V-2

Noun (abbreviation): a sub-orbital, intermediate range ballistic missile carrying an explosive warhead, officially known (in German) as "Vergeltungswaffe 2" (Eng. trans: "Vengeance weapon 2"), deployed by Nazi Germany against Britain and other Allied European nations beginning in September of 1944, and continuing until the cessation of its production in March, 1945.

"The V-2 was Hitler's last hope to stave off defeat, but his scientists were unable to develop a nuclear warhead which could be delivered to London, or multiple rocket staqes which could have placed Washington, D.C. within reach of the weapon."

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turtle

Verb (nautical terminology): to capsize, as in a boat, ship, or other sea-going vessel.

After a merciless bombardment by American dive bombers, the Japanese superbattleship "Yamato" turned turtle and sank, taking nearly her entire crew to the bottom.

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white dwarf

Noun (astrophysics term): the small, highly-dense stellar body remaining after the nova detonation of a "main sequence" star, typically Earth-sized in overall dimension, but displacing a gravitational mass equivalent to that of the Earth's Sun.

Astrophysicists now calculate that white dwarf stars may account for as much as 6% of all the known stars in our quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy.

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Adam 12

A television series produced by Jack Webb Productions, debuting on September 21, 1968 on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) television network, set in the Los Angeles, CA metropolitan area, featuring actors Martin Milner as LAPD Officer Peter Malloy, and Kent McCord as his partner, LAPD Officer James Reed. Series terminated in 1975.

"We're gonna watch Adam 12 tonight on TV. Wanna come over and watch it with us?"

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harpago

Noun (ancient Roman naval terminology): a catapult-launched grappling hook, invented in the 1st century BCE by Marcus Agrippa, and successfully employed by himself (as commander of Roman naval forces) during the Battle of Actium, against the forces of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII, and her ally, the Roman triumvir Marcus Antonius (a.k.a. Mark Anthony).

"When Antony's larger Egyptian ships had penetrated the Roman line, Agrippa's smaller galleys successfully reeled them in for close marine combat by using the harpago."

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opposite number

Name: an individual equal in authority, status and capability to ones' self, yet in the employ of a directly rival organization.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Agent Smith from the CIA finally met his opposite number in the KGB.

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El Kabong

Name: alter-ego of American cartoon character 'Quick Draw McGraw', a masked avenger styled in the manner of 'Zorro' (q.v.), wielding a guitar with which he would subdue evildoers with the exclamation "Ka-Bong!". Created in 1959 by Hanna-Barbera Productions.

The people living near the hacienda were repeatedly harassed by a gang of bandits, until the arrival of the mysterious El Kabong.

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