Long — long I read — and devoutly19, devotedly20 I gazed. Rapidly and gloriously the hours flew by and the deep midnight came. The position of the candelabrum displeased21 me, and outreaching my hand with difficulty, rather than disturb my slumbering22 valet, I placed it so as to throw its rays more fully24 upon the book.
But the action produced an effect altogether unanticipated. The rays of the numerous candles (for there were many) now fell within a niche25 of the room which had hitherto been thrown into deep shade by one of the bed-posts. I thus saw in vivid light a picture all unnoticed before. It was the portrait of a young girl just ripening26 into womanhood. I glanced at the painting hurriedly, and then closed my eyes. Why I did this was not at first apparent even to my own perception. But while my lids remained thus shut, I ran over in my mind my reason for so shutting them. It was an impulsive27 movement to gain time for thought — to make sure that my vision had not deceived me — to calm and subdue28 my fancy for a more sober and more certain gaze. In a very few moments I again looked fixedly29 at the painting.
That I now saw aright I could not and would not doubt; for the first flashing of the candles upon that canvas had seemed to dissipate the dreamy stupor30 which was stealing over my senses, and to startle me at once into waking life.
The portrait, I have already said, was that of a young girl. It was a mere31 head and shoulders, done in what is technically32 termed a vignette manner; much in the style of the favorite heads of Sully. The arms, the bosom33, and even the ends of the radiant hair melted imperceptibly into the vague yet deep shadow which formed the back-ground of the whole. The frame was oval, richly gilded34 and filigreed35 in Moresque. As a thing of art nothing could be more admirable than the painting itself. But it could have been neither the execution of the work, nor the immortal36 beauty of the countenance37, which had so suddenly and so vehemently38 moved me. Least of all, could it have been that my fancy, shaken from its half slumber23, had mistaken the head for that of a living person. I saw at once that the peculiarities39 of the design, of the vignetting, and of the frame, must have instantly dispelled40 such idea — must have prevented even its momentary41 entertainment. Thinking earnestly upon these points, I remained, for an hour perhaps, half sitting, half reclining, with my vision riveted42 upon the portrait. At length, satisfied with the true secret of its effect, I fell back within the bed. I had found the spell of the picture in an absolute life-likeliness of expression, which, at first startling, finally confounded, subdued43, and appalled44 me. With deep and reverent45 awe46 I replaced the candelabrum in its former position. The cause of my deep agitation47 being thus shut from view, I sought eagerly the volume which discussed the paintings and their histories. Turning to the number which designated the oval portrait, I there read the vague and quaint48 words which follow:
“She was a maiden49 of rarest beauty, and not more lovely than full of glee. And evil was the hour when she saw, and loved, and wedded50 the painter. He, passionate51, studious, austere52, and having already a bride in his Art; she a maiden of rarest beauty, and not more lovely than full of glee; all light and smiles, and frolicsome53 as the young fawn54; loving and cherishing all things; hating only the Art which was her rival; dreading55 only the pallet and brushes and other untoward56 instruments which deprived her of the countenance of her lover. It was thus a terrible thing for this lady to hear the painter speak of his desire to pourtray even his young bride. But she was humble57 and obedient, and sat meekly58 for many weeks in the dark, high turret-chamber where the light dripped upon the pale canvas only from overhead. But he, the painter, took glory in his work, which went on from hour to hour, and from day to day. And be was a passionate, and wild, and moody59 man, who became lost in reveries; so that he would not see that the light which fell so ghastly in that lone60 turret withered61 the health and the spirits of his bride, who pined visibly to all but him. Yet she smiled on and still on, uncomplainingly, because she saw that the painter (who had high renown) took a fervid62 and burning pleasure in his task, and wrought63 day and night to depict64 her who so loved him, yet who grew daily more dispirited and weak. And in sooth some who beheld65 the portrait spoke66 of its resemblance in low words, as of a mighty67 marvel68, and a proof not less of the power of the painter than of his deep love for her whom he depicted69 so surpassingly well. But at length, as the labor70 drew nearer to its conclusion, there were admitted none into the turret; for the painter had grown wild with the ardor71 of his work, and turned his eyes from canvas merely, even to regard the countenance of his wife. And he would not see that the tints73 which he spread upon the canvas were drawn74 from the cheeks of her who sate75 beside him. And when many weeks bad passed, and but little remained to do, save one brush upon the mouth and one tint72 upon the eye, the spirit of the lady again flickered76 up as the flame within the socket77 of the lamp. And then the brush was given, and then the tint was placed; and, for one moment, the painter stood entranced before the work which he had wrought; but in the next, while he yet gazed, he grew tremulous and very pallid78, and aghast, and crying with a loud voice, ‘This is indeed Life itself!’ turned suddenly to regard his beloved:— She was dead!
