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maritime
Even those boating enthusiasts who only go out on an occasional weekend need to familiarize themselves with maritime law.
adj. relating to the sea or ocean
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carouse
When Bill went off to college, he spent so much time carousing at his fraternity that his grades were atrocious.
n. to participate in a loud, drunken party
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obloquy
Eager to retire from public life, the president admitted he had suffered through more misunderstanding and obloquy than anyone should have to endure.
n. strongly disapproving language
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fey
Iknew she was feeling ill and was ready to go home when she gave me one last fey look from across the room.
adj. out of it; appearing weak as though under a spell
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veal
Some people refuse to order veal in a restaurant because of the cruel way in which it is produced.
n. the meat of a calf
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advisement
The manager took the various opinions of the entire staff under advisement.
n. careful consideration
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blazon
To improve sales for the new model year, our dealership's manager wants to blazon the car lot with enormous banners.
v. to display in a showy manner
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panorama
From the prow of the cruise ship, the surrounding panorama of glaciers and icebergs was quite spectacular.
n. a broad view; comprehensive survey
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salvo
The president hurried back to his helicopter, unwilling to field another salvo of hostile questions from the reporters.
n. a simultaneous discharge or release, as of weapons
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protrude
After years of erosion had undermined the property, the house protruded over the edge of the cliff, supported only by long stilts.
v. to thrust forward or out
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nugatory
All her long hours preparing a detailed presentation for the mayor proved nugatory when he rejected the proposal without even listening to it.
adj. having no importance; invalid
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boondoggle
Once envisioned as a popular lunchtime meeting spot for the nearby office workers, the giant blue bubble dome has turned out instead to be downtown's most visible boondoggle.
n. a pointless project, esp. one financed with public funds
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crypt
The ancient crypt became a tourist attraction, much to the dismay of the church officials.
n. partially buried chamber, esp. in a church
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decompose
Although the salad had passed its peak of freshness, it hadn't yet begun to decompose.
v. to break up into its parts; to rot or putrefy
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contemporary
The Gulf War was not contemporary with the American Revolution; it came about two centuries later.
adj. of the same time or period
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urn
The caterer brought three large silver ums to hold the coffee for all the guests.
n. a vase, usually with a footed base, esp. used for warming and serving tea or coffee
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archetype
adj. archetypal
Vera's biography reads like an archetype of the American dream: her hard work and entrepreneurialspirit resulted in great financial success.
n. the original pattern or model; a perfect example
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renegade
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many former KGB agents became renegades, selling their services as spies to the highest bidder.
n. someone who rejects one group, cause, or allegiance for another
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occidental
Commodore Perry used battleships in the early 1850s to force Japan to open its doors to occidentaltrade.
adj. western
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leeward
Captain Andy pointed out I might have an easier time keeping my hat on my head if l moved my chair to the leeward side of the ship's deck.
adj. away from the wind
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asunder:
The friendship between James and Albert, which had lasted for years, was split asunder by their competition for the affections of the same woman.
adv. apart
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heyday:
The stock price has declined sharply since the company's heyday in the early 1980s.
n. a time of success or popularity
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omnibus:
The omnibus spending bill submitted to Congress contained many small items for various special-interest groups.
adj. including or dealing with many items at once; n. a volume of reprinted works of a single author or theme
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retrench
Many people, seduced by the materialism of American culture, spend far beyond their means, until massive debts eventually force them to retrench.
v. to reduce, esp. expenses
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ramble
lt was evident from the way the speaker rambled that she had not written her speech in advance.
v. to walk or speak aimlessly
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immerse
Scholars who immerse themselves in their subjects can often seem distant and removed from daily realities.
v. to cover completely in a liquid; to engage wholly
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relic:
Many people consider the death penalty to be a barbaric relic of a more primitive society.
n. a surviving trace of a culture or period that no longer exists
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sardonic
Rochester was proud and sardonic, mocking any weaknesses he found in others with no consideration of their feelings.
adj. bitterly sneering; mocking
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recede
Some men go their whole lives with a full head of hair; for others it can start to recede while they are still in their early twenties.
v. to go back; to withdraw
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geriatric:
Coming up with some sort of low—cost geriatric care is going to be vital as our population grows older.
adj. pertaining to the elderly, esp. in a medical sense
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arraign
lf charges are pressed against you, the court will arraign you so that you may enter a plea before a judge.
v. to bring before a court to answer a legal charge
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volition
The U. S. Marshals were relieved when the 300—pound convict agreed to accompany them under his own volition.
n. a conscious choice or decision
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procrustean:
The teacher imposed a procrustean standard, refusing to allow any excuse, no matter how justified, for late homework.
adj. showing merciless disregard for individual differences or special circumstances
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curry favor
When the losing team tried to curry favor with the judges and persuade them to reverse their ruling,the judges eagerly provided them with a list of acceptable favors.
v. to try to win favor by flattery
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accord
Observers are pointing out the obvious when they say there won't be an end to the hostilities untilsome sort of accord is hammered out.
n. agreement n. accordance
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lucubrate:
William F. Buckley has lucubrated in national magazines for many years.
v. to write in a learned fashion n. lucubration
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sojourn:
The local population is so happy to see tourists in town, they'll do all they can to make sure thesojourn is a pleasant one.
n. a brief visit
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immune:
One grievance that ordinary people had at the time of the French Revolution was that the nobilitywas immune from taxation.
adj. not subject to an obligation imposed on others; not affected by an influence n. immunity
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cherub
For someone whose face looks so much like a cherub's, Myra is surprisingly mischievous.
