• BID
n. 1. 1892 Eng. dial. – a request or an invitation
n. 2. Bk1904 Amer. college sl. – an Irish servant-girl
n. 3. 1965 US prison sl. – a prison sentence
n. 4. Bk1975 US students’ sl. – a ticket of admission to a prom
vb. 1. 1805 Sc. & Eng. dial. – to invite, esp. to a wedding or funeral, at which attendance is regarded as compulsory
vb. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – to desire, to wish
vb. 3. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – to pray
• BID A BEAD
vb. c1250 – to offer a prayer
• BIDACIOUSLY
adv. 1915 Amer. dial. – thoroughly, completely, extremely
• BID BASE
vb. 1548 obs. – to challenge
• BIDDABLE
adj. 1892 Sc. & Eng. dial. – obedient, docile
• BIDDABLENESS
n. Bk1911 Sc. – docility; compliance
• BIDDABLY
adv. 1895 Sc. – obediently, meekly
• BIDDELS
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. obs. – the guests invited to a funeral
• BIDDENABLE
adj. Bk1911 Sc. – obedient, docile
• BIDDER
n. 1825 Eng. dial. – a person sent to invite the guests to a funeral, or occasionally to a wedding
• BIDDIE
n. 1940s African-American sl. – an attractive little girl or small old woman
• BIDDIES ON A RAFT
n. c1915 US lunch-counter usage – eggs on toast
• BIDDING
n. 1. 1655 Sc. & Eng. dial. – an invitation, esp. to a funeral or wedding
n. 2. 1849 Sc. – a wedding party at which a collection, in money or kind, is made for the bride and bridegroom
• BIDDING-BELL
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – the funeral bell, a small bell used immediately before the commencement of service
• BIDDING-FEAST
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a funeral repast
• BIDDLE-BADDLE
adj. 1886 Eng. dial. – trifling, of small account
• BIDDY
int. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a call to fowls, ducks, or swans
n. 1. E17 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – a chicken; a fowl
n. 2. 1785 sl., now mainly derogatory except in US Black use – an Irish maidservant
n. 3. 1785 sl., somewhat derogatory – a woman, esp. a young woman
n. 4. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a louse; occasionally, a flea
n. 5. 1924 US sl. – any maid or housekeeper
n. 6. 1938 sl. – a fussy, mean or quarrelsome old woman (usually as ‘old biddy’)
n. 7. 1939 Amer. dial. – an old ewe
n. 8. 1940s African-American sl. – an attractive little girl or small old woman
• BIDDY-BASE
vb. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – of children: to run backwards and forwards, to patter about
• BIDDY COOP
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – a chicken coop
• BIDDY-HEN
n. 1907 Amer. dial. – a hen
• BIDDYKIN
n. 1. 1952 Amer. dial. – a little chicken
n. 2. 1952 Amer. dial. – a little person
• BIDDY-PECK
vb. 1970 Amer. dial. – to nag, to hen-peck
• BIDDY-PECKED
adj. 1970 Amer. dial. – henpecked
• BIDDY PEN
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – a chicken coop
• BIDDY’S EYES
n. 1825 Eng. dial. – the pansy, Viola tricolor
• BIDE
n. Bk1911 Sc. – pain, suffering
vb. 1914 Amer. dial. – to tolerate, to endure
• BIDEABLE
adj. 1923 Amer. dial. – bearable, tolerable
• BIDE-ABOUT
vb. 1. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – to be given to drinking
vb. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – to loiter
• BIDE A WEE
vb. 1918 Sc. – to stay a while
• BIDGE
vb. 1388 Eng. dial. – to buy
• BIDGEE WHALER
n. M19 Aust. sl. – an itinerant tramp whose ‘beat’ focuses on the rivers of New South Wales
• BIDING
prep. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – excepting, except; in spite of
n. Bk1911 Sc. – endurance; enduring
• BIDINGS
n. Bk1911 Sc. – sufferings
• BIDNESS
n. 1850s African-American sl. – business
• BIDSTAND
n. 1600 obs. – a highwayman
• BID THE TIME OF DAY
vb. 1892 Eng. dial. – to wish good-morning
• BIE!
