Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2015/August

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2

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perfusionist n

A trained clinician who operates the heart-lung machine during cardiac and other surgeries.

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3

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compunction n

A pricking of conscience or a feeling of regret, especially one which is slight or fleeting.

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4

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cajole v

To persuade someone to do something which they are reluctant to do, especially by flattery or promises; to coax.

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5

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descanso n

A cross placed at the site of a violent, unexpected death, in memoriam.

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6

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anapest n

(prosody) A metrical foot consisting of three syllables, two short and one long (e.g., the word velveteen). (prosody) A fragment, phrase or line of poetry or verse using this meter, e.g., “Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot, but the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville, did NOT!” (Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957)).

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7

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green gown n

(now archaic, historical) A dress that has been stained green from rolling in the grass; generally with allusion to sexual activity, especially a woman's loss of virginity.

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8

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levant v

To abscond or run away, especially to avoid paying money or debts.

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9

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lah particle

(Manglish and Singlish) Placed at the end of a sentence either for emphasis or reassurance. Don’t think so much lah! It’s okay lah (It's all right. Don't worry about it.).

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10

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inside baseball n

(US, idiomatic, sports) Technical matters concerning baseball not apparent to spectators. (US, idiomatic, by extension) Matters of interest only to insiders.

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11

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metaknowledge n

(philosophy) Knowledge about knowledge itself. (psychology, artificial intelligence) Knowledge about types, domains, functions, or preconditions of knowledge.

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12

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cicada n

Any of several insects in the superfamily Cicadoidea, with small eyes wide apart on the head and transparent, well-veined wings.

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13

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oobleck n

A mixture of cornstarch and water with unusual physical properties.

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14

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atend v

(transitive, obsolete) To set on fire; kindle. (intransitive, obsolete) To take or catch fire.

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15

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beeline n

A very direct or quick path or trip. (mining, chiefly historical) A dynamite fuse made with a small quantity of dynamite powder along its length, so that the spark travels quickly and at a specific known rate. Today is National Honey Bee Day in the USA in 2015.

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16

17

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quiddity n

(philosophy) The essence or inherent nature of a person or thing. (law) A trifle; a nicety or quibble. An eccentricity; an odd feature.

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18

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Beowulf cluster n

(computing) A cluster of standard personal computers linked by a local area network, usually of the order of 10 nodes.

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19

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strumpet n

A female prostitute; a woman who is very sexually active. A female adulterer. A mistress. (derogatory) A trollop, a whore.

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20

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kitchen-sinky adj

(informal) Inclusive of too wide a variety of features or items, typically with a resulting trade-off in efficiency or usefulness. Of or pertaining to the kitchen sink drama; depicting social realities in an unstylized and direct manner.

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21

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water of crystallization n

(chemistry) The water present in the crystals of the salts of certain metals; it is weakly bound by electrostatic forces and may normally be removed by heating.

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22

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angleworm n

(Northern US) An earthworm, used as or destined to be used as bait to catch fish.

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23

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budgie smugglers n

(Australia, New Zealand, informal, plural only) A style of tightfitting men's swimming costume cut like underwear briefs that covers the buttocks and groin but not the legs, especially worn in surf lifesaving and in swimming races.

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24

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resplendence n

The property of being, or that which causes something to be, resplendent.

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25

26

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yeasayer n

One whose attitude is positive, optimistic, confidently affirmative. (pejorative) One who habitually agrees uncritically.

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27

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wantokism n

The Melanesian cultural practice of relying on one's wantoks for any need, and of sharing the fruits of one's personal success with one's wantoks.

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28

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manumission n

Release from slavery or other legally sanctioned servitude; the giving of freedom; the act of manumitting. On this day, the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 of the United Kingdom received royal assent.

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