A hiatus is a break or interruption in the continuity of a work, series, or action. It’s not uncommon for a TV show to go on hiatus, as executives sort out programming priorities and tinker with casting; you might hear of a band taking a hiatus or pressing pause on their recording or touring in order to deal with other matters. This noun entered English referring to a material break or chasm in something (beware the gaping hiatus!). It is sometimes used to refer to a gap in written material or in a line of reasoning, like a missing link. Nowadays, though, you’re most likely to hear hiatus used to refer to a temporary cessation of activity for a specific purpose.

Something that is biased has or shows bias, defined as a particular tendency, trend, inclination, feeling, or opinion. A bias may be favorable or unfavorable: bias in favor of or against an idea. The synonym tendentious is more blatant, describing things (often writing) that have or show a definite tendency, bias, or purpose: arguments, articles, and interpretations deemed tendentious tend to promote controversial points of view.

When two things dovetail, they join or fit together compactly or harmoniously. This verb is often used to talk about ideas, plans, or pieces of information that are complementary or that seem to reinforce one another. This sense of the word comes from woodworking, where a dovetail is a type of joint formed of one or more tenons, or projections, fitting tightly within corresponding mortises, or notches. The joint is so named for its resemblance to (you guessed it!) a dove’s tail.