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October 1
Today's word: calamanco
A checkered woolen fabric often used for the uppers of women's shoes in the 18th century.
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October 2
Today's word: patriot
An ardent supporter of one's country, devoted to the protection of its people and principles. Particularly applied to North Americans opposing continuing English rule.
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October 3
Today's word: gridiron
A small, standing iron grate used to broil meat over a fire.
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October 4
Today's word: fire dogs
A pair of iron supports used in a fireplace to suspend burning wood above the hearth.
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October 5
Today's word: public vendue
A public auction.
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October 6
Today's word: moil
To work hard, to labor at dull chores. Heard in the phrase "toil and moil."
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October 7
Today's word: tyre
The iron rim on a wooden wheel of any vehicle.
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October 8
Today's word: taffeta
In the 18th century, a shiny silk used in dressmaking.
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October 9
Today's word: ready money
Cash.
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October 10
Today's word: cudgel
A crude, heavy walking stick.
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October 11
Today's word: japanning
Decorating wood or metal to imitate Oriental designs.
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October 12
Today's word: spider
A frying pan with short legs and a long handle used for cooking on a hearth.
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October 13
Today's word: specie
Any type of coined metallic money.
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October 14
Today's word: marriage bond
A legal document signifying a couple's intent to marry, and if the bride is underage, the consent of her father.
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October 15
Today's word: gown
A lady's dress, worn over a petticoat.
The Word of the Day feature is retiring, but all terms and definitions will still be available on our games and interactive features page. Look for our new daily feature tomorrow.
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October 16
Today's word: hemp
Plant fiber used for making rope and heavy fabrics.
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October 17
Today's word: reale
A Spanish silver coin used throughout the American colonies; also called a dollar.
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October 18
Today's word: flax
The plant that provides linen fibers.
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October 19
Today's word: fowling piece
A smooth-bore long gun that shoots shot; usually used for hunting birds.
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October 20
Today's word: bowfat
A built-in storage cupboard.
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October 21
Today's word: luster
A glass chandelier.
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October 22
Today's word: calash
A large, folding hat built with arches of cane covered with silk.
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October 23
Today's word: cistern
A vessel used at the dinner table to hold large quantities of wine.
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October 24
Today's word: headright
A grant of 50 acres of land promised to each person brought to settle in the colony.
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October 25
Today's word: joe
A coin made of gold from Portugal.
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October 26
Today's word: quit rent
Small sums paid by individual landowners to the king for the use of land, since theoretically all land belonged to the crown.
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October 27
Today's word: muster
A periodic calling together of militia troops from their homes for inspection and training.
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October 28
Today's word: shagreen
Untanned shark's skin, often dyed green or black.
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October 29
Today's word: sempstress
A seamstress.
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October 30
Today's word: warp
Lengthwise thread on the weaver's loom.
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October 31
Today's word: wight
An unfortunate wandering spirit or supernatural being.
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November 1
Today's word: apprentice
A young person taken in by an accomplished tradesperson for the purpose of learning a trade. In exchange for instruction, the apprentice performs menial tasks associated with the craft. A contract obligates both to the arrangement for a period of years; length of apprenticeship varies by trade.
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November 2
Today's word: glebe
A portion of land set aside for the support of an Anglican minister.
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November 3
Today's word: stock
A short, unattached, stand-up neckband.
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November 4
Today's word: hustings
The name given to the municipal courts of towns like Williamsburg and Norfolk, Virginia.
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November 5
Today's word: cresset
An iron basket that holds burning wood, coal, or pitched rope to provide outdoor heat and light.
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November 6
Today's word: farthing
A coin worth a quarter of a penny.
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November 7
Today's word: retreat
A beat of the drum at the firing of the evening gun; the end of the soldier's working day.
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November 8
Today's word: castor
A hat made of beaver pelt.
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November 9
Today's word: gesso
A preparation of glue and inert white powder, like gypsum or chalk, used as a priming or grounding material onto which paint or metal leaf was applied.
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November 10
Today's word: carbine
A gun used by cavalry that is not as long as a traditional musket.
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November 11
Today's word: gabions
Large cylindrical wicker baskets, open at both ends, to be filled with earth and incorporated in earthen fortifications.
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November 12
Today's word: draught
When the term is applied to animals, it indicates a strong beast used for drawing a weight or pulling heavy loads.
