Garden Video Blog by a kid

airhead , n : (military) An area of hostile territory that has been seized for use as an airbase to ensure the further safe landing of troops and materiel. (by extension) A (usually temporary) landing area for aircraft for supplying a non-military operation. (mining, archaic) Alternative form of air-head (“a horizontal channel providing ventilation in a mine.”) To celebrate April Fools’ Day, we are featuring a series of homonyms of more common words – enjoy!

karozzin , n : (Malta, road transport) A type of traditional carriage pulled by a horse or pair of horses. Today is Jum il-Ħelsien or Freedom Day in Malta.

stilted , adj : Making use of or possessing a stilt or stilts, or things resembling stilts; raised on stilts. (figuratively) Elevated or raised in a contrived or unnatural way; stiff and artificially formal or pompous; also, depending on redundant, unnecessary elements. (architecture) Of a building or architectural feature such as an arch or vault: supported by stilts (“supporting pillars or posts”); also (generally) having the main part raised above the usual level by some structure.

tarantula , n : Any of the large, hairy New World spiders comprising the family Theraphosidae. (by extension) A member of certain other groups of spiders, generally characterized by large size, hairiness, or membership of infraorder Mygalomorphae to which Theraphosidae family also belongs. (dated) A species of wolf spider, Lycosa tarantula, native to southern Europe, the mildly poisonous bite of which was once thought to cause an extreme urge to dance (tarantism).

paracosm , n : A detailed imaginary world, especially one created by a child.

gracile , adj : (also figuratively) Lean, slender, thin. (anthropology, specifically) Of a hominid: having a slender body frame. Graceful or gracefully slender.

pandemic , adj : (epidemiology) Of a disease: epidemic over a wide geographical area and affecting a large proportion of the population; also, of or pertaining to a disease of this nature. (usually derogatory) General, widespread. [...] (not comparable, Greek mythology, Roman mythology, rare) Alternative letter-case form of Pandemic (“of Aphrodite Pandemos, the earthly aspect of the Greek goddess of beauty and love Aphrodite and her Roman counterpart Venus, as contrasted with the heavenly aspect of Aphrodite Urania: earthly, physical, sensual.”) pandemic n (epidemiology) A pandemic disease; a disease that affects a wide geographical area and a large proportion of the population. Two weeks ago, on 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to be a pandemic.

larynx , n : (anatomy) An organ of the neck of mammals situated just below where the tract of the pharynx splits into the trachea and the oesophagus (or esophagus). It is involved in breath control and protection of the trachea, and, because it houses the vocal cords, sound production.

abuzz , adj : In a buzz (“feeling or rush of energy or excitement”); buzzing. (postpositive) Characterized by a high level of activity or gossip.

Zephyrette , n : (historical) An on-board hostess on the California Zephyr train, which originally operated between 1949 and 1970. A lightweight print fabric used for women's dresses. The original California Zephyr train began its last journey on this day 50 years ago in 1970 in Chicago, Illinois, USA, arriving in Oakland, California, two days later.

clamber , v : To climb with some difficulty, or in a haphazard fashion. The Indonesian sport climber Aries Susanti Rahayu, currently the women’s world record holder in speed climbing, was born on this day 25 years ago in 1995.

bruxism , n : (dentistry) The habit or practice of grinding the teeth, as while sleeping, or due to stress or certain drugs. Today is World Oral Health Day, an annual event organized by the FDI World Dental Federation to raise awareness about oral health.

vernal , adj : Pertaining to or occurring in spring. (figuratively) Having characteristics like spring; fresh, young, youthful. Today is the eve of the March equinox, often regarded as the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, according to UTC.

grimoire , n : (occult) A book of instructions in the use of alchemy or magic, especially one containing spells for summoning demons.

clarsach , n : (music) A small triangular wire-strung harp of Gaelic origin; a Celtic harp. Today is Saint Patrick’s Day, the feast day of the patron saint of Ireland.

growl , v : (intransitive) To utter a deep guttural sound, as an angry animal; to give forth an angry, grumbling sound. (intransitive, jazz) Of a wind instrument: to produce a low-pitched rumbling sound. (intransitive, software) To send a user a message via the Growl software library. (transitive) To express (something) by growling. (transitive, jazz) To play a wind instrument in a way that produces a low-pitched rumbling sound.

slugabed , n : (archaic, now chiefly Canada, US) A lazy person who lies in bed after the usual time for getting up; a sluggard. Today is World Sleep Day in 2019, an event organized by the World Sleep Society to highlight the benefits of healthy sleep and the burden of sleep problems, and to promote the prevention and management of sleep disorders.

