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GAVROCHE

PRONUNCIATION: (GAV-rosh)

MEANING: noun: A street urchin.

ETYMOLOGY: After Gavroche, a boy in the 1862 novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. Earliest documented use: 1876.
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GARROCHE - where you pahk your cah

GA v. ROCHE - the State of Georgia is suing the pharmaceutical company over abortions allegedly induced by birth-control pills

"GAVRYO:" CHE - the Cuban revolutionary says "I speak Russian."

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BECHDEL TEST

PRONUNCIATION: (BEK-duhl test)

MEANING: noun: A test of inclusion and representation of women in a work of fiction.

ETYMOLOGY: After cartoonist Alison Bechdel (b. 1960), who described the concept in her comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For (1985). Earliest documented use of the term “Bechdel test”: 2005.

NOTES: Alison Bechdel attributed the test to her friend Liz Wallace and hence the test is also known as the Bechdel-Wallace test. A work of fiction passes the test if it has:
1. At least two women
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something other than men
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BACH DEL TEST - the composer who not only wrote studies (études) for his students but also made them demonstrate their prowess before moving on the the next level

ECHT EL TEST - a true test of the Spanish language given by the Deutsche Berlitz school

BENCH DEL TEST - your seat during the aforementioned test

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CHIMERIZE

PRONUNCIATION: (KY/KI-muh-ryz)

MEANING: verb tr.: To form something from parts that are very different.

ETYMOLOGY: After Chimera, a fire-breathing female monster in Greek mythology who had a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and a serpent’s tail. From Greek khimaira (she-goat), ultimately from the Indo-European root ghei- (winter), which also gave us chimera (literally, a female animal that is one winter or one year old), hibernate, and the Himalayas, from Sanskrit him (snow) + alaya (abode). Earliest documented use: 1651.
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CRIMERIZE - what police statistics show in crowded places in the summertime

WHIMERIZE - to turn into a fanciful account and present as a piece of fiction

SHIMERIZE - how mirages appear in the heat of summer

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GRANGOUSIER or GRANDGOUSIER

PRONUNCIATION: (gran-GOO/GOU-zee-uhr)

MEANING: noun:
1. A big eater.
2. A gullible person, one who will swallow anything.

ETYMOLOGY: After Grangousier (in French: Grandgousier), a character who loves good living, in François Rabelais’s story Gargantua. The name Grangousier is coined from the French grand gosier (big throat). Earliest documented use: 1580.
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GRANGOSIER - farm association's willow tree

GRAND OUSTER - Throw all the bums out!

ORANGOUSIER - more like a large ape

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LEXIPHANIC

PRONUNCIATION: (lek-si-FAN-ik)

MEANING: adjective: Using pretentious words and language.

ETYMOLOGY: After Lexiphanes, a bombastic speaker, in the satire of the same name by Lucian (2nd century CE). From Greek lexis (speech, diction, word) + phainein (to show). Earliest documented use: 1767.
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LEXIPHONIC - the sound of the words

LEXIPHANTIC - like a thin flexible membrane of transparent plastic

LEXICHANIC - how the machinery of a luxury automobile works

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BLAZON

PRONUNCIATION: (BLAY-zuhn)

MEANING: noun: 1. A coat of arms.
2. A description of a coat of arms in heraldic terminology.
3. An ostentatious display.
verb tr.: 1. To paint, depict, or adorn in great detail.
2. To describe a coat of arms in heraldic terminology.
3. To proclaim or display, widely or ostentatiously.

ETYMOLOGY: From Old French blason (shield), of unknown origin, influenced by the word blaze. Earliest documented use: noun 1325, verb 1533.
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B-MAZON - the second large-scale online store

B.L.A. ZONE - where Girls' Latin school is located in Boston (a.k.a. "Boston Latin Academy")

BLAB-ON - for people who don't want the ability to shut off commercials

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SPITCHCOCK

PRONUNCIATION: (SPICH-kok)

MEANING: noun: An eel split, cut into pieces, and cooked.
verb tr.: To treat severely.

ETYMOLOGY: Of unknown origin. Earliest documented use: noun 1597, verb 1674. A close cousin is spatchcock, a bird with its spine removed flattened for cooking.
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SPITCHCORK - when the winebottle-cork has been crumbled by the corkscrew instead of being extracted

SITCHCOCK - when the rooster sits around all day instead of servicing the hens

STITCHCOCK - what the urologist does after surgery for Peyrone's Disease

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PHYSIC

PRONUNCIATION: (FIZ-ik)

MEANING: noun: 1. A medicine, especially one that acts as a laxative.
2. A doctor.
3. Medical science or the medical profession.
verb tr.: 1. To act upon as a laxative.
2. To treat with, or as if with, a medicine.
3. To cure or heal.

ETYMOLOGY:From Old French fisique (medical science or natural science), from Latin physica (natural science), from Greek physike (science of nature), from physis (nature). Earliest documented use: noun 1325, verb 1400.
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PAYSIC - (French) favorably inclined to the countryside

PHASIC - pertaining to a Federation weapon

PHYLIC - well-disposed to, in favor of

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TROTH

PRONUNCIATION: (troth, trohth)

MEANING: noun: 1. One’s pledged word, loyalty, or fidelity.
2. Truth.
3. Betrothal.
verb tr.: To pledge or betroth.

ETYMOLOGY: From Old English treowth (fidelity, truth), from treowe (faithful). Ultimately from the Indo-European root deru- (to be firm), which gave us truth, trust, tree, endure, druid, during, durable, duress, trow and indurate. Earliest documented use: noun 1175, verb 1400.
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CROTH - So angry you can't speak straight

"T.P." ROTH - nickname acquired by the author of "Portnoy's Complaint" in his most potty-mouthed phase

TAROT H - the eighth card in a fortune-telling deck, representing Health, Home, Honor, and Hope

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BARNACLE

PRONUNCIATION: (BAHR-nuh-kuhl)

MEANING: noun: 1. Any marine crustacean of the subclass Cirripedia that attaches itself to rocks, hulls, docks, whales, etc.
2. Someone or something that clings.
verb intr.: To cling in a persistent manner.

ETYMOLOGY. From Latin bernaca, of unknown origin. Earliest documented use: noun 1227, verb 1863.
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BARNACRE - the unit of size of auxiliary farm buildings in Texas

BAR NICLE - that'll get you free peanuts in the local saloon

BARN-ALE - fermented milk

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