neophyte
<No meaning yet.>
noisome
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nomadic
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nominal
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nondescript
adj.1) lacking distinct or individual characteristics; having no outstanding features.
;n.2) a nondescript person or thing.
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notorious
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novice
n.1).
a) a person who is new to or inexperienced in a certain task, situation, etc.; beginner; tyro.
b) (as modifier).
;n.ovice driver.
2) a probationer in a religious order.
3) a sportsman, esp an oarsman, who has not won a recognized prize, performed to an established level, etc.
4) a racehorse, esp a steeplechaser or hurdler, that has not won a specified number of races.
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noxious
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nurture
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obfuscate
vb. (tr).
1) to obscure or darken.
2) to perplex or bewilder.
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oblique
adj.1) at an angle; slanting; sloping.
2) geometry.
a) (of lines, planes, etc.) neither perpendicular nor parallel to one another or to another line, plane, etc.
b) not related to or containing a right angle.
3) indirect or evasive.
4) grammar denoting any case of nouns, pronouns, etc., other than the nominative and vocative.
5) biology having asymmetrical sides or planes.
6) (of a map projection) constituting a type of zenithal projection in which the plane of projection is tangential to the earth's surface at some point between the equator and the poles.
;n.7) something oblique, esp a line.
8) another name for solidus 1).
9) navigation the act of changing course by less than 90°.
10) an aerial photograph taken at an oblique angle.
;vb. (intr).
11) to take or have an oblique direction.
12) (of a military formation) to move forward at an angle.
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oblivious
adj. (foll by to or of).
unaware or forgetful
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obsolete
adj.1) out of use or practice; not current.
2) out of date; unfashionable or outmoded.
3) biology (of parts, organs, etc.) vestigial; rudimentary.
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obstinate
adj.1) adhering fixedly to a particular opinion, attitude, course of action, etc.
2) self-willed or headstrong.
3) difficult to subdue or alleviate; persistent.
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obstreperous
<No meaning yet.>
obtuse
adj.1) mentally slow or emotionally insensitive.
2) mathematics.
a) (of an angle) lying between 90° and 180°.
b) (of a triangle) having one interior angle greater than 90°.
3) not sharp or pointed.
4) indistinctly felt, heard, etc.; dull.
5) (of a leaf or similar flat part) having a rounded or blunt tip.
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obviate
vb. (tr).
to do away with or counter
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occlude
vb.1) (tr) to block or stop up (a passage or opening); obstruct.
2) (tr) to prevent the passage of.
3) (tr) chemistry (of a solid) to incorporate (a substance) by absorption or adsorption.
4) meteorology to form or cause to form an occluded front.
5) dentistry to produce or cause to produce occlusion, as in chewing.
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odious
adj.offensive; repugnant
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ominous
adj.1) foreboding evil.
2) serving as or having significance as an omen.
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onerous
adj.1) laborious or oppressive.
2) law (of a contract, lease, etc.) having or involving burdens or obligations that counterbalance or outweigh the advantages.
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opprobrium
n.1) the state of being abused or scornfully criticized.
2) reproach or censure.
3) a cause of disgrace or ignominy.
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oration
n.1) a formal public declaration or speech.
2) any rhetorical, lengthy, or pompous speech.
3) an academic exercise or contest in public speaking.
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ornate
adj.1) heavily or elaborately decorated.
2) (of style in writing) overembellished; flowery.
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ostensible
adj.1) apparent; seeming.
2) pretended.
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ostentatious
adj.characterized by pretentious, showy, or vulgar display
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ostracism
<No meaning yet.>
pacific
<No meaning yet.>
palatable
adj.1) pleasant to taste.
2) acceptable or satisfactory.
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palette
n.1) Also: pallet.
2) the range of colours characteristic of a particular artist, painting, or school of painting.
3) the available range of colours or patterns that can be displayed by a computer on a visual display unit.
4) either of the plates of metal attached by a strap to the cuirass in a suit of armour to protect the armpits.
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palliate
vb. (tr).
1) to lessen the severity of (pain, disease, etc.) without curing or removing; alleviate; mitigate.
2) to cause (an offence) to seem less serious by concealing evidence; extenuate.
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pallid
adj.1) lacking colour or brightness; wan.
2) lacking vigour; vapid.
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panacea
n.a remedy for all diseases or ills
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paradigm
n.1) grammar the set of all the inflected forms of a word or a systematic arrangement displaying these forms.
2) a pattern or model.
3) a typical or stereotypical example (esp in the phrase paradigm case).
4) (in the philosophy of science) a very general conception of the nature of scientific endeavour within which a given enquiry is undertaken.
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paradox
n.1) a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement that is or may be true.
2) a self-contradictory proposition, such as I always tell lies.
3) a person or thing exhibiting apparently contradictory characteristics.
4) an opinion that conflicts with common belief.