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November 13
Today's word: landau
A four-wheeled carriage with a convertible top, named for the town in Germany where it originated.
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November 14
Today's word: journeyman
A person who has completed an apprenticeship and has become sufficiently skilled to work in a shop.
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November 15
Today's word: hogshead
A cask, specifically a wooden container for shipping tobacco in the colonial period, measuring four feet high and 30 inches in diameter at each end.
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November 16
Today's word: halfpenny
Half of a penny, pronounced "hay-penny."
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November 17
Today's word: three-cornered hat
A turned up, or "cock," hat.
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November 18
Today's word: fortnight
A phrase used to describe the span of fourteen nights.
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November 19
Today's word: spatterdashes
Gaiters of leather or canvas shaped to the leg, covering from the knee to the ankle.
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November 20
Today's word: review
The drawing out of all or part of the army for inspection.
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November 21
Today's word: skep
A straw beehive.
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November 22
Today's word: brimstone
Sulphur used in gunpowder, fireworks, and medicines.
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November 23
Today's word: counting room
An office in which a bookkeeper kept the records of the store.
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November 24
Today's word: tattoo
The order for all enlisted men to retire to their quarters.
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November 25
Today's word: gallipot
A small jar often used in apothecaries to hold ointments and medicines.
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November 26
Today's word: Pontefract cakes
A licorice candy, not too sweet, from Pontefract, England.
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November 27
Today's word: pilgrim
A traveler who undertakes a journey, particularly one to a place of religious significance.
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November 28
Today's word: pence
More than one penny.
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November 29
Today's word: weft
Crosswise thread carried in the shuttle of the loom; the woof.
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November 30
Today's word: teetotum
A top with numbered sides used instead of dice in children's games.
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December 1
Today's word: parterre
A garden feature with geometric beds planted with bushes and flowers and separated by paths.
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December 2
Today's word: lancer
A cavalryman armed with a lance who rides a light, fast horse.
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December 3
Today's word: poll
The head, as in "poll tax," or "poll comb."
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December 4
Today's word: salamander
A circular iron plate with a long handle. The plate was to be heated in the fire and used to brown the top of a pudding or other food item.
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December 5
Today's word: bowling alley
Any long, flat, outdoor green space for bowling or playing skittles.
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December 6
Today's word: trencher
A wooden disk or square from which food was served or eaten.
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December 7
Today's word: hussar
A cavalryman on a medium horse, carrying little equipment, often used as a messenger.
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December 8
Today's word: apothecary
Similar to today's pharmacists, the 18th-century apothecary diagnosed ailments and prepared treatments to ease their symptoms.
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December 9
Today's word: loo
A card game similar to whist played with either three or five cards. The penalty for losing a trick or breaking a rule is being "looed," or compelled to add money to the pool.
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December 10
Today's word: treenware
Small, useful articles made from wood.
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December 11
Today's word: ha-ha
A ditch or sunken fence to keep livestock from entering a garden. Because it could not be seen from the house or garden, it did not interrupt the view and unified the garden with the surrounding countryside.
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December 12
Today's word: calumet
A tobacco pipe with a clay bowl, a long reed stem, and decorated with feathers.
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December 13
Today's word: blind man's buff
A party game in which one person is blindfolded and the other players jostle and taunt him. The "blind man" has to catch and name another player to end his turn.
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December 14
Today's word: piggin
A little wooden bucket with a long handle made from one of its staves, sometimes used like a ladle.
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December 15
Today's word: duffle
Thick, rough cloth made from wool and used to make rugged clothing.
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December 16
Today's word: factor
One who buys or sells for another.
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December 17
Today's word: fusil
A type of musket that weighs comparatively little.
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December 18
Today's word: ninepins
Nine skittles, or pins, are knocked down with a rolling ball in a game similar to modern bowling.
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December 19
Today's word: trammel
Several rings used to hook a cooking pot by its bail over the fire.
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December 20
Today's word: gartering
The banding used to create garters, which are small loops secured around the calf to hold stockings up.
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December 21
Today's word: bateau
A small boat used on rivers.
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December 22
Today's word: firkin
A cask roughly a quarter of the size of a barrel.
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December 23
Today's word: peltry
Fur skins or pelts.
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December 24
Today's word: portmanteau
A piece of luggage for traveling.
