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1849-1855
I had at once gone to work on a third novel, and had nearly completed it, when I was informed of the absolute failure of the former. I find, however, that the agreement for its publication was not made till 1850, by which time I imagine that Mr. Colburn must have forgotten the disastrous1 result of The O’Kellys, as he thereby2 agrees to give me £20 down for my “new historical novel, to be called La Vendee.” He agreed also to pay me £30 more when he had sold 350 copies, and £50 more should he sell 450 within six months. I got my £20, and then heard no more of £a Vendee, not even receiving any account. Perhaps the historical title had appeared more alluring3 to him than an Irish subject; though it was not long afterwards that I received a warning from the very same house of business against historical novels — as I will tell at length when the proper time comes.
I have no doubt that the result of the sale of this story was no better than that of the two that had gone before. I asked no questions, however, and to this day have received no information. The story is certainly inferior to those which had gone before — chiefly because I knew accurately4 the life of the people in Ireland, and knew, in truth, nothing of life in the La Vendee country, and also because the facts of the present time came more within the limits of my powers of story-telling than those of past years. But I read the book the other day, and am not ashamed of it. The conception as to the feeling of the people is, I think, true; the characters are distinct, and the tale is not dull. As far as I can remember, this morsel5 of criticism is the only one that was ever written on the book.
I had, however, received £20. Alas6! alas! years were to roll by before I should earn by my pen another shilling. And, indeed, I was well aware that I had not earned that; but that the money had been “talked out of” the worthy7 publisher by the earnestness of my brother, who made the bargain for me. I have known very much of publishers and have been surprised by much in their mode of business — by the apparent

1
disastrous
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adj.灾难性的,造成灾害的;极坏的,很糟的 | |
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thereby
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adv.因此,从而 | |
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alluring
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adj.吸引人的,迷人的 | |
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accurately
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adv.准确地,精确地 | |
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morsel
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n.一口,一点点 | |
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alas
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int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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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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lavishness
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n.浪费,过度 | |
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importunity
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n.硬要,强求 | |
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pestilence
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n.瘟疫 | |
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misery
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n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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cork
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n.软木,软木塞 | |
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instigated
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v.使(某事物)开始或发生,鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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repeal
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n.废止,撤消;v.废止,撤消 | |
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expediency
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n.适宜;方便;合算;利己 | |
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gentry
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n.绅士阶级,上层阶级 | |
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mitigating
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v.减轻,缓和( mitigate的现在分词 ) | |
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magistrate
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n.地方行政官,地方法官,治安官 | |
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cove
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n.小海湾,小峡谷 | |
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bray
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n.驴叫声, 喇叭声;v.驴叫 | |
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mortar
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n.灰浆,灰泥;迫击炮;v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
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castigation
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n.申斥,强烈反对 | |
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guild
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n.行会,同业公会,协会 | |
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loomed
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v.隐约出现,阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 );隐约出现,阴森地逼近 | |
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favourably
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adv. 善意地,赞成地 =favorably | |
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favourable
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adj.赞成的,称赞的,有利的,良好的,顺利的 | |
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treasurer
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n.司库,财务主管 | |
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predecessors
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n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 );前辈;(被取代的)原有事物;前身 | |
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determined
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adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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touching
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adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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condemnatory
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adj. 非难的,处罚的 | |
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tingled
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v.有刺痛感( tingle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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stunning
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adj.极好的;使人晕倒的 | |
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condemnation
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n.谴责; 定罪 | |
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undoubtedly
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adv.确实地,无疑地 | |
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judgment
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n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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undertaking
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n.保证,许诺,事业 | |
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expiration
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n.终结,期满,呼气,呼出物 | |
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dilatory
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adj.迟缓的,不慌不忙的 | |
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influential
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adj.有影响的,有权势的 | |
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groom
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vt.给(马、狗等)梳毛,照料,使...整洁 | |
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vice
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n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的 | |
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postal
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adj.邮政的,邮局的 | |
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recipients
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adj.接受的;受领的;容纳的;愿意接受的n.收件人;接受者;受领者;接受器 | |
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treasury
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n.宝库;国库,金库;文库 | |
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sanguine
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adj.充满希望的,乐观的,血红色的 | |
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interrogating
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n.询问技术v.询问( interrogate的现在分词 );审问;(在计算机或其他机器上)查询 | |
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guise
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n.外表,伪装的姿态 | |
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farmhouses
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n.农舍,农场的主要住房( farmhouse的名词复数 ) | |
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lone
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adj.孤寂的,单独的;唯一的 | |
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alleging
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断言,宣称,辩解( allege的现在分词 ) | |
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ascertained
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v.弄清,确定,查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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thoroughly
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adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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entailed
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使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 ); 需要; 限定继承; 使必需 | |
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purporting
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v.声称是…,(装得)像是…的样子( purport的现在分词 ) | |
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purport
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n.意义,要旨,大要;v.意味著,做为...要旨,要领是... | |
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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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incumbent
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adj.成为责任的,有义务的;现任的,在职的 | |
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warden
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n.监察员,监狱长,看守人,监护人 | |
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bishop
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n.主教,(国际象棋)象 | |
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bishops
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(基督教某些教派管辖大教区的)主教( bishop的名词复数 ); (国际象棋的)象 | |
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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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intimacy
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n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行 | |
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egregious
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adj.非常的,过分的 | |
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injustice
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n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
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allotted
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分配,拨给,摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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inquiry
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n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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dignified
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a.可敬的,高贵的 | |
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scruples
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n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 );顾虑,顾忌v.感到于心不安,有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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potent
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adj.强有力的,有权势的;有效力的 | |
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iniquities
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n.邪恶( iniquity的名词复数 );极不公正 | |
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riotously
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adv.骚动地,暴乱地 | |
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purloined
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v.偷窃( purloin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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remonstrances
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n.抱怨,抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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virtuous
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adj.有品德的,善良的,贞洁的,有效力的 | |
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venom
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n.毒液,恶毒,痛恨 | |
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anonymous
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adj.无名的;匿名的;无特色的 | |
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ferocious
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adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的 | |
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satire
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n.讽刺,讽刺文学,讽刺作品 | |
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lashes
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n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 );鞭子;突然猛烈的一击;急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 );煽动;紧系;怒斥 | |
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justified
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a.正当的,有理的 | |
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lashed
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adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 );煽动;紧系;怒斥 | |
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slander
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n./v.诽谤,污蔑 | |
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cormorant
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n.鸬鹚,贪婪的人 | |
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propensity
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n.倾向;习性 | |
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wedded
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adj.正式结婚的;渴望…的,执著于…的v.嫁,娶,(与…)结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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entrusted
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v.委托,托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lodgings
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n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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peculiarities
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n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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acceded
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v.(正式)加入( accede的过去式和过去分词 );答应;(通过财产的添附而)增加;开始任职 | |
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complimentary
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adj.赠送的,免费的,赞美的,恭维的 | |
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pecuniary
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adj.金钱的;金钱上的 | |
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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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drawn
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v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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motives
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n.动机,目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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rebuke
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v.指责,非难,斥责 [反]praise | |
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morbid
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adj.病的;致病的;病态的;可怕的 | |
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personalities
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n. 诽谤,(对某人容貌、性格等所进行的)人身攻击; 人身攻击;人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 ) | |
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allude
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v.提及,暗指 | |
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