lanyard

A cord designed to hold something around the neck, usually with a clip at the end on which to fasten the object. Used for easy exposure and/or quick access to an ID badge, keys, etc.
"We could tell who the roadies were at the rock concert, because they each wore an 'all-access backstage pass' on a lanyard."
"Oh, so THAT'S what those things are called."
by Bill M. July 29, 2004
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redundancy

A set of words in common usage that includes a needless modifier. Not to be confused with an oxymoron (where two terms of the same phrase literally contradict each other) or euphamism (a phrase used to change the emotional charge of a a word or phrase).
Examples of actual redundancies:

- ATM machine ("Automatic teller machine machine"? Just say "ATM".)
- PIN number ("Personal identification number number"?)
- "Call now for your FREE GIFT!" (well of course it's free, otherwise it wouldn't be a gift!)
- end result
- bare naked
- past experience
by Bill M. August 27, 2004
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machine head

1. One of several flattened pegs found at the top end of a stringed instrument, which when manually turned with the hand, adjusts the pitch of the corresponding string :: TUNING PEG

2. (Warner Bros, 1972) Title of an album by heavy metal pioneering band Deep Purple, featuring the band's all-time biggest hit "Smoke On The Water"

3. (1992 - ) Heavy metal band from San Francisco, very influential on harsher, more aggressive-sounding metal bands that would arise later in the decade. See www.machinehead1.com for more information
One day, Robert Flynn of Machine Head was jamming along with Deep Purple's "Machine Head" album, but the low "E" string on his guitar was out of tune, so he had to turn the string's machine head.
by Bill M. July 27, 2004
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ironic

1. A situation where the result is a complete reverse (and practical mockery) of what was expected

2. A word heavy misused and abused in conversation today, mostly by people who think that using the word in any way will automatically make them seem intelligent. The word is usually misused to exactly mean "coincidental" or "tragic", when again it doesn't mean this (see #1)
If the heavy metal band Anthrax dies of anthrax, that would be poetically tragic, but not ironic. If a diabetic crosses the street and is run over by a truck carrying insulin, then it's ironic.

"Isn't it ironic that the pop song 'Ironic' contains absolutely no examples of irony?"

"One issue of Mad Magazine showed Alfred E. Neuman face-down in the desert, crushed to death by a parachuted crate of first aid supplies. Now THAT was ironic!"
by Bill M. July 27, 2004
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cheesy

1) Any form of entertainment (music, movies) or aesthetic (hair style, photo pose) that the status quo has deemed fully open to ridicule, usually with no explanation. More specifically, the status quo here being that of Generation X. "tacky" and "dated" are closely related words, but far from being exact synonyms.

2) Anything the speaker doesn't like, which makes it an immensely vague adjective

3) A term embraced by young self-proclaimed non-conformists, to hypocritically distinguish what they've been taught to dislike from what they've been taught to like
"Family Ties? That show was so cheesy!"

"Ha ha ha...Cameron just bought these used hair metal CDs he found in the store. The CDs are so cheesy! In fact, we hated them so much, that we kept listening to them last night and singing along until 4 in the morning."
by Bill M. July 24, 2004
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tuner

1. A electric device used for tuning a musical instrument to its proper pitch
2. One who professionally tunes a musical instrument
1. My tuner indicates that this guitar string is too sharp (high)
2. The piano sounds really bad. We should call in a piano tuner some day.
by Bill M. July 28, 2004
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deism

The belief that God (or some form of deity or divine creator) exists, but plays no interactive role in our day to day lives
The founding fathers of the United States were largely deists.
by Bill M. July 27, 2004
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