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Hand-waving (with various spellings) is a pejorative label for attempting to be seen as effective – in word, reasoning, or deed – while actually doing nothing effective or substantial. [1] It is often applied to debating techniques that involve fallacies , misdirection and the glossing over of details. [ 2 ]
The Online Etymology Dictionary or Etymonline, sometimes abbreviated as OED (not to be confused with the Oxford English Dictionary, which the site often cites), is a free online dictionary that describes the origins of English words, written and compiled by Douglas R. Harper. [1]
A linen handkerchief A lace handkerchief Morris dancers with handkerchiefs in Oxford. A handkerchief (/ ˈ h æ ŋ k ər tʃ ɪ f /; also called a hankie or, historically, a handkercher or a fogle [1]) is a form of a kerchief or bandanna, typically a hemmed square of thin fabric which can be carried in the pocket or handbag for personal hygiene purposes such as wiping one's hands or face, or ...
Pressing hands together with a smile to greet namaste – a common cultural gesture in India. Namaste (Sanskrit pronunciation:, [1] Devanagari: नमस्ते), sometimes called namaskār and namaskāram, is a customary Hindu [2] [3] [4] manner of respectfully greeting and honouring a person or group, used at any time of day. [5]
A variation on a dap greeting, 2009. The practice and term originated among black soldiers during the Vietnam War as part of the Black Power movement. [3] [4] Ninety percent of those imprisoned in the Long Binh Jail during the war were African Americans; it was in the jail that the handshake was created under pan-African nationalist influences.
The origin of the term is unknown. According to etymologist Anatoly Liberman, the only certain detail about its origin is the word was first noticed in American English circa 1890. [2] The term has also been dated to 1889 in the Western—probably Northwestern—United States, [5] and to 1888. [6]
The word tattoo, or tattow in the 18th century, is a loanword from the Samoan word tatau, meaning "to strike", [2] [3] from Proto-Oceanic *sau₃ referring to a wingbone from a flying fox used as an instrument for the tattooing process. [4] The Oxford English Dictionary gives the etymology of tattoo as "In 18th c
A definition states the meaning of a word using other words. This is sometimes challenging. Common dictionaries contain lexical descriptive definitions, but there are various types of definition – all with different purposes and focuses. A definition is a statement of the meaning of a term (a word, phrase, or other set of symbols).