Pi Day , proper n : March 14th, an annual celebration of the mathematical constant π (pi).

ledger , n : A book for keeping notes, especially one for keeping accounting records; a record book, a register. A large, flat stone, especially one laid over a tomb. (accounting) A collection of accounting entries consisting of credits and debits. (construction) A board attached to a wall to provide support for attaching other structural elements (such as deck joists or roof rafters) to a building. (fishing) Short for ledger bait (“fishing bait attached to a floating line fastened to the bank of a pond, stream, etc.”) or ledger line (“fishing line used with ledger bait for bottom fishing; ligger”).

impostor syndrome , n : (psychology) A psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize his or her accomplishments, remaining convinced that he or she does not deserve any accompanying success.

jibe , v : (transitive) To reproach with contemptuous words; to deride, to mock, to taunt. (transitive) To say in a mocking or taunting manner. (intransitive) To make a mocking remark or remarks; to jeer. […] (intransitive, Canada, US, informal) To accord or agree.

audiation , n : (music) The comprehension and internal realization of music by an individual in the absence of any physical sound.

ply , v : (transitive, obsolete) To bend; to fold; to mould; (figuratively) to adapt, to modify; to change (a person's) mind, to cause (a person) to submit. (intransitive) To bend, to flex; to be bent by something, to give way or yield (to a force, etc.). […] (transitive) To work at (something) diligently. (transitive) To wield or use (a tool, a weapon, etc.) steadily or vigorously. (transitive) To press upon; to urge persistently. (transitive) To persist in offering something to, especially for the purpose of inducement or persuasion. (transitive, transport) To travel over (a route) regularly. (intransitive, obsolete) To work diligently. (intransitive, nautical, obsolete) To manoeuvre a sailing vessel so that the direction of the wind changes from one side of the vessel to the other; to work to windward, to beat, to tack.

muliebrity , n : (literary) The state or quality of being a woman; the features of a woman's nature; femininity, womanhood. (literary) The state of attainment of womanhood following maidenhood. (physiology) The state of puberty in a female. Today is designated by the United Nations as International Women’s Day, which commemorates the movement for women’s rights.

nervous , adj : Easily agitated or alarmed; edgy, on edge. Apprehensive, anxious, hesitant, worried. Relating to or affecting the nerves. (archaic) Having nerves; nervose. (obsolete) Showing nervous strength; sinewy, vigorous. (obsolete) Of a piece of writing: forceful, powerful.

periodic table , n : (chemistry) A tabular chart of the chemical elements according to their atomic numbers so that elements with similar properties are in the same group (column). On this day 150 years ago in 1869, Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev presented the first periodic table of elements to the Russian Chemical Society. In commemoration of this achievement, the United Nations General Assembly and UNESCO have proclaimed 2019 the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements.

dekulakize , v : (transitive, historical) Usually with reference to the Soviet Union and communist Eastern Europe: to dispossess (a kulak, that is, a prosperous peasant) of his or her property and/or rights. Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, whose administration implemented policies of collectivization and dekulakization in the 1920s and 1930s, died on this day in 1953.

not to put too fine a point on it , phrase : (idiomatic) Used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement one is making.

triangulation , n : (uncountable, surveying) A technique in which distances and directions are estimated from an accurately measured baseline and the principles of trigonometry; (countable) an instance of the use of this technique. (countable, surveying) The network of triangles so obtained, that are the basis of a chart or map. (countable, chess) A delaying move in which the king moves in a triangular path to force the advance of a pawn. (countable, geometry) A subdivision of a planar object into triangles, and by extension the subdivision of a higher-dimension geometric object into simplices. (uncountable, navigation, seismology) A process by which an unknown location is found using three known distances from known locations. (uncountable, politics) The practice of repositioning one's group or oneself on the political spectrum in an attempt to capture the centre. (uncountable, qualitative research) The use of three (or more) researchers to interview the same people or to evalu...

conversely , adv : (often conjunctive) With a reversed relationship. (conjunctive, loosely) From another point of view; on the other hand.