Wiktionary:Word of the day/Archive/2023/November

2023
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1

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have Jesus in one's heart v

(intransitive, Christianity, idiomatic) To be a firm believer in the Christian faith. Today is All Saints’ Day in Western Christianity, which honours all the saints of the church.

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2

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obituary n

A brief notice of a person's death, especially one published in a newspaper or other publication; also (obsolete), the section of a newspaper where notices of deaths are published. (by extension) A brief biography of a person (especially one who is well-known) who has recently died, usually describing their life and achievements, particularly in the form of an article in a news publication or an item in a news broadcast. (figurative) An announcement or description of the end of something. (historical) A register of deaths, especially one maintained by a religious institution; a necrology. Today is All Souls’ Day in Western Christianity, a day of prayer and remembrance for the souls of those who have died.

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3

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aid and abet v (criminal law, also by extension in other contexts)

(transitive) To assist (someone) in an illegal act as an accessory or accomplice. To assist someone in (an illegal act) as an accessory or accomplice. (intransitive) To be an accessory or accomplice to someone in an illegal act. Today, the first Friday of November in 2023, is Love Your Lawyer Day, which was established in 2001 by the American Lawyers Public Image Association.

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4

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uke-e n

(art) A kind of ukiyo-e (“Japanese painting or woodblock print showing a scene of everyday life”) depicting an auspicious subject, which was popular in Japan during the late 1800s. Culture Day (文化の日, Bunka no Hi) was observed in Japan yesterday to promote culture, the arts, and academic endeavour. The post-war Japanese constitution was announced on 3 November 1946.

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5

6

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cronyism n

(originally US, derogatory) Favouritism to friends without regard for their qualifications; especially (politics), in their appointment to political positions. (archaic) The condition of being friends; friendship; also, the ability or inclination to make friends.

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7

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fortify v

(transitive) To give power, strength, or vigour to (oneself or someone, or to something); to strengthen. To support (one's or someone's opinion, statement, etc.) by producing evidence, etc.; to confirm, to corroborate. To increase the nutritional value of (food) by adding ingredients, especially minerals or vitamins. (figurative) To impart fortitude or moral strength to (someone or their determination, or something); to encourage. To make (something) defensible against attack by hostile forces. (archaic) To make (something) structurally strong; to strengthen. (military) To increase the defences of (an army, soldiers, etc.), or put (it or them) in a defensive position. To secure and strengthen (a place, its walls, etc.) by installing fortifications or other military works. (obsolete) To provide (a city, a fortress, an army, etc.) with equipment or soldiers. (winemaking) To add spirits to (wine) to increase the alcohol content. (intransitive) (military) To install fortifications or other military works; also (sometimes figurative), to put up a defensive position. (obsolete) To become strong; to strengthen.

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8

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felon n

(criminal law) A person who has committed a felony (“serious criminal offence”); specifically, one who has been tried and convicted of such a crime. (obsolete) An evil or wicked person; also (by extension) a predatory animal regarded as cruel or wicked. felon adj (chiefly poetic) Of a person or animal, their actions, thoughts, etc.: brutal, cruel, harsh, heartless; also, evil, wicked. (by extension) Of a place: harsh, savage, wild; of a thing: deadly; harmful. (obsolete, rare) Obtained through a felony; stolen. [...] felon n (pathology, veterinary medicine) A small infected sore; an abscess, a boil; specifically, a whitlow (“infection near or under the cuticle of a fingernail or toenail”).

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9

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jot v

(transitive) Chiefly followed by down: to write (something) quickly; to make a brief note of (something). jot n The smallest letter or stroke of any writing; an iota. (by extension, chiefly in the negative) A small, or the smallest, amount of a thing; a bit, a whit. (obsolete) An instant, a moment. A brief and hurriedly written note. [...]

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10

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phytomining n

(biotechnology) The planting and harvesting of vegetation that selectively concentrates specific metals from the environment into their tissues, for the purpose of commercial exploitation of the extracted metal. Today is the World Science Day for Peace and Development, which is recognized by the United Nations to highlight the important role of science in society.

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11

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single out v

(transitive) To select (someone or something) from a group and highlight them or treat them differently. Today is Singles’ Day, a festival celebrating singlehood that originated from China in the 1990s. The 11th of November was chosen as the number 1 represents an individual who is alone.

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12

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open world n

(video games, also attributive) A gameworld that the player may traverse freely, rather than being restricted to certain predefined areas and quests. Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau published their formal proposal for the World Wide Web on this day in 1990.

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13

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bear in mind v

(transitive, idiomatic) To hold (something) in the memory; to remember; also, to be mindful of or pay attention to (something); to consider; to note.

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14

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gist n

(countable) The main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter; the crux, the heart, the pith. (countable, law, dated) The essential ground for action in a lawsuit, without which there is no cause of action; the gravamen. (uncountable, Nigeria) Gossip, rumour; (countable) an instance of this. gist v (transitive) To extract and present the main ideas or substance, or the most essential parts of (a document, piece of writing, etc.); to abridge, to summarize. (intransitive, Nigeria) To talk idly; chat; also, to gossip. [...]

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15

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iniquitous adj

Characterized by iniquity (“deviation from what is right”). Morally objectionable; sinful, wicked. Grossly unfair or unjust.

