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| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| paddle wheel | |
| —n | |
| a large wheel fitted with paddles, turned by an engine to propel a vessel on the water | |
paddle wheel
method of ship propulsion that was once widely employed but is now almost entirely superseded by the screw propeller. Early experiments with steam-driven paddles acting as oars led several inventors, including Robert Fulton, to mount the paddles in a wheel form, either at the stern or at the sides of the vessel.
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