The parish Pastor2, Johan Herman Schraeder, was an outstanding and highly respected man. Born at Hamburg in 1684, he had in his younger days served as a tutor for the children of King Frederick IV, Princess Charlotte Amalia and Prince Christian3, now reigning5 as King Christian VI.
Pastor Schraeder was a zealous6 Pietist and a leader of the Pietist movement in Tønder and its neighboring territory. Like the Brorsons he sought to encourage family devotions, Bible reading and, especially, hymn7 singing. People are said to have become so interested in the latter that they brought their hymnals with them to work so that they might sing from them during lunch hours. He himself was a noted8 hymnwriter and hymn collector, who, shortly after Brorson became his assistant, published a German hymnal, containing no less than 1157 hymns9.
Schraeder, we are told, had been personally active in inducing Brorson to leave his beloved Randrup and accept the call to Tønder. As Brorson was known as an ardent10 Pietist, Schraeder’s interest in bringing him to Tønder may have originated in a natural wish to secure a congenial co-worker, but it may also have sprung from an acquaintance with his work as a hymnwriter. For although there is no direct evidence that any of Brorson’s hymns were written at Randrup, a number of circumstances make it highly probable that some of them were composed there and that Schraeder was acquainted with them. Such a mutual11 interest also helps to explain why Brorson should leave his fruitful work at Randrup for an inferior position in a new field. It is certain that the change brought him no outward advantages, and his position as a Danish pastor in a largely German speaking community must have presented certain unavoidable difficulties.
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Although Brorson to our knowledge took no part in the endless contest between German and Danish, his personal preference was, no doubt, for the latter. It is thus significant that, although he must have been about equally familiar with both languages, he did not write a single hymn in German. He showed no ill will toward his German speaking compatriots, however, and worked harmoniously12 with his German speaking co-workers. But this strongly German atmosphere does constitute a peculiar13 setting for one of the greatest hymnwriters of the Danish church.
The congregation at Tønder had formed the peculiar custom of singing in German—even at the Danish service. It is self-evident, however, that such a custom could not be satisfactory to Brorson. He was a Pietist with the fervent14 longing15 of that movement for a real spiritual communion with his fellow Christians16. But a custom that compelled the pastor and his congregation to speak in different tongues was, of necessity, a hindrance17 to the consummation of such a desire. And now Christmas was drawing near, that joyful18 season which Brorson, as his hymns prove, loved so well and must heartily19 have desired to share with his hearers, a desire which this mixture of tongues to a certain extent, made impossible. He and his congregation had to be one in language before they could wholly be one in spirit.
And so, shortly before the great festival in 1732, he published a small and unpretentious booklet entitled: Some Christmas Hymns, Composed to the Honor of God, the Edification of Christian Souls and, in Particular, of My Beloved Congregation during the Approaching Joyful Christmastide, Humbly20 and Hastily Written by Hans Adolph Brorson.
This simple appearing booklet at once places Brorson among the great hymnwriters of the Christian church. It contains ten hymns, seven of which are for the Christmas season. Nearly every one of them is now counted among the classics of Danish hymnody.
Brorson seems at once to have reached the height of his ability as a hymnwriter. His Christmas hymns present an intensity21 of sentiment, a mastery of form and a perfection of poetical23 skill that he rarely attained24 in his later work. They are frankly25 lyrical. Unlike his great English contemporary, Isaac Watts26, who held that a hymn should not be a lyrical poem and deliberately27 reduced the poetical quality of his work, Brorson believed that a Christian should use “all his thought and skill to magnify the grace of God”. The opinion of an English literary critic “that hymns cannot be [67]considered as poetry” is disproved by Brorson’s work. Some of his hymns contain poetry of the highest merit. Their phrasing is in parts extremely lyrical, utilizing28 to the fullest extent the softness and flexibility29 that is supposed to be an outstanding characteristic of the Danish tongue; their metres are most skillfully blended and their rhymes exceedingly varied30. His masterly use of what was often considered an inconsequential appendage31 to poetry is extraordinarily32 skillful. Thus he frequently chooses a harsh or a soft rhyme to emphasize the predominating sentiment of his verse.
Brorson is without doubt the most lyrical of all Danish hymnwriters. Literary critics have rated some of his hymns with the finest lyrics33 in the Danish language. Yet his poetry seldom degenerates34 to a mere35 form. His fervid36 lyrical style usually serves as an admirable vehicle for the warm religious sentiment of his song.
In their warm spirit and fervid style Brorson’s hymns in some ways strikingly resemble the work of his great English contemporaries, the Wesleys. Nor is this similarity a mere chance. The Wesleys, as we know, were strongly influenced first by the Moravians and later by the German Pietists. Besides a number of Moravian hymns, John Wesley also translated several hymns from the hymnbook compiled by the well-known Pietist, Johan Freylinghausen. The fervid style and varied metres of these hymns introduced a new type of church song into the English and American churches. But Freylinghausen’s Gesang-Buch also formed the basis of the hymnal compiled by Johan Herman Schraeder from which Brorson chose most of the originals of his translations. Thus both he and the Wesleys in a measure drew their inspiration from the same source. The Danish poet and his English contemporaries worked independently and mediated38 their inspiration in their own way, but the resemblance of their work is unmistakable. In poetical merit, however, the work of Brorson far excels that of the Wesleys. But his Christmas hymns also surpass most earlier Danish hymns and even the greater part of his own later work.
