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A.Word.A.Day--pied piper

pied piper (pied PIE-puhr) noun

1. A person who offers others strong yet delusive enticements.

2. One, such as a leader, who makes irresponsible promises.

[After The Pied Piper of Hamelin, title and hero of a poem by Robert Browning.]

"No team had promised to come here, but suddenly (Jerry) Clinton was being hounded to get out. At such a time, the Pied Piper tootled up Plan B. Clinton did take action, pursuing teams to move here. But with no vocal supporters, he kept piping up in his own defense. A Pipe Dream Still in Reach, He Won't Cave in, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Aug 30, 1994.

This week's theme: eponyms.

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