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Mercenary (n/adj) (Latin)
- 1. a hireling; a hired professional soldier
- 2. motivated solely by a desire for material gain
- RF: mercenariness
- S: freelancer, greedy
- A: altruistic, disinterested
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Moot (adj/v) (Old English)
- 1. Debatable and therefore unresolved
- 2. To bring up for discussion
- P: moot question; moot court
- RP: Gordian knot, foregone conclusion
- S: questionable, pose
- A: indisputable, irrefutable
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Morass (n) (Dutch/French)
- swamp/bog; confused situation that is difficult to get out of
- S: marsh, quagmire
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Motley (n/adj) (Old English)
- 1. multicolored cloth worn by clowns
- 2. diverse and varied
- RF: mottled;mottle
- RP: pluralistic society, diversified economy, checkered career
- S: heterogeneous, miscellaneous
- A: homogeneous, uniform
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Mundane (adj) (Latin)
- worldly(as opposed to spiritual); everyday
- RF: mundanely
- RP: worldly goods, worldly wisdom, man of the world
- S: ordinary, routine
- A: celestial. heavenly
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Myriad (adj) (Greek)
- countless, innumerable
- UN: in older writing used as a noun
- S: infinite, manifold
- A: finite, limited
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Narcissistic (adj) (Greek)
- dominated by excessive love for oneself
- RF: narcissism, narcissist
- RP: amour propre
- S: egotistic, conceited
- A: self-destructive, self-critical
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Nebulous (adj) (Latin)
- vague
- P: nebulous recollection of an event, nebulous fears and suspicions
- RF: nebulousness, nebulosity, nebula
- S: opaque, fuzzy
- A:clear, distinct
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Negligible (adj) (Latin)
- too small to be significant
- RF: negligibility, neglgibleness
- RP: small potatoes, trivia
- S: insignificant, trifling
- A: significant, meaningful
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Nepotism (n) (Italian/Latin)
- unwarranted favoritism shown to relatives/friends by someone in high office
- RF: nepotist, nepotistic(al)
- RP: client state, spoils system, merit system
- S: bias, partiality
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Nomadic (adj) (Greek)
- wandering
- RF: nomad
- P: urban nomads
- RP: footloose and fancy-free, fly-by-night, operation, rowing reporter, Peripatetic philosopher, migrant farm worker, wanderlust
- S: itinerant, migratory
- A: settled, stationary
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Nominal (adj) (Latin)
- 1. Existing in name only
- 2. Insignificantly small
- P: nominal Christian, nominal representation of the board
- RF: nominally, nominalism, nominalist
- RP: puppet ruler
- S: token, symbolic
- A: real, actual
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Nostalgia (n) (Greek)
- longing to return to the past
- RF: nostalgic
- S: sorrow, regret
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Novice (n) (Medieval Latin)
- 1. someone who has just entered a religious order on a probationary basis
- 2. beginner
- RF: novitate
- RP:still wet behind the ears, babe in the woods, freshman senator, black belt in karate
- UN: occasionally used as an adj.
- S: rookie, trainee
- A: expert, pro
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Nuance (n) (French/Latin)
- slight/subtle variation in meaning, expression, tone, feeling, color, etc.
- RP: fine point, read between the lines, read the small print
- S: subtlety, refinement
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Nominal Christian
not a real devout
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Fly-By-Night
not reliable/responsible, esp. in business
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Raglan
shirt with no sleeves @ shoulder, sleeve that extends in 1 piece
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Levi's
jeans; 1st to put metal tabs on pant for reinforcement
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Madras
cotton cloth w/ plaid, striped, or checkered pattern
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Lisle v. Calico
- Lisle: fine, strong thread
- Calico: cotton fabric w/ small bright colored motifs
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