int. 1924 Amer. dial. – come!; used as a call to chickens
• BIEL
n. Bk1911 Sc. – a shelter, refuge; a home, house; anything that shelters or shades
vb. Bk1911 Sc. – to shelter, to protect; to take shelter
• BIELD
adj. 1801 Sc. – sheltered
n. 1725 Sc. & Eng. dial. – shelter, refuge; also, a house, any object with shelters
vb. 1865 Eng. dial. – to shelter, to protect; also, to take shelter
• BIELDING
n. 1724 Sc. – shelter; protection
• BIELDY
adj. 1789 Sc. & Eng. dial. – snug, sheltered; affording shelter or warmth
• BIELY
adj. Bk1911 Sc. – furnishing shelter; snug
• BIEN
adj. 1. 16C sl. – good; excellent; first-rate
adj. 2. 1725 Sc. – snug, comfortable, cosy
adj. 3. 1816 Sc. – thriving, well-to-do
n. Bk1903 sl. – £1
• BIEN-LIKE
adj. 1808 Sc. – having an appearance of comfort and well-being
• BIENLY
adv. 1788 Sc. – comfortably, easily, happily
• BIENNESS
n. 1818 Sc. – prosperity, comfort, the condition of being well-to-do
• BIER
n. 1. 1250 obs. rare – a wave, a billow
n. 2. Bk1911 Sc. – a shout; a complaint
vb. Bk1911 Sc. – to roar as a bull
• BIERLY
adj. Bk1911 Sc. – big, burly
• BIF
int. 1905 – exclamation uttered when something strikes an object
n. 1. 1890 Amer. dial. – a sharp or quick blow
n. 2. 1990s UK sl. – a cigarette
n. 3. Bk2007 UK sl. – the vagina
vb. 1890 Amer. dial. – to strike or hit
• BIFARIOUS
adj. 1656 arch. or obs. – two-fold, double, ambiguous; capable of being interpreted in two ways; that may be understood two ways
• BIFF
adv. 1847 Amer. dial. – with a short, sharp blow
int. 1924 Amer. dial. – used to describe the sound of a blow with the fist
n. 1. 1847 Amer. sl. – a whack, a hard punch or blow; a slap
n. 2. 1884 Eng. dial. – the bough of a tree
n. 3. 1908 US sl. – in baseball: a base hit
n. 4. 1918 US sl. – zest; liveliness; zip
n. 5. 1929-32 US sl., chiefly African-American – an offensive, unattractive, or promiscuous woman
n. 6. 1929-32 US sl. – a dumb, dunce-like girl
n. 7. 1956 US sl. – a lavatory
n. 8. 1968 Amer. dial. – a black eye
n. 9. Bk1975 US musicians’ usage – an unsuccessfully played high note on a brass instrument
n. 10. 1990s UK sl. – a cigarette
n. 11. 1994 UK sl. – an Internet user deemed to be embarrassing or unfortunate
n. 12. Bk2007 UK sl. – the vagina
vb. 1. 1888 sl. – to whack, to hit hard, to strike
vb. 2. 1895 US students’ sl. – to refuse; to repulse
vb. 3. 1894 US Naval Academy usage – to do a thing well
vb. 4. 1900 US students’ sl. – to study hard
vb. 5. Bk1975 US sl. – to take or win a card or trick in a card game, or a checker, or chess piece
vb. 6. 1989 US students’ sl. – to fail
vb. 7. 1990s UK sl. – to have sex (with)
• BIFFA
n. 1. Bk2007 UK sl. – an ugly or unattractive female
n. 2. Bk2007 UK sl. – the vagina
• BIFF-BANG
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – noisily
• BIFF-BOOM-BANG
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – noisily
• BIFFED
adj. 1925 US sl. – drunk
• BIFFER
n. 1. 1929-32 US sl., chiefly African-American – an offensive, unattractive, or promiscuous woman
n. 2. Bk2007 UK sl. – the vagina
• BIFFAGE
