Sunday, November 29, 2009

Word 165: Jump cut

noun
(in film or television) an abrupt transition from one scene to another

Word 164: Quittance

noun poetic/literary
a release or discharge from a debt or obligation
• a document certifying this; a receipt

Word 163: Uraeus

noun ( pl. uraei)
a representation of a sacred serpent as an emblem of supreme power, worn on the headdresses of ancient Egyptian deities and sovereigns

Word 162: Theodolite


noun
a surveying instrument with a rotating telescope for measuring horizontal and vertical angles

Word 161: Palimony

noun informal
compensation made by one member of an unmarried couple to the other after separation

Word 160: Klatsch

noun
a social gathering, esp. for coffee and conversation

Word 159: Vomer

noun Anatomy
the small thin bone separating the left and right nasal cavities in humans and most other vertebrates

Word 157: Omophagy

noun
the eating of raw food, esp. raw meat

Word 156: Seppuku

noun
ritual suicide by disembowelment with a sword, formerly practiced in Japan by samurai as an honorable alternative to disgrace or execution

Word 155: Latrine


noun
a toilet, esp. a communal one in a camp or barracks

Word 154: Halyard

noun
a rope used for raising and lowering a sail, spar, flag, or yard on a sailing ship

Word 153: Remuage

noun
the periodic turning or shaking of bottled wine, esp. champagne, to move sediment toward the cork

Word 152: Effleurage

noun
massage in circular stroking movements made with the palm of the hand

Word 151: Worm's-eye view

noun
a view as seen from below or from a humble position

Word 150: Crèche


noun
a model or tableau representing the scene of Jesus Christ's birth, displayed in homes or public places at Christmas

Word 149: Ylem

noun Astronomy
(in the big bang theory) the primordial matter of the universe, originally conceived as composed of neutrons at high temperature and density

Word 148: Imprest

noun
a fund used by a business for small items of expenditure and restored to a fixed amount periodically
• an advance of money made to someone engaged in some business with the state, enabling them to carry out the business
• a sum of money advanced to a person for a particular purpose

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Word 147: Scrag

verb [ trans.] informal
kill, esp. by strangling or hanging

Word 146: Batterie de cuisine

noun
the apparatus or set of utensils for serving or preparing a meal

Word 145: Dashiki


noun ( pl. -kis)
a loose, brightly colored shirt or tunic, originally from West Africa

Word 144: Gage

noun
a valued object deposited as a guarantee of good faith
• a pledge, esp. a glove, thrown down as a symbol of a challenge to fight

Friday, November 27, 2009

Word 143: Millefiori


noun
a kind of ornamental glass in which a number of glass rods of different sizes and colors are fused together and cut into sections that form various patterns, typically embedded in colorless transparent glass to make items such as paperweights

Word 142: Fons et origo

noun
the source and origin of something

Word 141: Adaptogenic

noun
(in herbal medicine) a natural substance considered to help the body adapt to stress and to exert a normalizing effect upon bodily processes

Word 140: Netsuke


noun ( pl. same or -kes)
a carved buttonlike ornament, esp. of ivory or wood, formerly worn in Japan to suspend articles from the sash of a kimono

Word 139: Prosopagnosia

noun Psychiatry
an inability to recognize the faces of familiar people, typically as a result of damage to the brain

Word 138: Zygodactyl

adjective
(of a bird's feet) having two toes pointing forward and two backward

Word 137: Tummler

noun
a person who makes things happen, in particular a professional entertainer whose function is to encourage an audience, guests at a resort, etc., to participate in the entertainments or activities

Word 136: Gnosis

noun
knowledge of spiritual mysteries

Word 135: Legman

noun ( pl. -men)
a reporter whose job it is to gather information about news stories at the scene of the event or from an original source
• a person employed to do simple tasks such as running errands or collecting information from outside their workplace

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Word 134: Noli me tangere

noun
a warning or prohibition against meddling or interference

Word 133: Formication

noun
a sensation like insects crawling over the skin

Word 132: Consuetude

noun
an established custom, esp. one having legal force

Word 131: Petitio principii

noun Logic
a fallacy in which a conclusion is taken for granted in the premises; begging the question

Word 130: Éclaircissment

noun poetic/literary
an enlightening explanation of something, typically someone's conduct, that has been hitherto inexplicable

Word 129: Vis medicatrix naturae

noun
the body's natural ability to heal itself

Word 128: Rentier

noun
a person living on income from property or investments

Word 127: Yantra

noun
a geometric diagram, or any object, used as an aid to meditation in tantric worship

Word 126: Nidus

noun ( pl. -di or -duses)
a place in which something is formed or deposited; a site of origin
Medicine a place in which bacteria have multiplied or may multiply; a focus of infection

