Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2025/May

1. (idiomatic, originally military, nautical) A crew consisting of the minimum number of personnel needed to maintain and operate the basic functions of something, such as a business, a factory, or a ship.

Today is celebrated as International Workers’ Day or Labour Day in many countries to recognize the achievements and contributions of workers. The American Federation of Labor chose this date to commemorate a demonstration in support of workers striking for an eight-hour work day, which began on this day in 1886.

1. (intransitive, soccer) To kick a football (soccer ball), especially during a free kick, in a manner which causes it to move in a curve rather than in a straight line.

Happy birthday, David Beckham! The English former professional footballer was born on this day 50 years ago in 1975.

1. (idiomatic, intransitive, chiefly in the negative) To restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.

Don’t mince your words—today is World Press Freedom Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression. The Windhoek Declaration, a statement of press freedom principles by African newspaper journalists, was adopted on this day in 1991.

1. (informal) A form of speaking in which word order is altered.

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

1. (transitive, non-native speakers' English) To raise (something) to a better state; to elevate, to improve, to refine.

Today is World Portuguese Language Day. The ministers of culture of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries met for the first time on this date 20 years ago in 2005.

1. Not capable of being, or not easily, perturbed, excited, or upset; calm and collected, even under pressure.

1. (Roman Catholicism)
   1. The set of apartments in which cardinals are secluded while the process to elect a pope takes place.
   2. A group of cardinals assembled to elect a new pope.
      1. (by extension, loosely) The cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church collectively.
   3. A closed assembly at which cardinals elect a pope.
      1. (by extension) A closed, private, or secret meeting, especially one of an ecclesiastical nature.
2. (obsolete) A private chamber or room.

conclave v (intransitive)

1. To participate in a closed, private, or secret meeting.
2. (Roman Catholicism) Of a cardinal: to attend a closed assembly to elect a pope.

The conclave for electing a new pope following the death of Pope Francis on 21 April 2025 begins today.

1. Short for Victory in Europe Day: the date 8 May 1945 when Germany unconditionally surrendered its armed forces to the Allies, bringing World War II to an end; and each anniversary commemorating that date.

Today is VE Day, and marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.

1. (Roman Catholicism) A short cape covering the shoulders and buttoned in front, with a hood, which is worn by the pope, cardinals, bishops, and other senior clergy.

Habemus papam! Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as Pope Leo XIV yesterday.

1. (idiomatic, originally US military slang, informal) Not deserving serious consideration; unimportant; useless, worthless.

Today, the second Saturday of May in 2025, is the first 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.

1. Of a group: closely connected or linked, as by a common bond, culture, or identity.

Today, the second Sunday of May in 2025, is celebrated in many countries as Mother’s Day. Anna Jarvis first held a memorial ceremony at the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, U.S.A., (now the International Mother’s Day Shrine) to honour her deceased mother and all mothers on Sunday, May 10, 1908.

1. (also attributive, uncountable) Chiefly preceded by in or on: the state each year during which a male animal (usually a camel or an elephant) exhibits increased aggressiveness and sexual activity due to a high level of testosterone; (countable) an instance of this.

1. An instance of some phenomenon in the sky said to signal bad weather, such as an incomplete or secondary rainbow, or a parhelion or sun dog; a weather-gall or water-gall.
2. A period of fine weather in the midst of bad weather.

1. (also figurative) To dress or ornament (someone or something), especially in a gaudy, showy, or tasteless manner.
2. (Northern England) To make (someone or something) dirty; to bedaub, to besmear, to dirty.

1. Especially of food or drink (particularly an alcoholic beverage): to cause someone to feel deeply warm and comfortable; to comfort, to satisfy.
2. (figurative) To provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness.

Today is the International Day of Families, which is recognized by the United Nations to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the demographic, economic, and social processes affecting families.

1. (Scotland, law, historical) A wand or staff with a silver tip which was given to an outlaw as a sign that they were restored to the king's or queen's peace; and also carried by a messenger of the monarch as a symbol of office, to be broken in protest in cases of deforcement (“resistance to the execution of the law”).

Today is the International Day of Living Together in Peace, which is recognized by the United Nations to emphasize the importance of inclusion, solidarity, and understanding despite differences, and to promote reconciliation to help people live together in peace and sustainable development.

1. (electrical engineering, electromagnetism, also attributive, chiefly in the plural) An electromagnetic wave with a frequency intermediate between, and sharing the properties of, short radio waves and long infrared waves, generally in the 0.1 to 10 terahertz (THz) band of frequencies.

Today is World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to raise awareness of the benefits to society of the Internet and other information and communication technologies, and the need to bridge the digital divide. It commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on this day 160 years ago in 1865.

1. (UK, often politics, dated, derogatory, figurative) Of local interest or significance only; petty, parochial.

1. Of a plant: producing spikes (“ears (as of corn); inflorescences in which sessile flowers are arranged on unbranched elongated axes”).
2. Of a plant part: resembling a spike of a plant (see above).