n. Bk2007 UK sl. – an attractive female or females in general
• BIFF-GUY
n. Bk1975 US criminals’ sl. – a hoodlum or thug
• BIFFIE
n. 1960s Can. sl. – a toilet
• BIFFING
n. 1975 US sl. – a beating
• BIFFY
adj. 20C Brit. sl. – intoxicated with alcohol
n. 1. Bk1911 Sc. – a nickname for a short, pursy fellow
n. 2. 1942 US sl. – a lavatory
• BIFTA
adj. Bk2007 sl. – wonderful, impressive
n. 1. 1970s playground sl. – a cigarette
n. 2. Bk2007 sl. – a marijuana cigarette
n. 3. Bk2007 sl. – marijuana, cannabis
n. 4. Bk2007 sl. – something wonderful or impressive
• BIFTAD
n. 1987 US teen sl. – a male preppie
• BIG
adj. 1. 1597 colloq. – great, important; of high position or standing
adj. 2. 1641 Eng. dial. – of the wind: strong, violent
adj. 3. 1828 Sc. & Eng. dial. – proud, haughty, consequential, conceited
adj. 4. 1855 Eng. dial. – great with young, pregnant
adj. 5. 1887 US colloq. – of money: in large amounts
adj. 6. 1890 Eng. dial. – of a river or water: swollen, in flood
adj. 7. Bk1898 Sc. – friendly, intimate, ‘thick’
adj. 8. 1967 Amer. dial. – of a frost: severe
adj. 9. 1970 US sl. – well-known, as by word of mouth
adv. 1865 – conspicuously; notably; also, with great success, to a great extent
n. 1. 1682 Eng. dial. – a pap, or teat
n. 2. 1948 US sl. – an influential, important, or celebrated person; a big shot
vb. 1. 1737 Sc. & Eng. dial. – to build
vb. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – to make big, to magnify
vb. 3. Bk1911 Sc. – to build a nest
vb. 4. 1917 Amer. dial. – to make pregnant
vb. 5. 1972 Amer. dial. – to exaggerate
• BIG 8
n. 20C drug culture sl. – one eighth kilogram of crack
• BIG A
n. 1. 1959 US Air Force usage – an Atlas ICBM
n. 2. 1976 US sl. – Atlanta, Georgia
n. 3. 1987 US sl. – Australia
• THE BIG A
n. 1. 1955 US sl. – a city or other named entity that bears the initial A
n. 2. 1980 US sl. – New York City
n. 3. 1986 US sl. – the disease AIDS
• BIG AMERICA
n. World War II Amer. sl. – the United States
• BIGAMIZE
vb. a1861 US – to commit bigamy
• BIG AND PRONTO
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – immediately; shortly
• BIG ANIMAL
n. 19C US rural euphemism – a bull
• BIG APPLE
n. 1944 US sl. – any big city or town
• THE BIG APPLE
n. 1. 1909 US sl. – Broadway and the jazz and entertainment centres of New York City; hence, New York City itself
n. 2. 1921 US sl. – in horse racing: the New York metropolitan racing circuit, including the major Long Island tracks
n. 3. 1937 – a dance popular in the late 1930s
n. 4. 1971 US sl. – the highest prize
• BIG AS A BARN DOOR
adj. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – very large
• BIG AS A BARN SIDE
adj. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – very large
• BIG AS A BEE’S KNEE
adj. 1838 – of a very small size; trifling, insignificant
• BIG AS A BUSHEL
adj. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – very large
• BIG AS ALL OUTDOORS
n. 1825 Amer. dial. – something in the extreme
• BIG AS BULL BEEF
adj. Bk1898 Eng. – as proud as a peacock, vain, self-centred
• BIG ASK