One’s first impression of the booklet that so greatly has enriched the Christmas festival of Denmark and Norway, is likely to be disappointing. At the time of Brorson the festival was frequently desecrated39 by a ceaseless round of worldly amusements. People attended the festival services of the church and spent the remainder of the season in a whirl of secular40 and far from innocent pleasures. With his Pietistic views Brorson naturally deplored41 [68]such a misuse42 of the season. And his first hymn, therefore, sounds an earnest call to cease these unseemly pleasures and to use the festival in a Christian way.
Cast out all worldly pleasure
This blessed Christmastide,
That Jesus doth provide.
But although such a warning may have been timely, then as now, it hardly expresses the real Christmas spirit. In the next hymn, however, he at once strikes the true festival note in one of the most triumphant44 Christmas anthems45 in the Danish or any other language.
This blessed Christmastide we will,
With heart and mind rejoicing,
Employ our every thought and skill,
God’s grace and honor voicing.
In Him that in the manger lay
We will with all our might today
And hail Him as our Lord and King
Till earth’s remotest bounds shall ring
With praises of His merit.
A little Child of Jesse’s stem,
And Son of God in heaven,
To earth from heaven’s glory came
And was for sinners given.
It so distressed47 His loving heart
To see the world from God depart
And came to earth in tender love
Therefore we hymn His praises here
And though we are but lowly,
Our loud hosannas everywhere
Shall voice His mercy holy.
The tent of God is now with man,
And He will dwell with us again
When in His name assembling.
And we shall shout His name anew
Till hell itself must listen to
Our Christmas song with trembling.
With strains of lamentation53,
The burden of our cross shall not
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For when the heart is most distressed,
Its chords of joy are ringing,
And broken hearts best comprehend
The boundless joy our Lord and Friend
This Christmas day is bringing.
Who would henceforth with sadness
Repine and weep in sorrow sore
This blessed day of gladness.
Rejoice, rejoice, ye saints on earth,
And sing the wonders of His birth
Whose glory none can measure.
Hallelujah, the Lord is mine,
And I am now by grace divine
The heir of all His treasure!
Equally fine but more quietly contemplative is the next hymn in the collection which takes us right to the focal point of Christmas worship, the stable at Bethlehem.
Before that lowly bed
Within the stable yonder
Where Christ, my Lord, was laid.
My faith finds there its treasure,
My soul its pure delight,
Its joy beyond all measure,
The Lord of Christmas night.
But Oh! my heart is riven
With grief and sore dismay
To see the Lord of heaven
Must rest on straw and hay,
That He whom angels offer
From sinful man must suffer
Such scorn, neglect and shame.
Why should not castles royal
Before Him open stand,
And kings, as servants loyal,
Obey His least command?
Arrayed in robes of light
And called the world to render
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The sparrow finds a gable
Where it may build its nest,
The oxen know a stable
For shelter, food and rest;
Must then my Lord and Savior
A homeless stranger be,
Denied the simplest favor
His lowly creatures see.
O come, my Lord, I pray Thee,
And be my honored guest.
I will in love array Thee
A home within my breast.
It cannot be a stranger
To Thee, who made it free.
Thou shalt find there a manger
Warmed by my love to Thee.
Far different from this song of quiet contemplation is the searching hymn that follows it.
That He sent His Son to earth.
Many with indifference65 gather
At His gift of boundless worth.
This is followed by another hymn of praise.
Lift up your voice once more
The Savior to adore.
Let all unite in spirit
And praise the grace and merit
Of Jesus Christ, the Holy,
And then comes “The Fairest of Roses”, which a distinguished67 critic calls “one of the most perfect lyrics in the Danish language”. This hymn is inspired by a text from the Song of Songs “I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley”. It is written as an allegory, a somewhat subdued68 form of expression that in this case serves admirably to convey an impression of restrained fire. Its style is reminiscent of the folk songs, with the first stanza69 introducing the general theme of the song, the appearance of the rose, that is, of the Savior in a lost and indifferent world. The remainder of the verses are naturally divided into three parts: a description of the dying world in which God causes the rose to appear, a lament54 over the world’s indifference to the gift which it should have received with joy and gratitude70, and a glowing declaration of what the rose means to the poet himself.
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Many chapters have been written about the poetic22 excellencies of this hymn, such as the perfect balance of its parts, the admirable treatment of the contrast between the rose and the thorns, and the skillful choice of rhymes to underscore the predominating sentiment of each verse. But some of these excellencies have no doubt been lost in the translation and can be appreciated only by a study of the original. English translations of the hymn have been made by German-, Swedish-, and Norwegian-American writers, indicating its wide popularity. The following is but another attempt to produce a more adequate rendering71 of this beautiful song.
