Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2016/May

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1

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Word of the day
for May 1
acheiropoieton n
  1. (chiefly Eastern Orthodoxy) An image of Christ believed not to have been created by human hands; a miraculous representation of Jesus.

Easter Sunday is celebrated by Eastern Orthodox churches on this day in 2016.

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2

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Word of the day
for May 2
mental gymnastics n
  1. Difficult and complex logical thought processes.
  2. (derogatory) Inventive, complex arguments used to justify unjustifiable decisions, or situations.
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4

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Word of the day
for May 4
skywalker n
  1. (usually figurative) One who walks in the sky.
    1. (specifically) A member of the Mohawk group of Native Americans; especially one who is or was involved in steelworking on tall buildings in New York City.
    2. (by extension from the previous) Any ironworker working at a height.
    3. One who walks along a skywalk or skyway.

May the Fourth – oops, the Force – be with you! Today is observed as Star Wars Day by fans of the franchise.

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5

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Word of the day
for May 5
smitten adj
  1. Made irrationally enthusiastic.
  2. In love.

The American romantic sitcom The Love Boat premiered on this day in 1977.

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6

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Word of the day
for May 6
supererogation n
  1. An act of doing more than is required.
  2. (philosophy) An action that is neither morally forbidden or required, but has moral value.
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7

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Word of the day
for May 7
lady who lunches n
  1. (chiefly in the plural) A lady who is affluent and thus able to have lunch with other such ladies in relatively expensive restaurants.
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8

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Word of the day
for May 8
quail v
  1. (intransitive) To waste away; to fade, wither.
  2. (transitive, now rare) To frighten, daunt (someone).
  3. (intransitive) To lose heart or courage; to be daunted, fearful.
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9

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Word of the day
for May 9
hillman n
  1. A native or inhabitant of hilly or mountainous country; a tribesman who lives in the mountains.

Nepalese sherpa Tenzing Norgay, who with Sir Edmund Hillary was one of the first two people to reach the summit of Mount Everest on 29 May 1953, died on this day in 1986.

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10

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Word of the day
for May 10
manspreading n
  1. (informal) The practice of men splaying their legs open wide when sitting on public transport, thus occupying more than one seat.
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11

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Word of the day
for May 11
dudess n
  1. A female dude.
    1. (dated) A cowgirl.
    2. A woman, generally a younger woman, especially one who is perceived to be cool or hip.
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12

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Word of the day
for May 12
kosher adj
  1. (Judaism) Fit for use or consumption, in accordance with Jewish law (especially relating to food).
  2. (figuratively, by extension) In accordance with standards or usual practice.

Yom Ha'atzmaut, the national day of Israel, falls on this day in 2016.

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13

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Word of the day
for May 13
competence porn n
  1. Entertainment featuring competent characters carrying out difficult tasks with great aptitude.
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14

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Word of the day
for May 14
presage v
  1. (transitive) To predict or foretell something.
  2. (intransitive) To make a prediction.
  3. (transitive) To have a presentiment of; to feel beforehand; to foreknow.
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15

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Word of the day
for May 15
speak volumes v
  1. (idiomatic) To express more than one actually said.
  2. Usually with about: to extend beyond the immediate topic under discussion.
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16

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Word of the day
for May 16
waft v
  1. (ergative) To (cause to) float easily or gently through the air.
  2. (intransitive) To be moved, or to pass, on a buoyant medium; to float.
  3. To give notice to by waving something; to wave the hand to; to beckon.
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17

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Word of the day
for May 17
cement v
  1. (transitive) To affix with cement.
  2. (transitive) To overlay or coat with cement.
  3. (transitive, figurative) To unite firmly or closely.
  4. (figuratively) To make permanent.
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18

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Word of the day
for May 18
ogry adj
  1. (nonce word) Resembling, or pertaining to, an ogre.

On this day in 2001, the movie Shrek went on general release in the USA.

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19

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Word of the day
for May 19
squat adj
  1. Relatively short or low, and thick or broad.
  2. Sitting on the hams or heels; sitting close to the ground; cowering; crouching.
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20

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Word of the day
for May 20
sinuous adj
  1. Having curves in alternate directions; meandering.
  2. Moving gracefully and in a supple manner.
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21

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Word of the day
for May 21
scintillate v
  1. (intransitive) To give off sparks; to shine as if emanating sparks; to twinkle or glow.
  2. (transitive) To throw off like sparks.
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22

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Word of the day
for May 22
protaspis n
  1. (paleontology) A stage in the development of a trilobite where the creature has not yet developed articulated segments.
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23

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Word of the day
for May 23
fief n
  1. An estate held by a person on condition of providing military service to a superior.
  2. Something over which one has rights or exercises control.
  3. (figurative) An area of dominion, especially in a corporate or governmental bureaucracy.
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24

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25

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Word of the day
for May 25
giant-killer n
  1. Someone or something, especially a sports team, that defeats a larger and superior opponent.
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28

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Word of the day
for May 28
brushy adj
  1. Having a similar texture to a fox’s tail; brushlike, bushy.
  2. Of the countryside: having thick vegetation, taller than grass but shorter than trees; having abundant brush; shrubby.
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29

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Word of the day
for May 29
daimon n
  1. A tutelary spirit that guides a person; a demon, a genius, a lar.
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30

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Word of the day
for May 30
isinglass n
  1. A form of gelatine obtained from the air bladder of the sturgeon and certain other fish, used as an adhesive and as a clarifying agent for wine and beer.
  2. A thin, transparent sheet of mica (probably from its similarity to true isinglass).
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31

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