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GRE > P > Flashcards

P Flashcards

0
Q

Paean

A

Song of praise or joy

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1
Q

Pacify

A

To calm down

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2
Q

Palatable

A

Pleasant to the taste

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3
Q

Palatial

A

Magnificent

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4
Q

Paleontology

A

Study of prehistoric life

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5
Q

Pall

A

Something that covers or conceals (n); to become wearisome or unpleasant (v)

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6
Q

Palliate

A

To ease; to lessen

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7
Q

Pallid

A

Pale; dull

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8
Q

Palpable

A

Obvious; capable of being touched or felt

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9
Q

Palsy

A

Muscle paralysis

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10
Q

Paltry

A

Trivial; worthless

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11
Q

Panacea

A

A cure-all; an answer for all problems

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12
Q

Panache

A

Self-confidence; a showy manner

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13
Q

Pandemonium

A

Wild disorder; confusion

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14
Q

Panegyric

A

An expression of praise

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15
Q

Pang

A

A sharp pain

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16
Q

Panoply

A

Suit of armor; any protective covering

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17
Q

Parable

A

A simple story giving a moral or religious lesson

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18
Q

Paradigm

A

A model; an example

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19
Q

Paradox

A

A statement that seems contradictory, but is probably true

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20
Q

Paragon

A

A model of excellence or perfection

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21
Q

Paramount

A

Chief; supreme

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22
Q

Paraphernalia

A

Personal belongings; equipment

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23
Q

Parched

A

Dried up; extremely thirsty

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24
Q

Pariah

A

An outcast

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25
Q

Parity

A

Equality; similarity

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26
Q

Parley

A

Discussion; conference

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27
Q

Parlous

A

Dangerous

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28
Q

Parochial

A

Local; narrow; limited

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29
Q

Paroxysm

A

A sudden outburst; a fit

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30
Q

Parry

A

To avoid something such as a thrust or blow

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31
Q

Parsimonious

A

Stingy; miserly

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32
Q

Partisan

A

A strong supporter of a cause

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33
Q

Passé

A

Old fashioned; out-of-date

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34
Q

Pastoral

A

Pertaining to the country; rural

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35
Q

Patent

A

A government protection for an inventor (n); evident or obvious (adj)

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36
Q

Pathos

A

Pity; deep feeling

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37
Q

Patriarch

A

An early biblical person regarded as one of the fathers of the human race

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38
Q

Patrician

A

Aristocratic

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39
Q

Patrimony

A

Inherited right; heritage

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40
Q

Patronage

A

The control of power to make appointments to government jobs

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41
Q

Patronize

A

To be a customer; to talk down to

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42
Q

Paucity

A

Scarcity; lack

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43
Q

Peccadillo

A

A minor offense

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44
Q

Pectoral

A

Pertaining to the chest

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45
Q

Peculate

A

To steal; to embezzle

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46
Q

Pecuniary

A

Pertaining to money

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47
Q

Pedantic

A

Tending to show off ones learning

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48
Q

Pedestrian

A

One who walks (n); ordinary or dull (adj)

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49
Q

Peerless

A

Without equal; unmatched

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50
Q

Peevish

A

Hard to please; irritable

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51
Q

Pejorative

A

Having a negative effect; insulting

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52
Q

Pellucid

A

Transparent; clear

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53
Q

Pelt

A

Skin of a fur-bearing animal (n); to throw things at (v)

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54
Q

Penchant

A

A strong liking for; an inclination

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55
Q

Penitent

A

Expressing sorrow for sin or wrongdoing

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56
Q

Penury

A

Extreme poverty

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57
Q

Peon

A

Common worker

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58
Q

Perdition

A

Damnation; ruin; he’ll

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59
Q

Peregrinate

A

To travel from place to place

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60
Q

Peremptory

A

Decisive; final; not open to debate

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61
Q

Perennial

A

Lasting for a long time; perpetual

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62
Q

Perfidious

A

Deceitful; treacherous; unfaithful

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63
Q

Perforce

A

Of necessity

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64
Q

Perfunctory

A

Done without care; routine

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65
Q

Perigee

A

Point in an orbit nearest to the earth

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66
Q

Perilous

A

Dangerous; risky

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67
Q

Periphrastic

A

Said in a roundabout way

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68
Q

Perjury

A

Making a false statement under oath

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69
Q

Pernicious

A

Deadly; destructive

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70
Q

Peroration

A

The concluding part of a speech

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71
Q

Perpetrate

A

To do something evil; to be guilty of

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72
Q

Perpetuate

A

To cause to continue

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73
Q

Perquisite

A

Something additional to regular pay

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74
Q

Perspicacity

A

Keenness of judgment

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75
Q

Perspicuity

A

Clearness, as of a statement

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76
Q

Pert

A

Bold; saucy

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77
Q

Pertinent

A

Relevant; to the point

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78
Q

Perturb

A

To unsettle; to disturb

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79
Q

Peruse

A

To read carefully

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80
Q

Pervade

A

To spread throughout; to pass through

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81
Q

Perverse

A

Contrary: cranky

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82
Q

Pervert

A

To lead astray; to corrupt

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83
Q

Petrify

A

To turn to rock; to paralyze with fear

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84
Q

Petrology

A

Study of rocks

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85
Q

Petulant

A

Irritable; rude

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86
Q

Phalanx

A

Closely massed body of persons

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87
Q

Phenomenon

A

Extraordinary person, thing, or event

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88
Q

Philander

A

To engage in various love affairs

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89
Q

Philately

A

Stamp collecting

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90
Q

Philippic

A

A bitter verbal attack

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91
Q

Philistine

A

Uncultured (adj); common; one who is uncultured or common (noun)

