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

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2018
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Word of the day
for August 4
luminary n
  1. One who is an inspiration to others; one who has achieved success in their chosen field; a leading light.
  2. (archaic) A body that gives light; especially, one of the heavenly bodies.
  3. (archaic) An artificial light; an illumination.
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5

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Word of the day
for August 5
ark at ee phrase
  1. (Bristol and West Country, informal) Listen to you; listen to yourself; listen to it.
  2. (Bristol and West Country, informal) Used to draw attention to something or someone.
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6

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Word of the day
for August 6
klaxon n
  1. A loud electric alarm or horn.

American inventor Miller Reese Hutchison, who created the machine later called the klaxon, was born on this day in 1876.

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7

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Word of the day
for August 7
bosomy adj
  1. Full of sheltered hollows or recesses.
  2. Having a large bosom.
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8

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Word of the day
for August 8
pack journalism n
  1. (journalism, derogatory) A tendency of reporting to become homogeneous due to the reporters' habit of relying on one another for news tips, or being dependent on a single source for information.
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9

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Word of the day
for August 9
ang moh n
  1. (Singapore, Malaysia, informal, possibly mildly derogatory) A white person, especially one perceived as a foreigner rather than a local inhabitant.

Today is Singapore’s National Day, which commemorates the nation’s emergence as an independent republic in 1965.

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10

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Word of the day
for August 10
doofer n
  1. (slang) An object the name of which the speaker or writer cannot remember or does not know. [from 1930s]
    1. (slang, specifically) The remote control for a television. []
  2. (Australia, slang) A participant in a doof (outdoor dance party held in remote bushland or on the outskirts of a city).
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11

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Word of the day
for August 11
whip-smart adj
  1. (Canada, US, informal) Very intelligent.

Marilyn vos Savant, known for having the highest recorded IQ according to the Guinness Book of Records (a category since retired), was born on this day in 1946.

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12

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Word of the day
for August 12
juvenile n
  1. A prepubescent child.
  2. A person younger than the age of majority; a minor.
  3. (criminal law) A person younger than the age of full criminal responsibility, such that the person either cannot be held criminally liable or is subject to less severe forms of punishment.
  4. (literature) A publication for young adult readers.
  5. (theater) An actor playing a child's role.
  6. (zoology) A sexually immature animal.

Today is recognized by the United Nations as International Youth Day to draw attention to cultural and legal issues surrounding youth.

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Word of the day
for August 14
fair-weather friend n
  1. (idiomatic) One who is friendly, helpful, or available only when it is advantageous or convenient to be so.
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Word of the day
for August 17
nosegay n
  1. A small bunch of fragrant flowers or herbs tied in a bundle, often presented as a gift; nosegays were originally intended to be put to the nose for the pleasant sensation or to mask unpleasant odours.
  2. (figuratively) An aroma, a scent.
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18

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Word of the day
for August 18
honey plant n
  1. (beekeeping) Any plant, all of them eudicots, from which bees usually collect nectar, pollen, or both for making honey.
  2. (botany) The name of a number of unrelated plants.
    1. A plant of the genus Hoya, especially the porcelainflower or waxplant (Hoya carnosa) from the tendency for excess nectar to drip from its flowers.
    2. A plant of the genus Melissa, especially lemon balm (Melissa officinalis).
    3. Bishop's weed or false Queen Anne's lace (Ammi majus).

Today, the third Saturday in August in 2018, is National Honey Bee Day in the United States, which was started by beekeepers in 2009 to build awareness about the bee industry.

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19

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Word of the day
for August 19
oh well interj
  1. (idiomatic) An expression of mild disappointment or resignation; too bad, it's a pity.
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20

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Word of the day
for August 20
repdigit n
  1. (recreational mathematics) A number composed of one or more occurrences of one specific digit.
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21

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Word of the day
for August 21
badass adj
  1. (US, slang, negative connotation, possibly offensive) Belligerent and troublesome.
  2. (US, slang, positive connotation, possibly offensive) Having an extreme appearance, attitude, or behavior that is considered admirable.
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22

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Word of the day
for August 22
runway n
  1. A defined, narrow section of land or an artificial structure used for access.
    1. The usual path taken by deer or other wild animals, such as from a forest to a water source.
    2. A narrow walkway (often on a platform) extending from a stage on which people walk, especially one used by models during fashion shows.
    3. (athletics) In javelin, long jump, and similar events: a short track along which athletes can accelerate themselves for their jumps or throws.
    4. (aviation) A section of land, usually paved, for airplanes to land on or take off from.
    5. (slang) Hence, the number of months that a startup company can operate on its cash reserves.
  2. A stream bed.
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23

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Word of the day
for August 23
make a big thing out of v
  1. To call attention to or publicize; to make a fuss about, especially unnecessarily.
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Word of the day
for August 26
rakhi n
  1. (chiefly South Asia) An ornamental cotton wristband tied by a girl or woman on to the wrist of her brother, or of one who takes on the responsibilities of a brother, particularly during the Raksha Bandhan festival.

The Raksha Bandhan festival takes place today in 2018, the last day of the month of Shraavana in the Hindu calendar.

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Word of the day
for August 28
undercurrent n
  1. A current of water which flows under the surface, and often in a different direction from surface currents.
  2. (figuratively) A tendency of feeling or opinion that is concealed rather than exposed.
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Word of the day
for August 30
sweet spot n
  1. Any place which is optimum for a certain action to occur.
  2. (slang, euphemistic) The clitoris, prostate gland, or other center of sexual pleasure.
  3. (physics, slang) The center of percussion.
  4. (sports) The optimal place on a bat, racquet, etc., with which to hit a ball, resulting in the latter rebounding with the maximum possible velocity.

Today is declared by the National Confectioners Association in the United States to be National Toasted Marshmallow Day.

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