Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2012/May

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1

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May-day sweep n
One of the brightly-clad chimney sweeps, carrying garlands and a blackened broom, who participated in May Day parades: "as jocund among us, as a May-day sweep" (Punch), "with a thing only fit for a May-day sweep on one’s head" (The Kafir at Home)
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2

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cucumiform adj
Shaped like a cucumber; having the form of a cylinder tapered and rounded at the ends, and possibly curved
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3

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cogitable adj
Thinkable, conceivable, able to be imagined
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4

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snootful n
(informal) A noseful. (informal) A significant ingested quantity of an alcoholic beverage
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5

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cuckquean n
A woman who has an unfaithful husband
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6

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softly softly adv
(UK, idiomatic) In a very tactful, careful, or nondisruptive manner
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7

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becastled adj
Fortified by or furnished with a castle or castles
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8

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adversity n
(uncountable) The state of adverse conditions; state of misfortune or calamity. (countable) An event that is adverse; calamity
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9

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fuzzword n
A term that is deliberately vague or euphemistic in meaning
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10

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cymotrichous adj
(anthropology) Having wavy hair
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11

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atheophobia n
Fear or hatred of atheism or atheists
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12

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deskfast n
Breakfast eaten at work, particularly while sitting at a desk
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13

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mama bear n
(slang) A woman, especially a mother, who is extremely protective of a child or children
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14

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sumptuous adj
Magnificent, splendid, extremely good
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15

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plangent adj
Having a loud, mournful sound
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16

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hue and cry n
(historical) The public pursuit of a felon; accompanied by shouts to warn others to give chase. (by extension) A loud and persistent public clamour; especially one of protest or making some demand
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17

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morpheme n
(linguistics) The smallest linguistic unit within a word that can carry a meaning, such as "un-", "break", and "-able" in the word "unbreakable"
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18

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upend v
(transitive) To end up; to set on end. To tip or turn over. To destroy, invalidate, overthrow, or defeat
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19

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front runner n
(idiomatic) The most likely winners in a contest, election, etc
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20

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much of a muchness phrase
(idiomatic) Of two or more things, having little difference of any significance between them
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21

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cloudburst n
A sudden heavy rainstorm
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22

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sangfroid n
Composure, self-possession or imperturbability especially when in a dangerous situation
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23

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thagomizer n
(anatomy) An arrangement of spikes found on the tails of various stegosaurs
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24

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shylock v
(intransitive, US) To lend money at exorbitant rates of interest
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25

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masterly inactivity n
(politics) A policy of deliberate inactivity
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26

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eyrie n
A bird of prey's nest. Any high and remote but commanding place
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27

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antaphrodisiac adj
Capable of reducing the sex drive
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28

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crown molding n
(finish carpentry, interior decorating) A molding at the edge of a room between ceiling and wall
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29

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apothegm n
A short, witty, instructive saying; an aphorism or maxim
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30

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have Van Gogh's ear for music v
(humorous) To be tone-deaf
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31

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omnishambles n
(UK, chiefly politics) A situation that is bad or mismanaged in every way
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Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2012/May

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