Word 125: Xeroderma

noun
any of various diseases characterized by extreme dryness of the skin, esp. a mild form of ichthyosis

Word 124: Mahout

noun
(in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia) a person who works with, rides, and tends an elephant

Word 123: Shakuhachi


oun ( pl. -chis)
a Japanese bamboo flute, held vertically when played

Word 122: Woopie

noun ( pl. -ies) informal
an affluent retired person able to pursue an active lifestyle

Word 121: Hidrosis

noun Medicine
sweating

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Word 120: Ocarina


noun
a small egg-shaped wind instrument with a mouthpiece and holes for the fingers

Word 119: Battue

noun
the driving of game toward hunters by beaters

Word 118: Ignotum per ignotius

noun
the action of offering an explanation that is harder to understand than the thing it is meant to explain

Word 117: Ex libris

adverb
used as an inscription on a bookplate to show the name of the book's owner

Word 116: Tonsure

noun
a part of a monk's or priest's head left bare on top by shaving off the hair

Word 115: Milk-and-water

adjective [ attrib.]
lacking the will or ability to act effectively

Word 114: Newel


noun
a post at the head or foot of a flight of stairs, supporting a handrail

Word 113: Zakat

noun
obligatory payment made annually under Islamic law on certain kinds of property and used for charitable and religious purposes

Word 112: Mariage blanc

noun ( pl. mariages blancs)
an unconsummated marriage

Word 111: Jactitation

noun Medicine
the restless tossing of the body in illness

Word 110: Daven

verb [ intrans.]
(in Judaism) recite the prescribed liturgical prayers

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Word 109: Premier cru

noun ( pl. premiers crus)
(chiefly in French official classifications) a wine of a superior grade, or the vineyard that produces it

Word 108: Grubstake

noun informal
an amount of material, provisions, or money supplied to an enterprise (originally a prospector for ore) in return for a share in the resulting profits

Word 107: Anhedonia

noun Psychiatry
inability to feel pleasure

Word 106: Chicken hawk

noun informal
an older man who seeks young boys as sexual partners

Word 105: Foley

noun
relating to or concerned with the addition of recorded sound effects after the shooting of a film

Word 104: Ombré


adjective
(of a fabric) having a dyed, printed, or woven design in which the color is graduated from light to dark

Monday, November 23, 2009

Word 103: Ecbolic

adjective Medicine
inducing contractions of the uterus leading to expulsion of a fetus

Word 102: Mediocracy

noun ( pl. -cies)
a dominant class consisting of mediocre people, or a system in which mediocrity is rewarded

Word 101: Ad rem

adverb & adjective formal
relevant to what is being done or discussed at the time

Word 100: Houri

noun ( pl. -ris)
a beautiful young woman, esp. one of the virgin companions of the faithful in the Muslim Paradise

Word 99: Wet-nurse

verb [ trans.]
act as a wet nurse to
• informal look after (someone) as though they were a helpless infant

Word 98: Impasto

noun Art
the process or technique of laying on paint or pigment thickly so that it stands out from a surface

Word 97: Congé

noun
an unceremonious dismissal of someone

Word 96: Lewis

noun
a steel device for gripping heavy blocks of stone or concrete for lifting, consisting of three pieces arranged to form a dovetail, the outside pieces being fixed in a dovetail mortise by the insertion of the middle piece

Word 95: Vinify

noun
the conversion of grape juice or other vegetable extract into wine by fermentation

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Word 94: Nootropic

adjective
(of a drug) used to enhance memory or other cognitive functions

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Word 93: Jeu d'esprit

noun ( pl. jeux d'esprit)
a lighthearted display of wit and cleverness, esp. in a work of literature

Word 92: Froe


noun
a cleaving tool with a handle at right angles to the blade

Word 91: Kludge

verb [ trans.]
use ill-assorted parts to make something

Word 90: Nef


noun
an elaborate table decoration in the shape of a ship for holding such things as table napkins and condiments

Word 89: Epergne


noun
an ornamental centerpiece for a dining table, typically used for holding fruit or flowers

Word 88: In flagrante delicto

adverb
in the very act of wrongdoing, esp. in an act of sexual misconduct

Word 87: Zorbing

noun
a sport in which a participant is secured inside an inner capsule in a large, transparent ball that is then rolled along the ground or down hills

Word 86: Douceur de vivre

noun
a way of living that is pleasant and free from worries

Word 85: Nixie

noun
a misaddressed or illegibly addressed piece of mail, therefore undeliverable

