Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2024/August

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1

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round robin n

(also attributive) Senses relating to something with a round shape, or which goes around. (originally nautical) A document (usually containing a complaint or petition) originally with the signatures arranged in a circle, and later often alphabetically, to disguise the order of signing and to indicate that the signatories are collectively responsible for it. A letter which is reproduced and sent to several people; specifically, one containing personal news sent at a particular time of year, often Christmas; a circular letter. A letter or piece of writing which is circulated among members of a group, to which each person makes a contribution before sending it to another person; also, a packet of letters circulated regularly in a fixed order among a group (often family members), whereby each person replaces their previous contribution with a new letter, and then sends the packet to the next recipient. A form of trading involving a packet of items which is circulated among members of a group, whereby each person take the items they want and replaces them with items of similar value, and then sends the packet to the next recipient. (figurative) A long, often tedious, list or piece of writing; a laundry list, a litany. (computing) A method of making use of several similar subsystems, assigning tasks to each of them in turn (for example, sending data to a destination down several communication links in turn to achieve greater combined speed). (gambling) A form of bet on the full set of possible combinations from a group of events, racehorses, teams, etc., such as the outcomes A and B, B and C, and A and C from a group consisting of A, B, and C. (music) The MIDI technique of using different sampled versions of the same sound for successive notes, to avoid an unnaturally repetitive effect. (online gaming) A method of dividing loot among a party of players by having the game assign loot, or an enemy corpse to loot, to each player in turn. (Devon, archaic) A small pancake. (originally US) A group activity in which the members take turns to perform an action. (originally US, sports, often attributive) The part of a tournament in which every player or team competes against each of the others in turn. (obsolete except historical) (Christianity, derogatory) The consecrated host used in the Eucharist. (clothing) A small ruff worn around the neck. (obsolete, road transport) A rim attached to the end of an axle of a horse carriage to prevent dirt from obstructing the axle's rotation; also, a loop from which a component of a horse carriage (such as a pole or spring) is suspended. [...] The 2024 Summer Olympics are taking place in Paris, France, from 24 July to 11 August.

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2

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there must be something in the water phrase

(idiomatic, humorous) There are so many instances of something unusual, such as in people's behaviour, that there must be a common cause. The final of the men’s 50 metres freestyle swimming event takes place today at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

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3

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get in the boat and row v

(intransitive, idiomatic) To make a substantial effort, especially in cooperation with others in a group; also, to perform one's share of work. The finals of the men’s and women’s single sculls rowing events take place today at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

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4

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antipathy n

(uncountable) Often followed by against, between, for, or to: a (deep) feeling of dislike or repugnance, normally towards a person and less often towards a thing, often without any conscious reasoning; aversion, distaste, hostility; (countable) an instance of this. (uncountable) Natural contrariety or incompatibility between things, as a result of which they negatively affect or oppose each other; (countable) an instance of this. (countable) A person or thing that one has a (deep) feeling of dislike or repugnance towards; an anathema, a bête noire, a bugbear. (countable, obsolete) A person or thing that has a (deep) feeling of dislike or repugnance towards another person or thing; a hater.

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5

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sub rosa adv

Covertly or in secret; confidentially, privately, secretly. sub rosa adj Carried out confidentially or secretly. Not formally stated; implicit, tacit, unspoken. sub rosa n (US, law, slang) Covert surveillance video used as evidence against applicants for workers' compensation to show they are not in fact (seriously) injured.

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6

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nothingburger n (originally and chiefly US, informal)

An unimportant person; a nobody, a nonentity. Something of less importance than its treatment suggests; also, something which is bland or unremarkable in appearance or impact. nothingburger adj (originally and chiefly US, informal) Of less importance than its treatment suggests; insignificant, unimportant; also, bland or unremarkable in appearance or impact. The American gossip columnist Louella Parsons, who apparently coined the word, was born on this day in 1881.

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7

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mend v

(transitive) To physically repair (something that is broken, defaced, decayed, torn, or otherwise damaged). (figurative) To add fuel to (a fire). To correct or put right (an error, a fault, etc.); to rectify, to remedy. To put (something) in a better state; to ameliorate, to improve, to reform, to set right. To remove fault or sin from (someone, or their behaviour or character); to improve morally, to reform. In mend one's pace: to adjust (a pace or speed), especially to match that of someone or something else; also, to quicken or speed up (a pace). (archaic) To correct or put right the defects, errors, or faults of (something); to amend, to emend, to fix. (archaic) To increase the quality of (someone or something); to better, to improve on; also, to produce something better than (something else). (archaic) To make amends or reparation for (a wrong done); to atone. (archaic except UK, regional) To restore (someone or something) to a healthy state; to cure, to heal. [...] (intransitive) (figurative) Of an illness: to become less severe; also, of an injury or wound, or an injured body part: to get better, to heal. Of a person: to become healthy again; to recover from illness. (archaic) Now only in least said, soonest mended: to make amends or reparation. (chiefly Scotland) To become morally improved or reformed. [...]