Now found is the fairest of roses,
My Jesus, unsullied and holy,
The world like a desert was lying,
And all in transgressions76 were dying.
But God, as His promises granted,
A rose in the desert hath planted,
Which now with its sweetness endoweth
The race that in sinfulness groweth.
Give praise unto God for His favor;
But many have ne’er comprehended
As thorns in the crown of the Savior,
Why are ye so prideful in spirit,
Content with your self-righteous merit?
O seek ye the places more lowly,
And weep before Jesus, the Holy,
The rose in the valley grows fairest.
My Jesus, Thou ever remainest
My wonderful rose who sustainest
My heart in the fullness of pleasure;
Thy sweetness alone I will treasure.
My rose I will never surrender.
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The last Christmas hymn of the collection is printed under the heading: “A Little Hymn for the Children”, and is composed from the text “Have ye not read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise”. Said to be the oldest children’s hymn in Danish, it is still one of the finest. It is written as a processional. The children come hastening on to Bethlehem to find the new-born Lord and offer Him their homage. One almost hears their pattering feet and happy voices as they rush forward singing:
Here come Thy little ones, O Lord,
To Thee in Bethlehem adored.
Enlighten now our heart and mind
That we the way to Thee may find.
We hasten with a song to greet
And kneel before Thee at Thy feet.
O blessed hour, O sacred night,
When Thou wert born, our soul’s Delight!
Be welcome from Thy heavenly home
Unto this vale of tears and gloom,
Where man to Thee no honor gave
But stable, manger, cross and grave.
But Jesus, oh! how can it be
That but so few will think of Thee
Which drew Thee to us from above?
O draw us little children near
To Thee, our Friend and Brother dear,
That each of us so heartily
In faith and love may cling to Thee.
Let not the world lead us astray
That we our Christian faith betray,
Directed always unto Thee.
Then shall the happy day once come
When we shall gather in Thy home
In praising Thee with triumph song.
We gather now about Thee close
Like leaves around the budding rose,
O grant us, Savior, that we may
Thus cluster round Thy throne for aye.
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His Christmas hymns were so well received that Brorson was encouraged to continue his writing. During the following year he published no less than five collections bearing the titles: Some Advent90 Hymns, Some Passion Hymns, Some Easter Hymns, Some Pentecost Hymns, and Hymns for the Minor91 Festivals. All of these hymns were likewise kindly92 received and therefore he continued to send out new collections, publishing during the following years a whole series of hymns on various phases of Christian faith and life. In 1739, all these hymns were collected into one volume and published under the title: The Rare Clenod of Faith.
This now famous book contains in all 67 original and 216 translated hymns. The arrangement of the hymns follows in the main the order of the Lutheran catechism, covering not only every division but almost every subdivision of the book. Brorson, it appears, must have written his hymns after a preconceived plan, a rather unusual method for a hymnwriter to follow.
The Rare Clenod of Faith fails as a whole to maintain the high standard of the Christmas hymns. Although the language, as in all that Brorson wrote, is pure and melodious93, the poetic flight and fresh sentiment of his earlier work is lacking to some extent in the latter part of the collection. One reason for this is thought to be that Brorson, on locating at Tønder, had come into closer contact with the more extreme views of Pietism. The imprint94 of that movement, at least, is more distinct upon his later than upon his earlier work. The great preponderance of his translated over his original hymns also affects the spirit of the collection. He was not always fortunate in the selection of the original material for his translations. Some of these express the excessive Pietistic contemplation of the Savior’s blood and wounds; others are rhymed sermons rather than songs of praise.
Despite these defects, The Rare Clenod of Faith, still ranks with the great books of hymnody. It contains a wealth of hymns that will never die. Even the less successful of its compositions present a true Evangelical message, a message that, at times, sounds a stern call to awake and “shake off that sinful sleep before to you is closed the open door” and, at others, pleads softly for a closer walk with God, a deeper understanding of His ways and a firmer trust in His grace. There are many strings95 on Brorson’s harp, but they all sound a note of vital faith.
Judging Brorson’s original hymns to be far superior to his translations, some have deplored that he should have spent so [74]much of his time in transferring the work of others. And it is, no doubt, true that his original hymns are as a whole superior to his translations. But many of these are so fine that their elimination96 would now appear like an irreplaceable loss to Danish hymnody. The constant love with which many of them have been used for more than two hundred years should silence the claim that a translated hymn must of necessity be less valuable than an original. A considerable number of the originals of Brorson’s most favored translations have long been forgotten.
As a translator Brorson is usually quite faithful to the originals, following them as closely as the differences in language and mode of expression permit. He is not slavishly bound, however, to his text. His constant aim is to reproduce his text in a pure and idiomatic97 Danish. And as his own poetic skill in most cases was superior to that of the original writer, his translations are often greatly superior to their originals in poetical merit.
Although the translation of a translation of necessity presents a very unreliable yard-stick of a man’s work, the following translation of Brorson’s version of the well-known German hymn, “Ich Will Dich Lieben, Meine Starke” may at least indicate the nature of his work as a translator.