Word 84: Hypnopompic

adjective Psychology
of or relating to the state immediately preceding waking up

Word 83: Lichen


noun
a simple slow-growing plant that typically forms a low crustlike, leaflike, or branching growth on rocks, walls, and trees

Word 82: Bier

noun
a movable frame on which a coffin or a corpse is placed before burial or cremation or on which it is carried to the grave

Word 81: Prim

verb [ trans.]
purse (the mouth or lips) into a prim expression

Word 80: Gavage

noun
the administration of food or drugs by force, esp. to an animal, typically through a tube leading down the throat to the stomach

Word 79: Cloud seeding

noun
the dropping of crystals into clouds to cause rain

Word 78: Neoteny

noun Zoology
the retention of juvenile features in the adult animal

Word 77: Sitz bath


noun
a bath in which only the buttocks and hips are immersed in water

Word 76: Agave


noun
a succulent plant with rosettes of narrow spiny leaves and tall flower spikes, native to the southern US and tropical America

Friday, November 20, 2009

Word 75: Memento mori

noun ( pl. same)
an object serving as a warning or reminder of death, such as a skull

Word 74: Jalousie


noun
a blind or shutter made of a row of angled slats

Word 73: Vigorish

noun informal
the percentage deducted from a gambler's winnings by the organizers of a game

Word 72: Akrasia

noun chiefly Philosophy
the state of mind in which someone acts against their better judgment through weakness of will

Word 71: Maw

noun
the jaws or throat of a voracious animal

Word 70: Shame culture

noun Anthropology
a culture in which conformity of behavior is maintained through the individual's fear of being shamed

Word 69: Sherwani


noun ( pl. -nis)
a knee-length coat buttoning to the neck, worn by men from the Indian subcontinent

Word 68: Wigwam


noun
a dome-shaped hut or tent made by fastening mats, skins, or bark over a framework of poles, used by some North American Indian peoples

Word 67: Ingravescent

adjective Medicine
(of a condition or symptom) gradually increasing in severity

Word 66: Hagridden

adjective
afflicted by nightmares or anxieties

Word 65: Kanji

noun
a system of Japanese writing using Chinese characters

Word 64: Jardinière


noun
an ornamental pot or stand for the display of growing plants

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Word 63: In vino veritas

exclamation
under the influence of alcohol, a person tells the truth

Word 62: Zygoma


noun ( pl. -mata) Anatomy
the bony arch of the cheek formed by connection of the zygomatic and temporal bones

Word 61: Mahlstick


noun
a light stick with a padded leather ball at one end, held against work by a painter or signwriter to support and steady the brush hand

Word 60: Hakim

noun
a physician using traditional remedies in India and Muslim countries

Word 59: Scullion

noun
a servant assigned the most menial kitchen tasks

Word 58: Wake

noun
a trail of disturbed water or air left by the passage of a ship or aircraft

Word 57: Hophead

noun informal
a drug addict

Word 56: Madrasa

noun
a college for Islamic instruction

Word 55: Esker


noun Geology
a long ridge of gravel and other sediment, typically having a winding course, deposited by meltwater from a retreating glacier or ice sheet

Word 54: A posteriori

adjective
relating to or denoting reasoning or knowledge that proceeds from observations or experiences to the deduction of probable causes

Word 53: Lithotomy

noun
surgical removal of a calculus (stone) from the bladder, kidney, or urinary tract

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Word 52: Credenza


noun
a sideboard or cupboard

Word 51: Entr'acte

noun
an interval between two acts of a play or opera

Word 50: Letter bomb

noun
an explosive device hidden in a small package and sent to someone with the intention of harming or killing them

Word 49: Wicket door


noun
a small door or gate, esp. one beside or in a larger one

Word 48: Bouquet garni

noun ( pl. bouquets garnis)
a bunch of herbs, typically encased in a cheesecloth bag, used for flavoring a stew or soup

Word 47: Pergola

noun
an archway in a garden or park consisting of a framework covered with trained climbing or trailing plants

Word 46: Leechcraft

noun
the art of healing

Monday, November 16, 2009

Word 45: Zoonosis

noun ( pl. -ses)
a disease that can be transmitted to humans from animals

Word 44: Serape


noun
a shawl or blanket worn as a cloak in Latin America

Word 43: Etrier


noun Climbing
a short rope ladder with a few rungs of wood or metal

Word 42: Retroussé

adjective
(of a person's nose) turned up at the tip, esp. in an attractive way

Word 41: Prisoner's dilemma

noun
(in game theory) a situation in which two players each have two options whose outcome depends crucially on the simultaneous choice made by the other, often formulated in terms of two prisoners separately deciding whether to confess to a crime

