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LION'S SHARE

PRONUNCIATION: (LY-uhnz shair)

MEANING: noun: The largest part of something.

ETYMOLOGY: From the Aesop's fable in which the lion claimed all of the spoils instead of sharing with other animals who took part in the hunt. Earliest documented use: 1790.

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LION'S SHARP - claws

ILION'S SHARE - the spoils of the Trojan war

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OPTICS

PRONUNCIATION: (OP-tiks)

MEANING: noun:
1. The study of light, vision, etc.
2. The way a situation or action is perceived by the public.

ETYMOLOGY: From French optique, from Latin opticus, from Greek optikos, from ops (eye). Earliest documented use: 1579; for sense 2: 1973.

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COPTICS - the policeman has twitches

OPTIES - Trompe l'Oeil cravats

IOPTICS - what your smartphone uses to take pictures

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EPICENTER

PRONUNCIATION: (EP-i-sen-tuhr)

MEANING: noun:
1. The point on the earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
2. The center or focal point of an activity or event, especially something unpleasant.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin epicentrum, from Greek epikentros, from epi- (upon) + kentron (needle, pivot point for drawing a circle). Earliest documented use: 1887.

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EPICINTER - they buried the last copy of The Ten Comandments (starring Yul Brynner and Charlton Heston)

ERICENTER - Mr Idle comes onstage

SPICENTER - where to satisfy all your condiment needs

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QUANTUM

PRONUNCIATION (KWAHN-tuhm)

MEANING: noun:
1. A quantity or amount.
2. A portion.
3. A large amount.
4. The smallest amount of something that can exist independently.

adjective:
1. Large.
2. Relating to the quantum theory.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin quantus (how much or how great). In physics, a quantum jump or quantum leap is usually a small change, while in popular usage the term is used to mean a significant change. Earliest documented use: 1567.

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QUANTUS - the Australian airline, which speciaizes in carrying passengers who are afraid of flying (the airline's motto is Quantus Tremor est Futuris ("There Will Be Much Fear and Trembling")

QUALTUM - the description or characteristics of something, down to the teeniest detail possible

QUINTUM - the fifth part of something

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QUAINTUM - Fundamental amount of old-fashioned attractiveness. The five-quaintum restaurant has all the charm of Grandma's kitchen.

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THEORY

PRONUNCIATION: (THEE-uh-ree, THEER-ee)

MEANING: noun:
1. A set of propositions used to explain some aspect of the natural world, one that has been repeatedly tested and confirmed and widely accepted. For example, Einstein’s theory of relativity or Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.
2. The body of principles belonging to a field. For example, music theory.
3. A speculation.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin theoria, from Greek theoria (contemplation), from theoros (spectator), from theorein (to consider, look at), which also gave us theorem and theater. Earliest documented use: 1597.

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THEERY - belief that it's all about you (compare OTHERY, the belief that it's all about them)

SHEORY - after I've consumed enough of it, my speech impediment doesn't bother me so much

THE WORY - concern that some new observation may show your favorite hypothesis to be incomplete, or (worse yet) wrong

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THEORO - A set of propositions used to explain some aspect of Walden Pond.

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Originally Posted By: Tromboniator
THEORO - A set of propositions used to explain some aspect of Walden Pond.
2. The goal of the Spanish colonization of the New World

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ENTROPY

PRONUNCIATION: (EN-truh-pee)

MEANING: noun:
1. A measure of the disorder in a system.
2. The natural tendency of things to decline into disorder.
3. Disorder, randomness, or chaos.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek en- (in) + trope (transformation). Ultimately from the Indo-European root trep- (to turn), which also gave us troubadour, tropic, contrive, and tropism. Earliest documented use: 1868.

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TENTROPY - too many dang lines holding down the teepee

ENGROPY - tending to scratch oneself in public

ZENTROPY - the ultimate prize for world-class nirvana

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PREBUTTAL

PRONUNCIATION: (pri-BUH-tl)

MEANING: noun: An argument in anticipation of a criticism; a preemptive rebuttal.

ETYMOLOGY: A blend of pre- + rebuttal, from rebut (to refute), from Old French rebouter (to push back), from boute (to push). Ultimately from the Indo-European root bhau- (to strike), which also gave us refute, beat, button, halibut, and buttress. Earliest documented use: 1996.

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PREPUTTAL - the routine of estimating the slope, testing the wind, kneeling, analyzing the grass, picking out the pebbles, standing up again, lining up the stroke, shushing the crowd, all before poking a piece of gutta-percha into a hole in the ground

PREBUTAL - the new barbiturate headache preventer

PUREBUTTAL - nothing but B------t

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