Word of the day

Tribology (noun)

1. (physics, engineering) The science and technology of friction, lubrication, and wear.

Piece Together (verb)

1. To physically assemble (or reassemble) from fragments or pieces.
2. (figuratively) To reconstruct an event or goal from incomplete or flawed elements.

Make Shift (verb)

1.  (dated) To contrive; to invent a way of surmounting a difficulty.

Makeshift (noun)

2. Makeshift may refer to one of the following Transformer characters:
2003 — Makeshift, the member of the Emergency Mini-Con Team from Armada.
2004 — Makeshift, also known as Skysickle, one of Whirl's Mini-Con partners from the 2003 Universe franchise.
2008 — Makeshift, the member of the Safeguard Mini-Con Team from the 2008 Universe franchise.
2011 — Makeshift, a shape-shifting (beyond the norm for a Cybertronian, we mean) Decepticon from Transformers: Prime.

Soundly (adverb)

1. In a thorough manner; in manner free of defect or deficiency.

Spuddle (verb)

1. To loosen and dig up stubble and weeds left after a harvest with a broadshare or similar device.
2. (by extension, chiefly dialect) To shallowly dig or stir up in an unsystematic manner.
3. (obsolete, Southern England) To make a lot of fuss about trivial things, as if they were important.
4. (obsolete) To work ineffectively; to work hard but achieve nothing.

Spuddle (noun)

5. A mess or confusion.
6. An argument or dispute.

Restitution (noun)

1. (law) A process of compensation for losses.
2. A return or restoration to a previous condition or position.

Unbirthday (noun)

1. (British jocular) Any day other than one's birthday.
2. (as modifier) An unbirthday present.

Abeyance (noun)

1. (law) Expectancy; condition of being undetermined; undetermined ownership.
2. Suspension; temporary suppression.

Postilion (noun)

1. A rider mounted on the near, leading horse pulling a carriage who guides the team.

Chiaroscuro (noun)

1. An artistic technique developed during the Renaissance, referring to the use of exaggerated light contrasts in order to create the illusion of volume.

Chiaroscuro (noun)

1. An artistic technique developed during the Renaissance, referring to the use of exaggerated light contrasts in order to create the illusion of volume.

redolent (adjective)

1. Something that has a noticeable smell.
2. "Full of a specified fragrance".

Avocation (noun)

1. A hobby or recreational or leisure pursuit.
2. Pursuits; duties; affairs which occupy one's time; usual employment; vocation.

Dead Tree Edition (noun)

1. (idiomatic, pejorative, humorous) Paper version of a publication that can be found online.

Unbeknownst (adverb)

1.  (Followed by to) Without the knowledge of.

Enterolith (noun)

1. A mineral concretion in the intestinal tract.

Avocation (noun)

1. A hobby or recreational or leisure pursuit.
2. Pursuits; duties; affairs which occupy one's time; usual employment; vocation.

Scuppernong (noun)

1.  A large greenish-bronze grape native to the Southeastern United States, a variety of the muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia).
2.  A sweet, golden or amber-colored American wine made from this variety of grape.

Geodesy (noun)

1.  Scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of earth, its gravitational field and geodynamic phenomena (polar motion, earth tides, and crustal motion) in three-dimensional, time-varying space.

Panglossian (adjective)

1. (perjorative) Naively or unreasonably optimistic.
2. (pejorative) Of or relating to the view that this is the best of all possible worlds.

Auteur (noun)

1. A creative artist, especially a film director, seen as having a specific, recognizable artistic vision, and who is seen as the single or preeminent 'author' of their works.

Gruntled (adjective)

1. (humorous) Satisfied.

Higgs Boson (noun)

1. (physics) A hypothetical elementary particle predicted by the Standard Model; a boson with zero spin, it is thought to give mass to other particles.

Sanguinary (adjective)

1. Attended with bloodshed.
2. Eager to shed blood; bloodthirsty.
3. Consisting of, covered with or similar in appearance to blood.

Badinage (noun)

1. Playful raillery; banter.

Tardigrade (adjective)

1.  Sluggish; moving slowly.