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Jun 27, 2008
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deadman's hand
yeoman's service
bum's rush
devil's advocate
widow's walk

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widow's cruse
widow's peak

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A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

widow's walk

PRONUNCIATION:
(WID-oz wok)

MEANING:
noun: A railed platform atop a roof, typically on a coastal house, that was used to look out for returning ships.

ETYMOLOGY:
In the 18th and 19th centuries sailors' wives used such platforms to look for signs of their husbands returning home.

USAGE:
"The second level of this home features a widow's walk that allows an open view to the great room and front foyer."
Colleen Toms; Magnificent Features in Custom Built Home; The Expositor (Brantford, Canada); Feb 1, 2008.

See more usage examples of widow's walk in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.



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Tear man out of his outward circumstances; and what he then is; that only is he. -Johann Gottfried Seume, author (1763-1810)

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