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92
Q

Phlegmatic

A

Unemotional; cool; not easily excited

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93
Q

Phoenix

A

A bird that symbolizes immortality

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94
Q

Picaresque

A

Pertaining to an adventurous wanderer

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95
Q

Piddling

A

Trifling; petty

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96
Q

Piecemeal

A

Bit by bit; gradually

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97
Q

Pied

A

Many-colored; variegated

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98
Q

Piety

A

Reverence; devotion

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99
Q

Pilgrimage

A

A journey to a holy place

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100
Q

Pillage

A

To rob by violence

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101
Q

Pillory

A

To expose to public ridicule or abuse

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102
Q

Pious

A

Religious

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103
Q

Piquant

A

Stimulating to the taste; exciting interest

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104
Q

Pique

A

To irritate or annoy

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105
Q

Piscine

A

Of or like a fish

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106
Q

Pitfall

A

Unexpected difficulty; a trap

107
Q

Pithy

A

Concise; to the point

108
Q

Pittance

A

Small share or amount

109
Q

Pivotal

A

Central; crucial

110
Q

Placate

A

To soothe; to calm

111
Q

Placid

A

Calm

112
Q

Plague

A

A Contagious disease (n); to torment; to trouble (v)

113
Q

Plaintive

A

Sorrowful; sad

114
Q

Platitude

A

A dull or trite remark

115
Q

Plaudit

A

Applause; any expression of approval

116
Q

Plebeian

A

Pertaining to a member of the lower classes

117
Q

Plenary

A

Full; complete; absolute

118
Q

Pliant

A

Easily bent; adaptable

119
Q

Plight

A

A sad or dangerous situation

120
Q

Ploy

A

A gimmick; a trick

121
Q

Pluck

A

To pull at (v); courage (n)

122
Q

Plumb

A

To test; to measure

123
Q

Plunder

A

To rob; to take by force

124
Q

Plutocracy

A

Rule by the wealthy class

125
Q

Poach

A

To trespass or steal

126
Q

Poignant

A

Keenly distressing; affecting the emotions

127
Q

Polarize

A

To separate into opposing groups

128
Q

Polemic

A

A controversy or argument

129
Q

Poltroon

A

A coward

130
Q

Polychromatic

A

Many-colored

131
Q

Polyglot

A

Speaking or writing several languages

132
Q

Polymorphic

A

Having many forms

133
Q

Pomp

A

Brilliant show or display

134
Q

Ponderous

A

Heavy; burdensome

135
Q

Porcine

A

Of or like a pig

136
Q

Portentous

A

Warning; foreshadowing

137
Q

Portly

A

Stout; large

138
Q

Posterity

A

Future generations

139
Q

Posthumous

A

Occurring after death

140
Q

Postulate

A

To assume without proof; to take for granted

141
Q

Potable

A

Drinkable

142
Q

Potent

A

Powerful; strong

143
Q

Potentate

A

Ruler; monarch

144
Q

Potpourri

A

A mixture

145
Q

Pragmatic

A

Practical

146
Q

Prate

A

To talk extensively and pointlessly; to babble

147
Q

Precarious

A

Uncertain; dangerous; risky

148
Q

Precede

A

To be, come, or go before

149
Q

Precedent

A

An act that may be used an example in the future

150
Q

Precept

A

A rule of conduct

151
Q

Precipice

A

Cliff

152
Q

Precipitate

A

To bring about an action suddenly

153
Q

Precipitous

A

Extremely steep

154
Q

Précis

A

Brief summary

155
Q

Preclude

A

To prevent; to shut out

156
Q

Precocious

A

Prematurely developed

157
Q

Precursor

A

A forerunner; predecessor

158
Q

Predatory

A

Living by plunder, exploitation, etc.

