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There was a painless stage of incubation that lasted twenty-five years, and then it broke out on me, and people said I was It.
But they called it humor instead of measles1.
The employees in the store bought a silver inkstand for the senior partner on his fiftieth birthday. We crowded into his private office to present it. I had been selected for spokesman, and I made a little speech that I had been preparing for a week.
It made a hit. It was full of puns and epigrams and funny twists that brought down the house--which was a very solid one in the wholesale3 hardware line. Old Marlowe himself actually grinned, and the employees took their cue and roared.
My reputation as a humorist dates from half-past nine o'clock on that morning. For weeks afterward5 my fellow clerks fanned the flame of my self-esteem. One by one they came to me, saying what an awfully7 clever speech that was, old man, and carefully explained to me the point of each one of my jokes.
Gradually I found that I was expected to keep it up. Others might speak sanely8 on business matters and the day's topics, but from me something gamesome and airy was required.
I was expected to crack jokes about the crockery and lighten up the granite9 ware4 with persiflage10. I was second bookkeeper, and if I failed to show up a balance sheet without something comic about the footings or could find no cause for laughter in an invoice11 of plows12, the other clerks were disappointed. By degrees my fame spread, and I became a local "character." Our town was small enough to make this possible. The daily newspaper quoted me. At social

1
measles
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n.麻疹,风疹,包虫病,痧子 | |
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2
spoke
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n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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3
wholesale
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n.批发;adv.以批发方式;vt.批发,成批出售 | |
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ware
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n.(常用复数)商品,货物 | |
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afterward
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adv.后来;以后 | |
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lame
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adj.跛的,(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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awfully
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adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地 | |
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sanely
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ad.神志清楚地 | |
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granite
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adj.花岗岩,花岗石 | |
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persiflage
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n.戏弄;挖苦 | |
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invoice
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vt.开发票;n.发票,装货清单 | |
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plows
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n.犁( plow的名词复数 );犁型铲雪机v.耕( plow的第三人称单数 );犁耕;费力穿过 | |
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pointed
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adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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gatherings
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聚集( gathering的名词复数 ); 收集; 采集; 搜集 | |
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repartee
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n.机敏的应答 | |
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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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genial
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adj.亲切的,和蔼的,愉快的,脾气好的 | |
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sarcasm
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n.讥讽,讽刺,嘲弄,反话 (adj.sarcastic) | |
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superfluous
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adj.过多的,过剩的,多余的 | |
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sundry
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adj.各式各样的,种种的 | |
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conceits
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高傲( conceit的名词复数 ); 自以为; 巧妙的词语; 别出心裁的比喻 | |
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considerably
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adv.极大地;相当大地;在很大程度上 | |
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evergreens
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n.常青树,常绿植物,万年青( evergreen的名词复数 ) | |
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lobster
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n.龙虾,龙虾肉 | |
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liberate
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v.解放,使获得自由,释出,放出;vt.解放,使获自由 | |
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drudgery
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n.苦工,重活,单调乏味的工作 | |
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coruscated
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v.闪光,闪烁( coruscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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contractors
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n.(建筑、监造中的)承包人( contractor的名词复数 ) | |
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nibble
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n.轻咬,啃;v.一点点地咬,慢慢啃,吹毛求疵 | |
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arabesques
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n.阿拉伯式花饰( arabesque的名词复数 );错综图饰;阿拉伯图案;阿拉贝斯克芭蕾舞姿(独脚站立,手前伸,另一脚一手向后伸) | |
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fixed
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adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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labor
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n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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Augmented
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adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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ruffle
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v.弄皱,弄乱;激怒,扰乱;n.褶裥饰边 | |
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neatly
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adv.整洁地,干净地,灵巧地,熟练地 | |
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parlor
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n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅 | |
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droll
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adj.古怪的,好笑的 | |
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vampire
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n.吸血鬼 | |
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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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witty
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adj.机智的,风趣的 | |
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piquant
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adj.辛辣的,开胃的,令人兴奋的 | |
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memorandum
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n.备忘录,便笺 | |
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cuff
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n.袖口;手铐;护腕;vt.用手铐铐;上袖口 | |
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preyed
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v.掠食( prey的过去式和过去分词 );掠食;折磨;(人)靠欺诈为生 | |
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dispense
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vt.分配,分发;配(药),发(药);实施 | |
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gratuitously
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平白 | |
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livelihood
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n.生计,谋生之道 | |
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lugubrious
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adj.悲哀的,忧郁的 | |
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beaks
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n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 );鹰钩嘴;尖鼻子;掌权者 | |
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morsels
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n.一口( morsel的名词复数 );(尤指食物)小块,碎屑 | |
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coveted
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adj.令人垂涎的;垂涎的,梦寐以求的v.贪求,觊觎(covet的过去分词);垂涎;贪图 | |
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exempt
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adj.免除的;v.使免除;n.免税者,被免除义务者 | |
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plundering
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掠夺,抢劫( plunder的现在分词 ) | |
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aisles
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n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊 | |
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sieve
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n.筛,滤器,漏勺 | |
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precepts
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n.规诫,戒律,箴言( precept的名词复数 ) | |
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glean
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v.收集(消息、资料、情报等) | |
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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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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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jealousies
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n.妒忌( jealousy的名词复数 );妒羡 | |
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tenor
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n.男高音(歌手),次中音(乐器),要旨,大意 | |
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candid
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adj.公正的,正直的;坦率的 | |
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impulsive
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adj.冲动的,刺激的;有推动力的 | |
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conspicuous
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adj.明眼的,惹人注目的;炫耀的,摆阔气的 | |
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folly