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16

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woof n

(weaving) The set of yarns carried by the shuttle of a loom which are placed crosswise at right angles to and interlaced with the warp; the weft. (by extension) A woven fabric; also, the texture of a fabric. (by extension, loosely, chiefly poetic) The thread or yarn used to form the weft of woven fabric; the fill, the weft. (obsolete, rare) Synonym of weaving (“the process of making woven material on a loom”) (figurative) Something which is interwoven with another thing. An underlying foundation or structure of something; a fabric. [...] The sound a dog makes when barking; a bark. (by extension) A sound resembling a dog's bark; specifically (sound engineering), a low-frequency sound of bad quality produced by a loudspeaker. [...]

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17

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cousin n

Chiefly with a qualifying word: any relation (especially a distant one) who is not a direct ancestor or descendant but part of a person's extended family; a kinsman or kinswoman. (specifically) Preceded by an ordinal number, as first, second, third, etc.: a person descended from a common ancestor by the same number of generations as another person. (specifically) When used without a qualifying word: the child of a person's parent's brother (that is, an uncle) or sister (an aunt); a cousin-german, a first cousin. (chiefly in the plural) A person of an ethnicity or nationality regarded as closely related to someone of another ethnicity or nationality. Used as a term of address for someone whom one is close to; also, (preceding a first name, sometimes capitalized as Cousin) a title for such a person. Used by a monarch to address another monarch, or a noble; specifically (British) in commissions and writs by the Crown: used in this way to address a viscount or another peer of higher rank. (figurative, also attributive) Something kindred or related to something else; a relative. (obsolete) (cant) A female sexual partner who is not a person's wife; specifically, a prostitute. (cant) A person who is swindled; a dupe. (rare) A person who womanizes; a seducer, a womanizer. cousin v (transitive, rare) To address (someone) as "cousin". (also reflexive) To regard (oneself or someone) as a cousin to another person. (intransitive, chiefly US, informal or regional) To associate with someone or something on a close basis. To visit a cousin or other relation.

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18

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the world is someone's oyster proverb

All opportunities are open to someone; the world is theirs. The First Folio of the English playwright William Shakespeare’s plays, regarded as one of the most influential books ever published, was entered into the Stationers’ Register on this day 400 years ago (on 8 November according to the Julian calendar) in 1623. This term originates from the play The Merry Wives of Windsor which appears in the book.

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19

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to a man prepositional phrase

Including every person; without exception; unanimously. Today is celebrated in some countries as International Men’s Day to promote positive male role models, recognize men’s contributions, and highlight issues relating to their health and wellbeing, among other things.

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20

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alderliefest adj

(archaic or obsolete) Often used as an epithet when addressing someone: most beloved. Today is World Children’s Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to promote international togetherness and the importance of improving children’s welfare.

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21

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packed like sardines adj

(simile, informal) Extremely packed; tightly squeezed together; crammed. Today is World Fisheries Day, which was established by the World Fisheries Forum to advocate sustainable fishing practices and policies.

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22

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assassinee n

(nonstandard, often humorous) One who is assassinated. The President of the United States John F. Kennedy was assassinated on this day 60 years ago in 1963.

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23

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osturducken n

(cooking, probably humorous) An ostrich stuffed with a turducken; that is, a boned chicken stuffed with some sort of breadcrumb or sausage stuffing, inside a boned duck, inside a boned turkey, inside a boned ostrich. Happy Thanksgiving! Today, the fourth Thursday in November in 2023, is Thanksgiving Day in the United States and some other countries.

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24

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wampum n (originally and chiefly US)

(uncountable) Small cylindrical beads made from polished shells (especially white ones) which have been strung together, formerly used by Native American peoples of eastern North America for various purposes including as jewellery and money, and for record-keeping; (countable, archaic) one such bead. (uncountable, slang) Money. (countable, obsolete) Short for wampum snake (“the common kingsnake or eastern kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula)”) Today, the day after Thanksgiving, is celebrated as Native American Heritage Day in the United States.

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25

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sport one's oak v

(intransitive, originally and chiefly British, university slang, dated) To close one's door (originally the outer door of one's set of rooms in a college) as an indication that visitors are not welcome.

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26

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by right prepositional phrase (idiomatic)

According to what is right, or what one is legally or morally entitled to; justly, properly, rightfully. (obsolete) In reality; correctly, to tell the truth, truthfully.

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27

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square peg in a round hole n

(idiomatic) Someone or something that does not fit well or at all in a certain setting; a misfit; hence, someone or something that will not succeed in an endeavour, except possibly with much effort and force.

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28

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gateleg n

(furniture, also attributive) A table leg, set into a frame in the form of a gate, that may be swung back to allow a leaf of the tabletop to hang down.

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29

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precipitant adj

Inclined to make rapid decisions without due consideration; hasty, impulsive, rash. Of a fall: straight downwards; headlong. (chiefly figurative) Acting, happening, or moving quickly; fast, rapid, swift; also, abrupt, sudden, unexpected. (chemistry) That causes precipitation (“formation of a heavier solid in a lighter liquid as a result of a chemical reaction”). precipitant adv (archaic) Synonym of precipitantly (“in a precipitant or headlong manner; with foolish or rash haste”) precipitant n Something which causes or hastens the occurrence of an act or event; specifically (chiefly psychology), something which brings about a mental or physiological condition. (chemistry) A substance that, when added to a solution, causes a dissolved substance to form a precipitate.

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30

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ceilidh n (Ireland, Scotland, also attributive)

An informal social gathering, especially one where traditional Irish or Scottish folk music is played, with dancing and storytelling. (dance) Short for ceilidh dance. ceilidh v (intransitive) To attend a ceilidh (noun sense 1). (dance) To dance a ceilidh dance. Today is Saint Andrew’s Day, Scotland’s national day.

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