n. 1. 1989 Aust. sl. – the asking price for a racehorse that is considered over-priced
n. 2. 1994 Aust. sl. – a request
• BIG AS S
adj. Bk1898 Eng. – as proud as a peacock, vain, self-centred
• BIG-ASS
adj. 1955 US sl. – big, important, or overly important
n. 1963 US sl. – (usually as ‘big ass’) an influential, important or celebrated person; a big shot; used derisively
vb. 1984 US sl. – to make a fool of
• BIG-ASS BIRD
n. 1961 US aviation usage – a usually multi-engine airplane having very large tail surfaces; the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
• BIG-ASSED
adj. 1945 US sl. – large
• BIG-ASSED BIRD
n. 1965 US aviation usage – a usually multi-engine airplane having very large tail surfaces; the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
• BIG AS THE SIDE OF A MEETINGHOUSE
adj. 1967 Amer. dial. – very fat
• BIG AUGER
n. 1868 US West usage – an important person; a boss; a foreman
• BIG B
n. 1. 1944 US Air Force usage – a nickname for Berlin; also with ‘the’
n. 2. 1974 US sl. – Baltimore, Maryland
• BIG BABOON
n. 20C sl. – an oaf; a jerk
• BIG BAG
n. 1969 US sl. – a large bag of heroin; heroin
• BIG BANANA
n. 1984 US sl. – an important or influential person; a boss
• THE BIG BANANA
n. 1980 US sl. – the top prize or recognition; the focus of interest or attention
• THE BIG BANG
n. 1983 sl. – the deregulation of the London Stock Exchange on 27 October, 1986, when a number of complex changes in trading practices were put into effect simultaneously
• BIG BEAN
n. World War II Amer. sl. – a person of importance
• BIG-BEE
n. 1893 Eng. dial. – a drone
• BIG-BELLIED
adj. 1803 – having a big belly, corpulent; hence, pregnant
• BIG BEN
n. 1. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a nickname for a fat person
n. 2. 1962 US sl. – in craps: the point ten
• THE BIG BENCH
n. 1929 US journalists’ usage – the United States Supreme Court
• BIG BERTHA
n. 1. 1914 military usage – a German long-range gun of the heaviest calibre; broadly, a heavy artillery piece
n. 2. 1915 – a heavy artillery shell fired by a Big Bertha gun
n. 3. 1921 US sl. – an overweight or heavy woman; often used as a derisive nickname
n. 4. 1931 US sl. – something unusually large or impressive
• BIG BILL
n. 1930s US criminals’ sl. – $1000
• BIG BIT
n. 1940s US criminals’ sl. – a long prison sentence
• BIG BITCH
n. 1960s US prison sl. – a conviction under any crime that carries a mandatory life sentence, or a sentence so long that it is an equivalent
• BIG BLINK
n. 1970s sl. – death
• BIG BLOKE
n. 1. 1910s Aust. sl. – a boss, a superior
n. 2. 1930s drug culture rhyming sl. – cocaine
• BIG BLOW
n. 1. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – a boaster, a braggart
n. 2. 20C Aust. & US sl. – a hurricane
• BIG BLUE
n. 1. 1984 US sl. – IBM corporation
n. 2. 1987 US students’ sl. – the University of Michigan; a sports team. esp. the football team, of the University of Michigan
• BIG BOARD
n. 1934 US sl. – any major stock exchange
• THE BIG BOARD
n. 1984 US sl. – the New York Stock Exchange Inc.
