Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2022/October

2022
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1

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come the old soldier v

(intransitive, idiomatic, informal) Often followed by with: to deceive, impose upon, or take advantage of someone, as if exploiting one's superior age or experience. Today is the International Day of Older Persons, which is recognized by the United Nations to appreciate the contributions that older persons make to society, and to raise awareness of issues affecting them.

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2

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Gandhigiri n

(India) The practice of Gandhism (“the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, encompassing tenets such as non-violent activism”), often expressed through unorthodox forms of activism such as depositing flowers or planting trees. Today is Gandhi Jayanti, a national festival celebrated in India to mark the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi in 1869.

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3

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build bridges v

(intransitive, idiomatic) Often followed by between or to: to establish friendly relations or links. Today, the first Monday of October in 2022, is marked as World Architecture Day by the International Union of Architects.

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4

5

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orthography n

(countable, architecture) A form of projection used to represent three-dimensional objects in two dimensions, in which all the projection lines are orthogonal or perpendicular to the projection plane; an orthographic projection, especially when used to draw an elevation, vertical projection, etc., of a building; also (obsolete) a drawing made in this way. (linguistics) (countable) A method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols; spelling. (countable, more broadly) A set of conventions for writing a language, including norms of spelling, capitalization, emphasis, hyphenation, punctuation, and word breaks. (uncountable) The aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words; the study of spelling. (uncountable) Correct spelling according to established usage; also (obsolete) pronunciation according to the spelling of a word. (countable, obsolete) Synonym of orthographer (“someone knowledgeable in spelling rules”) orthography v (transitive, rare) To spell (words) or write (text) according to established usage. Today is World Teachers’ Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to highlight the rights and responsibilities of teachers around the world.

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6

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subliminal adj

(physiology) Of a stimulus: below the limen or threshold of conscious perception, especially if still able to produce a response; also (generally), below the threshold where a response can be produced. (psychology) Without directed awareness or thought; subconscious (dated), unconscious. (by extension) Of an advertisement, a message, etc.: conveyed in a manner that a person is unaware of being influenced by it. subliminal n (physiology) Chiefly preceded by the: something which is below the limen or threshold of conscious perception. (psychology) Chiefly preceded by the: the subconscious (dated) or unconscious self. (by extension) An advertisement, a message, etc., which is conveyed in a manner that a person is unaware of being influenced by it.

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7

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man-of-war n

(military, archaic except humorous) A man whose occupation is fighting in wars; a soldier, a warrior. (military, nautical, chiefly historical) A powerful armed naval vessel, primarily one armed with cannon and propelled by sails; a warship. (obsolete, rare) In full man-of-war's-man: a sailor serving on board an armed naval vessel. Senses relating to animals. Short for man-of-war bird or (obsolete) man-of-war hawk: any of a number of seabirds, especially one which attacks other seabirds to take their food. (specifically, archaic) A frigatebird (family Fregatidae), especially the magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens). (specifically, US) The Arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus). Short for Portuguese man-of-war (“Physalia physalis, a jellyfish-like marine cnidarian consisting of a floating colony of hydrozoans attached to a float”)

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8

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brusque adj

Rudely abrupt; curt, unfriendly. (obsolete) Sour, tart. brusque v (transitive, chiefly archaic) To act towards (someone or something) in a curt or rudely abrupt manner.

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9

10

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Weltschmerz n

An apathetic or pessimistic view of life; depression concerning or discomfort with the human condition or state of the world; mal du siècle, world-weariness. 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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heart of grace n

(archaic) Chiefly preceded by get, give, take, etc.: courage or relief, especially when gained as a result of favour shown to one. 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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tapas n (normally plural)

A variety of Spanish small savoury food items or snacks such as croquettes, cured meat, potato salad, and seafood, originally served with sherry and now often with other alcoholic beverages as well. [...] Today is the Fiesta Nacional de España, the national day of Spain.

