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grovel
to beg; to lower oneself to please another
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condescend
to lower oneself to a less formal or less dignified level
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sprightly
lively; animated; energetic
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pretext
an excuse; a strategy intended to conceal something
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supplicate
to request with great humility, as though by praying
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escapade
a reckless adventure
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abstemious
moderate, especially in eating and drinking
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encore
again, once more; a second performance; an audience's call for a second performance
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flounder
to proceed with clumsiness and confusion
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marshal
to arrange in order
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timbre
the distinguishing quality of a sound
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dross
impurities formed on the surface of metals during melting; worthless, commonplace or trivial material
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mendacious
lying; false, esp. habitually
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frivolous
of little importance
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jovial
full of hearty, playful good humor
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brusque
abrupt and curt of manner
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tenure
holding or possession of an office or property; guaranteed permanent employment, especially as a teacher
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eponym
a person after whom a place, person, disease, etc. is named
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dismay
to destroy courage or resolution; to cause to lose enthusiasm, to disillusion
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chastise
to punish by beating; to scold or condemn sharply
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forgery
something counterfeit; an illegally produced imitation
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exert
to put forth or bring to bear
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impale
to pierce with something sharp; to make helpless
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corpulent
very fat; obese
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brood
to be deep in thought; to think over moodily and at length
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obviate
to stop from occurring; to prevent or make unnecessary
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linchpin
a central element that holds other parts together
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cachet
a mark of distinction
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extenuate
to lessen the seriousness of, esp. by giving partial excuses
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manifesto
a public declaration of principles, often political
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bequeath
to pass down to; to hand down, esp. in a will
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plenitude
fullness in quantity or degree; the state of being full or complete
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latent
present but hidden; dormant
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mollify
to soothe the temper; pacify; appease
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disaffected
resentful and rebellious, esp. against authority
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perfidious
marked by extreme treachery
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deprecate
to express disapproval of
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erstwhile
former; of an earlier time
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effigy
a representation of a person or group used esp. to demonstrate hatred
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educe
to draw out; elicit
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precarious
dangerously insecure or unstable
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gainsay
to deny; declare false
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credulous
tending to believe too easily; gullible
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loath
unwilling, reluctant
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odious
arousing strong dislike or disgust
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distraught
anxious or agitated
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intransigent
refusing to compromise or agree
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adroit
naturally skillful, esp. dealing with difficult circumstances
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dilatory
characterized by delay; tardy
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prognosis
the anticipated progress of recovery
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enunciation
clear pronunciation; articulation
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venomous
malignant; spiteful; secreting poison
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cupidity
strong desire for wealth; greed
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fraught
full of a particular quality
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keen
having a sharp edge; perceptive
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secular
not religious; worldly
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ample
enough, or more than enough; plentiful
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hodgepodge
mixture; combination
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synopsis
a short summary that outlines the main points of something
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obfuscate
to make difficult to understand; to make indistinct
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turgid
swollen, as from fluid; excessively ornate or complex in style
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philander
of a man, to engage in sexual affairs, esp. casually
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fictitious
not real; false
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ruse
an action or device intended to deceive
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incapacitate
to make unable to function in normal activities; disable
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suave
effortlessly smooth and courteous in social situations
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dormant
inactive, but capable of being active
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philistine
a narrow-minded person with no interest in the arts
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volition
a conscious choice or decision
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propound
to suggest for consideration; to propose
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retrench
to reduce, esp. expenses
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malapropism
a ridiculous misuse of words
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valor
marked courage or bravery
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soporific
promoting sleep
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dreary
depressing and boring
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leviathan
something enormous and powerful; a sea monster
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gingerly
very carefully; cautiously
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vulgar
lacking refinement or taste; crude
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hibernate
to sleep throughout the winter
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impassive
not feeling emotion; not showing emotion
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disingenuous
not straightforward or candid; crafty
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caricature
a drawing or description that ridiculously exaggerates features
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oligarchy
a government in which only few people have power
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fallacy
a false notion, esp. one based on incorrect reasoning
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dichotomy
division into two contradictory parts
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obdurate
not easily moved to pity or sympathy
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relinquish
to surrender or release
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jocular
characterized by joking
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incarnate
in human form and shape
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