Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2018/March

2018
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1

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bork v

(transitive, intransitive, US, politics, often derogatory) To defeat a person's appointment or election, judicial nomination, etc., through a concerted attack on the person's character, background, and philosophy. […] (transitive, slang) To misconfigure, break, or damage, especially a computer or other complex device. […] Robert Bork, a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and legal scholar, whose last name gave rise to the word, was born on this day in 1927.

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2

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montage n

(countable) A composite work, particularly an artwork, created by assembling or putting together other elements such as pieces of music, pictures, texts, videos, etc. (uncountable) The art or process of doing this.

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3

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trilemma n

A circumstance in which a choice must be made between three options that seem equally undesirable or, put another way, in which a choice must be made among three desirable options, only two of which are possible at the same time. (logic) An argument containing three alternatives, jointly exhaustive either under any condition(s) or under all condition(s) consistent with the universe of discourse of that argument, that each imply the same conclusion.

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4

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scene-stealing adj

That steals the scene (“dominates a performance through charisma, humour, or powerful acting”). The 90th Academy Awards, which honour the best films of 2017, take place today in 2018.

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5

6

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bleeding edge n

(technology, idiomatic) Something too new and untested to be reliable or to have any assurance of safety; the figurative place where such things exist.

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7

8

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distaff n

A device to which a bundle of natural fibres (often wool, flax, or cotton) are attached for temporary storage, before being drawn off gradually to spin thread. A traditional distaff is a staff with flax fibres tied loosely to it (as indicated by the etymology of the word), but modern distaffs are often made of cords weighted with beads, and attached to the wrist. The part of a spinning wheel from which fibre is drawn to be spun. Anything traditionally done by or considered of importance to women only. A woman, or women considered as a group. Today is designated by the United Nations as International Women’s Day, which commemorates the movement for women’s rights.

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9

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retrench v

(transitive) To cut down or reduce. (transitive, specifically) To terminate the employment of a worker to reduce the size of a workforce; to make redundant. (transitive, military) To furnish with a retrenchment (a defensive work within a fortification). (intransitive) To abridge; to curtail. (intransitive) To take up a new defensive position.

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10

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stronghold n

A place built to withstand attack; a fortress. (figuratively) A place of domination by, or refuge or survival of, a particular group or idea.

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11

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dot matrix n

(computing) A two-dimensional array or pattern of dots used (for example, by a display device or a printer) to represent alphanumeric characters and pictures. (computing) Clipping of dot matrix printer. German inventor Rudolf Hell, who developed a dot-matrix-based teleprinter called the Hellschreiber in the 1920s, died on this day in 2002.

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12

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keel over v

(intransitive, nautical, also figuratively) Of a vessel: to roll so far on its side that it cannot recover; to capsize or turn turtle. (intransitive, idiomatic) To collapse in a faint; to black out, to swoon. (intransitive, idiomatic) To die.

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13

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shenanigans n

(uncountable) Mischievous play, especially by children. (uncountable) Deceitful tricks; trickery, games. (countable) plural of shenanigan.

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14

15

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shock and awe n

(military, also figuratively) A doctrine based on the use of spectacular displays of force. Harlan Kenneth Ullman, who coined the term together with James P. Wade, Jr., in a 1996 work, was born on this day in 1941.

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16

17

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poteen n

(Ireland, countable, uncountable) Illegally produced Irish whiskey; moonshine. (Ireland, countable, by extension) An unlicensed drinking establishment selling illegally produced Irish whiskey. Today is Saint Patrick’s Day, the feast day of the patron saint of Ireland.

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18

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less-than-stellar adj

(slang, sarcastic) Mediocre; not satisfactory; not very good, poor; not meeting standards or expectations.

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19

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pingo n

(geomorphology) A conical mound of earth with an ice core caused by permafrost uplift, particularly if lasting more than a year. […] (Sri Lanka, dated) A flexible pole supported on one shoulder, with a load suspended from each end; a carrying pole or carrying yoke. (Sri Lanka, dated) A weight equivalent to that which can be carried using a pingo.

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20

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carious adj

Having caries (“bone or tooth decay”); decayed, rotten. Today is World Oral Health Day, an annual event organized by the FDI World Dental Federation to raise awareness about oral health.

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21

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sylvan adj

Pertaining to the forest, or woodlands. Residing in a forest or wood. Wooded, or covered in forest. Today is commemorated by the United Nations as the International Day of Forests to raise awareness of the importance of forests, and trees outside forests, for the benefit of current and future generations.

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22

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long drink of water n

(Scotland, US, slang) A tall person. Today is designated by the United Nations as World Water Day, which focuses on the importance of fresh water and the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

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23

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thole v

(intransitive, dated) To suffer. (transitive, now Northern England, Northern Ireland, Scotland) To endure, to put up with, to tolerate.

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24

25

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Homeric adj

Resembling or relating to the epic poetry of Homer. Of or pertaining to Greece during the Bronze Age, as described in Homer's works. Fit to be immortalized in poetry by Homer; epic, heroic. Today is Greece’s Independence Day, which marks the day in 1821 when the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire was declared.

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26

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sarpanch n

The elected head of a panchayat (village government) in Bangladesh, India, or Pakistan. Today is the Independence Day of Bangladesh.

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27

28

29

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wrest v

(transitive) To pull or twist violently. (transitive) To obtain by pulling or violent force. (transitive, figuratively) To seize. (transitive, figuratively) To distort, to pervert, to twist. (transitive, music) To tune with a wrest, or key.

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30

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clerihew n

A humorous rhyme of four lines with the rhyming scheme AABB, usually regarding a person mentioned in the first line. English humourist and novelist Edmund Clerihew Bentley, who invented the clerihew, died on this day in 1956.

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31

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worshipful adj

Tending to worship; showing reverence. (British) Used as respectful form of address for a person or body of persons, especially in the name of a livery company. This day in 2018 is Holy Saturday, the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, in Western Christianity.

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