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I told myself it was curiosity spurring me on. I didn't realize that a dictionary might be like reading a map or looking in a mirror.
butch (v. transitive), to slaughter (an animal), to kill for market. Also: to cut up, to hack
dyke (n.), senses relating to a ditch or hollowed-out section
gay (v. intransitive), to be merry, cheerful, or light-hearted. Obsolete
lesbian rule (n.), a flexible (usually lead) ruler which can be bent to fit what is being measured...
queer (adj.), strange, odd, peculiar, eccentric. Also: of questionable character, suspicious, dubious...
Even at school I remember wondering about closets, whether there was a subtle difference between someone being in a closet and a skeleton being in a closet.
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