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VI. SOME OLD PORTSMOUTH PROFILES
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I DOUBT if any New England town ever turned out so many eccentric characters as Portsmouth. From 1640 down to about 1848 there must have been something in the air of the place that generated eccentricity1. In another chapter I shall explain why the conditions have not been favorable to the development of individual singularity during the latter half of the present century. It is easier to do that than fully2 to account for the numerous queer human types which have existed from time to time previous to that period.
In recently turning over the pages of Mr. Brewster’s entertaining collection of Portsmouth sketches4, I have been struck by the number and variety of the odd men and women who appear incidentally on the scene. They are, in the author’s intention, secondary figures in the background of his landscape, but they stand very much in the foreground of one’s memory after the book is laid aside. One finds one’s self thinking quite as often of that squalid old hut-dweller up by Sagamore Creek5 as of General Washington, who visited the town in 1789. Conservatism and respectability have their values, certainly; but has not the unconventional its values also? If we render unto that old hut-dweller the things which are that old hut-dweller’s, we must concede him his picturesqueness6. He was dirty, and he was not respectable; but he is picturesque—now that he is dead.
If the reader has five or ten minutes to waste, I invite him to glance at a few old profiles of persons who, however substantial they once were, are now leading a life of mere7 outlines. I would like to give them a less faded expression, but the past is very chary8 of yielding up anything more than its shadows.
The first who presents himself is the ruminative9
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1
eccentricity
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n.古怪,反常,怪癖 | |
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fully
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adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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rev
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v.发动机旋转,加快速度 | |
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4
sketches
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n.草图( sketch的名词复数 );素描;速写;梗概 | |
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5
creek
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n.小溪,小河,小湾 | |
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picturesqueness
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7
mere
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adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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chary
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adj.谨慎的,细心的 | |
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ruminative
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adj.沉思的,默想的,爱反复思考的 | |
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hermit
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n.隐士,修道者;隐居 | |
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recluse
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n.隐居者 | |
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mitigating
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v.减轻,缓和( mitigate的现在分词 ) | |
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shanty
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n.小屋,棚屋;船工号子 | |
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disdained
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鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 ); 不屑于做,不愿意做 | |
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disposition
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n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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subsisted
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v.(靠很少的钱或食物)维持生活,生存下去( subsist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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intervals
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n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息 | |
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apparition
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n.幽灵,神奇的现象 | |
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obsolete
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adj.已废弃的,过时的 | |
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aloof
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adj.远离的;冷淡的,漠不关心的 | |
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intercourse
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n.性交;交流,交往,交际 | |
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tempestuous
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adj.狂暴的 | |
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vegetated
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v.过单调呆板的生活( vegetate的过去式和过去分词 );植物似地生长;(瘤、疣等)长大 | |
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memoirs
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n.回忆录;回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数) | |
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monotonous
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adj.单调的,一成不变的,使人厌倦的 | |
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differentiate
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vi.(between)区分;vt.区别;使不同 | |
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inscribed
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v.写,刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 );内接 | |
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ripen
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vt.使成熟;vi.成熟 | |
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quaint
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adj.古雅的,离奇有趣的,奇怪的 | |
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tantalizes
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v.逗弄,引诱,折磨( tantalize的第三人称单数 ) | |
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originality
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n.创造力,独创性;新颖 | |
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concession
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n.让步,妥协;特许(权) | |
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beseech
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v.祈求,恳求 | |
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demurely
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adv.装成端庄地,认真地 | |
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lodge
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v.临时住宿,寄宿,寄存,容纳;n.传达室,小旅馆 | |
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mansion
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n.大厦,大楼;宅第 | |
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consternation
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n.大为吃惊,惊骇 | |
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demolished
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v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 );推翻;拆毁(尤指大建筑物);吃光 | |
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bestow
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v.把…赠与,把…授予;花费 | |
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phantoms
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n.鬼怪,幽灵( phantom的名词复数 ) | |
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inmate
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n.被收容者;(房屋等的)居住人;住院人 | |
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manor
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n.庄园,领地 | |
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pastor
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n.牧师,牧人 | |
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advent
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n.(重要事件等的)到来,来临 | |
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amiable
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adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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meek
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adj.温顺的,逆来顺受的 | |
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consort
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v.相伴;结交 | |
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frivolous
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adj.轻薄的;轻率的 | |
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attire
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v.穿衣,装扮[同]array;n.衣着;盛装 | |
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retired
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adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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forth
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adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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tolled
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鸣钟(toll的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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reverence
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n.敬畏,尊敬,尊严;Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称;v.尊敬,敬畏,崇敬 | |
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complacent
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adj.自满的;自鸣得意的 | |
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touching
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adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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mortification
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n.耻辱,屈辱 | |
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worthy
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adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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labors
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v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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query
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n.疑问,问号,质问;vt.询问,表示怀疑 | |
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vein
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n.血管,静脉;叶脉,纹理;情绪;vt.使成脉络 | |
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nuptials
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n.婚礼;婚礼( nuptial的名词复数 ) | |
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hitch
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v.免费搭(车旅行);系住;急提;n.故障;急拉 | |
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agitation
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n.搅动;搅拌;鼓动,煽动 | |
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remains
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n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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lapse
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n.过失,流逝,失效,抛弃信仰,间隔;vi.堕落,停止,失效,流逝;vt.使失效 | |
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assassination
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n.暗杀;暗杀事件 | |