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December 25
Today's word: holiday
Literally, "holy day," an occasion of religious observance.
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December 26
Today's word: freeholder
Any person who owns land, including women and children under legal age.
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December 27
Today's word: goose
An 18th-century game played with counters on a compartmentalized board decorated with pictures of geese.
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December 28
Today's word: snuff
Tobacco that has been dried and ground into powder, to be inhaled or placed between the lip and gums.
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December 29
Today's word: hominy
Maize finely ground or beaten, soaked with lye-water, then boiled or baked.
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December 30
Today's word: barrow
A castrated male hog.
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December 31
Today's word: rout
A large formal evening party.
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January 1
Today's word: fishgigs
A kind of fish spear.
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January 2
Today's word: ninemen's morris
A board game similar to tic-tack-toe played between two players, each with a number (usually nine) of pebbles, wood or metal discs, pegs, or pins.
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January 3
Today's word: pirogue
A canoe-like vessel, with or without sails.
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January 4
Today's word: tun
A cask often used to hold wine or beer.
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January 5
Today's word: gorget
A metal plate worn around the neck by military officers as a symbol of rank.
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January 6
Today's word: riding chair
A light, two-wheeled vehicle built to accommodate one or two passengers, drawn by a single horse.
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January 7
Today's word: pied
Multicolored, originally black and white like a magpie.
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January 8
Today's word: steelyards
A balance with two unequal arms, the longer having a movable counterpoise and the shorter bearing a hook to hold the object being weighed.
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January 9
Today's word: baroque
A popular 18th-century architectural style with whimsical embellishments as its hallmark.
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January 10
Today's word: curiosity
A hobby or interest; a recreational pursuit.
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January 11
Today's word: housewifery
The job of running a household and managing the expenses thereof.
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January 12
Today's word: spinster
A woman who spins thread, also the legal term for an unmarried woman.
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January 13
Today's word: corn
The seed of a cereal crop, such as wheat, barley, or rye.
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January 14
Today's word: pullet
A young domestic fowl that is older than a chick but not fully mature.
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January 15
Today's word: sack
Dry white wine or sherry made in what is now the Jerez region of Spain.
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January 16
Today's word: undertaker
One who undertakes a task or job in contract with another.
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January 17
Today's word: waste-book
A blank book for rough notes on expenses and purchases. Figures from the waste-book would later be copied into a formal ledger.
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January 18
Today's word: drugget
Wool, wool-linen, or wool silk-cloth for wearing apparel, or for spreading under a table to catch crumbs.
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January 19
Today's word: rococo
A decorative or architectural style marked by ornate scroll and shell patterns.
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January 20
Today's word: phaeton
A light, four-wheeled, open vehicle drawn by a pair of horses.
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January 21
Today's word: smelt
The process of melting ore to separate pure metal from dirt, sand, and impurities.
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January 22
Today's word: hoecake
A simple bread made with cornmeal, salt, and water, fried on a hoe in front of a fire.
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January 23
Today's word: bloom
The process of melting ore to separate pure metal from dirt, sand, and impurities.
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January 24
Today's word: blancmange
Almond cream in gelatin form, a popular 18th-century dessert.
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January 25
Today's word: collation
A small meal served late in the evening, usually light food requiring little preparation.
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January 26
Today's word: isinglass
A semitransparent, whitish, pure form of gelatin made from the air bladders of sturgeons.
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January 27
Today's word: pillory
An instrument of punishment built to confine the neck and wrists in a wooden yoke.
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January 28
Today's word: marchpane
A kind of candy made from pounded almonds and sugar, formed into small cakes or ornamental shapes.
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January 29
Today's word: dinner
The main meal of the day, in the 1700s, served about 2:00 p.m.
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January 30
Today's word: sweetmeats
Delicacies such as candied fruits and nuts or sugared pastries.
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January 31
Today's word: plantation
A farm or estate where a staple crop such as cotton, sugar, or tobacco is grown.
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February 1
Today's word: mantuamaker
A dressmaker who makes mantuas, a popular style of gown in the 17th and 18th centuries.
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February 2
Today's word: chariot
An enclosed vehicle with one forward-facing seat that accommodates two to three people.
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February 3
Today's word: tenement
Any rented property, whether land or buildings.
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February 4
Today's word: supper
The last meal of the day, usually a light meal of leftovers. Also an elaborate meal for a festive social occasion.
