51吃瓜 of the Day
jujitsu
[ joo-jit-soo ]
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noun
the use of an opponent's strengths or one's own weaknesses to accomplish a goal
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Why Dictionary.com chose jujitsu
More about jujitsu
- First recorded in 1870鈥�75.
- From the Japanese 箩奴箩颈迟蝉耻, a Japanese martial art of unarmed self-defense.
- Ultimately from two Middle Chinese words meaning “soft, pliant” and “art.”
EXAMPLES OF JUJITSU
- They practiced political jujitsu, letting the attack ads boost their own name recognition.
- He used social jujitsu to turn his chronic lateness into a grand entrance, arriving with a sheepish grin and cracking a joke to make it feel intentional.
equiponderate
[ ee-kwuh-pon-duh-reyt ]
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verb
to counterbalance or offset in weight, force, or importance
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Why Dictionary.com chose equiponderate
More about equiponderate
- First recorded in 1635鈥�45.
- Combines equi-, meaning “equally,” + the Latin 辫辞苍诲别谤腻谤别, meaning “to weigh or consider.”
EXAMPLES OF EQUIPONDERATE
- They used cinder blocks to equiponderate the uneven cargo in the truck bed.
- A bit of humor helped equiponderate the otherwise serious tone of the presentation.
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Why Dictionary.com chose cipher
More about cipher
- First recorded between 1350鈥�1400 and meant the symbol for zero.
- From Arabic 峁蹿谤, meaning “empty, zero;” this root also gives us the word zero.
- Ultimately from Sanskrit 艣奴苍测腻, meaning “empty.”
EXAMPLES OF CIPHER
- She spent hours trying to crack the ancient cipher found in the margins of the diary.
- The pen pals disguised their messages as ciphers, switching each letter with the next in the alphabet.
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