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n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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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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fangs
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n.(尤指狗和狼的)长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 );(蛇的)毒牙;罐座 | |
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fugitive
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adj.逃亡的,易逝的;n.逃犯,逃亡者 | |
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antelope
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n.羚羊;羚羊皮 | |
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eavesdrop
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v.偷听,倾听 | |
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remorse
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n.痛恨,悔恨,自责 | |
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loath
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adj.不愿意的;勉强的 | |
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cremating
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v.火葬,火化(尸体)( cremate的现在分词 ) | |
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shun
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vt.避开,回避,避免 | |
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melancholy
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n.忧郁,愁思;adj.令人感伤(沮丧)的,忧郁的 | |
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scurry
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vi.急匆匆地走;使急赶;催促;n.快步急跑,疾走;仓皇奔跑声;骤雨,骤雪;短距离赛马 | |
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miserable
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adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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wretch
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n.可怜的人,不幸的人;卑鄙的人 | |
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pariah
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n.被社会抛弃者 | |
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enjoyment
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n.乐趣;享有;享用 | |
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sordid
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adj.肮脏的,不干净的,卑鄙的,暗淡的 | |
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dreaded
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adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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shunned
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v.避开,回避,避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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undertaking
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n.保证,许诺,事业 | |
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saluted
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v.欢迎,致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
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wrung
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绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 ); 握紧(尤指别人的手); 把(湿衣服)拧干; 绞掉(水) | |
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palls
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n.柩衣( pall的名词复数 );墓衣;棺罩;深色或厚重的覆盖物v.(因过多或过久而)生厌,感到乏味,厌烦( pall的第三人称单数 ) | |
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plumes
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羽毛( plume的名词复数 ); 羽毛饰; 羽毛状物; 升上空中的羽状物 | |
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plume
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n.羽毛;v.整理羽毛,骚首弄姿,用羽毛装饰 | |
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paraphernalia
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n.装备;随身用品 | |
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abode
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n.住处,住所 | |
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dignified
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a.可敬的,高贵的 | |
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brink
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n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘,边沿 | |
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niche
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n.壁龛;合适的职务(环境、位置等) | |
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pervaded
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v.遍及,弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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follies
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罪恶,时事讽刺剧; 愚蠢,蠢笨,愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 ) | |
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inclination
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n.倾斜;点头;弯腰;斜坡;倾度;倾向;爱好 | |
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wrest
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n.扭,拧,猛夺;v.夺取,猛扭,歪曲 | |
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repose
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v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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serenity
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n.宁静,沉着,晴朗 | |
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101
glimmer
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v.发出闪烁的微光;n.微光,微弱的闪光 | |
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marred
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adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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trite
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adj.陈腐的 | |
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plentiful
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adj.富裕的,丰富的 | |
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revel
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vi.狂欢作乐,陶醉;n.作乐,狂欢 | |
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haven
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n.安全的地方,避难所,庇护所 | |
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besieged
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包围,围困,围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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jocose
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adj.开玩笑的,滑稽的 | |
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incubus
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n.负担;恶梦 | |
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zest
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n.乐趣;滋味,风味;兴趣 | |
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fluency
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n.流畅,雄辩,善辩 | |
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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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tavern
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n.小旅馆,客栈;小酒店 | |
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conjecturing
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v. & n. 推测,臆测 | |
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coffin
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n.棺材,灵柩 | |
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fluffy
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adj.有绒毛的,空洞的 | |
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shrieked
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v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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delirious
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adj.不省人事的,神智昏迷的 | |
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mingled
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混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系] | |
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dreading
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v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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121
pulp
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n.果肉,纸浆;v.化成纸浆,除去...果肉,制成纸浆 | |
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boon
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n.恩赐,恩物,恩惠 | |
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previously
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adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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labored
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adj.吃力的,谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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dependence
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n.依靠,依赖;信任,信赖;隶属 | |
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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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toil
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vi.辛劳工作,艰难地行动;n.苦工,难事 | |
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mechanism
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n.机械装置;机构,结构 | |
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wailed
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v.哭叫,哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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emulating
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v.与…竞争( emulate的现在分词 );努力赶上;计算机程序等仿真;模仿 | |
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131
justify
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vt.证明…正当(或有理),为…辩护 | |
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132
jovial
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adj.快乐的,好交际的 | |
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133
confidential
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adj.秘(机)密的,表示信任的,担任机密工作的 | |
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134
chatter
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vi./n.喋喋不休;短促尖叫;(牙齿)打战 | |
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135
gems
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growth; economy; management; and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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136
tormentor
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n. 使苦痛之人, 使苦恼之物, 侧幕 =tormenter | |
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137
prospered
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成功,兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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138
levity
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n.轻率,轻浮,不稳定,多变 | |
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