Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2021/October

2021
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1

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Michaelmas term n

(law) The first term of the legal year, running from October to December, during which the upper courts of England and Wales, and Ireland, sit to hear cases. (education) The first academic term of the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin, and other educational institutions, running from October to December; the term was modelled after the legal term, but does not begin and end on the same dates. In the courts of England and Wales, Michaelmas term begins today and ends on 21 December, if these dates do not fall on a Saturday or Sunday.

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2

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Havishamesque adj

Stuck in the past; also, refusing to accept change or failure. The character of Miss Havisham originates from the English author Charles Dickens’s novel Great Expectations, which was first published as a complete work this month in 1861 after having appeared in serial form.

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3

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Flanderization n (American spelling, Oxford British English, fandom slang)

(uncountable) The progressive exaggeration of a single trait or set of traits of a fictional character until it overtakes all other characterization. (countable) An instance of this. The episode “When Flanders Failed” of the American animated television series The Simpsons was first broadcast on this day 30 years ago in 1991.

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4

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house plunder n

(chiefly Southern US) Miscellaneous household items. Today, the first Monday of October in 2021, is designated by the United Nations as World Habitat Day to encourage reflection on the state of towns and cities, and on people’s basic right to adequate shelter. It is also marked as World Architecture Day by the International Union of Architects.

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5

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TEFL n

(education) Initialism of teaching (of) English as a foreign language Today is recognized by the United Nations as World Teachers’ Day to highlight the rights and responsibilities of teachers around the world.

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6

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mossback n (chiefly US)

(informal) Synonym of mossyback (“a person with old-fashioned views; hence, one who is very conservative or reactionary”) (informal, historical) A person who stayed hidden to evade conscription (especially by the Confederate States Army) during the American Civil War (1861–1865); a mossyback. Senses relating to animals. A turtle that, because of its age, has a growth of algae on its back The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina). (fishing) Synonym of mossyback (“a fish that is large and old, especially one that has algae growing on its back”) The largemouth bass or moss bass (Micropterus salmoides).

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7

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thereabouts adv

Synonym of thereabout: About or near that place. About or around that date or time. About or near to that condition or quality. Approximately that number or quantity. (obsolete) About that; concerning that. (figuratively) Near to that activity or situation. thereabouts n (possibly erroneous) Location; whereabouts.

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8

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bird of passage n

(ornithology) A migratory bird, especially a passage migrant (“a bird that stops somewhere for a short time during a seasonal migration”). (figuratively) Someone passing through a place and only staying for a short time; an itinerant. Today is the eve of the second Saturday of October in 2021, which is the second of the two World Migratory Bird Days in the year. These days were established by the Secretariats of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals to highlight the importance of protecting migratory birds and their habitats.

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9

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retrograde adj

Directed or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel; retreating. Reverting to an inferior or less developed state; declining, regressing. (zoology) Of an animal: appearing to regress to a less developed form during its lifetime. Of the order of something: inverse, reverse. (music) Having a passage of music played backwards. Of ideas or a person: opposing social reform, favouring the maintenance of the status quo; conservative. (archaic) Involving a return to or a retracing of a previous course of travel. Counterproductive to a desired outcome; contradictory, contrary. (astronomy) Of a celestial body orbiting another: in the opposite direction to the orbited body's spin. (also astrology) Of a celestial body: seeming to move across the sky in the opposite direction from its ordinary movement. (geology) Of a metamorphic change: resulting from a decrease in pressure or temperature. (medicine) Of amnesia: relating to the period leading up to the episode which caused it. (poetry, archaic) Of verse: reading the same forwards or backwards; palindromic. retrograde adv In a reverse direction; backwards. retrograde n A movement backwards or opposite to the intended or normal motion. (astrology) The apparent movement of a planet across the sky in the opposite direction from its ordinary movement. One who opposes social reform, favouring the maintenance of the status quo; a conservative. (archaic) One who reneges on an agreement, or switches loyalties; a rebel, a renegade. (music) The reversal of a melody so that what is played first in the original melody is played last, and what is played last in the original melody is played first. retrograde v (transitive) (geography) To cause (a land feature such as a coastline or waterfall) to undergo retrogradation, that is, to travel in the direction of the land or upstream due to erosion. (geology) To change (minerals, rocks, etc.) metamorphically through a decrease in pressure or temperature. (obsolete) To cause (someone or something) to revert to an inferior or less developed state. (intransitive) To revert to an inferior or less developed state; to decline, to regress. (astrology, astronomy) Of a celestial body, especially a planet: to show retrogradation; to seem to move across the sky in the opposite direction from its ordinary movement. (geography) Of a land feature: to travel in the direction of the land or upstream due to erosion. (military) To retreat or withdraw from a position. (obsolete) To move backwards; to recede. Of the telling of an incident, etc.: to move to an earlier time. Today, the Saturday nearest the first quarter moon between mid-September and mid-October in 2021, is the second of two Astronomy Days in the year.