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February 5
Today's word: parish
The district under the oversight of a single minister.
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February 6
Today's word: vestry
An assembly of elected representatives of a parish, held originally in the part of the church where robes, or vestments, were kept.
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February 7
Today's word: clerk
A legal profession of the 18th century.
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February 8
Today's word: printer's devil
A young boy hired to perform small tasks or errands in the printerÂ’s office.
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February 9
Today's word: dilettante
A connoisseur of fine arts.
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February 10
Today's word: pier
The brick or stone composing the structure of walls set between windows or doors.
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February 11
Today's word: tessera
The small bits of colorful marble and glass that comprise a mosaic.
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February 12
Today's word: gaol
Jail.
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February 13
Today's word: form
A backless bench.
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February 14
Today's word: beau
A young lady's suitor or male admirer.
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February 15
Today's word: forcemeat
Finely chopped and highly seasoned meat, formed into small balls and used as stuffing or garnish.
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February 16
Today's word: beaker
A large drinking cup with a wide mouth.
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February 17
Today's word: pitch
A sticky resin made made from the distillation of wood tar or turpentine, used to seal and waterproof ships.
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February 18
Today's word: milliner
A shop that carries exquisite goods, particularly those from Milan, Italy.
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February 19
Today's word: porter
A beer prized for its dark, bitter composition.
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February 20
Today's word: carter
The driver of a cart.
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February 21
Today's word: gazette
A newspaper or other periodical.
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February 22
Today's word: twelfth night
January 5th, the end of the Christmas holidays.
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February 23
Today's word: lottery
A fund-raising scheme for a charitable institution, wherein a distribution of prized is determined by the random selection of numbered tickets, or lots.
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February 24
Today's word: commonwealth
The happiness and security of the public, also the population of a state.
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February 25
Today's word: stocks
An instrument of punishment consisting of two planks set edgewise with two holes cut in the center of the boards. The person to be punished sat with his ankles confined between the two planks.
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February 26
Today's word: visto
A view or prospect, especially as seen through an avenue of trees or similar long and narrow opening.
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February 27
Today's word: barm
The frothy mass of fermentation formed on top of ale.
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February 28
Today's word: brawn
The fleshy part of the back leg of an animal, suitable for roasting.
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March 1
Today's word: catsup
A sauce of mashed anchovies, oysters, mushrooms, or walnuts.
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March 2
Today's word: collop
A slice of meat.
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March 3
Today's word: blackjack
A large leather jug for beer or other beverages, made black by an external coat of tar.
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March 4
Today's word: comfit
A dry sweetmeat; any kind of nut, fruit, seed or root that has been dried and preserved with sugar.
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March 5
Today's word: hartshorn
The horn or antler of a hart, or deer, used as a source of gelatin.
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March 6
Today's word: ashcake
A batter of cornmeal, salt and water, cooked in the coals of a fire.
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March 7
Today's word: johnnycake
In England, an oatmeal or barley cake. In North America, the recipe is adapted and made with cornmeal.
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March 8
Today's word: jelly
A moist gelatin of sweetmeat or preserved fruit.
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March 9
Today's word: lights
An anatomical reference to the lungs.
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March 10
Today's word: tripe
An animal's stomach, prepared as food.
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March 11
Today's word: pottage
A hearty meat and vegetable stew.
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March 12
Today's word: ragout
A flavorful stew of vegatables and chopped meat.
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March 13
Today's word: sago
The starchy pith of West Indian palms, used to thicken soups and puddings.
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March 14
Today's word: shoat
A weaned young pig.
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March 15
Today's word: sippet
A crunchy garnish of toasted or fried bread.
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March 16
Today's word: souse
A boiled, seasoned, pressed loaf of scraps from a pig's head.
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March 17
Today's word: coxcomb
A flirtatious, frivolous man.
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March 18
Today's word: squab
An immature pigeon.
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March 19
Today's word: rennet
Undigested, curdled milk from a calf's stomach used in the cheese-making process.
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March 20
Today's word: standing dish
A favorite item at the table, served each day or at each meal.
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March 21
Today's word: caster
A ceramic, glass, or metal dispenser for condiments such as vinegar, pepper, or dry mustard.
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March 22
Today's word: cruet
An oil or vinegar dispenser for use at the table.