1. Having one or more spikes; spiny.
2. Resembling spikes: erect and having sharp points; spikelike.
3. (figurative)
   1. Of a person or their nature: difficult to deal with; abrasive, hostile, unfriendly.
   2. Of a thing: not smooth; rough, sharp.
   3. (Anglicanism, derogatory, slang) Strongly high church (“practising a formal style of liturgy and emphasizing continuity with Catholicism”).

1. (uncountable) Conveyance, chiefly of goods, by boat.
2. (uncountable) A charge for transporting goods or people by boat; (countable) an instance of this.
3. (uncountable) The total capacity of a number of boats, especially of lifeboats on a ship.
4. (uncountable, obsolete) Boats collectively.

Today is European Maritime Day, which seeks to raise European citizens’ awareness of the seas and their importance.

1. Of or relating to both Africa and Asia.
2. (linguistics, specifically) Synonym of Afroasiatic (“of, pertaining to, or being a language family spoken in northern Africa and southwest Asia, and including Berber, Chadic, Cushitic, Egyptian, Semitic, and possibly Omotic languages”)

Afrasian n

1. A thing that relates to both Africa and Asia.
2. (linguistics) A person who comes from a region where Afroasiatic languages are spoken.

Afrasian proper n

1. (linguistics, uncommon) Synonym of Afroasiatic (“the language family spoken in northern Africa and southwest Asia, and including Berber, Chadic, Cushitic, Egyptian, Semitic, and possibly Omotic languages”)

Today is the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development or Diversity Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to highlight the value of cultural diversity and the need for people to live together in harmony.

1. (cytology, also attributive) A eukaryotic cell formed from the fusion of two gametes (“reproductive cells”) during a fertilization process.

Today is the International Day for Biological Diversity or World Biodiversity Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to promote awareness of the importance of biodiversity. The Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted on this day in 1992.

1. (intransitive, archaic) To be extremely angry; to rage; specifically, of a dog or wolf: to snarl in rage.

1. (transitive, archaic) Alternative spelling of race (“to pluck or snatch (something); also, to pull (something)”)

1. Chiefly in the form a smidgen of: a very small amount or quantity; a bit, a trace.
2. (by extension) Chiefly in the form a smidgen of a: a very small or insignificant person or thing; also, an example of such a person or thing.

1. Senses relating to covering or putting on.
   1. (transitive, also figurative) Of a person or thing: to take on (a different form); to adopt, to assume.
   2. (transitive, archaic or literary, also figurative) To put on (a piece of clothing, etc.); to wear; also (followed by with), to clothe (someone) with something.
   3. (transitive, obsolete, rare) To put (something) on top of a thing; to cover, to overlay.
2. Senses relating to giving some quality or thing.
   1. (transitive, often passive voice, literary) Followed by with: to invest (someone or something) with a certain power, quality, etc.
   2. (transitive, obsolete)
      1. Of a quality, etc.: to be inherent in (something).
      2. To supply (someone) with a thing.
      3. Synonym of endow (“to invest (a person, group of people, or institution) with property”)
      4. (rare) Synonym of bestow (“to impart (something) gratuitously; to grant”)
3. (obsolete) Senses relating to directing or leading.
   1. (transitive) To raise or rear (someone); to bring up; also, to educate or instruct (someone).
   2. (transitive, rare) To bring (something) to a certain condition.
4. (obsolete) Senses relating to taking in.
   1. (transitive, falconry) Of a hawk: originally, to pass (food in the crop or gizzard) into the stomach; later, to digest (food).
   2. (transitive, by extension) Of a person or animal: to digest (food).
   3. (transitive, figurative) To take on; to absorb.
   4. (intransitive, rare) Of food: to be digested.

1. An appealing and easily communicable idea for a work (such as a book, film, or television programme).
2. A style of work (such as a book, film, or television programme) characterized by appealing and easily communicable ideas.
3. (by extension, sometimes proscribed) The overarching idea or theme of a work, particularly one perceived as highly artistic or intellectual.

1. Slightly sexually suggestive; bordering on indelicate.

1. (countable, chiefly in the plural) singular of shenanigans: a deceitful confidence trick; also, an act of mischief; a prank, a trick; an act of mischievous play, especially by children.
2. (uncountable, dated, rare) Dishonest, underhanded, or unscrupulous activities or behaviour; skulduggery, trickery; also, mischievous behaviour or play; high jinks.

shenanigan v (originally US, informal)

1. (transitive) To play a deceitful confidence trick on (someone); to swindle, to trick; also, to carry out an act of mischief, on (someone); to prank.
2. (intransitive) To play a deceitful confidence trick; also, to carry out an act of mischief.

1. Not rebuilt.
   1. Of something damaged or destroyed: not built again, not reconstructed.
   2. Of something existing: not modified or renovated; still in its original form.

1. (also attributive) A cowboy; specifically, a working cowboy who generally does not participate in rodeos.
2. (by extension)
   1. One who adopts a distinctive style of cowboy attire and heritage.
   2. A style of cowboy boot with a high heel tapered at the back.
3. (Western US, figurative) A headstrong, reckless person; a hothead.

1. (US, slang) Synonym of buck (“a dollar”)

1. (politics) The dispossession of land and other property, destruction of society, and suppression of culture and political rights experienced by Palestinian Arabs occuring since the 1948 Palestine war and establishment of the State of Israel.