Word 40: Vitrine


noun
a glass display case

Word 39: Wolf whistle

noun
a whistle with a rising and falling pitch, directed toward someone to express sexual attraction or admiration

Word 38: Marionette


noun
a puppet worked from above by strings attached to its limbs

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Word 37: Jumar


noun Climbing
a clamp that is attached to a fixed rope and automatically tightens when weight is applied and relaxes when it is removed

Word 36: Qibla

noun [ in sing.]
the direction of the Kaaba (the sacred building at Mecca), to which Muslims turn at prayer

Word 35: Reiki

noun
a healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient's body and restore physical and emotional well-being

Word 34: Urolagnia

noun
a tendency to derive sexual pleasure from the sight or thought of urination

Word 33: Jouissance

noun formal
physical or intellectual pleasure, delight, or ecstasy

Word 32: Étagère


noun ( pl. étagères)
a piece of furniture with a number of open shelves for displaying ornaments

Word 31: Kettledrum


noun
a large drum shaped like a bowl, with a membrane adjustable for tension (and so pitch) stretched across

Word 30: Caster


noun
each of a set of small wheels, free to swivel in any direction, fixed to the legs or base of a heavy piece of furniture so that it can be moved easily

Word 29: Ogee


adjective Architecture
having a double continuous S-shaped curve

Word 28: Tombolo


noun ( pl. -los)
a bar of sand or shingle joining an island to the mainland

Word 27: Ventail


noun historical
the lower movable front of a medieval helmet

Word 26: Tilak


noun
a mark worn by a Hindu on the forehead to indicate caste, status, or sect, or as an ornament

Word 25: Wyvern


noun Heraldry
a winged two-legged dragon with a barbed tail

Friday, November 13, 2009

Word 24: Pot-valiant

adjective
(of a person) courageous as a result of being drunk

Word 23: Sitzfleisch

noun informal
a person's buttocks
• power to endure or to persevere in an activity; staying power

Word 22: Nooner

noun informal
an event that occurs in the middle of the day, esp. an act of sexual intercourse

Word 21: Inverted snobbery

noun derogatory
the attitude of seeming to despise anything associated with wealth or social status, while at the same time elevating those things associated with lack of wealth and social position

Word 20: Compte rendu

noun ( pl. comptes rendus pronunc. same)
a formal report or review


Thursday, November 12, 2009

Word 19: Clevis


noun
a U-shaped or forked metal connector within which another part can be fastened by means of a bolt or pin passing through the ends of the connector

Word 18: Neuston

noun Biology
small aquatic organisms inhabiting the surface layer or moving on the surface film of water

Word 17: Kazachok


noun
a Slavic dance with a fast and typically quickening tempo, featuring a step in which a squatting dancer kicks out each leg alternately to the front

Word 16: Mammon

noun
wealth regarded as an evil influence or false object of worship and devotion. It was taken by medieval writers as the name of the devil of covetousness, and revived in this sense by Milton

Word 15: Soutane


noun
a type of cassock worn by Roman Catholic priests

Word 14: Clerical collar

noun
a stiff upright white collar that fastens at the back, worn by the clergy in some churches

Word 13: Transom

noun
a strengthening crossbar, in particular one set above a window or door

Word 12: Vernix

noun ( in full vernix caseosa)
a greasy deposit covering the skin of a baby at birth

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Word 11: Lex talionis

noun
the law of retaliation, whereby a punishment resembles the offense committed in kind and degree

Word 10: Agogo


noun
a small bell made of two metal cones, used as a percussion instrument in African and Latin music

Word 9: Dieback

noun
a condition in which a tree or shrub begins to die from the tip of its leaves or roots backward, owing to disease or an unfavorable environment

Word 8: Nebulizer


noun
a device for producing a fine spray of liquid, used for example for inhaling a medicinal drug

Word 7: Thremmatology

noun
the science of breeding animals and plants

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Word 7: Hypnopedia

noun
the act or process of learning during sleep by listening to recordings repeatedly

Monday, November 9, 2009

Word 6: Feu de joie

noun ( pl. feux de joie)
a rifle salute fired by soldiers on a ceremonial occasion, each soldier firing in succession along the ranks to make a continuous sound

Word 5: Booboisie

noun informal
stupid people as a class

Word 4: Massé

noun [ usu. as adj.] Billiards
a stroke made with an inclined cue, imparting swerve to the ball

Word 3: Shoji


noun ( pl. same or -jis)
(in Japan) a sliding outer or inner door made of a latticed screen covered with white paper

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Word 2: Havelock


noun
a cloth covering for a military cap that extends downward to protect the neck from sun and weather

Word 1: Grass Widow

noun
a woman whose husband is away often or for a prolonged period