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accomplished
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adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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foul
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adj.污秽的;邪恶的;v.弄脏;妨害;犯规;n.犯规 | |
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waylaid
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v.拦截,拦路( waylay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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deserted
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adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
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afterward
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adv.后来;以后 | |
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expunging
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v.擦掉( expunge的现在分词 );除去;删去;消除 | |
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inexplicable
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adj.无法解释的,难理解的 | |
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snug
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adj.温暖舒适的,合身的,安全的;v.使整洁干净,舒适地依靠,紧贴;n.(英)酒吧里的私房 | |
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ambush
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n.埋伏(地点);伏兵;v.埋伏;伏击 | |
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analyzed
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v.分析( analyze的过去式和过去分词 );分解;解释;对…进行心理分析 | |
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disappearance
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n.消失,消散,失踪 | |
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ponderous
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adj.沉重的,笨重的,(文章)冗长的 | |
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gilded
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a.镀金的,富有的 | |
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contrived
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adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的 | |
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plighted
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vt.保证,约定(plight的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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destined
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adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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vindictiveness
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恶毒;怀恨在心 | |
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trifling
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adj.微不足道的;没什么价值的 | |
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interfere
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v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰 | |
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jealousy
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n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
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undone
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a.未做完的,未完成的 | |
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twitched
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vt.& vi.(使)抽动,(使)颤动(twitch的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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wrecked
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adj.失事的,遇难的 | |
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relentless
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adj.残酷的,不留情的,无怜悯心的 | |
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prosecutor
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n.起诉人;检察官,公诉人 | |
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convertible
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adj.可改变的,可交换,同意义的;n.有活动摺篷的汽车 | |
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industrious
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adj.勤劳的,刻苦的,奋发的 | |
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emoluments
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n.报酬,薪水( emolument的名词复数 ) | |
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exchequer
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n.财政部;国库 | |
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deficit
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n.亏空,亏损;赤字,逆差 | |
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stratagems
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n.诡计,计谋( stratagem的名词复数 );花招 | |
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constable
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n.(英国)警察,警官 | |
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plunder
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vt.劫掠财物,掠夺;n.劫掠物,赃物;劫掠 | |
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eminent
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adj.显赫的,杰出的,有名的,优良的 | |
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sufficiently
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adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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loft
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n.阁楼,顶楼 | |
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tavern
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n.小旅馆,客栈;小酒店 | |
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sanity
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n.心智健全,神智正常,判断正确 | |
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hogs
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n.(尤指喂肥供食用的)猪( hog的名词复数 );(供食用的)阉公猪;彻底地做某事;自私的或贪婪的人 | |
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torpid
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adj.麻痹的,麻木的,迟钝的 | |
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azure
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adj.天蓝色的,蔚蓝色的 | |
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ruffles
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褶裥花边( ruffle的名词复数 ) | |
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complexion
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n.肤色;情况,局面;气质,性格 | |
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unicorn
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n.(传说中的)独角兽 | |
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devout
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adj.虔诚的,虔敬的,衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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stoutly
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adv.牢固地,粗壮的 | |
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rogues
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n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 );无赖;调皮捣蛋的人;离群的野兽 | |
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punctilious
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adj.谨慎的,谨小慎微的 | |
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temperament
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n.气质,性格,性情 | |
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sincerity
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n.真诚,诚意;真实 | |
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testament
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n.遗嘱;证明 | |
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maladroitness
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permanently
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adv.永恒地,永久地,固定不变地 | |
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caustic
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adj.刻薄的,腐蚀性的 | |
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chronological
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adj.按年月顺序排列的,年代学的 | |
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silhouette
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n.黑色半身侧面影,影子,轮廓;v.描绘成侧面影,照出影子来,仅仅显出轮廓 | |
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decanted
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v.将(酒等)自瓶中倒入另一容器( decant的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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inevitably
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adv.不可避免地;必然发生地 | |
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bouquet
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n.花束,酒香 | |
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repartee
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n.机敏的应答 | |
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broached
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v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 );打开并开始用;用凿子扩大(或修光);(在桶上)钻孔取液体 | |
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inquisitive
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adj.求知欲强的,好奇的,好寻根究底的 | |
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expended
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v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 );使用(钱等)做某事;用光;耗尽 | |
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minion
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n.宠仆;宠爱之人 | |
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facetious
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adj.轻浮的,好开玩笑的 | |
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magnetism
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n.磁性,吸引力,磁学 | |
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tenement
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n.公寓;房屋 | |
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shingled
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adj.盖木瓦的;贴有墙面板的v.用木瓦盖(shingle的过去式和过去分词形式) | |
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epidermis
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n.表皮 | |
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shingles
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n.带状疱疹;(布满海边的)小圆石( shingle的名词复数 );屋顶板;木瓦(板);墙面板 | |
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137
edifice
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n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿,教室) | |
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138
protean
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adj.反复无常的;变化自如的 | |
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139
pithy
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adj.(讲话或文章)简练的 | |
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140
uncommon
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adj.罕见的,非凡的,不平常的 | |
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141
diminutive
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adj.小巧可爱的,小的 | |
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142
connoisseur
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n.鉴赏家,行家,内行 | |
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143
sipping
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v.小口喝,呷,抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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144
witty
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adj.机智的,风趣的 | |
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