Thee will I love, my strength, my Treasure;
My heart in Thee finds peace and joy.
Thee will I love in fullest measure,
And in Thy cause my life employ.
Thee will I love and serve alone.
Lord, take me as Thine own.
Thee will I love, my Life Eternal,
My Guide and Shepherd on Life’s way.
Thou leadest me to pastures vernal,
And to the light of endless day.
Thee will I love, Whose blood was spilt
Long, long wert Thou to me a stranger,
Though Thou didst love me first of all,
I strayed afar in sin and danger
Until I found that peace of heart
Thou canst alone impart.
Lord, cast not out Thy child, returning
A wanderer, naked and forlorn.
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In Thee alone for all its grief
My heart now finds relief.
Thee will I love and worship ever,
My Lord, my God and Brother dear!
And naught but sorrow suffer here,
Thee will I love, my Lord divine;
O Jesus, call me Thine.
Equally characteristic of his work is his translation of the less-known but appealing German hymn “Der Schmale Weg Ist Breit Genug zum Leben”.
The narrow way is wide enough to heaven
For those who walk straight-forward and with care
And take each step with watchfulness104 and prayer.
When we are by the Spirit driven,
The narrow way is wide enough to heaven.
The way of God is full of grace and beauty
For those who unto Him in faith have turned
When we accept His call and duty,
The way of God is full of grace and beauty.
For those who love His blessed will and way
When we with Him in faith will tarry,
The yoke of God is not too hard to carry.
O Jesus, help me Thy blest way to follow.
Thou knowest best my weak and fainting heart
And must not let me from Thy way depart.
I shall Thy name with praises hallow,
But fine as many of his translations are, Brorson’s main claim to fame must rest, of course, upon his original compositions. These are of varying merit. His Christmas hymns were followed by a number of hymns for the festivals of the church year. While some of these are excellent, others are merely rhymed meditations110 upon the meaning of the season and lack the freshness of his Christmas anthems. The triumphant Easter hymn given below belongs to the finest of the group.
Christians, who with sorrow
On this Easter morrow
Watch the Savior’s tomb,
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On this day of gladness
Christ this hour
Crushed the foe who would detain Him;
Nothing could restrain Him.
Rise, ye feeble-hearted,
Who have pined and smarted,
He has burst the prison
And with might arisen,
Jesus, Who was dead.
And His bride
For whom He died,
He from sin and death now raises;
Hail Him then with praises.
When our sins aggrieve us,
Jesus will receive us,
All our debt He paid.
We, who were transgressors
Are now blest possessors
Of His grace and aid.
When in death
He gave His breath
To the cruel foe He yielded
That we should be shielded.
Earth! where are thy wonders!
Hell! where are thy thunders!
Death, where is thy sting!
Jesus rose victorious117,
As our Lord and King.
Him, the Lord,
Who did accord
Us so great a joy and favor,
We will praise forever.
Brorson’s other hymns are too numerous to permit a more than cursory119 review. Beginning with the subject of creation, he wrote a number of excellent hymns on the work and providence120 of God. Best known among these is the hymn given below, which is said to have so pleased the king that he chose its author to become bishop121. The hymn is thought to have been written while Brorson was still at Randrup. But whether this be so or not, it is evidently inspired by the natural scenery of that locality.
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Arise, all things that God hath made[5]
And praise His name and glory;
Great is the least His hand arrayed,
And tells a wondrous story.
Would all the kings of earth display
Their utmost pomp and power,
They could not make a leaflet stay
And grow upon a flower.
How could the wisdom I compass
To show the grace and wonder
Of but the smallest blade of grass
On which the mind would ponder.
What shall I say when I admire
Deep in the restless ocean
In swift and ceaseless motion.
To Him Who made creation,
And see the angel host attend
What shall I say—vain are my words
Great is Thy wisdom, Lord of lords,
Lift up your voice with one accord
Now, every tribe and nation:
Hallelujah, great is our Lord
And wondrous His creation!
The Pietist movement is known for its fervid glorification135 of the Savior, and particularly of His blood and wounds, a glorification which at times appears objectionable because of the too-familiar and realistic terms in which it is expressed. Brorson did not wholly escape the excesses of the movement in this respect, [78]especially in his translations. In his original hymns the excesses are less apparent. However faithful he might be to the movement he possessed136 a wholesome137 restraint which, when he was not following others, caused him to moderate its most inappropriate extravagances. What can be more reverent138 than this beautiful tribute to the Savior:
Jesus, name of wondrous grace,
First fruit of the new creation,
Weary sinners’ resting place,
Banner of the faith victorious,
Anchor of our hope and love,
Guide us in Thy footsteps glorious,
Bear us to Thy home above.
Or more expressive140 than this jubilant hymn of adoration:
O Thou blest Immanuel!
What exceeding joy from heaven
Hast Thou caused in me to dwell
By Thy life for sinners given.
Thou hast broke the bands at last
Which my yearning soul held fast.