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paragon
n.1) a model of excellence; pattern.
2) a size of printer's type, approximately equal to 20 point.
;vb. (tr).
3) archaic.
a) to equal or surpass.
b) to compare.
c) to regard as a paragon.
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paramount
adj.1) of the greatest importance or significance; pre-eminent.
;n.2) rare a supreme ruler.
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pariah
n.1) a social outcast.
2) (formerly) a member of a low caste in South India.
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parody
n., pl -dies.
1) a musical, literary, or other composition that mimics the style of another composer, author, etc., in a humorous or satirical way.
2) mimicry of someone's individual manner in a humorous or satirical way.
3) something so badly done as to seem an intentional mockery; travesty.
;vb. -dies, -dying, -died.
4) (tr) to make a parody of.
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parsimony
n.extreme care or reluctance in spending; frugality; niggardliness
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partisan
n.1) an adherent or devotee of a cause, party, etc.
2).
a) a member of an armed resistance group within occupied territory, esp in Italy or the Balkans in World War II.
b) (as modifier).
;adj.3) of, relating to, or characteristic of a partisan.
4) relating to or excessively devoted to one party, faction, etc.; one-sided.
;n.a spear or pike with two opposing axe blades or spikes
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pate
n.the head, esp with reference to baldness or (in facetious use) intelligence
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patent
n.1).
a) a government grant to an inventor assuring him the sole right to make, use, and sell his invention for a limited period.
b) a document conveying such a grant.
2) an invention, privilege, etc., protected by a patent.
3).
a) an official document granting a right.
b) any right granted by such a document.
4) (in the US).
a) a grant by the government of title to public lands.
b) the instrument by which such title is granted.
c) the land so granted.
5) a sign that one possesses a certain quality.
;adj.6) open or available for inspection (esp in the phrases letters patent, patent writ).
7) <FONT COLOR=RED>[ˈpeɪtənt]</FONT> obvious.
8) concerning protection, appointment, etc., of or by a patent or patents.
9) proprietary.
10) (esp of a bodily passage or duct) being open or unobstructed.
11) biology spreading out widely.
12) (of plate glass) ground and polished on both sides.
;vb. (tr).
13) to obtain a patent for.
14) (in the US) to grant (public land or mineral rights) by a patent.
15) metallurgy to heat (a metal) above a transformation temperature and cool it at a rate that allows cold working.
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pathological
adj.1) of or relating to pathology.
2) relating to, involving, or caused by disease.
3) informal compulsively motivated.
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pathology
n., pl -gies.
1) the branch of medicine concerned with the cause, origin, and nature of disease, including the changes occurring as a result of disease.
2) the manifestations of disease, esp changes occurring in tissues or organs.
3) any variant or deviant condition from normal.
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pathos
n.1) the quality or power, esp in literature or speech, of arousing feelings of pity, sorrow, etc.
2) a feeling of sympathy or pity.
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paucity
n.1) smallness of quantity; insufficiency; dearth.
2) smallness of number; fewness.
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pedantic
adj.of, relating to, or characterized by pedantry
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pejorative
adj.1) (of words, expressions, etc.) having an unpleasant or disparaging connotation.
;n.2) a pejorative word, expression, etc.
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penitent
adj.1) feeling regret for one's sins; repentant.
;n.2) a person who is penitent.
3) Christianity.
a) a person who repents his sins and seeks forgiveness for them.
b) Roman Catholic Church a person who confesses his sins to a priest and submits to a penance imposed by him.
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penultimate
adj.1) next to the last.
;n.2) anything that is next to the last, esp a penult.
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penurious
adj.1) niggardly with money.
2) lacking money or means.
3) yielding little; scanty.
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penury
n.1) extreme poverty.
2) extreme scarcity.
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perennial
adj.1) lasting throughout the year or through many years.
2) everlasting; perpetual.
;n.3) a woody or herbaceous plant that can continue its growth for at least two years.
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perfidious
adj.guilty, treacherous, or faithless; deceitful
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permeable
adj.capable of being permeated, esp by liquids
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permeate
vb.1) to penetrate or pervade (a substance, area, etc.).
2) to pass through or cause to pass through by osmosis or diffusion.
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pernicious
adj.1) wicked or malicious.
2) causing grave harm; deadly.
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perplex
vb. (tr).
1) to puzzle; bewilder; confuse.
2) to complicate.
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perspicacity
<No meaning yet.>
pertinacious
adj.1) doggedly resolute in purpose or belief; unyielding.
2) stubbornly persistent.
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perusal
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pervasive
adj.pervading or tending to pervade
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petulance
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philanthropic
adj.showing concern for humanity, esp by performing charitable actions, donating money, etc
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phlegmatic
adj.1) having a stolid or unemotional disposition.
2) not easily excited.
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piety
n., pl -ties.
1) dutiful devotion to God and observance of religious principles.
2) the quality or characteristic of being pious.
