extortion -
The practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats.
The mafia would go to a store, and say "We will make sure your store doesn't burn down if you give us money every month", in an obvious act of extortion.
noun
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Light
audio
glimmer -
A weak, faint, or unsteady light
Six hours after the house collapsed on Peter, his first glimmer of hope occurred when he heard the rescue workers calling his name.
noun
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Good /
Flexible
Url
audio
stopgap -
A quick fix that solves a problem temporarily but not permanently.
To fix the website, we hired a freelance designer as a stopgap measure until we could find someone full-time.
noun
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Other /
Light
Url
audio
dawn -
The first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise.
They reached the beach just as the dawn began to break over the horizon.
noun
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Bad /
Disorganized
audio
gobbledygook -
Language that is meaningless or is made unintelligible by excessive use of abstruse technical terms; nonsense
For tourists who don't speak the native language, it can seem like a bunch of gobbledygook.
noun
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Bad
audio
debris -
Broken or torn pieces of something larger
The rescue ship knew they were close to the disaster when they saw debris floating in the water
noun
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Good /
Exciting
audio
shindig -
A large, lively party, especially one celebrating something
The festive shindig was attended by everyone celebrating New Year's Eve.
noun
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Bad /
Afraid
audio
trepidation -
A feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen
Ellen was filled with trepidation as she walked through the dark forest.
noun
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Pleasure
Url
audio
hobby -
A personal interest or pastime that brings enjoyment and relaxation.
Painting has always been her favorite hobby.
noun
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Good /
Exciting
audio
flair -
A special or instinctive aptitude or ability for doing something well
Known for his overacting, William Shatner has been described as having a flair for the dramatic.
noun
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Other /
Other
audio
sundry -
Various items not important enough to be mentioned individually
Wes needed to freshen up before getting on the plane, so the newsstand employee pointed him to the deodorant and other various sundries on the shelves.
noun
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Url
audio
serendipity -
A happy or lucky outcome that arises out of seemingly random events.
It was pure serendipity that I bumped into my old friend in the library after so many years.
