Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2019/September

2019
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1

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pandeism n

(religion) A belief in a god who is both pantheistic and deistic, in particular a god who designed the universe and then became it and ceased to exist separately and act consciously with respect to it. (religion, rare) Worship which admits or tolerates favourable aspects of all religions; omnitheism. German physicist and philosopher Max Bernhard Weinstein, who published a major examination of pandeism in 1910, was born on this day in 1852.

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2

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4

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bread and circuses n (idiomatic)

Food and entertainment provided by the state, particularly if intended to placate the people. (by extension) Grand spectacles staged or statements made to distract and pacify people. The Western Roman Empire is conventionally regarded as having fallen on this day in 476 C.E., when Odoacer deposed the 16-year-old Emperor Romulus Augustulus.

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5

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ascesis n

(Rigorous) self-discipline, particularly as a religious observance; asceticism. (Christianity, chiefly Eastern Orthodoxy and Catholicism, specifically) The praxis or "exercise" of asceticism and self-denial of impulses or passions for the sake of piety, theosis, and connection with God.

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6

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bray v

(intransitive) Of an animal (now chiefly of animals related to the ass or donkey, and the camel): to make its cry. (intransitive, by extension) To make a harsh, discordant sound like a donkey's bray. (transitive) To make or utter (a shout, sound, etc.) discordantly, loudly, or in a harsh and grating manner. [...] (transitive, archaic) To crush or pound, especially using a pestle and mortar. (transitive, British, chiefly Yorkshire, by extension) To hit (someone or something).

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7

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spit n

A thin metal or wooden rod on which meat is skewered for cooking, often over a fire. A generally low, narrow, pointed, usually sandy peninsula. […] (uncountable) Saliva, especially when expectorated. (countable) An instance of spitting; specifically, a light fall of rain or snow. […] The depth to which the blade of a spade goes into the soil when it is used for digging; a layer of soil of the depth of a spade's blade. The amount of soil that a spade holds; a spadeful.

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8

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bottle episode n

(originally US, television) An episode of a television series designed to be inexpensive and restricted in its use of sets, effects, cast members, etc. The first episode of the original Star Trek television series aired in the United States on this day in 1966. The term bottle episode is said to have originated from a nickname used by the cast and crew of the series for an episode set entirely on board the USS Enterprise starship.

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9

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desideratum n

Something that is wished for, or considered desirable. The American poet Max Ehrmann, known for his prose poem Desiderata (1927), died on this day in 1945.

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10

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manacle n

A shackle for the wrist, usually consisting of a pair of joined rings; a handcuff; (by extension) a similar device put around an ankle to restrict free movement. (figuratively) A fetter, a restriction. manacle v (transitive, intransitive) To confine with manacles.

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11

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rouille n

(cooking) A type of sauce from Provence, France, often served with fish dishes, consisting of olive oil with breadcrumbs, chili peppers, garlic, and saffron.

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12

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connive v

(intransitive) Often followed by with: to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing; to collude, to conspire. (intransitive, botany, rare) Of parts of a plant: to be converging or in close contact; to be connivent. (intransitive, obsolete) Often followed by at: to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame; to ignore or overlook a fault deliberately. (intransitive, obsolete) To open and close the eyes rapidly; to wink.

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13

14

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epicene adj

(linguistics) Of or relating to a class of Greek and Latin nouns that may refer to males or females but have a fixed grammatical gender (feminine, masculine, neuter, etc.). (linguistics) Of or relating to nouns or pronouns in any language that have a single form for male and female referents. (by extension) Suitable for use regardless of sex; unisex. (biology and figuratively) Of indeterminate sex, whether asexual, androgynous, hermaphrodite, or intersex. (by extension) Indeterminate; mixed. (by extension, usually derogatory) Of a man: effeminate.

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15

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orphrey n

(obsolete) Any elaborate embroidery, especially when made of gold thread; an object (such as clothing or fabric) adorned with such embroidery. (Christianity) An embroidered ornamental band or border on an ecclesiastical vestment, altar frontal, etc.

