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stormy petrel
sooty black petrel with white markings; of the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean
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crepuscular
like twilight; dim
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quiddity
the essence that makes something the kind of thing it is and makes it different from any other
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ephemeral
anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day in its winged form
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etiolate
make weak by stunting the growth or development of
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outre
conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual
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labile
liable to change
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susurrus
the indistinct sound of people whispering
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pulchritude
physical beauty (especially of a woman)
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portend
indicate by signs
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frisson
an almost pleasurable sensation of fright
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impugn
attack as false or wrong
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chimerical
being or relating to or like a chimera
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nescience
ignorance (especially of orthodox beliefs)
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aegis
armor plate that protects the chest; the front part of a cuirass
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grandiloquent
lofty in style
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flummox
be a mystery or bewildering to
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longueur
a period of dullness or boredom (especially in a work of literature or performing art)
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gambol
play boisterously
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jape
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
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contretemps
an awkward clash
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osculation
the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)
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velleity
a mere wish, unaccompanied by effort to obtain
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feckless
generally incompetent and ineffectual
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propinquity
the property of being close together
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tumult
a state of commotion and noise and confusion
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dramaturgy
the art of writing and producing plays
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spoonerism
transposition of initial consonants in a pair of words
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pithy
concise and full of meaning
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veracity
unwillingness to tell lies
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diatribe
thunderous verbal attack
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florid
elaborately or excessively ornamented
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elucidate
make clear and (more) comprehensible
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libation
the act of pouring a liquid offering (especially wine) as a religious ceremony
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cormorant
large voracious dark-colored long-necked seabird with a distensible pouch for holding fish; used in Asia to catch fish
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scintilla
a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
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esoteric
confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle
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inanition
exhaustion resulting from lack of food
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tetchy
easily irritated or annoyed
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ululate
emit long loud cries
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pedestrian
a person who travels by foot
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incisive
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
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equine
resembling a horse
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bilk
cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money
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martial
suggesting war or military life
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parry
impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball)
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temerity
fearless daring
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acute
ending in a sharp point
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sanguine
inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
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lampoon
ridicule with satire
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pedant
a person who pays more attention to formal rules and book learning than they merit
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hidebound
stubbornly conservative and narrow-minded
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declaim
recite in elocution
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openhanded
given or giving freely
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peculate
appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use
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beseech
ask for or request earnestly
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ellipsis
omission or suppression of parts of words or sentences
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innocuous
not injurious to physical or mental health
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hermetic
completely sealed; completely airtight
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consternation
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
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burnish
polish and make shiny
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interminable
tiresomely long; seemingly without end
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pinchbeck
an alloy of copper and zinc that is used in cheap jewelry to imitate gold
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myopia
(ophthalmology) eyesight abnormality resulting from the eye's faulty refractive ability; distant objects appear blurred
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expurgate
edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
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tome
a (usually) large and scholarly book
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osteopath
a therapist who manipulates the skeleton and muscles
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toady
a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
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high-handed
given to haughty disregard of others
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denigrate
charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
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erstwhile
belonging to some prior time
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unwitting
not aware or knowing
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defalcate
appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use
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chaff
material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds
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victuals
a source of materials to nourish the body
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canine
any of various fissiped mammals with nonretractile claws and typically long muzzles
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bemoan
regret strongly
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acclaim
enthusiastic approval
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wanton
lewd or lascivious woman
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vacuous
devoid of matter
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talisman
a trinket or piece of jewelry usually hung about the neck and thought to be a magical protection against evil or disease
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sallow
unhealthy looking
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rancor
a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
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pandiculation
yawning and stretching (as when first waking up)
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magnanimous
noble and generous in spirit
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laissez-faire
with minimally restricted freedom in commerce
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kinetic
relating to the motion of material bodies and the forces associated therewith
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jettison
throw away, of something encumbering
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iconoclast
someone who attacks cherished ideas or traditional institutions
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hapless
deserving or inciting pity
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gargantuan
of great mass; huge and bulky
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fastidious
giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness
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eclectic
selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
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daunt
cause to lose courage
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candor
the quality of being honest and straightforward in attitude and speech
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beleaguer
annoy persistently
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zealous
marked by active interest and enthusiasm
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abstinent
self-restraining; not indulging an appetite especially for food or drink
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xanthous
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
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wanderlust
very strong or irresistible impulse to travel
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annulment
the act of abrogating; an official or legal cancellation
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rubicund
inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
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fulmination
the act of exploding with noise and violence
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tacit
implied by or inferred from actions or statements
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sacrilege
blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its sacred character
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ramble
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
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qualify
describe or portray the character or the qualities or peculiarities of
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paltry
contemptibly small in amount
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pray
address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
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oblique
slanting or inclined in direction or course or position--neither parallel nor perpendicular nor right-angled
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narcissism
an exceptional interest in and admiration for yourself
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macrobiotic
of or relating to the theory or practice of macrobiotics
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laggard
someone who takes more time than necessary; someone who lags behind
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kibbutz
a collective farm or settlement owned by its members in modern Israel; children are reared collectively
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iambic
of or consisting of iambs
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hackneyed
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