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1
chateau
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n.城堡,别墅 | |
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2
desperately
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adv.极度渴望地,绝望地,孤注一掷地 | |
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3
commingled
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v.混合,掺和,合并( commingle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
grandeur
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n.伟大,崇高,宏伟,庄严,豪华 | |
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5
sumptuously
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奢侈地,豪华地 | |
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turret
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n.塔楼,角塔 | |
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tattered
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adj.破旧的,衣衫破的 | |
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8
tapestry
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n.挂毯,丰富多采的画面 | |
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9
trophies
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n.(为竞赛获胜者颁发的)奖品( trophy的名词复数 );奖杯;(尤指狩猎或战争中获得的)纪念品;(用于比赛或赛跑名称)奖 | |
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10
arabesque
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n.阿拉伯式花饰;adj.阿拉伯式图案的 | |
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11
incipient
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adj.起初的,发端的,初期的 | |
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delirium
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n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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13
shutters
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百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 ); (照相机的)快门 | |
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14
velvet
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n.丝绒,天鹅绒;adj.丝绒制的,柔软的 | |
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15
enveloped
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v.包围,笼罩,包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
perusal
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n.细读,熟读;目测 | |
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17
purported
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adj.传说的,谣传的v.声称是…,(装得)像是…的样子( purport的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
criticise
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v.批评,评论;非难 | |
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19
devoutly
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adv.虔诚地,虔敬地,衷心地 | |
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20
devotedly
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专心地; 恩爱地; 忠实地; 一心一意地 | |
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21
displeased
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a.不快的 | |
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22
slumbering
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微睡,睡眠(slumber的现在分词形式) | |
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23
slumber
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n.睡眠,沉睡状态 | |
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24
fully
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adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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niche
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n.壁龛;合适的职务(环境、位置等) | |
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26
ripening
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v.成熟,使熟( ripen的现在分词 );熟化;熟成 | |
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impulsive
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adj.冲动的,刺激的;有推动力的 | |
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subdue
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vt.制服,使顺从,征服;抑制,克制 | |
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fixedly
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adv.固定地;不屈地,坚定不移地 | |
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30
stupor
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v.昏迷;不省人事 | |
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31
mere
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adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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technically
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adv.专门地,技术上地 | |
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33
bosom
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n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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34
gilded
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a.镀金的,富有的 | |
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35
filigreed
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adj.饰有金银丝细工的v.(用金丝等制成的)精工制品( filigree的过去式和过去分词 );精致的物品 | |
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36
immortal
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adj.不朽的;永生的,不死的;神的 | |
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countenance
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n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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vehemently
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adv. 热烈地 | |
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peculiarities
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n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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40
dispelled
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v.驱散,赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
momentary
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adj.片刻的,瞬息的;短暂的 | |
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42
riveted
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铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 ); 把…固定住; 吸引; 引起某人的注意 | |
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43
subdued
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adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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44
appalled
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v.使惊骇,使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的;丧胆的 | |
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reverent
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adj.恭敬的,虔诚的 | |
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46
awe
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n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧 | |
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47
agitation
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n.搅动;搅拌;鼓动,煽动 | |
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48
quaint
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adj.古雅的,离奇有趣的,奇怪的 | |
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49
maiden
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n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的 | |
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50
wedded
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adj.正式结婚的;渴望…的,执著于…的v.嫁,娶,(与…)结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
passionate
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adj.热情的,热烈的,激昂的,易动情的,易怒的,性情暴躁的 | |
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52
austere
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adj.艰苦的;朴素的,朴实无华的;严峻的 | |
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53
frolicsome
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adj.嬉戏的,闹着玩的 | |
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54
fawn
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n.未满周岁的小鹿;v.巴结,奉承 | |
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55
dreading
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v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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56
untoward
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adj.不利的,不幸的,困难重重的 | |
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57
humble
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adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
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58
meekly
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adv.温顺地,逆来顺受地 | |
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59
moody
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adj.心情不稳的,易怒的,喜怒无常的 | |
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60
lone
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adj.孤寂的,单独的;唯一的 | |
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61
withered
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adj. 枯萎的,干瘪的,(人身体的部分器官)因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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62
fervid
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adj.热情的;炽热的 | |
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63
wrought
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v.引起;以…原料制作;运转;adj.制造的 | |
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64
depict
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vt.描画,描绘;描写,描述 | |
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beheld
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v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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66
spoke
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n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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67
mighty
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adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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68
marvel
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vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异;n.令人惊异的事 | |
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69
depicted
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描绘,描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 ); 描述 | |
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70
labor
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n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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71
ardor
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n.热情,狂热 | |
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72
tint
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n.淡色,浅色;染发剂;vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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73
tints
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色彩( tint的名词复数 ); 带白的颜色; (淡色)染发剂; 痕迹 | |
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74
drawn
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v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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75
sate
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v.使充分满足 | |
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76
flickered
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(通常指灯光)闪烁,摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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77
socket
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n.窝,穴,孔,插座,插口 | |
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78
pallid
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adj.苍白的,呆板的 | |
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