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8

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libertarian n

One who advocates liberty, either generally or in relation to a specific issue. (philosophy) A believer in the freedom of thinking beings to choose their own destiny (the doctrine of free will) as opposed to those who believe the future is predetermined (the doctrine of necessity). (politics) One who advocates libertarianism (“a political philosophy maintaining that all persons are the absolute owners of their own lives, and should be free to do whatever they wish with their persons or property, provided they allow others that same liberty”); also, a member of a political party supporting libertarianism. (chiefly Ireland, UK) An antiauthoritarian believer in left-libertarianism, a political doctrine that stresses both individual freedom and social equality, and advocates shared ownership of natural resources. (chiefly US) A believer in right-libertarianism, a political doctrine that emphasizes individual liberty and a lack of governmental intervention, oversight, and regulation, both in economic matters (that is, a belief in the free market) and in personal behaviour provided that no one's rights are threatened or violated. libertarian adj Advocating liberty; also, having a relative tendency towards liberty. (philosophy) Relating to the doctrine of free will as opposed to the doctrine of necessity. (originally US, politics) Relating to, or advocating, libertarianism; also, relating to a political party supporting libertarianism.

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9

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one particle (Singapore, Singlish)

Used at the end of a sentence to highlight the characteristics of someone or something. Used at the end of a sentence to highlight the originator of something. A nominalizer used to form a noun phrase without a head noun. one pron (Singapore, Singlish, rare) Used as a relative pronoun at the end of a relative clause. Today is Singapore’s National Day, which commemorates the nation’s independence in 1965.

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10

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hat trick n

Any magic trick performed with a hat, especially one involving pulling an object (traditionally a rabbit) out of an apparently empty hat. (cricket) An achievement of a bowler taking three wickets in three consecutive balls. (by extension, sports) Three achievements in a single game, competition, season, etc., such as three consecutive wins. (specifically, baseball, ironic) The act of striking out three times in a game. (specifically, ice hockey, soccer) Three goals scored by one player in a game. (specifically, rugby) Three tries scored by one player in a game. (by extension, generally) Three achievements or incidents that occur together, usually within a certain period of time. (UK politics, historical, rare) A means of securing a seat in the House of Commons by a Member of Parliament placing their hat upon it during an absence. The final of the women’s football tournament at the 2024 Summer Olympics takes place today in Paris, France.

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11

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final whistle n

(sports) The blow of the whistle by the referee or other adjudicator signifying the end of a match. The closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics takes place today in Paris, France.

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12

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youth is wasted on the young phrase

The young fail to appreciate or make good use of what they experience. Today is International Youth Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to highlight issues faced by youth worldwide. The World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth adopted a resolution to proclaim this day as International Youth Day at its first session in Lisbon, Portugal, from 8 to 12 August 1998.

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13

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fireball n

A ball of fire, especially one associated with an explosion, or (fiction, mythology) thrown as a weapon. (figurative) (informal) A feisty, strong-willed person. (baseball) Synonym of fastball (“a high-speed pitch of a baseball”) (astronautics) A bright glow caused by a spacecraft re-entering an atmosphere. (astronomy) A meteor bright enough to cast shadows; a bolide. (sailing) A class of sailing dinghy with a single trapeze and a symmetrical spinnaker, sailed by a crew of two. (weaponry, historical) A bag or ball filled with combustible material which is thrown as a weapon or to set something alight. (heraldry) A charge depicting a disc-shaped bombshell with flames emitted from the top, or sometimes from the top, bottom, and on either side. (obsolete) An emanation of St. Elmo's fire; also (later), of ball lightning. A ball-shaped firelighter (“small block of a flammable substance, typically a combination of sawdust and wax, used to light fires”). A ball of heat-resistant material placed in a fire to slow down the burning of the fuel. (figurative) A statement intended to cause dissension or as a provocation. fireball adj (slang) Excellent, terrific. fireball v (transitive, fiction, chiefly fantasy, science fiction) To attack (someone or something) with balls of fire. (intransitive) To explode in a ball of fire or flame. (figurative) To emerge suddenly; to explode. (baseball) To pitch a baseball very fast.

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14

15

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lakh numeral (South Asia, Myanmar)

One hundred thousand (100,000; or, with Indian digit grouping, 1,00,000). lakh n (South Asia) One hundred thousand rupees. (figurative) Often in the plural: an indefinitely large number; a zillion. Today is India’s Independence Day, which commemorates the date when it ceased to be part of the British Empire in 1947.