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10

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gloomies n

(informal) Preceded by the: gloom, despondency. Today is World Mental Health Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to promote awareness about mental health and to advocate against the stigmatization of people experiencing mental health issues.

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11

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more power to your elbow interj

(British) Used to express admiration of a person coupled with wishes for their continued success in an endeavour of their own choosing: all the best; good luck. Today is the International Day of the Girl Child, which is recognized by the United Nations to increase awareness of gender inequality faced by girls worldwide and to support greater opportunities for them.

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12

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help vampire n

(chiefly computing, derogatory, informal) A person who requests answers and solutions from a community while giving nothing in return.

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13

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after one's own heart prepositional phrase

(idiomatic) Of a person: having the same disposition, feelings, or opinions as oneself. (idiomatic) Of a situation or thing: according to, or appealing to, one's own desire, liking, or taste.

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14

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inroad n

(military, also figuratively) An advance into enemy territory, an attempted invasion; an encroachment, an incursion. (figuratively, usually in the plural) Often followed by in, into, or on: initial progress made toward accomplishing a goal or solving a problem. inroad v (intransitive, archaic) To make advances or incursions. (transitive, obsolete) To make an inroad into (something).

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15

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antidictionary n

(computational linguistics) The set of all words of minimal length that never appear in a particular string. Today is the eve of National Dictionary Day in the United States, which celebrates the American lexicographer Noah Webster who was born on October 16, 1758.

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16

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esculent adj (formal)

Suitable for eating; eatable, edible. (figuratively) “Good enough to eat”; attractive. esculent n (formal) Something edible, especially a vegetable; a comestible. (mycology, specifically) An edible mushroom. Today is recognized by the United Nations as World Food Day to highlight the importance of food security and good nutrition, and the need for action against hunger.

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17

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menhir n

(archaeology) A single tall standing stone as a monument, especially one dating to prehistoric times. Yesterday, the third Saturday of October in 2021, was established by the Archaeological Institute of America as International Archaeology Day to celebrate archaeology and its contributions to society.

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18

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sky v

(transitive) (informal) To drink (a beverage) from a container without one's lips touching the container. (informal, dated) To hang (a picture on exhibition) near the top of a wall, where it cannot easily be seen; (by extension) to put (something) in an undesirable place. (slang, dated) To toss (something) upwards; specifically, to flip (a coin). (sports) To clear (a high jump bar, hurdle, etc.) by a large margin. (ball games) To hit, kick, or throw (a ball) extremely high. (obsolete) To raise (the price of an item on auction, or the level of the bids generally) by bidding high. (intransitive) To move quickly, as if by flying; to fly; also, to escape, to flee (especially by airplane). (sports) (ball games) To hit, kick, or throw a ball extremely high. (rowing) To raise an oar too high above the water. sky n The atmosphere above a given point, especially as visible from the surface of the Earth as the place where the sun, moon, stars, and clouds are seen. With a descriptive word: the part of the sky which can be seen from a specific place or at a specific time; its climate, condition, etc. (chiefly literary and poetic, archaic) Usually preceded by the: the abode of God or the gods, angels, the souls of deceased people, etc.; heaven; also, powers emanating from heaven. Ellipsis of sky blue. (mathematics, theoretical physics) The set of all lightlike lines (or directions) passing through a given point in space-time. (obsolete, informal, rare) In an art gallery: the upper rows of pictures that cannot easily be seen; also, the place where such pictures are hung. (obsolete) A cloud.

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19

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peregrination n

(countable, chiefly theology, archaic) A person's life regarded as a temporary stay on earth and a journey to the afterlife. (by extension) (countable, archaic) A journey made by a pilgrim; a pilgrimage; also (uncountable) the making of pilgrimages. (countable) A journey or trip, especially by foot; also (uncountable) journeying, travelling. (figuratively) (uncountable) Broad or systematic discussion of a subject; (countable) an instance of this; a discourse. (uncountable) Straying from the main subject in speech or writing; digression; (countable) an instance of this. (uncountable, obsolete) The state of living abroad temporarily; sojourning; (countable) an act of doing this; a sojourn.

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20

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retract v

(transitive) To pull (something) back or back inside. (specifically, zoology) To draw (an extended body part) back into the body. (rare) To avert (one's eyes or a gaze). (phonetics) To pronounce (a sound, especially a vowel) farther to the back of the vocal tract. (obsolete) To hold back (something); to restrain. (intransitive) To draw back; to draw up; to withdraw. [...] (transitive) To cancel or take back (something, such as an edict or a favour or grant previously bestowed); to rescind, to revoke. To break or fail to keep (a promise, etc.); to renege. To take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written); to disavow, to repudiate. (games) Originally in chess and now in other games as well: to take back or undo (a move); specifically (card games) to take back or withdraw (a card which has been played). (intransitive) To decline or fail to do something promised; to break one's word. Of something said or written (such as published academic work): to take back or withdraw. (card games, archaic) To change one's mind after declaring an intention to make a certain move. retract n (obsolete) An act of retracting or withdrawing (a mistake, a statement, etc.); a retraction. A pulling back, especially (military) of an army or military troops; a pull-back, a retreat; also, a signal for this to be done. Synonym of retreat (“an act of accidentally injuring a horse's foot by incorrectly nailing it during shoeing”)

