of use to, be useful to
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avarice
reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins)
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avenge
take revenge for a perceived wrong
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aver
to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
-
aversion
the act of turning yourself (or your gaze) away
-
avert
turn away or aside
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avow
to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
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awry
turned or twisted to one side
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axiom
(logic) a proposition that is not susceptible of proof or disproof; its truth is assumed to be self-evident