- n. a kind of angel, usu. portrayed as a child; a person, esp. a child, with aninnocent face
- pl. cherubim; adj. cherubic
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cower
The dog a adopted from the pound may have been abused as a puppy, because every time he hears aloud noise he cowers in fear.
v. to draw back out of fear
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acclivity
When we were driving up the hill, the acclivity forced us to shift to a lower gear.
n. an upward slope
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extracurricular
During his freshman year in college, Charles spent so much time in extracurricular activities liketheater that he failed all his classes.
: adj. not part of the regular course of study of a school or college
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satire:
Writers in eighteenth—century England were particularly adept at satire, and not even the highestnobles were exempt from their scom.
n. irony, sarcasm, or caustic wit used to attack human vice or folly, esp. in a literarywork adj. satirical
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bivouac:
The army`s long forced march was so rapid that the soldiers were forced to abandon their tents andmake a bivouac each night with only blankets for protection.
n. temporary encampment, often in an unsheltered area
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adjourn:
Each afternoon of the lengthy trial, the judge would admonish jurors not to speak of the case andthen adjourn until the next day.
v. t0 suspend until a later, stated time
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scanty:
A summer of drought, followed by torrential flooding made for a scanty harvest and high prices forfood at the supermarket.
adj. inadequate; minimal
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shiftless
Although her resume and interview were impressive, once we hired her we found that she was ashiftless worker.
adj. lazy; lacking ambition
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contraband
It was unfortunate that when I waved good—bye to my first temp assignment, numerous post-it pads,staple boxes, and other contraband came spilling from my sleeve.
n. illegally smuggled goods
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adverse:
Even the most adverse circumstances can sometimes yield favorable results.
adj. opposed, difficult
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discompose
The sight of a tragically fatal accident can discompose even the most hardened police officer.
v. to unsettle or disturb
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trowel:
The mason was embarrassed to realize he’d just sealed his trowel inside the brick wall.
n. a flat-bladed tool used for spreading cement
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indubitable:
The videotape from the surveillance camera made the guilt of the Seven- bandit indubitable.
adj. certain; indisputable (literally "not doubtable")
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repugnant:
To be fair, you should listen to their ideas and consider them objectively, no matter how repugnantthey may seem to you.
adj. distasteful; offensive ri. repztgnance
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abrupt
When the reporters` questions turned hostile, the politician stormed from the room, bringing anabrupt end to the press conference.
adj. rough and curt in speech or behavior
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foment:
Despite attempts of activists to foment discontent among the workforce, most employees at thecompany were quite happy with their current situation
v. to stir up negative feelings, esp. those that lead to violent action.
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aspiration:
Frances is content to work in legal aid, but it`s her secret aspiration to work as a voice actor doingradio commercials.
n. a strong desire for achievement v. aspire
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prophylactic:
Doctors recommend that the elderly receive flu shots each year as a prophylactic measure against thenew strains of the flu virus that constantly appear.
adj. acting to prevent something, esp. disease
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purloin
The butler purloined the key to his employer`s safe—deposit box.
v. to steal, oft. in violation of a trust
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omnipotent
Early success led Dennis to feel he was omnipotent, an illusion that led him to make some costlymistakes later on.
adj. all-powerful n. omnipotence
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mediocre:
They felt as if all the tuition they had paid for cooking school was wasted when their son's dinnerturned out to be only mediocre.
adj. ordinary to inferior in quality; not standing out from the average
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deduce:
From the multilingual inscription on the Rosetta Stone, Champolion was able to deduce the meaningof Egyptian hieroglyphics.
v. to reach a conclusion by reasoning n. deduction
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bestial
The biker deliberately cultivated a bestial appearance, including a tattoo of a skull on his forehead, inorder to intimidate others.
adj. savage; brutal; like a beast
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complacent:
We should not be complacent about our safety; we must always be alert.
adj. too pleased with oneself; self—satisfied n. complacence
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scintilla:
After many long years in prison, the convict was left without a scintilla of decency, caring for no onebut himself.
n. a small amount; a spark
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fractions:
Relishing controversial and sensitive subjects for conversation, my cousin is such a fractious dinnerguest that we all end up with indigestion.
adj. disruptive or irritable
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convene:
Because several of the flights to town were delayed, the council couldn`t convene the meeting until afew hours after it had been scheduled.