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13

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guttle v

(transitive) Often followed by down or up: to swallow (something) greedily; to gobble, to guzzle. (intransitive) To eat voraciously; to gorge. guttle n (British, dialectal) An act of swallowing voraciously. One who eats voraciously; a glutton. (obsolete, rare) Something which is eaten voraciously. [...]

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14

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Ukrainian adj

Relating to Ukraine or its people. Ukrainian n A citizen of Ukraine or a person of Ukrainian ethnicity. Ukrainian proper n The East Slavic language of Ukrainians, and the official language of Ukraine. Today is Defenders Day in Ukraine, which was first celebrated in 2015 following the 2014 Ukrainian revolution to honour the defenders of the nation.

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15

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hundreds and thousands plural n

An indefinite but emphatically large number. (Australia, British, New Zealand) Tiny balls or strands of multicoloured sugar, sprinkled over ice cream, desserts or party foods. Today, the third Saturday of October 2022, is celebrated as Sweetest Day in parts of the United States, a day to share romantic expressions, and acts of charity and kindness. Speaking of thousands, this is also the 5,000th Word of the Day!

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16

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egg n

(countable, zoology) An approximately spherical or ellipsoidal body produced by birds, insects, reptiles, and other animals, housing the embryo within a membrane or shell during its development. (specifically, countable) The edible egg (sense 1.1) of a domestic fowl such as a duck, goose, or, especially, a chicken; (uncountable) the contents of such an egg or eggs used as food. (by extension, countable) A food item shaped to resemble an egg (sense 1.1.1), such as a chocolate egg. (also cytology) Synonym of ovum (“the female gamete of an animal”); an egg cell. (countable) A thing which looks like or is shaped like an egg (sense 1.1). A swelling on one's head, usually large or noticeable, resulting from an injury. (architecture) Chiefly in egg and dart: an ornamental oval moulding alternating in a row with dart or triangular shapes. (chiefly sports) A score of zero; specifically (cricket), a batter's failure to score; a duck egg or duck's egg. (military, dated) A bomb or mine. (countable, figuratively) Senses relating to people. (informal, dated) A person; a fellow. [...] (Internet slang, derogatory, dated) A user of the microblogging service Twitter identified by the default avatar (historically an image of an egg (sense 1.1.1)) rather than a custom image; hence, a newbie or noob. (transgender slang) A person regarded as having not yet realized they are transgender, or who has not yet come out as transgender or is in the early stages of transitioning; also, one's lack of awareness that one is transgender. (New Zealand, derogatory) A foolish or obnoxious person. (derogatory, obsolete) A young person. (archaic) Something regarded as containing a (usually bad) thing at an early stage. (computing) One of the blocks of data injected into a program's address space for use by certain forms of shellcode, such as "omelettes". […] 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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the die is cast phrase

(idiomatic) Conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner; the point of no return has been passed; the future is determined; there are no more options.

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18

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kuspuk n (Alaska)

(originally) An Alaska Native (traditionally Yup'ik) garment worn on the upper body as an overshirt on top of a parka (“long jacket with a hood”). A lightweight parka-like garment with a hood and a large front pocket worn by Alaska Native people of all sexes, either as an overshirt or as a shirt. Today is Alaska Day, which marks the formal transfer of the Territory of Alaska from the Russian Empire to the United States 155 years ago in 1867.

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19

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come in from the cold v (intransitive, idiomatic)

(espionage) Of a spy: to return home after having gone undercover in enemy territory. (by extension) To gain widespread acceptance in a group or society, especially where there was not any before. The British author John le Carré, whose novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold popularized the term, was born on this day in 1931. Next year, 2023, is the 60th anniversary of the novel’s first publication.

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20

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shoestring n

(chiefly US) The string or lace used to secure a shoe to the foot; a shoelace. (figuratively, often attributively) An object that is long and thin, like a shoestring (sense 1). (cooking) A long, narrow cut of a food; a julienne. Chiefly in on a shoestring: very little money; a tight budget. shoestring adj (US, chiefly American football, baseball) Of a catch or tackle: made near the ground, close to a player's shoes. shoestring v (transitive, American football) To tackle (a player) using a shoestring tackle (“one made near the ground, close to a player's shoes”). (transitive, baseball) To catch (a ball) using a shoestring catch (“one made near the ground, close to a player's shoes”).