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gaffe
a socially awkward or tactless act
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ecclesiastical
of or associated with a church (especially a Christian Church)
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dastard
a despicable coward
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cache
a hidden storage space (for money or provisions or weapons)
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beatific
marked by utter benignity; resembling or befitting an angel or saint
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ablaut
a vowel whose quality or length is changed to indicate linguistic distinctions (such as sing sang sung song)
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homologous
corresponding or similar in position or structure or function or characteristics; especially derived from an organism of the same species
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elocution
an expert manner of speaking involving control of voice and gesture
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sepulcher
a chamber that is used as a grave
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loquacious
full of trivial conversation
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sentinel
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
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dissever
separate into parts or portions
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curio
something unusual -- perhaps worthy of collecting
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caitiff
a cowardly and despicable person
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incursion
the act of entering some territory or domain (often in large numbers)
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bulwark
an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes
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valediction
a farewell oration (especially one delivered during graduation exercises by an outstanding member of a graduating class)
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balustrade
a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling
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eminent
standing above others in quality or position
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cadence
(prosody) the accent in a metrical foot of verse
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emollient
toiletry consisting of any of various substances in the form of a thick liquid that have a soothing and moisturizing effect when applied to the skin
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reprobate
a person without moral scruples
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guerdon
a reward or payment
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escutcheon
a shield; especially one displaying a coat of arms
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nabob
a governor in India during the Mogul empire
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grenadine
thin syrup made from pomegranate juice; used in mixed drinks
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brevity
the attribute of being brief or fleeting
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concise
expressing much in few words
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laconic
brief and to the point; effectively cut short
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pithy
concise and full of meaning
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quiescent
being quiet or still or inactive
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reticent
reluctant to draw attention to yourself
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succinct
briefly giving the gist of something
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taciturn
habitually reserved and uncommunicative
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terse
brief and to the point; effectively cut short
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colloquial
characteristic of informal spoken language or conversation
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diffuse
spread out; not concentrated in one place
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digress
wander from a direct or straight course
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eloquence
powerful and effective language
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garrulous
full of trivial conversation
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grandiloquent
lofty in style
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loquacious
full of trivial conversation
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prattle
speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
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rant
talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
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rhetorical
of or relating to rhetoric
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verbose
using or containing too many words
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voluble
marked by a ready flow of speech
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arrogant
having or showing feelings of unwarranted importance out of overbearing pride
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braggart
a very boastful and talkative person
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complacent
contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions
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contemptuous
expressing extreme contempt
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disdainful
having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
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egotistical
characteristic of those having an inflated idea of their own importance
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haughty
having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
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insolent
marked by casual disrespect
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ostentatious
intended to attract notice and impress others
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presumptuous
excessively forward
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pretentious
making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction
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supercilious
having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
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swagger
to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others
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banal
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
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cliche
a trite or obvious remark
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derivative
a compound obtained from, or regarded as derived from, another compound
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insipid
lacking interest or significance or impact
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lackluster
lacking brilliance or vitality
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mundane
found in the ordinary course of events
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platitude
a trite or obvious remark
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prosaic
lacking wit or imagination
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trite
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
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vapid
lacking significance or liveliness or spirit or zest
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allay
lessen the intensity of or calm
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alleviate
provide physical relief, as from pain
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ameliorate
to make better
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appease
make peace with
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assuage
provide physical relief, as from pain
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conciliate
cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
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mediate
act between parties with a view to reconciling differences
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mitigate
lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
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mollify
cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
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pacify
cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
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lenify
cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
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gruntle
cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
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placate
cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
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quell
suppress or crush completely
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vindication
the act of vindicating or defending against criticism or censure etc.
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fey
suggestive of an elf in strangeness and otherworldliness
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foulard
a light plain-weave or twill-weave silk or silklike fabric (usually with a printed design)
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pernicious
exceedingly harmful
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feldspar
any of a group of hard crystalline minerals that consist of aluminum silicates of potassium or sodium or calcium or barium
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exigency
a pressing or urgent situation
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agnosia
inability to recognize objects by use of the senses
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stolid
having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited
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antipyretic
preventing or alleviating fever
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querulous
habitually complaining
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dyspepsia
a disorder of digestive function characterized by discomfort or heartburn or nausea
-
unctuous
unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech
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margay
small spotted wildcat found from Texas to Brazil
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abnegate
deny or renounce
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primogeniture
right of inheritance belongs exclusively to the eldest son
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odium
hate coupled with disgust
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effendi
a former Turkish term of respect; especially for government officials
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bombinate
make a buzzing sound
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arbitrage
a kind of hedged investment meant to capture slight differences in price; when there is a difference in the price of something on two different markets the arbitrageur simultaneously buys at the lower price and sells at the higher price
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munificent
very generous
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courtly
refined or imposing in manner or appearance; befitting a royal court
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nostrum
patent medicine whose efficacy is questionable
-
perpetrator
someone who perpetrates wrongdoing
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aliment
a source of materials to nourish the body
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sessile
attached directly by the base; not having an intervening stalk
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coruscate
reflect brightly
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lugubrious
excessively mournful
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Polaroid
(trade mark) a plastic film that can polarize a beam of light; often used in sunglasses to eliminate glare
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halberd
a pike fitted with an ax head
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quaff
to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught
-
nepotism
favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)