Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not

benefic \buh-NEFF-ik\ adjective
: of, having, or exerting a favorable influence

Ashlee Simpson has had a benefic effect on Pete Wentz's goal of destroying any musical credibility he once had.

Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not

emulate \EM-yuh-layt\ verb 1 a : to strive to equal or excel b : imitate; 2 : to equal or approach equality with

Cameron Diaz emulated the hair style of the drunk girl at the frat party for the Academy Awards.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not

logy \LOH-ghee\ adjective
: marked by sluggishness and lack of vitality : groggy

Because of her lazy eye, Paris Hilton sometimes looks half asleep, but she's not logy at all.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not

jaundiced \adjective\ JAWN-dist
1 : affected with or as if with a disease characterized by yellow pigmentation of the skin; 2 : exhibiting or influenced by envy, distaste, or hostility

Despite fair skin and a sweet smile, because of bad tanner and a childhood spent in Hollywood, Lindsay Lohan always looks a bit jaundiced when she goes out.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not

contumely \kahn-TOO-muh-lee\ noun
: harsh language or treatment arising from haughtiness and contempt; also : an instance of such language or treatment

Since we write about celebrities so much, we save our contumely for only the most deserving of fame seekers.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not

poltergeist \POL-ter-ghyste\ noun
: a noisy usually mischievous ghost held to be responsible for unexplained noises (as rappings)

One wonders if Britney Spears heard poltergeists back in her "Hit Me Baby One More Time" days.

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whodunit \hoo-DUN-it\ noun
: a detective story or mystery story

How exactly Paris Hilton became famous is a regular Hollywood whodunit.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not

mash \MASH\ noun
: an intense and usually passing infatuation; also : the object of infatuation

Teenage girls and boys have had mashes on Madonna for the past twenty years.

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dégringolade \day-gran-guh-LAHD\ noun
: a rapid decline or deterioration (as in strength, position, or condition) : downfall

Britney Spears's performance at the MTV Video Awards was the beginning of her dégringolade.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not.

collegium \kuh-LEG-ee-um\ noun
: a group in which each member has approximately equal power and authority

Heidi and Spencer never felt like they were in a collegium with Lauren because as the narrator, she has more power over the show.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not.

philippic \fuh-LIP-ik\ noun
: a discourse or declamation full of bitter condemnation : tirade

Dina Lohan probably didn't give her daughter Lindsay too many philippics growing up, and look what happened.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not.

sitzmark \SITS-mark\ noun: a depression left in the snow by a skier falling backward

While he was at Sundance last month, William H. Macy wasn't worried about leaving sitzmarks in the snow, he was more concerned with networking.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not.

nebula \NEB-yuh-luh\ noun 1 : any of numerous clouds of gas or dust in interstellar space; 2 : galaxy; especially : a galaxy other than the Milky Way

Rose O'Donnell, forever operating in her own nebula, announced on her blog in stanza form that she was giving up drinking to lose weight.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not.

haplology \hap-LAH-luh-jee\ noun: contraction of a word by omission of one or more similar sounds or syllables

Due to his Texas upbringing and surfer tendencies, Matthew McConaughey often lets a haplology slip in his speech.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not.

scission \SIZH-un\ noun 1 : a division or split in a group or union : schism; 2 : an action or process of cutting, dividing, or splitting : the state of being cut, divided, or split

It looks like John Travolta had a scission with his old toupee.

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luminary \LOO-muh-nair-ee\ noun 1 : a person of prominence or brilliant achievement; 2 : a body that gives light; especially : one of the celestial bodies

Say what you will about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, but the two are luminaries in controlling their image as a couple.

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assuage \uh-SWAYJ\ verb 1 : to lessen the intensity of (something that pains or distresses) : ease; 2 : pacify, quiet; 3 : to put an end to by satisfying : appease, quench

Justin Chambers checked into UCLA Medical Center's psych ward to assuage what his rep calls "a sleeping disorder."

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jehu \JEE-hyoo\ noun : a driver of a coach or cab

House of Wax costars Paris Hilton and Elisha Cuthbert were seen making out at a New York club on Tuesday night. We wonder if they continued the performance in front of their jehu on the way to a Hilton hotel.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not.

beholden \bih-HOHL-dun\ adjective: being under obligation for a favor or gift : indebted

Because she feels beholden to her public relations agent and she loved Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, Hayden Panettiere has become an advocate for the whales.

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Our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you’re not.

Lucullan \loo-KULL-un\ adjective: lavish, luxurious

Drew Barrymore and Justin Long seem like a rare Hollywood couple uninterested in the Lucullan perks that come with being famous. Either that, or their P.R. reps are really good.

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