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CHAPTER I HOW A RETIRED PROVISION MERCHANT FELT THE IMPULSE OF SPRING
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Mr. Dickson McCunn completed the polishing of his smooth cheeks with the towel, glanced appreciatively at their reflection in the looking-glass, and then permitted his eyes to stray out of the window. In the little garden lilacs were budding, and there was a gold line of daffodils beside the tiny greenhouse. Beyond the sooty wall a birch flaunted1 its new tassels2, and the jackdaws were circling about the steeple of the Guthrie Memorial Kirk. A blackbird whistled from a thorn-bush, and Mr. McCunn was inspired to follow its example. He began a tolerable version of "Roy's Wife of Aldivalloch."
He felt singularly light-hearted, and the immediate3 cause was his safety razor. A week ago he had bought the thing in a sudden fit of enterprise, and now he shaved in five minutes, where before he had taken twenty, and no longer confronted his fellows, at least one day in three, with a countenance4 ludicrously mottled by sticking-plaster. Calculation revealed to him the fact that in his fifty-five years, having begun to shave at eighteen, he had wasted three thousand three hundred and seventy hours—or one hundred and forty days—or between four[Pg 18] and five months—by his neglect of this admirable invention. Now he felt that he had stolen a march on Time. He had fallen heir, thus late, to a fortune in unpurchasable leisure.
He began to dress himself in the sombre clothes in which he had been accustomed for thirty-five years and more to go down to the shop in Mearns Street. And then a thought came to him which made him discard the grey-striped trousers, sit down on the edge of his bed, and muse6.
Since Saturday the shop was a thing of the past. On Saturday at half-past eleven, to the accompaniment of a glass of dubious7 sherry, he had completed the arrangements by which the provision shop in Mearns Street, which had borne so long the legend of D. McCunn, together with the branches in Crossmyloof and the Shaws, became the property of a company, yclept the United Supply Stores, Limited. He had received in payment cash,
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1
flaunted
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v.炫耀,夸耀( flaunt的过去式和过去分词 );有什么能耐就施展出来 | |
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tassels
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n.穗( tassel的名词复数 );流苏状物;(植物的)穗;玉蜀黍的穗状雄花v.抽穗, (玉米)长穗须( tassel的第三人称单数 );使抽穗, (为了使作物茁壮生长)摘去穗状雄花;用流苏装饰 | |
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immediate
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adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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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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tune
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n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整 | |
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muse
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n.缪斯(希腊神话中的女神),创作灵感 | |
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dubious
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adj.怀疑的,无把握的;有问题的,靠不住的 | |
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debentures
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n.公司债券( debenture的名词复数 ) | |
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bent
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n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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acumen
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n.敏锐,聪明 | |
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acclaimed
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adj.受人欢迎的 | |
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alluring
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adj.吸引人的,迷人的 | |
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elegance
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n.优雅;优美,雅致;精致,巧妙 | |
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censured
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v.指责,非难,谴责( censure的过去式 ) | |
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rosy
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adj.美好的,乐观的,玫瑰色的 | |
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perfectly
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adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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uncommonly
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adv. 稀罕(极,非常) | |
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auld
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adj.老的,旧的 | |
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tract
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n.传单,小册子,大片(土地或森林) | |
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moss
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n.苔,藓,地衣 | |
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annually
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adv.一年一次,每年 | |
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bleached
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漂白的,晒白的,颜色变浅的 | |
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shrouded
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v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 );保密 | |
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flannel
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n.法兰绒;法兰绒衣服 | |
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descended
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a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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aged
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adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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ravenously
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adv.大嚼地,饥饿地 | |
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musingly
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adv.沉思地,冥想地 | |
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scones
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n.烤饼,烤小圆面包( scone的名词复数 ) | |
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possessed
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adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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atoned
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v.补偿,赎(罪)( atone的过去式和过去分词 );补偿,弥补,赎回 | |
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ailments
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疾病(尤指慢性病),不适( ailment的名词复数 ) | |
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genealogies
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n.系谱,家系,宗谱( genealogy的名词复数 ) | |
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detested
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v.憎恶,嫌恶,痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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formulate
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v.用公式表示;规划;设计;系统地阐述 | |
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liking
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n.爱好;嗜好;喜欢 | |
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scent
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n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉 | |
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incurable
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adj.不能医治的,不能矫正的,无救的;n.不治的病人,无救的人 | |
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humdrum
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adj.单调的,乏味的 | |
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tavern
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n.小旅馆,客栈;小酒店 | |
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hoofs
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n.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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orations
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n.(正式仪式中的)演说,演讲( oration的名词复数 ) | |
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eulogy
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n.颂词;颂扬 | |
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bard
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n.吟游诗人 | |
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emblem
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n.象征,标志;徽章 | |
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sublimely
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高尚地,卓越地 | |
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oblivious
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adj.易忘的,遗忘的,忘却的,健忘的 | |
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mere
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adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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picturesque
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adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的 | |
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cadences
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n.(声音的)抑扬顿挫( cadence的名词复数 );节奏;韵律;调子 | |
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connoisseur
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n.鉴赏家,行家,内行 | |
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contemplate
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vt.盘算,计议;周密考虑;注视,凝视 | |
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villa
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n.别墅,城郊小屋 | |
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fretted
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焦躁的,附有弦马的,腐蚀的 | |
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philosophic
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adj.哲学的,贤明的 | |
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consolation
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n.安慰,慰问 | |
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providence
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n.深谋远虑,天道,天意;远见;节约;上帝 | |
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quotations
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n.引用( quotation的名词复数 );[商业]行情(报告);(货物或股票的)市价;时价 | |
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wont
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adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯 | |
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cram
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v.填塞,塞满,临时抱佛脚,为考试而学习 | |
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buckle
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n.扣子,带扣;v.把...扣住,由于压力而弯曲 | |
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waterproof
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n.防水材料;adj.防水的;v.使...能防水 | |
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outfit
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n.(为特殊用途的)全套装备,全套服装 | |
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hearth
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n.壁炉炉床,壁炉地面 | |
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tempted
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v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词) | |
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Oxford
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n.牛津(英国城市) | |
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deterred
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v.阻止,制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fragrant
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adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的 | |
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meditations
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默想( meditation的名词复数 ); 默念; 沉思; 冥想 | |
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decided
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adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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epicure
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n.行家,美食家 | |
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mosses
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n. 藓类, 苔藓植物 名词moss的复数形式 | |
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chafing
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n.皮肤发炎v.擦热(尤指皮肤)( chafe的现在分词 );擦痛;发怒;惹怒 | |
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slung
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抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 ); 吊挂; 遣送; 押往 | |
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clump
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n.树丛,草丛;vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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prospect
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n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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ridge
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n.山脊;鼻梁;分水岭 | |
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tugged
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v.用力拉,使劲拉,猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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seedling
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n.秧苗,树苗 | |
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81
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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bulging
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膨胀; 凸出(部); 打气; 折皱 | |
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apparently
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adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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prosaic
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adj.单调的,无趣的 | |
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benevolent
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adj.仁慈的,乐善好施的 | |
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urchins
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n.顽童( urchin的名词复数 );淘气鬼;猬;海胆 | |
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premises
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n.建筑物,房屋 | |
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mischievous
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adj.调皮的,恶作剧的,有害的,伤人的 | |
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scouts
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侦察员[机,舰]( scout的名词复数 ); 童子军; 搜索; 童子军成员 | |
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paraphernalia
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n.装备;随身用品 | |
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savage
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adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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subscriptions
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n.(报刊等的)订阅费( subscription的名词复数 );捐款;(俱乐部的)会员费;捐助 | |
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