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March 23
Today's word: demijohn
A large glass jug with a three to ten gallon capacity, often protected with a wicker or rush covering.
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March 24
Today's word: firkin
A cask made to convey fish, butter, or other liquids, equal in volume to one fourth of a barrel.
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March 25
Today's word: flagon
A hefty, lidded drinking bottle with a handle and spout.
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March 26
Today's word: tureen
A serving dish for soup or stew, characterized by its deep oval shape.
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March 27
Today's word: minuet
A triple-time dance performed by a single couple.
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March 28
Today's word: cotillion
The term for a number of French dances composed of an assortment of steps and figures.
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March 29
Today's word: country dance
A family of English dances in which couples line up in facing pairs.
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March 30
Today's word: lard
An exclamation expressing surprise, taken from the word "lord."
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March 31
Today's word: fie
A phrase denoting denial or rejection of the comments of another.
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April 1
Today's word: buss
A lusty kiss.
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April 2
Today's word: coquette
A flirtatious, silly woman.
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April 3
Today's word: gallant
A man who is a woman's partner in intrigue, often a married woman's lover.
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April 4
Today's word: swain
A charming country beau.
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April 5
Today's word: twire
A flirtatious glance.
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April 6
Today's word: baggage
An immoral woman unworthy of respect.
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April 7
Today's word: bugbear
Something superficially frightening but actually powerless.
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April 8
Today's word: hussy
A bold, saucy, or ill-mannered woman.
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April 9
Today's word: puppy
A disparaging term for a man who is young, foolish, or both.
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April 10
Today's word: genteel
A well-bred person with charming manners.
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April 11
Today's word: vulgar
Low bred or ill-mannered.
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April 12
Today's word: coney
A rabbit.
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April 13
Today's word: beauty spot
A mole-like spot which fashionable ladies applied to the face.
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April 14
Today's word: huzzah
An exclamation of agreement or encouragement: a hurray.
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April 15
Today's word: watertable
A sloping angle incorporated into masonry to channel water away from the foundation.
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April 16
Today's word: upright
A charming country beau.
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April 17
Today's word: above stairs
A building's upper floors: upstairs.
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April 18
Today's word: vice
Wicked or immoral habits or behavior.
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April 19
Today's word: constitutional
Something that is understood to have a positive effect on health, like a walk or fresh air.
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April 20
Today's word: melancholy
Suffering the effects of black bile; to be irritable, angry, or peevish.
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April 21
Today's word: phlegmatic
To have phlegm as the dominant bodily humor, characterized by passivity and inactivity.
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April 22
Today's word: bilious
To be snappish, bad-tempered.
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April 23
Today's word: humors
A medical theory that credits health with a balance of four humors: blood, phlegm, choler, and melancholy. The excess or defecit of any of the four could cause illness or mood changes.
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April 24
Today's word: spermaceti
A fatty substance harvested from sperm whales used to make medicines and candles.
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April 25
Today's word: rush
A straight-stemmed marsh plant used as fuel for light and as a floor covering.
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April 26
Today's word: diversion
Recreation or amusement.
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April 27
Today's word: entertainment
Hospitable accommodation for the needs of a guest, especially a formal meal.
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April 28
Today's word: hall
A dwelling's principal multipurpose room.
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April 29
Today's word: passage
In Southern domestic architecture, the space at the center of a house which runs from the front door to the back door, providing a waiting area and allowing air to circulate in warm weather.
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April 30
Today's word: palladian
An architectural style referring to an 18th-century English preference for the neoclassical style of Palladio and reaction against the baroque.
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May 1
Today's word: gill
A liquid measure equal to two ounces or a fourth of a pint.
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May 2
Today's word: dram
A modest serving of a cordial or alcohol, equal to one eighth of an ounce.
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May 3
Today's word: ell
A textile measurement which varies by country.
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May 4
Today's word: tithe
A tax for the support of religious establishments.
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May 5
Today's word: levy
A tax assessed by person.
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May 6
Today's word: tonic
An invigorating or bracing medicine.
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May 7
Today's word: pocketbook
A folding case for carrying papers in one's pocket, or another term for a man's wallet.
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May 8
Today's word: loyalist
In the Revolutionary War, one who remained loyal to England.
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May 9
Today's word: tarring and feathering
To smear an individual with tar and then cover him with feathers; a mob punishment inflicted on unpopular or scandalous characters.
