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Vocabulary

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daunt (verb) Discourage by reason of difficulty, intimidate, overwhelm, instill fear or lessen courage. She was daunted by the idea of public speaking until her teacher reminded her that the people in the audience were regular people just like her.

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balmy (adj) Soothing; refreshing; mild. Temperatures on the beach were record-high, but the balmy breeze coming off the ocean took the edge off the heat.

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advocate (verb) To plead the cause of another, to urge. In contrast to the more strident opponents of the measure, some senators advocate a more conciliatory approach.

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cerebral (adj) Having to do with the brain; intellectual. While others found him much too cerebral, Annie liked Alvy because he engaged in intellectual discussions.

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automate (verb) To mechanize; to power by electricity. Although opposed by some who believed it would eliminate jobs, the president's plan to automate her company's manufacturing facility was supported by the majority of employees.

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trepidation (noun) Fear, trembling, apprehensiveness. As the day of his first trial approached, the young lawyer felt growing trepidation about how he would perform before a judge and a jury.

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rudimentary (adj) Simple or elementary. The teacher noticed that the student was lacking in even the most rudimentary math skills, and so enrolled him in a remedial course.

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colleague (noun) co-worker; peer. The two colleagues had met at a conference years earlier, and had remained in frequent contact, meeting once a month or so to discuss mutual research interests.

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abate (verb) To decrease; to become less in strength or violence. After the hurricane, when the winds finally abated, the city faced the large task of repairing damaged buildings and reinstating phone service and electricity

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adversary (noun) Something or someone who acts against you, making things difficult; an opponent. The mayor's attempt to move on from the scandal was compromised by his adversaries, who refused to let the matter drop.

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indelible (adj) Unable to be removed, washed away, blotted out, or effaced. The children's names were written on their clothes in indelible ink so that they would not be washed off in the laundry.

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gourmet (noun) A connoisseur in eating and drinking; an epicure. Jerome considered himself a gourmet, and would search the entire city for just the right kind of wine to complement the food he intended to serve his guests.

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crescendo (noun) Increasing loudness in music; a gradual increase leading to a climax. Vincent, who had dozed off at the classical music concert, awoke when the music grew louder with a rousing crescendo.

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inestimable (adj): Incapable of being computed; especially, too valuable or excellent to be measured; above all price. The family refused to consider selling their grandparents' antiques, considering them to be of inestimable value.

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ineffable (adj) Indescribable, either because something cannot be expressed verbally, or because its description is limited by social or religious constraints. Walking out into the fresh spring air, Joey was overcome with an ineffable feeling of joy, an emotion impossible to describe in words.

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abhor (verb) Hate utterly, loathe, detest. Despite the groom's attempt to conceal his disgust, it was clear to all at the wedding that he abhorred his future father- in-law.

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harangue (noun) A loud or pompous speech addressed to a large public assembly. It was one thing for Principal Skinner to criticize Tami for being late, but to deliver such an angry harangue in front of her peers only humiliated her.

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dispassionate (adj) Lacking emotion or passion. Because we had expected him to be happy, we were surprised by his cool and dispassionate reaction to the good news.

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dispassionate (adj) Lacking emotion or passion. Because we had expected him to be happy, we were surprised by his cool and dispassionate reaction to the good news.

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collusion (noun) A secret agreement for fraudulent, illegal, or treacherous purposes. The fact that all gas stations set very similar prices has led many to suspect collusion by the oil companies.

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motive (noun) That which incites to action. Destined to inherit a vast fortune, the young wife of the aged billionaire had clear motive for killing her husband, but her alibi was airtight.

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endearing (adj) Eliciting warm, affectionate feelings. Although the professor tended to digress and often mumbled, his many endearing qualities made him a favorite among students.

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deplete (verb) To empty or unload; to take away the vital powers of. The lengthy visit from her large family left Manuela's well- stocked pantry depleted.

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mishap (noun) Evil accident; ill luck; misfortune; mischance. Because of a mishap incurred while painting his roof, Brian developed a fear of heights.

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inherent (adj) Existing in something as a permanent and inseparable quality. Tall people have an inherent advantage in sports where height is important, such as basketball.