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A. Patmos's definitions

consistometer

A consistometer is a simple tool used to measure how thick or runny a liquid or fluid (like a sauce or jelly) is.
Ketchup specialists can test how watery or gloppy their ketchup is using a consistometer device. The device releases liquid into a trough, and users can time the time and distance it takes for the liquid to release a measurement line. A longer distance indicates that the ketchup is runny; a shorter distance indicates that the ketchup is thick.
by A. Patmos November 23, 2025
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sluice gate

A vertically-lifting gate or artificial barrier which can restrict or release the flow of a liquid or fluid, esp. in the context of large volumes of water.
The sluice gate remained closed thus preventing the channel from flowing from the man-made resevoir into the ocean.
by A. Patmos November 23, 2025
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short payment

A partial payment that is less than the total invoiced amount due to reasons like disputes, errors, or unapproved discounts.
To gracefully handle a short payment, verify the discrepancy, then promptly and professionally contact the client to understand the reason for the short payment. Based on their explanation, work with them to find a mutually agreeable solution, such as a payment plan or a future credit.
by A. Patmos November 23, 2025
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notification bell

Popularized by the video-sharing platform YouTube, this feature (in the form of a bell icon) allows users to receive alerts about each new video uploaded to a specific channel.
YouTube creator: "Please like the video, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to get notified whenever I upload new videos to my channel!"
by A. Patmos November 23, 2025
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Bostwick consistometer

A specific type of consistometer with a rectangular structure and a sluice gate; the opening of the gate causes the fluid within to flow; the distance and time it takes for the fluid to flow helps the user determine how runny or gloppy the substance is. In the United States, manufacturers of tomato ketchup are required to measure the consistency of their ketchup with a Bostwick consistometer.
Ketchup flowed through the Bostwick consistometer at a rate of 5.0 centimeters per 30 seconds, therefore it is of satisfactory consistency.
by A. Patmos November 23, 2025
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the slate

The taint region of an animal, esp. pet dogs. Due to a dog's lack of buttocks, the region between the anus and genitals tends to lack any discernible features and instead exists only as a relatively plain and flat surface.
I awoke in my bed beside my dog, whose rear end was particularly close to my face. I was initially alarmed but was relieved to find that I was in closer proximity to the slate than the actual hole.
by A. Patmos November 23, 2025
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spoon of Diocles

An ancient Greco-Roman surgical instrument described by the Roman encyclopedist Celsus (1st century CE) and attributed to the Greek physician Diocles of Carystus (4th century BCE). Its intended purpose was to safely extract barbed arrowheads through the original entry wound without causing additional tearing of soft tissues. It was designed to be inserted alongside the arrow, rotated so the arrowhead fits into the hole, and then withdrawn with the arrow enclosed.

A 22 cm metal tool found in the Domus del Chirurgo (Rimini, Italy) is considered by archaeologists to be one of the only physical examples.
Some historians believe that the physician of king Philip II of Macedon used a spoon of Diocles to successfully remove an arrow from the king's eye without disfiguring him.
by A. Patmos November 24, 2025
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