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noun:
an expression of praise
The play receivedaccolades from the press. |
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adjective:
dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art of the beautiful
The new building has little aesthetic value/appeal. |
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noun:
greed, esp. for wealth
Her business empire brought her wealth beyond the dreams ofavarice (= an extremely large amount of money). |
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noun:
a universally recognized principle
It is a widely held axiom that governments should not negotiate with terrorists. |
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adjective:
rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their in habitants
The painting shows a typically bucolic scene with peasants harvesting crops in a field.
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noun:
an established set of principles or code of laws
In many respects, the established canons of visual communication theory have been challenged. |
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adjective:
wary; cautious; sparing
I'm a bit chary of using a travel agency that doesn't have official registration.
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adjective:
argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
She has some rather contentious views on education.
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adjective:
deserving blame
He was held culpable (= blamed) for all that had happened.
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noun;
smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
a dearth of new homes in the region |
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verb:
to question or oppose
The lawyer requested a break in the court case, but the judge demurred. |
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adjective:
intended to teach or instruct
a didactic approach to teaching
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noun:
cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
"Can you trust him with this?" "Yes, he's the soul of discretion (= he will not tell other people)."
I leave the decision to your discretion (= to your good judgment). |
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adjective:
expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or unprovable principles
I fear that this sort of dogmatic assertion tends to stifle discussion over a very serious issue.
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adjective:
composed of elements drawn from various sources
an eclectic taste in literature
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adjective:
soothing esp. to the skin; making less harsh
an emollient mood/tone
Noun:
mollifying; an agent that softens or smooths the skin
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adjective:
mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
The Mona Lisa has a famously enigmatic smile.
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adjective:
brief; fleeting
Fame in the world of rock and pop is largely ephemeral.
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noun:
a speech honoring the dead
The song was a eulogy to the joys of travelling. |
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adjective:
marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious
I saw him cast a furtive glance at the woman at the table to his right
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adjective:
sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people
Emma's a gregarious, outgoing sort of person.
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verb/noun:
to deliver a pompous speech or tirade; a long, pompous speech
A drunk in the station was haranguing passers-by. |
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adjective:
violating accepted dogma or convention
Her belief that a split would be good for the party was regarded as heretical.
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adjective:
lacking funds; without money
I first knew him as an impecunious student living in a tiny bedsit.
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adjective:
beginning to come into being or to become apparent
signs of incipient public frustration
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verb:
to obtain by deception or flattery
Her son tried to inveigle her into giving him the money for a car. |
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adjective:
evoking intense aversion or dislike
an odious little man
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adjective:
impenetrable by light; not reflecting light
opaque glass/tights
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adjective:
penny-pinching; excessively thrifty
How wonderfully indignant the penurious man often is at the stinginess or want of public spirit of another!
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adjective:
extremely harmful; potentially causing death
The cuts in government funding have had a pernicious effect on local health services.
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verb:
to examine with great care
He opened a newspaper and began to peruse the personal ads. |
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adjective:
extremely reverent or devout; showing strong religious devotion
She is a pious follower of the faith, never missing her prayers.
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verb:
to dress up; to primp; to groom oneself with elaborate care
Roald always spends ages preening (himself) before he goes out. |
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adjective:
abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
He had a prodigious appetite for both women and drink
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adjective:
producing large volumes or amounts; productive
He was probably the most prolific songwriter of his generation.
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verb:
to rot; to decay and give off a foul odor
The body had putrefied beyond recognition. |
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verb:
to drink deeply
Yes, wealthy people feasted on steak and quaffed warm champagne in the days after the storm. |
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adjective:
awe-inspiring; worthy of honor
Tonight Villiers faces the most redoubtable opponent of his boxing career.
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adjective:
sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect
Many prisons, even today, are overcrowded and squalid places.
It's the usual squalid rock star tale of drugs, sex and overdoses.
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adjective:
indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast
We knew she must be in pain, despite her stoic attitude.
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verb:
to take the place of; supersede
In most offices, the typewriter has now been supplanted by the computer. |
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adjective:
lethargic; sluggish; dormant
If you have a sudden loss of cabin pressure at 20 000 feet, passengers will become torpid and then lose consciousness.
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