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BROMANCE

PRONUNCIATION: (BRO-mans)

MEANING: noun: A close friendship between men.

ETYMOLOGY: A blend of bro + romance. Earliest documented use: 2001. The female equivalent is womance (Don’t blame us -- we didn’t coin any of these).
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EBROMANCE - a novel taking place on a Spanish river

BOOMANCE - a novel taking pace on Halloween

BROMANCHE - my brother lives on the other side of the English Channel, in France

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STADDLE

PRONUNCIATION: (STAD-uhl)

MEANING: noun: A base, support, or supporting framework.

ETYMOLOGY: From Old English stathol (base, support, or tree trunk). Earliest documented use: 900.
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STANDLE - a low knick-knack stand

STADDLER - a fictional scientist (see Atlas Shrugged) who sold out his intellectual integrity to the Estabishment, in return for Power

STADD LEE - originator of Spiderman with a bad cold, introducing himself

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DRAGOON

PRONUNCIATION: (druh-GOON)

MEANING: verb tr.: To force someone to do something; coerce.

ETYMOLOGY: From French dragon (dragon, to dragoon). Earliest documented use: 1622.

NOTES: This is a good example of how the meaning of a word evolves from an object to a person to an action. Originally, the word dragoon referred to firearms, either from the fact that they breathed fire like a dragon or from the shape of the pistol hammer. Eventually, it began to be applied to a cavalryman armed with a carbine. Today the term is a verb for forcing someone to do something against their will.
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DRANGOON - capital of Dburma

DRABOON - a colorless omnivorous primate

ERAGOON - protagonist of a scifi series by Chris Poolini

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SPECIE

PRONUNCIATION: (SPEE-shee/-see)

MEANING: noun:
1. Money, especially in a form that has an intrinsic value (for example, coins made from precious metals as opposed to paper money).
2. Type or kind (used in the phrase “in specie” meaning “in a similar manner”).

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin species (appearance, form, kind), from specere (to look). Earliest documented use: 1551.
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SPECIE - another counterexample to "I before E except after C..."

SPECOE - answer to "What kind of tea did you say this is?"

SPECIME - a sample children's TV program which takes place on a street

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NAVVY

PRONUNCIATION: (NAV-ee)

MEANING: noun: A laborer or a construction worker.

ETYMOLOGY: Short for navigator, from Latin navigator (sailor), from navigare (to sail), from navis (ship). Earliest documented use: 1574.

NOTES: A navigator is someone who navigates. In the past, it was also a sailor or a mariner, from Latin navis (ship). Then the word came to be applied to someone who worked on the construction of a canal. Eventually, it became shortened to navvy and was used for any constructor worker, one who worked on roads, railroads, etc. The word is also used for mechanical excavators.
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LAVVY - a diminutive London washroom

NAVEY - like the place in a church where the congregation sits

KNAVVY - fourth highest card in each suit in a modern deck

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COMPROMIS

PRONUNCIATION: (KOM-pruh-mee)

MEANING: noun: An agreement, especially between nations, to submit disputes to arbitration.

ETYMOLOGY: From French compromis (compromise). Earliest documented use: 1590.
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COMP. ROMAs - free plum tomatoes

COR: PRO MIs - you have a lot of risk factors for getting a heart attack, y'know

COME: PROM IS...! - Would you accompany me to the Senior dance?

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SPEECHIFY

PRONUNCIATION: (SPEE-chuh-fy)

MEANING: verb intr.: To make a speech, especially in a tedious or pompous manner.

ETYMOLOGY: From speech, from Old English spaec/spreac (speech), from sprecan (to speak) + -ify (to make), from Latin facere (to make or do). Earliest documented use: 1723
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SPEECH IFFY - we're not sure whether or not he'll give his oration

SPEE CHIEF Y - club named after the Captain of the Dirigible.

PEECHIFY - convert the orchard to a different fruit

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AGROSTOLOGY

PRONUNCIATION: (ag-ruh-STOL-uh-jee)

MEANING: noun: The study of grasses.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek agrostis (a type of grass), from agros (field) + -logy (study). Earliest documented use: 1820.
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A GROSS -OLOGY - a crude body of knowledge

AGRISTOLOGY - how windmills work during a famine

AGRA-STOLOGY - the study of Indian marble mausoleum sites

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SMILET

PRONUNCIATION: (SMY-luht)

MEANING: noun: A little smile.

ETYMOLOGY: From smile + -et (a diminutive suffix). Earliest documented use: 1591.
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SMITLET - a tap in the wrist

SMILENT - describing the Mona Lisa's expression

'SMILES - how far I have to go before I sleep (said Tom, frostily)

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TERGIVERSATION

PRONUNCIATION: (tuhr-ji-vuhr-SAY-shuhn)

MEANING: noun:
1. Misleading, evasive, or ambiguous speech or action.
2. Desertion of a party, position, cause, etc.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin tergiversari (to turn one’s back, to evade), from tergum (back) + vertere (to turn). Earliest documented use: 1570.
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FERGIVERSATION - when two people meet for apology, acceptance, and reconciliation

TERGIVER'S ACTION - Mr Tergiver has been a busy bee, hasn't he?

TER GIVE RATION - why I donated my lunch

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