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16

17

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handout n

An act of handing out something. (US, card games, archaic, rare) An act of dealing playing cards; a deal. A printed sheet such as a leaflet or pamphlet, or a worksheet, that is given out free of charge (usually by hand) for a certain use, for example as an advertisement or for information. Synonym of press release (“an official written statement that is sent to the media so that it can be publicized”) (often derogatory) A gift of money or material assistance to the needy or poor. (by extension) Something obtained without effort; a gift, a present. handout adj Of a thing: given out free of charge, usually by hand. Of or pertaining to the giving of handouts (gifts of money or material assistance, printed sheets, etc.).

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18

19

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internally displaced person n

Someone who is forced to flee their home but who remains within their country's borders. Today is World Humanitarian Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to emphasize the work of humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes. It marks the day in 2003 when 22 members of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq were killed in a suicide bombing.

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20

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ham-fisted adj (informal)

Lacking skill in physical movement with the hands; clumsy. (by extension) Lacking skill in general; incompetent.

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21

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accretion n

(uncountable, also figurative) Increase by natural growth, especially the gradual increase of organic bodies by the internal addition of matter; organic growth; also, the amount of such growth. (uncountable) (Gradual) increase by an external addition of matter; (countable) an instance of this. (geology) The process by which material is added to a geological feature; specifically, to a tectonic plate at a subduction zone. (uncountable, also figurative) Followed by of: external addition of matter to a thing which causes it to grow, especially in amount or size. (uncountable) The process of separate particles aggregating or coalescing together; concretion; (countable) a thing formed in this manner. (astrophysics) The formation of planets, stars, and other celestial bodies by the aggregating of matter drawn together by gravity; also, the growth of a celestial body through this process. (countable, chiefly figurative) Something gradually added to or growing on a thing externally. (conservation science) A substance which has built up on the surface of an object, rather than become embedded in it. (law) (uncountable) Increase in property by the addition of other property to it (for example, gain of land by alluvion (“the deposition of sediment by a river or sea”) or dereliction (“recession of water from the usual watermark”), or entitlement to the products of the property such as interest on money); or by the property owner acquiring another person's ownership rights; accession; (countable) an instance of this. (uncountable) Increase of an inheritance to an heir or legatee due to the share of a co-heir or co-legatee being added to it, because the latter person is legally unable to inherit the share.

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22

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asymptomatic adj

(pathology) Not exhibiting any symptoms of disease, as for example in a case which is subclinical (“without signs detectable by physical examination or laboratory test”). asymptomatic n (pathology) A person or an animal that exhibits no symptoms of disease. Preceded by the: people or animals that exhibit no symptoms of disease regarded collectively.

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23

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kitchen sink n

A sink in a kitchen used for washing crockery, cutlery, utensils, food, etc., and disposing of waste. (figurative) (also attributive) A miscellaneous item or a miscellany, especially exemplifying an indiscriminate profusion. (metonymically) In chained or tied to the kitchen sink, etc.: domestic chores or housework, especially when regarded as menial and tedious. (obsolete) A thing regarded as defiled due to corruption, immorality, etc. kitchen sink adj (UK) (painting) Of or pertaining to a mid-20th-century realist style of painting in Britain characterized by scenes of dull or untidy domestic interiors such as kitchens in the homes of urban working-class people; also, of or pertaining to an artist or group of artists painting in this style. (by extension, drama, fiction, film, television, originally derogatory) Of or pertaining to a mid-20th-century (especially 1950s–1960s) genre of drama, fiction, etc., in Britain depicting the harsh lives of working-class people; also, of or pertaining to a film, novel, play, etc., of this genre. kitchen sink v (transitive) To make (something) overly complicated or elaborate; to overcomplicate, to overwork. To raise to (someone) unrelated complaints and other matters during an argument. (business) To release (a large amount of information about the poor financial results of a company) in one go, in the hope that there will be less impact. (intransitive) To raise unrelated complaints and other matters during an argument.

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24

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lave v (archaic except literary, poetic)

(transitive) To bathe or wash (someone or something). Of a river or other water body: to flow along or past (a place or thing); to wash. Followed by into, on, or upon: to pour (water or some other liquid) with or as if with a ladle into or on someone or something; to lade, to ladle. (figurative) To remove (something), as if by washing away with water. To surround or gently touch (someone or something), as if with water. Chiefly in sexual contexts: to lick (someone or something). (archaic or obsolete) Followed by out or up: to draw or scoop (water) out of something with a bucket, scoop, etc.; specifically, to bail (water) out of a boat. (intransitive) (reflexive) To bathe or wash. (figurative) To surround as if with water. Chiefly in sexual contexts; followed by at: to lick. lave n (archaic except literary, poetic) An act of bathing or washing; a bath or bathe, a wash. (rare, also figurative) The sea. [...]