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16

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thou v

(transitive) To address (a person) using the pronoun thou, especially as an expression of contempt or familiarity. (intransitive) To use the word thou.

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17

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hokum n

(countable, uncountable, informal) (An instance of) meaningless nonsense with an outward appearance of being impressive and legitimate. (countable, uncountable, informal) (An instance of) excessively contrived, hackneyed, or sentimental material in a film, television programme, theater production, etc. (countable, informal) A film, television programme, theater production, etc., containing excessively contrived, hackneyed, or sentimental material. (uncountable, music) A genre of blues song or music, often characterized by sexual innuendos or satire.

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18

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Ember day n

(Christianity) Any of the three days within the same week, four separate sets of which occur roughly equidistant in the circuit of the year, that are set aside for fasting and prayer. In Western Christianity they are usually the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday following the first Sunday in Lent, Whitsunday, Holy Cross Day (14 September), and Saint Lucy's Day (13 December). Today is an Ember day, being the first Wednesday after Holy Cross Day in 2019.

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19

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yo-ho-ho interj

A cry associated with pirates and seafaring, originally a repetitive chant intended to synchronize workers performing some collective physical labour, such as hauling on a rope. Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, a parodic holiday invented in 1995 by John Baur (‘Ol’ Chumbucket’) and Mark Summers (‘Cap’n Slappy’), of Albany, Oregon, USA.

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20

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missing in action adj

(chiefly military) The designation for a member of an organization (usually military) with whom contact is lost and whose whereabouts are not known, but whose death is not confirmed. (by extension) Not present when one is expected to be. Today, the third Friday of September in 2019, is National POW/MIA Recognition Day in the United States, which honors those who are prisoners of war or still missing in action.

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21

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venereal adj

Of or relating to the genitals or sexual intercourse. Of a disease: sexually transmitted; of or relating to, or adapted to the cure of, a venereal disease. (astrology, obsolete) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Venus; lascivious, lustful. (chemistry, obsolete) Of or relating to copper (formerly called Venus by alchemists). To mark the premiere of English composer Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets on 29 September 1918, we are featuring a series of words relating to the planets in the Solar System. One of the suite’s movements is Venus, the Bringer of Peace, composed 105 years ago in 1914, which reminds us that today is the International Day of Peace.

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22

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martial adj

(comparable) Of, relating to, or suggestive of war; warlike. (comparable) Connected with or relating to armed forces or the profession of arms or military life. (comparable) Characteristic of or befitting a warrior; having a military bearing; soldierly. (not comparable, astrology, obsolete) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Mars. (not comparable, astronomy, obsolete) Of or relating to the planet Mars; Martian. (not comparable, chemistry, medicine, obsolete) Containing, or relating to, iron (which was symbolically associated with the planet Mars by alchemists); chalybeate, ferric, ferrous. To mark the premiere of English composer Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets on 29 September 1918, we are featuring a series of words relating to the planets in the Solar System. One of the suite’s movements is Mars, the Bringer of War, composed 105 years ago in 1914.

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23

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tellurian adj

(formal or literary) Of or relating to the earth; (specifically, chiefly science fiction) inhabiting planet Earth as opposed to other planets. (mineralogy) Of a mineral: containing tellurium. The September equinox occurs on this day in 2019, according to UTC.

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24

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mercurial adj

(comparable) Having a lively or volatile character; animated, changeable, quick-witted. (not comparable, astrology) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Mercury; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see adjective sense 1). (not comparable, astronomy) Pertaining to the planet Mercury. (not comparable, chemistry) Of or pertaining to the element mercury or quicksilver; containing mercury. (not comparable, medicine) Caused by the action of mercury or a mercury compound. (not comparable, Roman mythology) Pertaining to Mercury, the Roman god of, among other things, commerce, financial gain, communication, and thieves and trickery; hence (comparable), money-making; crafty. To mark the premiere of English composer Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets on 29 September 1918, we are featuring a series of words relating to the planets in the Solar System. One of the suite’s movements is Mercury, the Winged Messenger, composed in 1916.