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21

22

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possess v

(transitive) To have (something) as, or as if as, an owner; to have, to own. Of an idea, thought, etc.: to dominate (someone's mind); to strongly influence. Of a supernatural entity, especially one regarded as evil: to take control of (an animal or person's body or mind). (also reflexive, chiefly literary and poetic) Of a person: to control or dominate (oneself or someone, or one's own or someone's heart, mind, etc.). To dominate (a person) sexually; to have sexual intercourse with (a person). (archaic) To cause an idea, thought, etc., to strongly affect or influence (someone); to inspire, to preoccupy. To occupy the attention or time of (someone). (also literary) To obtain or seize (something); to gain, to win. (also reflexive) Chiefly followed by of or with: to vest ownership of something in (oneself or someone); to bestow upon, to endow. (law) To have control or possession of, but not to own (a chattel or an interest in land). (obsolete) To give (someone) information or knowledge; to acquaint, to inform. To have the ability to use, or knowledge of (a language, a skill, etc.) To inhabit or occupy (a place). Chiefly followed by that: to convince or persuade (someone). (intransitive) To dominate sexually; to have sexual intercourse with. To inhabit or occupy a place.

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23

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wilderness n

(uncountable) Uncultivated and unsettled land in its natural state inhabited by wild animals and with vegetation growing wild; (countable) a tract of such land; a waste or wild. (by extension) (countable) A place other than land (for example, the air or sea) that is uncared for, and therefore devoted to disorder or wildness. (countable, horticulture) An ornamental part of a garden or park cultivated with trees and often a maze to evoke a natural wilderness. (uncountable, obsolete) Unrefinedness; wildness. (countable, figuratively) Chiefly followed by of: a bewildering flock or throng; a large, often jumbled, collection of things. A place or situation that is bewildering and in which one may get lost. Often preceded by in the: a situation of disfavour or lack of recognition; (specifically, politics) of a politician, political party, etc.: a situation of being out of office. Today is World Wilderness Day, which was established by the European Wilderness Society to promote appreciation and protection of wilderness areas.

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24

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terrapin n

(countable, obsolete) Any turtle. (countable, historical) Any of several small turtles native to North America that live in brackish or fresh water, especially the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin). (countable) Any of several small turtles of the families Emydidae and Geoemydidae found throughout the world. (uncountable, historical) The flesh of such a turtle used as food.

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25

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invasive adj

Of or pertaining to invasion; offensive. (military, also figuratively) That invades a foreign country using military force; also, militarily aggressive. (by extension) Intrusive on one's privacy, rights, sphere of activity, etc. Originating externally. (biology) Of an animal or plant: that grows (especially uncontrollably) in environments which do not harbour natural enemies, often to the detriment of native species or of food or garden flora and fauna. (medicine, surgery) Of a procedure: involving the entry of an instrument into part of the body. (pathology) Of a carcinoma or other abnormal growth: that invades healthy tissue, especially rapidly. invasive n (biology) An invasive organism, such as an animal or plant.

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26

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heffalump n

(chiefly childish, humorous) (A child's name for) an elephant. Something that is elusive. (derogatory) A clumsy or overweight person. English author A. A. Milne’s book Winnie-the-Pooh, in which Heffalumps were introduced, was first published on this day 95 years ago in 1926.

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27

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throughline n

(narratology) In full through line of action: a theme that runs through the plot of a book, film, or other narrative work, or a series of such related works. (rail transport) A railway route that passengers can take without needing to change trains. Today is the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, which was established by UNESCO to raise awareness about the significance and preservation risks of recorded audio and audiovisual materials.

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28

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polyglot adj

Of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages; multilingual. Containing, or made up of, several languages; specifically, of a book (especially a bible): having text translated into several languages. Comprising various (native) linguistic groups; multilingual. polyglot n A publication in several languages; specifically, a book (especially a bible) containing several versions of the same subject matter or text in several languages. (also figuratively) One who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages. (also figuratively) A mixture of languages or nomenclatures. (computing) A file that can be interpreted validly as multiple formats. (programming) A program written to be valid in multiple programming languages. (obsolete) A bird able to imitate the sounds of other birds. Today is Ohi Day (Anniversary of the “No”) in Greece, which marks the rejection by Ioannis Metaxas of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s ultimatum in 1940 during World War II to allow Axis forces to enter Greek territory.

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29

30

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skid row n (chiefly Canada, US, informal)

(derogatory) An especially dilapidated section of a city, characterized by abandoned or run-down buildings and vices such as drug dealing and prostitution, and frequented by homeless people. (figuratively) A situation of great desperation or misfortune.

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31

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hell's bells interj

(mildly vulgar) An expression of frustration, outrage, or surprise. hell's bells n Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium). The song “Hells Bells” was released by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC on this day, Halloween, in 1980.

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