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25

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micropolitan adj

(US) Of or pertaining to a city or twin cities having at least 10,000 but fewer than 50,000 inhabitants; of a city: less populated than a metropolitan area but more than a rural one. micropolitan n (US) A city or twin cities having at least 10,000 but fewer than 50,000 inhabitants; a city which is less populated than a metropolitan area but more than a rural one.

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26

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pug n

Senses relating to someone or something small. In full pug dog: a small dog of an ancient breed originating in China, having a snub nose, wrinkled face, squarish body, short smooth hair, and curled tail. In full pug moth, often with a descriptive word: any geometrid moth of the tribe Eupitheciini, especially the genus Eupithecia; a geometer moth. (clothing, historical) In full pug hood: a hood, sometimes with a short cloak attached, worn by women around the middle of the 18th century. (rail transport) In full pug engine: a small locomotive chiefly used for shunting (“moving trains from one track to another, or carriages from one train to another”). (UK, regional, archaic) Also used as a proper name: any of various animals, such as a ferret, hare, squirrel, or young salmon. (specifically) Synonym of teg (“a sheep (originally a ewe) in its second year, or from the time it is weaned until it is first shorn”) (specifically, obsolete) An ape, a monkey; also (by extension) a human child. (specifically, obsolete) A fox. (UK, regional, rare) A person or thing that is squat (“broad and short”). (US, regional) A bun or knot of hair; also, a piece of cloth or snood for holding this in place. (obsolete) A small demon; an imp, a puck, a sprite. [...] Today is National Dog Day in the USA, which was established by the American animal welfare advocate Colleen Paige.

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27

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torch n

A stick of wood or plant fibres twisted together, with one end soaked in a flammable substance such as resin or tallow and set on fire, which is held in the hand, put into a wall bracket, or stuck into the ground, and used chiefly as a light source. (by extension) A similarly shaped implement with a replaceable supply of flammable material; specifically, a pole with a lamp at one end. (by extension, Commonwealth) In full electric torch: synonym of flashlight (“a battery-powered hand-held light source”) (by extension, botany) A flower which is red or red-orange in colour like a flame. A spike (“kind of inflorescence”) made up of spikelets. (chiefly in the plural) The common mullein, great mullein, or torchwort (Verbascum thapsus). (obsolete) A cactus with a very elongated body; a ceroid cactus; a torch cactus or torch-thistle. (figurative) A source of enlightenment or guidance. In carry, hand on, or pass on the torch: a precious cause, principle, tradition, etc., which needs to be protected and transmitted to others. (science fiction) Short for torch drive (“a spacecraft engine which produces thrust by nuclear fusion”). (chiefly Canada, US) Short for blowtorch (“a tool which projects a controlled stream of a highly flammable gas over a spark in order to produce a controlled flame”). (US, slang) An arsonist. torch v (transitive) To illuminate or provide (a place) with torches (noun sense 1). (originally and chiefly US, slang) To set fire to (something), especially by use of a torch; specifically, to intentionally destroy (something) by setting on fire to try and claim compensation on a fire insurance. (figurative) To make damaging claims about (someone or something); to ruin the reputation of (someone or something); to disparage, to insult. (intransitive) Of a fire: to burn. (science fiction) To travel in a spacecraft propelled by a torch drive (“an engine which produces thrust by nuclear fusion”). (UK, dialectal, figurative) To (appear to) flare up like a torch. (US, fishing) To catch fish or other aquatic animals by torchlight; to go torch-fishing. [...] The torch relay of the 2024 Summer Paralympics culminates in the lighting of the cauldron tomorrow during the opening ceremony of the Games in Paris, France.

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28

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Phrygian cap n

(Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome) A soft, close-fitting conical cap with the top bent forward, represented in Greek and Roman art as worn by ancient Phrygians, and later associated with the Roman liberty cap. (by extension, anatomy) A congenital abnormality of the gall bladder with no pathological significance, caused by a folding at the distal part of the fundus. The opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Paralympics takes place today in Paris, France. The Phryges, anthropomorphic Phrygian caps, are the official mascots of the summer Olympic and Paralympic Games this year.

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29

30

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hats off interj (as an imperative)

(dated) Used as an instruction for people to remove their hats out of respect, generally towards someone of importance. (figurative) Followed by to: used to express approval or praise: congratulations, kudos, well done! The finals of various para-athletics events of the 2024 Summer Paralympics take place today in Paris, France.

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31

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mee n (cooking, Malaysia, Singapore)

Chinese-style wheat noodles. With a descriptive word: a dish containing Chinese-style wheat noodles. Today is Hari Merdeka or the Independence Day of Malaysia. It commemorates the date in 1957 when Malaysia became independent of the British Empire.

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