v. to bring together n. convention
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somber:
The gray and rainy day fit well with the somber mood of the funeral procession.
adj. dark and gloomy or dull
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abase
The convicted felon was too proud to abase himself before the judge and admit he had done anythingwrong, so he was sentenced to the maximum term.
v. to lower in rank or prestige
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badinage
The movie lost all its credibility when, in the last ten minutes, the hero and the villain engaged incasual badinage while holding each other at gun—point.
n. light, playful speech
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fealty:
Right before training begins, the new members swear fealty to the organization.
n. loyalty; fidelity
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masochist
Before Novocain, only a masochist could have looked forward to a trip to the dentist.
n. one who gets pleasure from being physically or emotionally abused adj. masochistic
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pusillanimous
No one was impressed by your pusillanimous decision to hide under your desk until the principal hadleft the room.
adj. cowardly
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curfew
The parole officer couldn`t prove that Melissa robbed the store, but he was certain she was out aftercurfew and had her locked up for that.
n. a regulation requiring people to be inside at a certain time
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rakish
Ken‘s rakish appearance, the way he always looked both stylish and casual, was the result of manyhours of careful preparation.
adj. having a neat, casual appearance
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philatelist
Woody Allen dismissed the philatelist in "Bullets over Broadway" as a guy who liked to spend timelooking at canceled postage.
n. one who collects stamps n. philatcly
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corporeal:
The Ancient Spartans used to expose any children who suffered from corporeal defects.
adj. relating to the body; of a material nature
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enfranchise
To include their employees in the company's future, the board voted to enfranchise them so theycould participate in the next major meeting.
v. to free from slavery; to give the right to vote
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jeopardy;
Your error in underestimating the enemy has placed us in great jeopardy.
n. risk of loss or injury; peril
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bayou
Malaria is a serious risk for those living near a swamp or bayou, where mosquitoes thrive.
n. a sluggish inlet or outlet of a lake, river, etc.
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panacea:
My proposal was only intended to relieve some of the short-tenn effects of the latest flooding; it wasnever supposed to be a panacea for all our city`s problems.
n. a cure-all or an all-purpose solution
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bastion:
Long considered a bastion of academic integrity, the university has more recently been accused ofcopyright infringement and teacher-sanctioned plagiarism.
n. a well-fortified place; a source of protection
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kitsch
Abigail decorated her home with velvet paintings of Elvis and other kitsch.
n. art characterized by sentimental, often pretentious bad taste
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morsel
Veronica was so hungry that she devoured every morsel of food on her plate.
n. a small piece, esp. of food
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hoary:
Fido was good-looking until his four legs got arthritic, and his whiskers got all hoary.
adj. showing white and gray hair because of old age
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tempest:
The ship was built to withstand any but the strongest tempest the sea had to offer.
n. a violent storm adj. tempestuous
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incongruous
lt looks incongruous to see a house built on stilts, until the flood waters rise and all the other homesare washed away. p
adj. lacking agreement; incompatible
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domain:
Postal workers are skilled at remembering which homeowners are likeliest to have ferocious dogsthat are protective of their domain.
n. a territory or range of rule or control
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encroach
More and more, suburban development encroaches on previously pristine wilderness.
v. to infringe; to intrude; to trespass
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tinder:
The rain was so intense that no dry tinder could be found to start a fire.
n. dry grass or twigs used to start a fire
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acquisitive:
ln our society, flooded with advertising, children are taught to be acquisitive from a young age.
adj. eager to get or own things
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flunky:
Franko awoke that morning with back troubles, so instead of carrying the boxes upstairs himself, heasked a flunky to do it for him.
n. a servant of low status
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affix:
The postal service will not deliver mail unless you affix the proper stamps to your letter.
v. to fasten; to attach
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hibernal:
They have to finish their tilling before the hibernal chill makes it impossible to break up the soil.
adj. relating to winter
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circumvent:
The wealthy businessman used his political connections to circumvent the ordinarily lengthyprocedures needed to approve new building plans.
v. to go around; bypass; to surround
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crescendo
The public's cries of disapproval over the war reached a crescendo after the appalling bombing ofCambodia.
n. a sudden increase, esp. in volume of music
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cerebral:
The contents of Immanuel Kant's philosophical writings are cerebral in nature.
adj. pertaining to the brain; intellectual
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rife
lf your next essay is as rife with errors as your last one, you can expect a failing grade.
adj. prevalent, abundant
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. lank:
Stubby Stella looks even funnier when she is standing next to her lank brother, a year older andeighteen inches taller than she is.
adj. long and slender; lean
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preliminary
The judge issued a preliminary injunction against the newly-passed proposition, preventing itsenforcement until a later hearing could determine its constitutionality.
adj. coming before the main event
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sanguinary
The murder of her parents infused Jessica with a sanguinary lust for revenge.
adj. murderous or bloodthirsty
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