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Main Entry: de·us ex ma·chi·na
Pronunciation: 'dA-&s-"eks-'mä-ki-n&, -'ma-, -"nä; -m&-'shE-n&
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, a god from a machine, translation of Greek theos ek mEchanEs
Date: 1697
1 : a god introduced by means of a crane in ancient Greek and Roman drama to decide the final outcome
2 : a person or thing (as in fiction or drama) that appears or is introduced suddenly and unexpectedly and provides a contrived solution to an apparently insoluble difficulty

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Pronunciation Key

\&\ as a and u in abut
\[^&]\ as e in kitten
\&r\ as ur and er in further
\a\ as a in ash
\A\ as a in ace
\ä\ as o in mop
\au\ as ou in out
\ch\ as ch in chin

\e\ as e in bet
\E\ as ea in easy
\g\ as g in go
\i\ as i in hit
\I\ as i in ice
\j\ as j in job
\[ng]\ as ng in sing
\O\ as o in go

\o\ as aw in law
\oi\ as oy in boy
\th\ as th in thin
\[th_]\ as th in the
\ü\ as oo in loot
\u\ as oo in foot
\y\ as y in yet
\zh\ as si in vision

For explanations of other pronunciation symbols -- see Guide To Pronunciation.

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