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25

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jovial adj

(comparable) Cheerful and good-humoured; jolly, merry. (not comparable, astrology, obsolete) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Jupiter; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see sense 1). To mark the premiere of English composer Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets on 29 September 1918, we are featuring a series of words relating to the planets in the Solar System. One of the suite’s movements is Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity, composed 105 years ago in 1914.

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26

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learn the ropes v

(originally nautical, informal) To learn the basics or master introductory knowledge. (informal) To learn some skill requiring specialist knowledge. Today, the last Thursday of September in 2019, is World Maritime Day, an official United Nations day that highlights the work of the International Maritime Organization and emphasizes the importance of shipping and other maritime activities.

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27

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saturnine adj

(comparable) Of a person: having a tendency to be cold, bitter, gloomy, sarcastic, and slow to change and react. (comparable) Of a setting: depressing, dull, gloomy. (comparable, chemistry, archaic) Of, pertaining to, or containing lead (which was symbolically associated with the planet Saturn by alchemists). (not comparable, pathology) Of a disease: caused by lead poisoning (saturnism); of a person: affected by lead poisoning. (not comparable, astrology, obsolete) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Saturn; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see sense 1). To mark the premiere of English composer Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets on 29 September 1918, we are featuring a series of words relating to the planets in the Solar System. One of the suite’s movements is Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age, composed in 1915.

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28

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Uranian adj

(comparable, literary, poetic) Celestial, heavenly; uranic. (comparable, literary, archaic) Homosexual; (specifically) relating to a man's erotic love for adolescent boys; pederastic; also, of poetry: conveying appreciation for young men. (not comparable, Greek mythology, Roman mythology) Of Aphrodite Urania, the heavenly aspect of Greek goddess of beauty and love Aphrodite and her Roman counterpart Venus: heavenly, spiritual, as contrasted with the earthly aspect of Aphrodite Pandemos. (not comparable, Greek mythology, dated) Relating to Urania, the Muse of astronomy. (not comparable, by extension, historical, rare) Of or pertaining to astronomy; astronomical. [...] (not comparable, astronomy) Of or pertaining to the planet Uranus. To mark the premiere of English composer Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets on 29 September 1918, we are featuring a series of words relating to the planets in the Solar System. One of the suite’s movements is Uranus, the Magician, composed in 1915.

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29

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Neptunian adj

(Roman mythology) Of or pertaining to Neptune, the Roman god of fresh water and the sea, the counterpart of the Greek god Poseidon. (by extension, rare) Of or pertaining to water or the sea. (by extension, geology) Formed by the action of water. (by extension, geology, historical) Of, pertaining to, or supporting Neptunism (“a discredited theory that rocks were formed from the crystallisation of minerals in the early Earth's oceans”). [...] (astrology) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Neptune. (astronomy) Of or pertaining to the planet Neptune. To mark the premiere of English composer Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets on 29 September 1918, we are featuring a series of words relating to the planets in the Solar System. One of the suite’s movements is Neptune, the Mystic, composed in 1915.

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30

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Plutonian adj

(Greek mythology, Roman mythology) Of or relating to Pluto, the Greek and Roman god of the underworld; demonic, infernal. (by extension) Of, relating to, or having characteristics associated with the underworld; dark, gloomy; mournful. (by extension, geology) Synonym of plutonic (“of or pertaining to rocks formed deep in the Earth's crust, rather than by volcanoes at the surface of the Earth”) (by extension, geology, historical) Synonym of plutonic (“of, pertaining to, or supporting plutonism, the theory that the rocks of the Earth were formed in fire by volcanic activity, with a continuing gradual process of weathering and erosion, then deposited on the sea bed, re-formed into layers of sedimentary rock by heat and pressure, and raised again”) [...] (astrology) Pertaining to the astrological influence of Pluto, formerly regarded as a planet. (astronomy) Of or relating to the dwarf planet Pluto. To mark the premiere of English composer Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets on 29 September 1918, we are featuring a series of words relating to the planets in the Solar System. Although Pluto was discovered four years before Holst’s death, he never wrote a movement for what was then thought to be a new planet (Pluto is now regarded as a dwarf planet). However, Colin Matthews composed a movement called Pluto, the Renewer in 2000.

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