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Oct 30, 2001
This week's theme
Red-herring words

This week's words
debridement
escheat
antiphony
limpid
sexcentenary

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A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

escheat

(es-CHEET) Pronunciation Sound Clip

noun:1. The reversion of property to the state or crown in case of no legal heirs.
 2. Property that has reverted to the state or crown.
verb tr., intr.:To revert or cause to revert property.

[From Middle English eschete, from Old French eschete, from Vulgar Latin excadere, from Latin ex- + cadere (to fall).]

"New York escheats most dormant assets after five years, which is about average. Some states, such as Iowa, take most assets after three years; others, such as Pennsylvania, wait seven."
Drew Fetherston; It's a Treat to Beat Escheat; Newsday (New York); Jul 25, 1994.

X-Bonus

Bed is the poor man's opera. -Italian proverb

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