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May 10
Today's word: osnabrug
A coarse linen or cotton made in Osnabruk, Germany. The rugged fabric was ideal for hard-wearing clothing, sacks, and tents.
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May 11
Today's word: saltpeter
Potassium nitrate used in making gunpowder and some medicines.
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May 12
Today's word: spectacles
Eyeglasses.
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May 13
Today's word: queue
A long braid of hair.
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May 14
Today's word: damask
A richly woven silk fabric ornamented with elaborate patterns.
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May 15
Today's word: bohea
One of the finest types of black tea.
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May 16
Today's word: leghorn
Braided and bleached straw used in the construction of hats and bonnets.
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May 17
Today's word: hornbook
The alphabet and Lord's prayer, mounted on a piece of wood and covered by a thin sheath of horn, used as a child's learning aid.
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May 18
Today's word: lanthorn
A transparent or translucent case made to protect a flame; a lantern.
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May 19
Today's word: dunghill fowl
Poultry, chickens.
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May 20
Today's word: idle
Once who is lazy, worthless, and of no value.
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May 21
Today's word: industrious
One who is hardworking, able, and clever.
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May 22
Today's word: liberty pole
A center of community protest.
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May 23
Today's word: midden
A domestic trash pit.
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May 24
Today's word: proclamation
Originally a king's formal order, later used to refer to any official announcement.
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May 25
Today's word: declaration
A public statement contained in a document or public act.
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May 26
Today's word: freshet
A flood caused by heavy rains or melted snow.
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May 27
Today's word: instant
The current, or present. For example, "the 21st instant" would refer to the 21st of this month.
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May 28
Today's word: vizt.
An abbreviation of the Latin "videlicet," meaning "namely," or "to wit." Used in correspondence or conversation to introduce an amplification or explanation.
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May 29
Today's word: do.
An abbreviation for "ditto," meaning "the same."
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May 30
Today's word: candlelight
The time when candles are lit: nightfall, or dusk.
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May 31
Today's word: chamberpot
A vesel kept in the bedchamber for nighttime emissions.
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June 1
Today's word: necessary house
A small structure with an enclosed seat on a raised platform built to house a latrine.
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June 2
Today's word: lady
A genteel female, or the wife of a lord.
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June 3
Today's word: dyet
An allowance or provision of food: board.
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June 4
Today's word: bumbo
A punch made from rum, sugar, water and nutmeg.
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June 5
Today's word: small beer
Beer low in alcoholic content, taken at meals and throughout the day.
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June 6
Today's word: limner
One who paints portraiture.
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June 7
Today's word: matron
A woman in charge of the maintenance and operation of a charitable institution.
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June 8
Today's word: comedian
An actor who is not a tragedian.
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June 9
Today's word: playhouse
A theater where plays are performed.
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June 10
Today's word: player
An actor or actress who performs in plays.
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June 11
Today's word: remonstrance
An appeal or request.
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June 12
Today's word: apron
A decorative or protective article worn over a woman's gown.
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June 13
Today's word: petticoat
A skirt worn under a woman's gown.
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June 14
Today's word: colors
The flag or standard of a military unit or ship.
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June 15
Today's word: stays
A shaping garment which molded a woman's torso into a conical form.
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June 16
Today's word: pap
Soft baby food made of bread moistened with milk or water.
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June 17
Today's word: pudding cap
A padded bonnet worn by toddlers to protect the head during play.
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June 18
Today's word: leading strings
Fabric lines sewn to a child's clothing used to tether a toddler to an adult.
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June 19
Today's word: wet nurse
A woman hired to breastfeed an infant.
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June 20
Today's word: clout
A baby's diaper.
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June 21
Today's word: pater
One who performs the duties of a legal or biological father.
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June 22
Today's word: dissenter
One who separates from a specified church.
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June 23
Today's word: gambol
To caper or romp like children or playful animals.
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June 24
Today's word: lark
A lighthearted adventure.
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June 25
Today's word: epergne
A branching centerpiece at the table used to hold sweetmeats, fruit, nuts, and other delicacies.
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June 26
Today's word: sexton
An officer of the church whose duties include ringing the bell and digging graves.
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June 27
Today's word: orphan
A child rendered parentless by death or abandonment. In colonial Virginia, the term might apply to a minor whose father has died but whose mother is living.
