(n.) a word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of persons from all others; a commonplace saying or truism SYNONYMS: password, slogan
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tyro
(n.) a beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill SYNONYM: neophyte ANTONYMS: veteran, past master, expert
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unremitting
(adj.) not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless SYNONYMS: incessant, unrelenting ANTONYMS: desultory, intermittent
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vacillate
(v.) to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will SYNONYMS: fluctuate, oscillate ANTONYM: persevere
(v) to overcome the distrust of, win over. to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent SYNONYMS: mollify, propitiate ANTONYMS: antagonize, alienate, estrange
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countermand
(v.) to cancel or reverse one order or command with another SYNONYMS: recall, revoke ANTONYMS: reaffirm, reassert
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echelon
(n.) one of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit, a step-like formation or arrangement SYNONYM: rank, level, tier
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exacerbate
(v) to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful SYNONYMS: intensify, worsen, agaravat ANTONYMS: alléviate, mitigate, ameliorate
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fatuous
(adj) foolish in a self-satisfied way (hubris) SYNONYMS: silly, vapid, inane, doltish, vacuous ANTONYMS: intelligent, perceptive, bright
(n.) a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list SYNONYMS: catalog, megillah
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macabre
(adj.) grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject SYNONYMS: grim, ghoulish
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paucity
(n.) an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth of SYNONYM: lack ANTONYMS: glut, plenitude, deluge surplus, overabundance
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portend
(v.) to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of SYNONYMS: bode, foretell, suggest, predict
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raze
(v.) to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out SYNONYMS: pull down, demolish, shave off ANTONYMS: build, construct, raise, erect
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recant
(v.) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract SYNONYMS: repudiate, disavow. ANTONYM: reassert
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saturate
(v.) to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully SYNONYMS: drench, flood, imbue ANTONYM: drain
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saturnine
(adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood SYNONYM: morose; ANTONYMS: cheerful, vivacious
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slough
(v) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if through mud; (n.) a mire; a state of depression, bog SYNONYMS: (v.) shed, slog ANTONYMS: (v.) take on, acquire, assume
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Allay
(v.) to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve SYNONYMS: reduce, alleviate, moderate ANTONYMS: aggravate, exacerbate, intensify
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bestial
(adj.) beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility SYNONYMS: animalistic, loathsome ANTONYMS: human, clement, virtuous, upright
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convivial
(adj.) festive, sociable, having fun together, genial SYNONYMS: fun-loving, jovial, merry ANTONYMS: dour, sullen, unsociable
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coterie
(n.) a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest SYNONYMS: clique, set
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counterpart
(n.) a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another, a complement SYNONYM: match
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demur
(v.) to object or take exception to (n.) an objection SYNONYMS: (.) protest, object to ANTONYMS: (v.) assent to, consent to, accept, agree to
(v.) to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details SYNONYM: garnish ANTONYMS: strip, mar, disfigure
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ephemeral
(adj) lasting only a short time, short-lived SYNONYMS: transient, evanescent, transitory ANTONYMS: durable, long-lasting, permanent, perpetual
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felicitous
(adj.) appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy SYNONYMS: fortunate, well-put ANTONYMS: Inappropriate, inept, graceless, unhappy
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furtive
(adj) done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret SYNONYMS: covert, surreptitious ANTONYMS: aboveboard, open
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garish
(adj.) glaring; tastelessly showy or over-decorated in a vulgar or offensive way SYNONYMS: gaudy, flashy, tawdry , lour le sgue, today ANTONYMS: subdued, muted, understated, quiet
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illusory
(adj.) misleading, deceptive; lacking in or not based on reality SYNONYMS: specious, spurious, imaginary ANTONYMS: actual, real, factual, objective
(adj.) far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive SYNONYMS: exorbitant, extravagant ANTONYMS: reasonable, equitable
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jettison
(v.) to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome SYNONYMS: cast off, discard, dump, junk ANTONYMS: conserve, retain, hold on to, keep
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misanthrope
(n.) a person who hates or despises people, hater of humanity SYNONYM: people-hater.... Annie
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pertinacious
(adj) very persistent, holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied SYNONYMS: stubborn, determined, lackadasical
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picayune
(adj.) of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded SYNONYMS: piddling, trifling ANTONYMS: important, significant, huge, gigantic
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raiment
(n.) clothing, garments SYNONYMS: apparel, attire
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Aquisitive
(adj.) able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property ANT: altruistic
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Arrogate
(v.) To claim or take without right. ANT: Renounce, abdicate, abandon
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Banal
(adj.) Hackneyed, trite, commonplace. ANT: fresh, original, new
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belabor
(v.) to work on excessively; to thrash soundly
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Carping
(adj.) tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairsplitting way; (n.) petty, nagging criticism ANT: approving, uncritical
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Coherent
(adj.) holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful ANT: muddled, chaotic, disjointed, adhesive
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congeal
(v.) to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid ANT: liquify
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emulate
(v.) to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model
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ecomium
(n.) a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute ANT: condemnation, castigation, criticism
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Eschew
(v.) To avoid, shun, keep away from. ANT: embrace, adopt