Garden Video Blog by a kid

pandeism , n : (religion) A belief in a god who is both pantheistic and deistic, in particular a god who designed the universe and then became it and ceased to exist separately and act consciously with respect to it. (religion, rare) Worship which admits or tolerates favourable aspects of all religions; omnitheism. German physicist and philosopher Max Bernhard Weinstein, who published a major examination of pandeism in 1910, was born on this day in 1852.

chantwell , n : (chiefly Trinidad and Tobago, music) A (generally female) lead singer of traditional cariso music, or of a calypso band. Today is the Independence Day of Trinidad and Tobago.

xerocracy , n : (informal) Political influence achieved by copying and distributing leaflets and similar material.

ex contractu , adj : (law, postpositive) Of a legal obligation: arising from a contractual relationship.

Faustian bargain , n : (idiomatic) An agreement in which a person abandons his or her spiritual values or moral principles in order to obtain knowledge, wealth or other benefits. (idiomatic) A deal in which one focuses on present gain without considering the long-term consequences. German writer and statesman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, whose play Faust is widely regarded as his magnum opus and the greatest work of German literature, was born on this day 270 years ago in 1749.

as ever trod shoe-leather , phrase : (idiomatic, archaic) As ever existed or lived.

doldrums , n : Usually preceded by the: a state of apathy or lack of interest; a situation where one feels boredom, ennui, or tedium; a state of listlessness or malaise. (nautical) Usually preceded by the: the state of a sailing ship when it is impeded by calms or light, baffling winds, and is unable to make progress. (nautical, oceanography, by extension) Usually preceded by the: a part of the ocean near the equator where calms, squalls, and light, baffling winds are common.

or bust , phrase : (chiefly US, informal) Used to indicate one's intention to do everything possible to achieve a goal, with failure being the only alternative.

bandura , n : (music) A Ukrainian plucked stringed instrument with a tear-shaped body, like an asymmetrical lute or a vertical zither, which is played with both hands while held upright on the lap. Today is the Independence Day of Ukraine.

limn , v : (transitive, also figuratively) To draw or paint; to delineate. (transitive, obsolete) To illuminate, as a manuscript; to decorate with gold or some other bright colour.

lorry , n : (road transport, Britain) A motor vehicle for transporting goods, and in some cases people; a truck. (dated) A barrow or truck for shifting baggage, as at railway stations. (dated) A small cart or wagon used on the tramways in mines to carry coal or rubbish. (obsolete) A large, low, horse-drawn, four-wheeled wagon without sides; also, a similar wagon modified for use on railways.

anhedonic , adj : (psychiatry, also figuratively) Showing anhedonia; having no capacity to feel pleasure. American singer Usher’s song “Numb” was released on this day in 2012.

gamin , n : (dated, also attributively) A homeless boy; a male street urchin; also (more generally), a cheeky, street-smart boy.

Palladian , adj : (Greek mythology, rare) Of or relating to Pallas, an epithet of Athena, the goddess of wisdom. (by extension, rare) Of or relating to knowledge, study, or wisdom. […] (architecture) In the style of the Italian neoclassical architect Andrea Palladio. Palladian n (architecture) An architect who designs buildings in the Palladian style. The Italian architect Andrea Palladio, who is widely considered to be one of the most influential people in the history of architecture, died on this day in 1580.

disquisition , n : (archaic) A methodical inquiry or investigation. A lengthy, formal discourse that analyses or explains some topic; (loosely) a dissertation or treatise.

fatberg , n : A large accumulation of fat and discarded toiletries which clogs sewers.

pie-eyed , adj : (informal, originally US) With one's eyes wide open and staring in an expressionless manner; wide-eyed. (informal, by extension) (Extremely) drunk or intoxicated.

neroli , n : More fully neroli oil or oil of neroli: an essential oil distilled from the blossoms of the bitter orange or Seville orange (Citrus × aurantium subsp. amara) used to make perfumes. Today is Ferragosto, a public holiday in Italy. The term derives from the Latin feriae Augusti (holidays of the Emperor Augustus), and is said to have been introduced by Augustus after his victory at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C.E.

en masse , adv : In a single body or group; as one, together.

meteorwrong , n : (humorous) A rock that is believed to be a meteorite, but is in fact terrestrial in origin; a pseudometeorite. The Perseids meteor shower peaks on 12 and 13 August 2019.

sericulture , n : (agriculture) The rearing of silkworms for the production of silk. Queen Sirikit, the queen mother of Thailand after whom the Queen Sirikit Department of Sericulture is named, was born on this day in 1932. Her birthday is celebrated as a public holiday and also observed as National Mother’s Day in Thailand.

Weimarization , n : (politics, American spelling, Oxford British English) A state of economic crisis leading to political upheaval and extremism. On this day 100 years ago in 1919, the national assembly of the German state met in Weimar to adopt a new constitution, leading to the formation of the unstable Weimar Republic.

sere , adj : (archaic or literary, poetic) Without moisture; dry. (obsolete) Of fabrics: threadbare, worn out. [...] (obsolete or Britain, dialectal) Individual, separate, set apart. (obsolete or Britain, dialectal) Different; diverse.

sidle , v : (transitive, intransitive, also figuratively) To (cause something to) move sideways. (transitive, intransitive, also figuratively) In the intransitive sense often followed by up: to (cause something to) advance in a coy, furtive, or unobtrusive manner.

calabash , n : A tree (known as the calabash tree; Crescentia cujete) native to Central and South America, the West Indies, and southern Florida, bearing large, round fruit used to make containers (sense 3); the fruit of this tree. The bottle gourd (calabash vine, Lagenaria siceraria), a vine believed to have originated in Africa, which is grown for its fruit that are used as a vegetable and to make containers (sense 3); the fruit of this plant. A container made from the mature, dried shell of the fruit of one of the above plants; also, a similarly shaped container made from some other material. A calabash and its contents; as much as fills such a container. (music) A musical instrument, most commonly a drum or rattle, made from a calabash fruit.

planning permission , n : (Britain, construction, law) Legal permission granted by a government authority to construct on one's land, or to change the use of the land. The Town and Country Planning Act 1947 of the United Kingdom, which was the foundation of modern land-use planning in the country, received royal assent on this day in 1947 and came into force on 1 July 1948.

side-eye , v : (transitive) To look at out of the corner of one's eye, particularly with animosity, or in a judgmental or suspicious manner.

Spidey-sense , n : (humorous) An intuitive feeling, usually of something being dangerous or risky; (more generally) instinct, intuition. The fictional superhero Spider-Man made his debut this month in 1962 in the Marvel Comics comic book Amazing Fantasy #15.

kite , v : (transitive) To cause (something) to move upwards rapidly like a toy kite; also (chiefly US, figuratively) to cause (something, such as costs) to increase rapidly. (transitive, slang) To tamper with a document or record by increasing the quantity of something beyond its proper amount so that the difference may be unlawfully retained; in particular, to alter a medical prescription for this purpose by increasing the number of pills or other items. (transitive, video games) To keep ahead of (an enemy) in order to attack repeatedly from a distance, without exposing oneself to danger. (transitive, intransitive) To (cause to) glide in the manner of a kite (“bird”). (transitive, intransitive, banking, slang) To write or present (a cheque) on an account with insufficient funds, either to defraud or expecting that funds will become available by the time the cheque clears. (transitive, intransitive, US, slang, by extension) To steal. (transitive, intransitive, rare) To manipulate l...

hello girl , n : (telephony, informal, dated) A female telephone operator. Scottish-born engineer Alexander Graham Bell, who is credited with inventing and patenting the first practical telephone, died on this day in 1922.