In Thine arms I find relief,
Soon Thy home I shall inherit,
Sin and sorrow, death and grief
For Thy word confirms the pledge
For these days of joy and sorrow;
On that blest eternal morrow
When the Sun of Paradise
Shall for me in splendor rise.
Rise in joyful faith, my soul!
Banish all thy grief and sadness.
Strong the stream of life shall roll
Through my heart with constant gladness.
Jesus, Who mine anguish bore,
Be now praised for evermore.
Most beautiful is also his hymn to the Lamb of God, translated by Pastor D. G. M. Bach.
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I see Thee stand, O Lamb of God,
On Zion’s mountain peak.
But Oh the way that Thou hast trod,
No man can ever know.
Though Brorson made a number of excellent translations of hymns to the Spirit such as the beautiful, “Come, Rains from the Heavens, to Strengthen and Nourish the Languishing146 Field,” he wrote no outstanding Pentecost hymns of his own composition. It remained for Grundtvig to supply the Danish church with a wealth of unexcelled hymns on the Holy Ghost.
Aside from his Christmas hymns, Brorson’s greatest contribution to hymnody is perhaps his revival147 hymns, a type in which the Lutheran church is rather poor. The special message of the Pietist movement was an earnest call to awake, and Brorson repeated that call with an appealing insistence148 and earnestness. The word of God has been sown, but where are its fruits?
O Father, may Thy word prevail
Against the power of Hell!
Behold the vineyard Thou hast tilled
With thorns and thistles filled.
’Tis true, the plants are there,
But ah, how weak and rare,
How slight the power and evidence
Of word and sacraments.
It is, therefore, time for all Christians to awake.
Ye lukewarm Christians, now arise.
Behold, the light from heaven streaming
Proclaims the day of mercy flies.
Throw off that sinful sleep before
To you is closed the open door.
Many are heedless, taking no thought of the day when all shall appear before the judgment150 of God. Such people should arouse themselves and prepare for the rendering of their account.
O heart, prepare to give account
Of all thy sore transgression.
To God, of grace and love the Fount,
Make thou a full confession151.
What hast thou done these many years
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The Lord hath thee afforded.
Nothing but sin and earthly cares
Is in God’s book recorded.
He realizes that many continue in their sin because of ignorance, and with these he pleads so softly:
If thou but knew the life that thou are leading
In sin and shame is Satan’s tyranny,
Thou wouldest kneel and with the Lord be pleading
If thou today should’st listen to His voice!
And the day of salvation is now at hand.
O, seek the Lord today,
Today He hath salvation.
Approach Him while He may
Still hear thy supplication154.
While yet His call doth sound,
Yea turn to Him thy face
While still He may be found.
Orthodoxy had instilled156 a formal, but often spiritless faith. Pietism aimed to awaken the great mass of formal believers to a new life, a living and active faith. This is strongly expressed in the very popular hymn below.
The faith that Christ embraces[6]
And purifies the hearts
The faith that boldly faces
That faith is strong and must
Withstand the world’s temptation
And in all tribulation159,
In Christ, the Saviour, trust.
The faith that knows no struggle
Against the power of sin,
To waken, fight and win,
That faith is dead and vain,
Its sacred name disgracing,
And impotent when facing
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A Christian wears his armor
To wage the war of faith
His foe in life and death.
With Jesus he must stand
Undaunted and victorious,
If he would win his glorious
Reward at God’s right hand.
It is a comfort pleasing
In our embattled life,
To feel our strength increasing
In trying days of strife.
And as our days shall be
The Lord will help accord us
And with His gifts reward us
When striving faithfully.
O Lord, my hope most fervent,
My refuge in all woe,
I will hence be Thy servant
Through all my days below.
Let come whatever may,
I will exalt Thee ever,
And ask no other favor
Than live with Thee for aye.
Although Brorson knew that—
The cost is greater than at first expected
To be in God's unbounded gifts perfected.
he holds that
It does not cost too hard a strife
To be a Christian, pure and heaven-minded,—
But a Christian must be steadfast162 and persevering163, as he admonishes164 himself and others in the following very popular hymn. The translation is by Pastor P. C. Paulsen.
Stand fast, my soul, stand fast
In Christ, thy Saviour!
Lose not the war at last
By faint behaviour.
It is of no avail
That thou hast known Him
Thou shalt His banner fail,
And thus disown Him.
With calm assurance,
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With brave endurance,
Is meet and well begun,
And merits praising.
But from the strife to run,
Is most disgracing.
By hosts attended,
The war for Christ I wage
Until it’s ended.
When leaning on His arm
With firm reliance,
I need not take alarm,
To me can come no harm
When Jesus’ love I see,
It me constraineth,
So that from carnal glee
My soul abstaineth.
When heaven to me is dear,
Its joys attractive,
Of hell I have no fear,
For Christ, my Lord, is near,
In battle active.
In just a little while
The strife is ended,
For aye defended.
Then I, where all is well,
In heaven’s glory,
Among the saints shall dwell,
And with rejoicing tell
Salvation’s story.