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June 28
Today's word: runaway
A fugitive or deserter.
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June 29
Today's word: ague
A malarial fever marked by fits or paroxysms. Sufferers experience cold, hot, and sweating stages.
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June 30
Today's word: quarter
A slave dwelling.
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July 1
Today's word: closet
A small room or office used for study, writing, or privacy.
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July 2
Today's word: syllabub
A sweetened cordial made with milk or cream mixed with wine or cider.
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July 3
Today's word: gentry
The rank of a gentleman or lady.
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July 4
Today's word: militia
A supplemental civilian military force.
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July 5
Today's word: sheepshead
A large, abundant, and prized species of fish found in coastal North America.
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July 6
Today's word: train oil
An oil boiled from the blubber of whales, seals, and other fish.
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July 7
Today's word: drum line
A line strung for catching a drum-fish, which gets its name from the drumming noise it makes.
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July 8
Today's word: subscriber
One who signs a letter or formal document: the undersigned.
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July 9
Today's word: wit
Sharpness, cleverness, or one who embodies those qualities.
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July 10
Today's word: artful
To be dexterous or clever.
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July 11
Today's word: posset
A sweet, curative drink of hot curdled milk and ale or spirits.
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July 12
Today's word: waistcoat
A vest-like article worn by gentlemen who would have pronounced the word "weskot."
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July 13
Today's word: neck handkerchief
A piece of fabric worn at the top of a woman's low gown.
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July 14
Today's word: dutch oven
A capacious iron cooking pot which is nested in embers and whose lid is covered with coals.
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July 15
Today's word: wench
A young enslaved female servant.
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July 16
Today's word: greengage
A greenish plum with a fine flavor.
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July 17
Today's word: salad oil
olive oil
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July 18
Today's word: N.B.
An abbreviated form of the Latin phrase, "nota bene," meaning "note well."
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July 19
Today's word: perukemaker
One who makes perukes, which today are known as wigs.
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July 20
Today's word: cordwainer
A shoemaker.
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July 21
Today's word: bursar
An organizations' treasurer.
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July 22
Today's word: embargo
A boycott which prohibits the entry of foreign ships and the departure of native ones, generally issued under threat of conflict.
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July 23
Today's word: treatise
A literary work which examines a particular subject in some detail.
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July 24
Today's word: compleat
Entire; complete
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July 25
Today's word: sparrowgrass
Asparagus
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July 26
Today's word: middling
The middle class, or people of moderate means.
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July 27
Today's word: shift
A long, sleeved undergarment worn under a gown.
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July 28
Today's word: banyan
A man's slightly fitted dressing gown; popular leisure wear in the 18th century.
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July 29
Today's word: draper
A seller of wool or linen cloth.
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July 30
Today's word: punch
The most popular mixed drink of the 18th century, made with citrus, sugar, water, spice, and spirits.
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July 31
Today's word: Michaelmas
The feast of St. Michael, celebrated September 29 and pronounced "Mickelmas."
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August 1
Today's word: cimling
A summer squash with a scalloped edge.
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August 2
Today's word: dentifrice
Tooth powder, or toothpaste.
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August 3
Today's word: landskip
A painted depiction of inland scenery, as distinguished from a sea picture, portrait, or other subject.
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August 4
Today's word: tea canister
A caddy for holding dry, unused tea leaves.
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August 5
Today's word: perry
A cider-like alcoholic beverage made from pear juice.
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August 6
Today's word: arrack
A distilled beverage made from the fermented sap of the coconut palm.
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August 7
Today's word: tippling
To drink alcohol often and in small quantities; the habitual indulgence in intoxicating beverages.
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August 8
Today's word: dropsy
A morbid condition characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the body's serous cavities or connective tissue.
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August 9
Today's word: wassail
A beer-based hot holiday punch popular in the Christmas season.
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August 10
Today's word: pettiauger
A common pleasure boat of the colonial period, adapted from American Indian log canoes.
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August 11
Today's word: post rider
One who delivers mail on horseback.
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August 12
Today's word: physick
The professional practice of medicine.
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August 13
Today's word: indenture
A binding contract which obligates a servant to a master or an apprentice to a trade.
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August 14
Today's word: joiner
A woodworker who creates objects by joining wood.
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August 15
Today's word: slipshod
Wearing loose or shabby footwear suggestive of an overall state of decrepitude.