• BIG BOAT
n. 1910s sl. – a large, traditional American car, esp. a large station wagon
• BIG BOB
n. L19 sl. – an aristocrat; a notable person
• BIG BOOB
n. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – a stupid fellow
• BIG BOOT
n. 1. Bk1944 services’ sl. – the General
n. 2. 1969 US sl. – a powerful person; an important or influential person
• BIG BOPPER
n. 1980s US sl. – a superior person or one who claims to be
• THE BIG BOPPER
n. 1966 US sl. – a person holding paramount authority
• BIG-BORE
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – important
• THE BIG BOSS
n. 1926 US sl. – God
• BIG BOUT YAH
adj. 1980s W. Indies usage – of a person: important
• BIG BOW-WOW
n. 1. World War II Amer. sl. – a regimental sergeant major
n. 2. World War II Amer. sl. – an important person
• BIG BOY
n. 1. 1918 sl., orig. US – a term of address to a male; usually used ironically
n. 2. 1920s African-American sl. – a foolish, reckless, devil-may-care young man; a loveable idiot
n. 3. 1920s US criminals’ sl. – the head of an organized crime syndicate or some equivalent figure
n. 4. 1924 sl., orig. US – a high-ranking or important person
n. 5. 1929 US sl. – a judge of a high court
n. 6. 1942 Amer. dial. – a stout fellow
n. 7. 1970s US sl. – a shotgun
n. 8. Bk1975 US criminals’ sl. – a $100 bill
n. 9. Bk1975 US lunch-counter usage – a hamburger sandwich with two hamburgers on it
n. 10. Bk2004 Amer. World War I sl. – a large gun, generally of an eight-inch bore or more
vb. 1967 Amer. dial. – (usually as ‘big-boy’) to take advantage of someone; to bully or tease
• THE BIG BOY
n. 1962 US sl. – God
• BIG BOY WITH A FEVER
n. 1. World War II Amer. sl. – a man with a venereal disease
n. 2. World War II Amer. sl. – a passionate man
• BIG BOZO
n. World War II Amer. sl. – a corpulent man
• BIG BRAG
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – a braggart
• BIG BRASS
n. 1899 sl., orig. US – applied to officers of high rank in the armed services; hence, any group of people of high rank
• BIG BRAWL
n. World War II Amer. sl. – war
• BIG BROOK
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – the ocean
• BIG BROTHER
n. 1960s US homosexual sl. – the penis
• BIG BROWN EYES
n. 1930s sl. – attractive female breasts
• BIG BROWNIES
n. 1930s sl. – attractive female breasts
• BIG BROWN ONES
n. 1990s drug culture sl. – MDMA
• BIG-BUCK
adj. 1990s African-American sl. – expensive
n. 1950s sl., orig. US – (usually as ‘big buck’) a large amount of money, esp. as earned by performers or stolen by criminals, or as a large, but non-specific price
• BIG BUCKS
n. 1950s sl., orig. US – a large amount of money, esp. as earned by performers or stolen by criminals, or as a large, but non-specific price
• BIG BUG
n. 1817 US. orig. & chiefly US, often derogatory – a high-ranking or important person; a person of consequence
• BIG-BUGGISH
adj. 1843 Amer. dial. – important, self-important
• BIG BULL
n. 1925 Amer. loggers’ sl. – a nickname for a camp foreman
• BIG BULLET
n. 1985 US military usage – an air-launched guided missile
• BIG BURG
n. 1918 US sl. – a big city
• THE BIG BURG
n. 1918 US sl. – New York City
• BIG BUS
n. World War II Amer. sl. – a large airplane
• BIG BUTT
n. 1. 1912 US sl. – an important person
n. 2. 1912 Amer. sl. – an aristocrat
• THE BIG C
n. 1. 1959 drug culture sl. – cocaine
n. 2. 1964 euphemism – cancer
n. 3. 1976 US sl. – Chicago, Illinois
n. 4. 2000s sl. – cirrhosis of the liver
• THE BIG CACK
n. 1994 Aust. sl. – a wild celebration; an enjoyable experience
• BIG CAGE
n. 1949 US criminals’ sl. – a state or federal reformatory or penitentiary
• BIG CASINO
adv. 1990s US sl. – in an important, committed manner
n. 1. 1893 US sl. – the most important or influential person in a place etc.
n. 2. 1900s US sl. – a big or large person
n. 3. 1920s US sl. – the best; the ultimate; the most important
n. 4. 1922 US sl. – one’s best resource or asset
n. 5. 1930s US sl. – anything terminal or fatal, esp. a disease, as cancer; also syphilis
• BIG CHARLEY
n. 1. 1966 US military usage – a Chinook helicopter
n. 2. 1977 US sl. – the Federal Communications Commission
• BIG CHEESE
n. 1. 1914 sl., orig. US – a high-ranking or important person
n. 2. c1925 US sl. – a stupid or rude male; a lout
• BIG-CHESTED
adj. 1968 Amer. dial. – conceited
• BIG CHIEF
n. 20C US drug culture sl. – mescaline
• BIG CHILL
n. 1984 US sl. – an unfortunate or depressing state of affairs; death
• BIG CHUMP
n. World War II Amer. sl. – a stupid person
• THE BIG CHURCH
n. 1897 Amer. dial. – no church at all
• BIG CLUCK
n. World War II Amer. sl. – a stupid person
• BIG CLUNK
n. World War II Amer. sl. – a stupid person
• BIG-COCK
adj. 1965 US sl. – big, huge
• BIG COUGH
n. 1929 US criminals’ sl. – a bomb
• BIG CURTAIN
n. 1904 US theatre usage – death
• BIG D
int. 19C euphemism – damn!