Therefore children of God should rejoice.
Children of God, born again by His Spirit,
Never ye cease in His name to rejoice;
Jesus believing and saved by His merit,
Come we to Him with a jubilant voice.
But even a child of God must not expect to escape from the common trials and perils171 of life. God promises assistance but not exemption172 to those who love Him. In the following striking hymn, Brorson vividly173 pictures both the trials and the comfort of a child of God.
I walk in danger everywhere,[7]
The thought must never leave me,
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That Satan watches to ensnare
And with his guile deceive me.
Unless I guard myself with care;
I walk in danger everywhere.
I walk through trials everywhere;
The world no help can offer.
The burdens I am called to bear
I must with patience suffer;
Though often I discern
No place where I may turn
When clouds surround me far and near;
Death walks beside me everywhere.
Death walks besides me everywhere;
I know not when the hour is here
When God from earth shall call me.
A moment’s failing breath,
And I am cold in death,
Death walks besides me everywhere.
I walk ’mongst angels everywhere;
Against such strong contenders.
All doubts and fears must flee,
With angels guarding me;
No foe can harm me in their care;
I walk ’mongst angels everywhere.
I walk with Jesus everywhere;
His goodness never fails me.
I rest beneath His shielding care
And by His footsteps led,
My path I safely tread.
Despite all ills my foes prepare:
I walk with Jesus everywhere.
I walk to heaven everywhere,
Preparing for the morrow
When God shall hear my anxious prayer
And banish all my sorrow.
Be quiet then, my soul,
All carnal pleasures thou forswear,
And walk to heaven everywhere.
[84]
Unlike Kingo and Grundtvig, Brorson wrote no outstanding hymns on the sacraments. Pietism was in the main a revival movement and placed no special emphasis on the means of grace. And although Brorson remained a loyal son of the established church, he wrote his finest hymns on those phases of Christianity most earnestly emphasized by the movement to which he belonged. While this is only what could be expected, it indicates both his strength and limitation as a hymnwriter. He was above all the sweet singer of Pietism.
The hymns of Brorson that appeared during his lifetime were all written within the space of four years. In that brief period he composed a volume of songs that rank with the finest in the Christian church, and just as he might have been expected to produce his finest work, he discontinued his effort. The hymns of the Swan-Song—which we shall discuss later—though written for his own edification, indicate what he might have attained if he had continued to write for publication. His reason for thus putting aside the lyre, which for a little while he had played so appealingly, is unknown. Some have suggested that he wrote his hymns according to a preconceived plan, which, when completed, he felt no inclination182 to enlarge; others have surmised183 that the new and ardent duties, bestowed184 upon him about this time, deprived him of the leisure to write. But as Brorson himself expressed no reason for his action, no one really knows why this sweet singer of Pietism so suddenly ceased to sing.
[5]Another translation with the same first line by A. M. Andersen in “Hymnal for Church and Home”.
[6]Another translation: “The faith that God believeth” by P. C. Paulsen in “Hymnal for Church and Home”.
[7]Another translation: “I walk in danger all the way” by D. G. Ristad in “Hymnal for Church and Home”.
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1
pastors
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n.(基督教的)牧师( pastor的名词复数 ) | |
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2
pastor
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n.牧师,牧人 | |
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3
Christian
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adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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reign
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n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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reigning
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adj.统治的,起支配作用的 | |
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zealous
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adj.狂热的,热心的 | |
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hymn
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n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌 | |
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noted
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adj.著名的,知名的 | |
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hymns
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n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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ardent
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adj.热情的,热烈的,强烈的,烈性的 | |
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mutual
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adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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harmoniously
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和谐地,调和地 | |
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peculiar
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adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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fervent
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adj.热的,热烈的,热情的 | |
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longing
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n.(for)渴望 | |
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Christians
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n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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hindrance
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n.妨碍,障碍 | |
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joyful
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adj.欢乐的,令人欢欣的 | |
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heartily
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adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很 | |
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humbly
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adv. 恭顺地,谦卑地 | |
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intensity
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n.强烈,剧烈;强度;烈度 | |
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poetic
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adj.富有诗意的,有诗人气质的,善于抒情的 | |
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poetical
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adj.似诗人的;诗一般的;韵文的;富有诗意的 | |
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24
attained
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(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况) | |
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frankly
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adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说 | |
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watts
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(电力计量单位)瓦,瓦特( watt的名词复数 ) | |
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deliberately
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adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
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utilizing
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v.利用,使用( utilize的现在分词 ) | |
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29
flexibility
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n.柔韧性,弹性,(光的)折射性,灵活性 | |
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30
varied
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adj.多样的,多变化的 | |
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31
appendage
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n.附加物 | |
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32
extraordinarily
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adv.格外地;极端地 | |
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lyrics
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n.歌词 | |
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34
degenerates
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衰退,堕落,退化( degenerate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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mere
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adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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fervid
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adj.热情的;炽热的 | |
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sever
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v.切开,割开;断绝,中断 | |
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mediated
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调停,调解,斡旋( mediate的过去式和过去分词 ); 居间促成; 影响…的发生; 使…可能发生 | |
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desecrated
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毁坏或亵渎( desecrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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secular
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n.牧师,凡人;adj.世俗的,现世的,不朽的 | |
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deplored
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v.悲叹,痛惜,强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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misuse
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n.误用,滥用;vt.误用,滥用 | |
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boundless
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adj.无限的;无边无际的;巨大的 | |
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triumphant
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adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
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anthems
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n.赞美诗( anthem的名词复数 );圣歌;赞歌;颂歌 | |