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August 16
Today's word: allarums
A call to arms; a signal for men to arm themselves.
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August 17
Today's word: tocsin
A ringing alarm bell.
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August 18
Today's word: domestic economy
The knowledge of household management, to include food preparation, sewing, and laundry.
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August 19
Today's word: billet
An order to provide food and shelter for troops.
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August 20
Today's word: consort
A companion or partner, sometimes a spouse.
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August 21
Today's word: bother
A petty trouble or disturbance, or the exclamation made in the presence of one.
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August 22
Today's word: bepester
To nag or annoy.
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August 23
Today's word: chocolate
A beverage made from roasted and ground seeds of the cacao pod and heated milk, water, brandy, or wine.
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August 24
Today's word: outlandish
A strange and unfamiliar denizen of a foreign country.
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August 25
Today's word: circular letter
Correspondence written to be circulated among people with a shared interest in its contents.
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August 26
Today's word: metropolis
A country's foremost city or seat of government.
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August 27
Today's word: continental
A designation attributed to those things coming from or belonging to the colonies during and after the Revolutionary War.
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August 28
Today's word: quartermaster
A military officer whose responsibility is the overseeing of military provisions and supplies.
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August 29
Today's word: pamphleteer
A writer of brief political tracts or pamphlets.
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August 30
Today's word: orangerie
A greenhouse optimized for the cultivation of oranges and other exotic citrus in cold climes.
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August 31
Today's word: herbal
A written work about plants and the garden.
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September 1
Today's word: alderman
A city magistrate, subordinate in stature to the mayor.
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September 2
Today's word: pockets
A small pouch sewn into a woman's waistband and worn under her gown.
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September 3
Today's word: hothead
One whose even temper is easily lost.
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September 4
Today's word: beeves
The plural of beef; cattle or oxen.
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September 5
Today's word: kine
The plural of cow.
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September 6
Today's word: dovecote
A raised house for nesting doves or pigeons.
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September 7
Today's word: Whitsunday
The seventh Sunday after Easter; Pentecost
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September 8
Today's word: hautboy
An oboe, a reeded wind instrument.
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September 9
Today's word: armonica
Benjamin Franklin's musical invention, a glass cylinder mounted horizontally and played by touching moistened fingertips to the rotating instrument.
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September 10
Today's word: savages
A term applied to groups regarded as uncivilized and uneducated. Often used to refer to American Indians.
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September 11
Today's word: palisade
A series of wooden posts forming a wall or fortress.
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September 12
Today's word: abscond
To run away with the intent of concealing oneself, as a criminal before the law.
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September 13
Today's word: maize
Also known as Indian corn, a cereal grass of North America.
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September 14
Today's word: milk pan
A shallow dish where milk rests as the cream rises.
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September 15
Today's word: seething
A cooking term analogous to boiling.
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September 16
Today's word: dispensatory
A manual of medicines and instructions for the method of their application.
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September 17
Today's word: battery
A small complement of artillery pieces used for tactical missions.
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September 18
Today's word: pioneers
Infantrymen whose job it is to clear a path to admit the passing of the troop as a whole.
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September 19
Today's word: inventory
A list of the property and holdings of a deceased person.
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September 20
Today's word: appraisement
An inventory which lists the value of the property of a deceased person.
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September 21
Today's word: fabric
The structure or construction of anything, especially of buildings.
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September 22
Today's word: senight
A phrase used to describe the span of seven nights.
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September 23
Today's word: smokehouse
A small outbuilding or room used to cure meat by means of smoke.
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September 24
Today's word: suit
The collective term for a gentleman's coat, waistcoat, and breeches.
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September 25
Today's word: warehouse
A building used to store merchandise, especially tobacco in 18th-century Williamsburg.
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September 26
Today's word: sugar islands
The Caribbean, where sugar was the main crop in the 18th and 19th centuries.
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September 27
Today's word: chamber
A particular room or set of rooms in a house, often a bedroom.
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September 28
Today's word: cocoa
Corruption of the Spanish word "cacao," the Mexican name of the cacao-seed. By 1604, a beverage made from the seeds of the cacao-tree was called chocolate.
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September 29
Today's word: robin
The name English colonists gave to the red-breasted thrush of North America.
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September 30
Today's word: almanac
An annual table or book of tables containing a calendar of months, days, holidays, and useful information.