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21

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hide one's light under a bushel v

(idiomatic) To conceal one's positive qualities or talents, especially due to modesty or shyness; to avoid attention.

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22

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milecastle n

One of a series of small rectangular fortifications, spaced roughly one Roman mile apart, built during the period of the Roman Empire. Last Saturday, 15 October 2022, was International Archaeology Day which was established by the Archaeological Institute of America to celebrate archaeology and its contributions to society.

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23

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outgo v

(transitive) (archaic) To go further than (someone or something); to exceed, to go beyond, to surpass. (obsolete) To experience, go through, or undergo (something). To travel faster than (someone or something); to outstrip, to overtake. (intransitive) (archaic except poetic and British, regional) To go out, to set forth, to set out. (obsolete) To go too far; to overextend or overreach. outgo n (countable, business, archaic except India) A cost, expenditure, or outlay. (uncountable) The act or process of going out; (countable) an instance of this; an outgoing. (archaic or obsolete) (countable) The means by which something flows or goes out; an outlet. (uncountable, rare) A (quantity of a) substance or thing that has flowed out; an outflow.

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24

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aubade n

(music, poetry) A poem or song evoking or greeting the dawn or early morning. (music, specifically) A morning love song, or a song of lovers parting in the morning. (music) A concert held at dawn or in the morning, especially outdoors.

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25

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eponymous adj

Of, relating to, or being the person or entity after which someone or something is named; serving as an eponym. Of a thing: named after a person or entity.

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26

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noli me tangere n

(Christianity, art) A picture depicting Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene shortly after his resurrection from the dead (see the etymology). A warning to avoid or not to interfere. Someone (such as a disagreeable person) or something (such as a painful experience or taboo topic) to be avoided or not interfered with. Any of various plants with fruits or seed capsules that, when ripe, burst open and discharge their seeds when touched, or with leaves that fold and droop when touched. Some plants of the genus Impatiens; specifically, the touch-me-not balsam or yellow balsam (Impatiens noli-tangere). The squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium). (archaic) The sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica), the leaves of which fold inwards and droop when shaken or touched. (medicine, obsolete) Any of various diseases causing ulcers of the skin and underlying tissues, especially of the face; many of these diseases are now thought to be due to basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.

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27

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archival adj

Of or pertaining to an archive or archiving. Of a material: having a quality suited to the conservational needs of archiving. archival n (uncountable) The practice of storing items in an archive; archiving; (countable) an instance of this. 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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para-fascism n

(fascism) A social order giving off impressions of being dynamically fascist and populist, but trying to abstain from its most radical practices. The March on Rome, a mass demonstration and coup d’état that led to Benito Mussolini’s fascist party coming to power in Italy, took place on this day 100 years ago in 1922.

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29

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stroke n

[...] (medicine) The loss of brain function arising when the blood supply to the brain is suddenly interrupted. [...] stroke v [...] (intransitive) (medicine) Chiefly followed by out: to suffer loss of brain function when the blood supply to the brain is suddenly interrupted; to have a stroke [...]. Today is World Stroke Day, which was established by the World Stroke Organization to highlight the serious nature and high rates of stroke, raise awareness of the prevention and treatment of the condition, and ensure better care and support for survivors.

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30

31

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devilment n

(uncountable) Devilish action or conduct; wickedness; (more generally) troublemaking behaviour; mischief; (countable) an instance of this. (countable) A devilish, mischievous, or reckless nature; mischievousness. Something considered cruel or evil; also, something which causes distress or suffering. Something cleverly constructed. (often humorous) A dish which is devilled (“made piquant or spicy”); a devil; also, the elements of the dish which make it spicy, or the piquancy or spiciness of the dish. Boo! Happy Halloween!

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