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

2018
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1

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ageful adj

Aged, elderly, old. (rare) Eternal, everlasting. Today is recognized by the United Nations as the International Day of Older Persons to raise awareness about issues affecting the elderly, such as ageing and elder abuse.

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2

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Chanakya n

(India) A shrewd politician or, in general, a cunning person; a Machiavelli. Today is Gandhi Jayanti, a national festival celebrated in India to mark the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi in 1869.

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5

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plesionym n

(linguistics) A word that is almost a synonym but which has a slightly different meaning. Today is recognized by the United Nations as World Teachers’ Day to highlight the rights and responsibilities of teachers around the world.

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8

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slivovitz n

(countable, uncountable) A type of rakija made mostly in Eastern European countries from distilled, fermented plum juice. (countable) A serving of this alcoholic drink. Today is the Independence Day of Croatia.

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9

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acute adj

Brief, quick, short. High or shrill. Intense, sensitive, sharp. Urgent. (botany) With the sides meeting directly to form an acute angle (at an apex or base). (geometry) Of an angle: less than 90 degrees. (geometry) Of a triangle: having all three interior angles measuring less than 90 degrees. (linguistics, chiefly historical) Of an accent or tone: generally higher than others. (medicine) Of an abnormal condition of recent or sudden onset, in contrast to delayed onset; this sense does not imply severity, unlike the common usage. (medicine) Of a short-lived condition, in contrast to a chronic condition; this sense also does not imply severity. (orthography) After a letter of the alphabet: having an acute accent.

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10

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ferrule n

A band or cap (usually metal) placed around a shaft to reinforce it or to prevent splitting. (specifically, climbing) The metal spike at the end of the shaft of an ice axe. A band holding parts of an object together. A bushing for securing a pipe joint. A metal sleeve placed inside a gutter at the top. (billiards) The plastic band attaching the tip to the cue. (painting) The pinched metal band which holds the bristles of a paintbrush to the shaft.

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11

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main adj

Of chief or leading importance; prime, principal. Chief, most important, or principal in extent, size, or strength; consisting of the largest part. Of force, strength, etc.: full, sheer, undivided. (dialectal) Big; angry. (nautical) Belonging to or connected with the principal mast in a vessel. (obsolete) Great in size or degree; important, powerful, strong, vast.

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12

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good egg n

(British, informal, dated) A good person, someone to be trusted; a friend. Today in 2018 is celebrated as World Egg Day by the International Egg Commission.

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13

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scour v

(transitive) To clean, polish, or wash something by rubbing and scrubbing it vigorously, frequently with an abrasive or cleaning agent. (transitive) To remove debris and dirt by purging; to sweep along or off (by a current of water). (transitive, veterinary medicine) To clear the digestive tract by administering medication that induces defecation or vomiting; to purge. (transitive, intransitive, veterinary medicine) To (cause livestock to) suffer from diarrhoea or dysentery. (transitive, obsolete) To cleanse (without rubbing).

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14

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troth n

(countable, archaic) An oath, pledge, or promise. (countable, specifically) A pledge or promise to marry someone. (countable, specifically) The state of being thus pledged; betrothal, engagement. (countable, uncountable) Truth; something true.

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15

16

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aquaponics n

(agriculture) A sustainable food production system that combines traditional aquaculture with hydroponics, with effluent from the water in which fish are reared being used as nutrition for plants. Today is recognized by the United Nations as World Food Day to highlight the importance of food security and good nutrition, and the need for action against hunger.

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17

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wheelie n

(informal) An action or stunt where a bicycle, motorcycle, or other vehicle is ridden for a short period while it is standing only on its rear wheel or wheels. (informal, chiefly Australia) A wheelchair user. American motorcycle stunt performer Evel Knievel was born on this day 80 years ago in 1938.

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18

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demimonde n

(chiefly historical (19th-century France)) A class of women maintained by wealthy protectors; female courtesans or prostitutes as a group. (by extension) A group having little respect or reputation. (by extension) A member of such a class or group of persons.

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19

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list v

(transitive) To create or recite a list. (transitive) To place in listings. (transitive) To sew together, as strips of cloth, so as to make a show of colours, or to form a border. (transitive) To cover with list, or with strips of cloth; to put list on; to stripe as if with list. (transitive, agriculture) To plough and plant with a lister. (transitive, agriculture, chiefly Southern US) To prepare (land) for a cotton crop by making alternating beds and alleys with a hoe. (transitive, carpentry) To cut away a narrow strip, as of sapwood, from the edge of. (transitive, military) To enclose (a field, etc.) for combat. (transitive, obsolete) To engage a soldier, etc.; to enlist. (intransitive, obsolete) To engage in public service by enrolling one's name; to enlist.

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20

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potsherd n

(often archaeology) A piece of ceramic from pottery, often found on an archaeological site. Today, the third Saturday of October in 2018, is International Archaeology Day.

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21

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tattle v

(intransitive) To chatter; to gossip. (intransitive, Canada, US, derogatory) Often said of children: to report incriminating information about another person, or a person's wrongdoing; to tell on somebody. (intransitive, obsolete) To speak like a baby or young child; to babble, to prattle; to speak haltingly, to stutter.

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24

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false negative n

A result of a test that shows as absent something that is present. (statistics) A type II error (“accepting the null hypothesis when it is false”).

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25

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patronize v

(transitive) (transitive) To act as a patron of; to defend, protect, or support. (transitive) To make oneself a customer of a business, especially a regular customer. (transitive) To assume a tone of unjustified superiority; to talk down to, to treat condescendingly. (transitive, obsolete) To blame, to reproach.

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26

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widow's mite n

(idiomatic) A very small gift or donation which, however, represents a great sacrifice on the part of the giver. (numismatics) The lepton coin.

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27

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fruitless adj

Bearing no fruit; barren. (figuratively) Unproductive, useless. (figuratively, archaic) Of a person: unable to have children; barren, infertile. (rare) Of a diet, etc.: without fruit.

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28

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Skyriot n

One of the inhabitants of the Greek island of Skyros. Today is Ohi Day (Anniversary of the “No”) in Greece, which marks the rejection by Ioannis Metaxas of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s ultimatum in 1940 during World War II to allow Axis forces to enter Greek territory.

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29

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shunt v

(transitive) To cause to move (suddenly), as by pushing or shoving; to give a (sudden) start to. (transitive) To divert to a less important place, position, or state. (transitive) To provide with a shunt. (transitive, computing) To move data in memory to a physical disk. (transitive, electricity) To divert electric current by providing an alternative path. (transitive, rail transport) To move a train from one track to another, or to move carriages, etc. from one train to another. (transitive, chiefly road transport, informal, British) To have a minor collision, especially in a motor car. (transitive, surgery) To divert the flow of a body fluid. (transitive, obsolete, British, dialectal) To turn aside or away; to divert.

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30

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talaria n

(Greek mythology, Roman mythology) The winged sandals worn by certain gods and goddesses, especially the Roman god Mercury (and his Greek counterpart Hermes).

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31

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bloodthirsty adj

Thirsty for blood: inexorably violent or eager for bloodshed; murderous. Of a book, film, etc.: depicting much violence; gory, violent. Boo! Happy Halloween!

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