159
Q

Predicate

A

To declare; to assert

160
Q

Predilection

A

A liking; preference; inclination

161
Q

Predispose

A

To make susceptible

162
Q

Preeminent

A

Standing out above all others

163
Q

Preen

A

To dress oneself carefully or smartly

164
Q

Prehensile

A

Adapted for seizing or grasping something

165
Q

Prelude

A

An introduction

166
Q

Premeditate

A

To plan beforehand

167
Q

Premier

A

First in importance or time

168
Q

Premise

A

Statement from which a conclusion is drawn

169
Q

Preponderance

A

Superiority in quantity or power; dominance

170
Q

Prescience

A

Knowledge of things before they happen

171
Q

Presentiment

A

Anticipation, especially of something evil

172
Q

Presumptuous

A

Boldly assuming

173
Q

Pretentious

A

Showy; putting on airs

174
Q

Preternatural

A

Abnormal; beyond what is natural

175
Q

Pretext

A

A false reason or motive; an excuse

176
Q

Prevaricate

A

To lie

177
Q

Prim

A

Formal; proper

178
Q

Primeval

A

Of the earliest times or ages

179
Q

Primogeniture

A

State of being the firstborn

180
Q

Primordial

A

First; original

181
Q

Primp

A

To dress up in a fussy way

182
Q

Prismatic

A

Many-colored

183
Q

Pristine

A

Uncorrupted; in its original state

184
Q

Privation

A

Loss or lack of something essential

185
Q

Privy

A

Having knowledge of something private or secret

186
Q

Probe

A

To investigate; to examine

187
Q

Probity

A

Honesty; integrity

188
Q

Proclivity

A

Inclination; tendency

189
Q

Procreate

A

To beget or produce

190
Q

Procrustean

A

Designed to get conformity at any cost

191
Q

Procure

A

To obtain; to secure

192
Q

Prod

A

To urge; to poke or jab

193
Q

Prodigal

A

Wasteful

194
Q

Prodigious

A

Enormous; vast

195
Q

Profane

A

Showing disrespect for sacred things

196
Q

Profess

A

To acknowledge; to admit frankly

197
Q

Proffer

A

To offer

198
Q

Profligate

A

Shamelessly immoral; extremely wasteful

199
Q

Profound

A

Very deep

200
Q

Profuse

A

Abundant

201
Q

Progeny

A

Descendants

202
Q

Prognosticate

A

To predict; to foretell

203
Q

Proletarian

A

One who belongs to the working class

204
Q

Proliferate

A

To expand; to increase

205
Q

Prolific

A

Productive; fertile

206
Q

Prolix

A

Tediously long and wordy

207
Q

Prologue

A

Introduction

208
Q

Promenade

A

A stroll or walk; an area used for walking

209
Q

Promontory

A

Piece of land that juts out

210
Q

Promulgate

A

To announce; to advocate

211
Q

Prone

A

Reclining; lying flat; inclined

212
Q

Propensity

A

Inclination; tendency

213
Q

Prophetic

A

Predicting

214
Q

Propinquity

A

Nearness; closeness

215
Q

Propitious

A

Favorable

216
Q

Proponent

A

A person who supports a cause or doctrine

217
Q

Propriety

A

Conformity; appropriateness

218
Q

Prosaic

A

Dull; commonplace; unimaginative

219
Q

Proscribe

A

To denounce: exile

220
Q

Proselyte

A

A person who has changed from one religion to another; a convert

221
Q

Prospectus

A

A report describing a forthcoming project

222
Q

Prostrate

A

Lying flat; thrown or fallen to the ground

223
Q

Protagonist

A

Main character

224
Q

Protean

A

Changeable; variable

225
Q

Protege

A

One who has been guided or instructed by another

226
Q

Prototype

A

The original; first of its kind; a model

227
Q

Protract

A

To draw out: to prolong

228
Q

Protrude

A

To stick out; to project

229
Q

Proverbial

A

Well-known

230
Q

Provident

A

Having foresight

231
Q

Provincial

A

Countrified; narrow; limited

232
Q

Provisional

A

Temporary

233
Q

Proviso

A

A condition; a stipulation

234
Q

Prowess

A

Skill; strength; daring

235
Q

Prude

A

An overly proper person

236
Q

Prudence

A

Caution; good judgment

237
Q

Prune

A

To cut off or lop off, such as twigs, branches, or roots

238
Q

Prurient

A

Lustful; obscene; lewd

239
Q

Pseudonym

A

A fake or assumed name

240
Q

Psyche

A

The human soul or spirit

241
Q

Puerile

A

Childish; immature

242
Q

Pugilist

A

A boxer

243
Q

Pugnacious

A

Eager to fight; quarrelsome

244
Q

Puissant

A

Powerful; strong

245
Q

Pulchritude

A

Beauty

246
Q

Pulverize

A

To crush or grind into powder; totally destroy

247
Q

Pummel

A

To beat or thrash with the fists

248
Q

Punctilious

A

Very exact; precise

249
Q

Pundit

A

A learned man; an expert or authority

250
Q

Pungent

A

Having a sharp taste or smell; severely critical or sarcastic

251
Q

Punitive

A

Pertaining to punishment

252
Q

Puny

A

Weak; inferior

253
Q

Purge

A

To cleanse: to purify

254
Q

Puritanical

A

Strict; rigid; harsh

255
Q

Purloin

A

To steal

256
Q

Purport

A

To claim to be

257
Q

Purvey

A

To furnish; to supply

258
Q

Pusillanimous

A

Cowardly; fearful

259
Q

Putative

A

Supposed; believed

260
Q

Putrefy

A

To rot; to decay

261
Q

Pyre

A

A funeral fire in which the corpse is burned

262
Q

Pyretic

A

Pertaining to fever

263
Q

Pyromaniac

A

One who like to start fires; arsonist

264
Q

Pyrrhic victory

A

Success gained at too high a cost

GRE (22 decks)

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