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exult
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v.狂喜,欢腾;欢欣鼓舞 | |
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distressed
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痛苦的 | |
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transgression
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n.违背;犯规;罪过 | |
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languish
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vi.变得衰弱无力,失去活力,(植物等)凋萎 | |
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anguish
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n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼 | |
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forsook
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forsake的过去式 | |
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fraught
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adj.充满…的,伴有(危险等)的;忧虑的 | |
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lamentation
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n.悲叹,哀悼 | |
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lament
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n.悲叹,悔恨,恸哭;v.哀悼,悔恨,悲叹 | |
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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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jubilation
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n.欢庆,喜悦 | |
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harp
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n.竖琴;天琴座 | |
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tuned
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adj.调谐的,已调谐的v.调音( tune的过去式和过去分词 );调整;(给收音机、电视等)调谐;使协调 | |
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59
strife
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n.争吵,冲突,倾轧,竞争 | |
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60
remains
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n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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61
acclaim
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v.向…欢呼,公认;n.欢呼,喝彩,称赞 | |
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62
splendor
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n.光彩;壮丽,华丽;显赫,辉煌 | |
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63
homage
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n.尊敬,敬意,崇敬 | |
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64
exalt
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v.赞扬,歌颂,晋升,提升 | |
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65
indifference
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n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎 | |
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66
solely
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adv.仅仅,唯一地 | |
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67
distinguished
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adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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68
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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69
stanza
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n.(诗)节,段 | |
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70
gratitude
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adj.感激,感谢 | |
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71
rendering
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n.表现,描写 | |
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72
reposes
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v.将(手臂等)靠在某人(某物)上( repose的第三人称单数 ) | |
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73
abode
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n.住处,住所 | |
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74
deserted
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adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
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75
perverted
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adj.不正当的v.滥用( pervert的过去式和过去分词 );腐蚀;败坏;使堕落 | |
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76
transgressions
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n.违反,违法,罪过( transgression的名词复数 ) | |
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savor
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vt.品尝,欣赏;n.味道,风味;情趣,趣味 | |
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descended
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a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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vile
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adj.卑鄙的,可耻的,邪恶的;坏透的 | |
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likeness
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n.相像,相似(之处) | |
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81
bereave
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v.使痛失(亲人等),剥夺,使丧失 | |
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assail
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v.猛烈攻击,抨击,痛斥 | |
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83
aggrieve
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v.使委屈,使苦恼;侵害 | |
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84
foe
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n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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engender
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v.产生,引起 | |
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86
rave
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vi.胡言乱语;热衷谈论;n.热情赞扬 | |
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wondrous
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adj.令人惊奇的,奇妙的;adv.惊人地;异乎寻常地;令人惊叹地 | |
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longings
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渴望,盼望( longing的名词复数 ) | |
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89
throng
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n.人群,群众;v.拥挤,群集 | |
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90
advent
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n.(重要事件等的)到来,来临 | |
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91
minor
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adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修 | |
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92
kindly
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adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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93
melodious
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adj.旋律美妙的,调子优美的,音乐性的 | |
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94
imprint
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n.印痕,痕迹;深刻的印象;vt.压印,牢记 | |
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95
strings
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n.弦 | |
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96
elimination
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n.排除,消除,消灭 | |
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97
idiomatic
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adj.成语的,符合语言习惯的 | |
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98
cleanse
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vt.使清洁,使纯洁,清洗 | |
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99
guilt
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n.犯罪;内疚;过失,罪责 | |
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100
heeded
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v.听某人的劝告,听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 );变平,使(某物)变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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101
tempting
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a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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102
yearning
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a.渴望的;向往的;怀念的 | |
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103
naught
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n.无,零 [=nought] | |
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104
watchfulness
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警惕,留心; 警觉(性) | |
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105
ardor
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n.热情,狂热 | |
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106
yoke
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n.轭;支配;v.给...上轭,连接,使成配偶 | |
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107
meekness
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n.温顺,柔和 | |
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108
slay
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v.杀死,宰杀,杀戮 | |
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109
wilt
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v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎;(指人)疲倦,衰弱 | |
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110
meditations
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默想( meditation的名词复数 ); 默念; 沉思; 冥想 | |
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111
banish
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vt.放逐,驱逐;消除,排除 | |
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112
vanquish
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v.征服,战胜;克服;抑制 | |
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113
mighty
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adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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114
vex
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vt.使烦恼,使苦恼 | |
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115
vexed
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adj.争论不休的;(指问题等)棘手的;争论不休的问题;烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 );使苦恼;使生气;详细讨论 | |
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116
dread
