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brinkmanship - The art or practice of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping, typically in politics

At the height of the Cold War, both sides engaged in a risky brinkmanship that nearly cost millions of lives.

verb

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perish - To cease to exist or come to an end; disappear or be destroyed.

Many brave soldiers perished in the battle.

verb

See noun

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splinter - To fragment or shatter, losing unity or cohesion.

The mirror fell and splintered into hundreds of tiny shards.

verb

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lurk - (of a person or animal) To be hidden so as to wait in ambush for someone or something

Artie lurked under his sister's bed so he could jump out and scare her when she least expected it.

noun

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heresy - An opinion or belief that contradicts established norms or accepted standards.

Galileo was once accused of heresy for claiming the Earth orbits the sun.

noun

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devastation - The state of being overwhelmed or ruined completely.

Wildfires swept through the forest, resulting in total devastation of wildlife habitats.

noun

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boobytrap - A seemngly harmless object containing a concealed explosive device designed to kill or injure anyone who touches it.

The army often sends dogs into abandoned houses just in case the enemy put boobytraps there that could explode.

adjective

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thorny - Causing distress, difficulty, or trouble.

The negotiating teams were up all night trying to resolve some final thorny issues that had to be resolved.

noun

See verb

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breach - An act of breaking a law, rule, or agreement.

I didn't trust him after he shared my secret, in what I regarded as a breach of trust.

noun

See verb

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plague - A persistent trouble or source of distress, often something that causes great suffering or difficulty.

The plague of locusts devastated the crops, leaving the farmers in desperate need of assistance.

adjective

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precarious - Not safe and likely to fall or fail

Jill's spending habits were without bound, and as a result her financial situation was precarious.

noun

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plight - A dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation

The plight of the jobless is slightly improved when they receive temporary unemployment benefits.