3) a pious action, saying, etc.
4) now rare devotion and obedience to parents or superiors.
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pillage
vb.1) to rob (a town, village, etc.) of (booty or spoils), esp during a war.
;n.2) the act of pillaging.
3) something obtained by pillaging; booty.
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pinnacle
n.1) the highest point or level, esp of fame, success, etc.
2) a towering peak, as of a mountain.
3) a slender upright structure in the form of a cone, pyramid, or spire on the top of a buttress, gable, or tower.
;vb. (tr).
4) to set on or as if on a pinnacle.
5) to furnish with a pinnacle or pinnacles.
6) to crown with a pinnacle.
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pittance
n.a small amount or portion, esp a meagre allowance of money
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plasticity
n.1) the quality of being plastic or able to be moulded.
2) (in pictorial art) the quality of depicting space and form so that they appear three-dimensional.
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platitude
n.1) a trite, dull, or obvious remark or statement; a commonplace.
2) staleness or insipidity of thought or language; triteness.
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plaudits
<No meaning yet.>
plenitude
n.1) abundance; copiousness.
2) the condition of being full or complete.
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plethora
n.1) superfluity or excess; overabundance.
2) pathology obsolete a condition caused by dilation of superficial blood vessels, characterized esp by a reddish face.
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pliable
adj.easily moulded, bent, influenced, or altered
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plummet
vb. -mets, -meting, -meted.
1) (intr) to drop down; plunge.
;n.2) another word for plumb bob.
3) a lead plumb used by anglers to determine the depth of water.
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polemic
adj. also po'lemical.
1) of or involving dispute or controversy.
;n.2) an argument or controversy, esp over a doctrine, belief, etc.
3) a person engaged in such an argument or controversy.
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portent
n.1) a sign or indication of a future event, esp a momentous or calamitous one; omen.
2) momentous or ominous significance.
3) a miraculous occurrence; marvel.
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potable
adj.1) a less common word for drinkable.
;n.2) something fit to drink; a beverage.
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potentate
n.a person who possesses great power or authority, esp a ruler or monarch
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preamble
n.1) a preliminary or introductory statement, esp attached to a statute or constitution setting forth its purpose.
2) a preliminary or introductory conference, event, fact, etc.
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precarious
adj.1) liable to failure or catastrophe; insecure; perilous.
2) archaic dependent on another's will.
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precipitate
vb.1) (tr) to cause to happen too soon or sooner than expected; bring on.
2) to throw or fall from or as from a height.
3) to cause (moisture) to condense and fall as snow, rain, etc., or (of moisture, rain, etc.) to condense and fall thus.
4) chemistry to undergo or cause to undergo a process in which a dissolved substance separates from solution as a fine suspension of solid particles.
;adj.5) rushing ahead.
6) done rashly or with undue haste.
7) sudden and brief.
;n.8) chemistry a precipitated solid in its suspended form or after settling or filtering.
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preclude
vb. (tr).
1) to exclude or debar.
2) to make impossible, esp beforehand.
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precocious
adj.1) ahead in development, such as the mental development of a child.
2) botany (of plants, fruit, etc.) flowering or ripening early.
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precursor
n.1) a person or thing that precedes and shows or announces someone or something to come; harbinger.
2) a predecessor or forerunner.
3) a chemical substance that gives rise to another more important substance.
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predilection
n.a predisposition, preference, or bias
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preponderance
n.the quality of being greater in weight, force, influence, etc
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prepossessing
<No meaning yet.>
presage
n.1) an intimation or warning of something about to happen; portent; omen.
2) a sense of what is about to happen; foreboding.
3) archaic a forecast or prediction.
;vb.4) (tr) to have a presentiment of.
5) (tr) to give a forewarning of; portend.
6) (intr) to make a prediction.
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prescient
<No meaning yet.>
prescribe
vb.1) to lay down as a rule or directive.
2) law to claim or acquire (a right, title, etc.) by prescription.
3) law to make or become invalid or unenforceable by lapse of time.
4) medicine to recommend or order the use of (a drug or other remedy).
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presumptuous
adj.1) characterized by presumption or tending to presume; bold; forward.
2) an obsolete word for presumptive.
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pretense
<No meaning yet.>
primeval
adj.of or belonging to the first age or ages, esp of the world
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pristine
adj.1) of or involving the earliest period, state, etc.; original.
2) pure; uncorrupted.
3) fresh, clean, and unspoiled.
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privation
n.1) loss or lack of the necessities of life, such as food and shelter.
2) hardship resulting from this.
3) the state of being deprived.
4) logic obsolete the absence from an object of what ordinarily or naturally belongs to such objects.
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problematic
adj.1) having the nature or appearance of a problem; questionable.
2) logic obsolete (of a proposition) asserting that a property may or may not hold.
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proclivity
n., pl -ties.
a tendency or inclination
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