n. 1. 1930 US sl. – Dallas, Texas
n. 2. 1954 US sl. – Dilaudid, a synthetic opiate
n. 3. 1969 US sl. – Denver, Colorado
n. 4. 1961 US sl. – Detroit, Michigan
n. 5. 1979 US sl. – in sports: defense
n. 6. 20C drug culture sl. – LSD
• THE BIG D
n. 1. 1977 US sl. – death
n. 2. 1978 US sl. – Dallas, Texas
• BIGD
n. Bk1898 Sc. – a building, a house
• BIG DAD
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – one’s grandfather
• BIG DADDY
n. 1. 1909 Amer. dial. – a husband; a sweetheart
n. 2. 1948 sl., orig. US – a high-ranking or important person
n. 3. 1955 Amer. dial. – one’s grandfather
n. 4. Bk1998 sl. – the penis
• BIG DAME HUNTER
n. World War II Amer. sl. – a philanderer; one fond of women
• BIG DARK
n. Bk1998 sl. – outer space
• BIG DAY
n. 1927 Amer. dial. – broad daylight
• BIG DAYLIGHT
n. 1927 Amer. dial. – broad daylight
• BIG DEAL!
int. 1951 sl., orig. US – used to indicate one is not impressed
• BIG DICK
n. Bk1975 US sl. – in crap-shooting: the point 10
• BIG DITCH
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – the ocean
• THE BIG DITCH
n. 1. c1825 US sl., obs. – the Erie Canal
n. 2. c1900 US sl. – the Atlantic Ocean
n. 3. Bk1975 US sl. – the Panama Canal
• BIG DOG
n. 1843 US sl. – a high-ranking or important person
• BIG DOINGS
adj. 1928 Amer. dial. – haughty, conceited, high-and-mighty
n. 1. 1932 Amer. dial. – a celebration, a party; a formal social ceremony or gathering
n. 2. 1970 Amer. dial. – a person who likes to brag
• BIG-DOME
adj. 1950s sl. – intellectual
n. 1930s sl. – (usually as ‘big dome’) an intellectual, a scholar, esp. one who seems to hold eccentric or impractical opinions
• BIG DRINK
n. 1. 1846 Amer. dial., obs. – the Mississippi River
n. 2. c1915 US sl. – the Atlantic Ocean
n. 3. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – the ocean
• BIG DRINK OF WATER
n. Bk1975 US sl. – a youth or man, esp. if tall, who is uninteresting, dull, or boring
• THE BIG DRIVE
n. 1949 US drug addicts’ sl. – a large or comparatively pure injection of narcotics
• BIG DUDE
n. c1960 Amer. dial. – a self-important person; a person who tries to appear important
• THE BIG E
n. 1982 Brit. sl. – dismissal (E = elbow, dismissal)
• BIG-EAR
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to listen intently
• BIG EARS
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – eavesdropping ears
• BIG EIGHTS
n. Bk1975 US sl. – long woollen underwear
• BIG ENCHILADA
n. 1973 US sl. – a high-ranking or important person
• BIG END
n. Bk1911 Sc. – the greater or most important part
• BIGENOUS
adj. 1894 – inherited from both parents
• BIGENT
n. 1812 Sc. – a first year’s student at a Scotch university
• BIGETY
adj. 1952 Amer. dial. – conceited, vain, self-important; impudent, boastful
• BIG EYE
adj. 1947 African-American sl. – greedy; covetous
n. 1. 1965 Amer. dial. – television
n. 2. 1967 Amer. dial. – insomnia
• BIG-EYED
adj. 1. 1947 African-American usage – greedy, covetous
adj. 2. 1969 Amer. dial. – self-important
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