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vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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117
victorious
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adj.胜利的,得胜的 | |
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118
reigns
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n.君主的统治( reign的名词复数 );君主统治时期;任期;当政期 | |
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119
cursory
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adj.粗略的;草率的;匆促的 | |
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120
providence
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n.深谋远虑,天道,天意;远见;节约;上帝 | |
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121
bishop
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n.主教,(国际象棋)象 | |
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122
verdant
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adj.翠绿的,青翠的,生疏的,不老练的 | |
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123
choir
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n.唱诗班,唱诗班的席位,合唱团,舞蹈团;v.合唱 | |
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124
zooming
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adj.快速上升的v.(飞机、汽车等)急速移动( zoom的过去分词 );(价格、费用等)急升,猛涨 | |
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125
descry
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v.远远看到;发现;责备 | |
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126
myriad
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adj.无数的;n.无数,极大数量 | |
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127
behold
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v.看,注视,看到 | |
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128
countless
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adj.无数的,多得不计其数的 | |
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129
untold
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adj.数不清的,无数的 | |
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130
slumbers
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睡眠,安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) | |
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131
ascend
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vi.渐渐上升,升高;vt.攀登,登上 | |
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132
adoration
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n.爱慕,崇拜 | |
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133
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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134
dominion
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n.统治,管辖,支配权;领土,版图 | |
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135
glorification
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n.赞颂 | |
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136
possessed
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adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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wholesome
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adj.适合;卫生的;有益健康的;显示身心健康的 | |
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138
reverent
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adj.恭敬的,虔诚的 | |
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139
salvation
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n.(尤指基督)救世,超度,拯救,解困 | |
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140
expressive
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adj.表现的,表达…的,富于表情的 | |
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141
lasting
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adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持 | |
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142
ascends
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v.上升,攀登( ascend的第三人称单数 ) | |
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143
jubilee
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n.周年纪念;欢乐 | |
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144
bleak
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adj.(天气)阴冷的;凄凉的;暗淡的 | |
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145
woe
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n.悲哀,苦痛,不幸,困难;int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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146
languishing
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a. 衰弱下去的 | |
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147
revival
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n.复兴,复苏,(精力、活力等的)重振 | |
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148
insistence
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n.坚持;强调;坚决主张 | |
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149
awaken
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vi.醒,觉醒;vt.唤醒,使觉醒,唤起,激起 | |
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150
judgment
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n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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151
confession
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n.自白,供认,承认 | |
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152
bondage
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n.奴役,束缚 | |
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153
saviour
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n.拯救者,救星 | |
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154
supplication
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n.恳求,祈愿,哀求 | |
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155
repent
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v.悔悟,悔改,忏悔,后悔 | |
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156
instilled
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v.逐渐使某人获得(某种可取的品质),逐步灌输( instill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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157
fiery
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adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的 | |
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158
darts
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n.掷飞镖游戏;飞镖( dart的名词复数 );急驰,飞奔v.投掷,投射( dart的第三人称单数 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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159
tribulation
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n.苦难,灾难 | |
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160
bugle
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n.军号,号角,喇叭;v.吹号,吹号召集 | |
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161
crafty
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adj.狡猾的,诡诈的 | |
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162
steadfast
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adj.固定的,不变的,不动摇的;忠实的;坚贞不移的 | |
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163
persevering
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a.坚忍不拔的 | |
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164
admonishes
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n.劝告( admonish的名词复数 );训诫;(温和地)责备;轻责v.劝告( admonish的第三人称单数 );训诫;(温和地)责备;轻责 | |
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165
foes
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敌人,仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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166
brandish
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v.挥舞,挥动;n.挥动,挥舞 | |
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167
horde
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n.群众,一大群 | |
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168
stun
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vt.打昏,使昏迷,使震惊,使惊叹 | |
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169
defiance
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n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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170
guile
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n.诈术 | |
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171
perils
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极大危险( peril的名词复数 ); 危险的事(或环境) | |
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172
exemption
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n.豁免,免税额,免除 | |
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173
vividly
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adv.清楚地,鲜明地,生动地 | |
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174
pitfalls
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(捕猎野兽用的)陷阱( pitfall的名词复数 ); 意想不到的困难,易犯的错误 | |
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175
prey
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n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨 | |
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176
appall
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vt.使惊骇,使大吃一惊 | |
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177
eternity
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n.不朽,来世;永恒,无穷 | |
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178
defenders
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n.防御者( defender的名词复数 );守卫者;保护者;辩护者 | |
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179
hordes
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n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 );部落 | |
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180
assails
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v.攻击( assail的第三人称单数 );困扰;质问;毅然应对 | |
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181
onward
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adj.向前的,前进的;adv.向前,前进,在先 | |
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182
inclination
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n.倾斜;点头;弯腰;斜坡;倾度;倾向;爱好 | |
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183
surmised
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v.臆测,推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 );揣测;猜想 | |
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184
bestowed
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赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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