About Words – Cambridge Dictionary blog: Recent Episodes
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Liz Walter My last post looked at idioms that come from the sport of boxing. This post presents some more common sporting idioms. Back in 2019, I wrote about idioms with the word ‘ball’. I won’t repeat those here, but there are plenty of others! …
Continue reading Open goals and jumping the gun: more sporting idioms
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eggflation noun [U] /egˈfleɪ.ʃᵊn/ a significant increase in the price of eggs, normally because of higher production costs or shortages So-called ‘eggflation’ – a phenomenon that’s seen the price of eggs rise by as much as 15% – is skyrocketing, with prices for the breakfast and baking essential scrambling to record highs. Factors range from …
Continue reading New words – 16 June 2025
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Kate Woodford This week’s post is a companion to one that I published last December on the language of embarrassment. That post focused on the feeling of being ashamed or shy in the company of others. Today’s post looks at the related theme of feeling …
Continue reading It’s so humiliating! (The language of feeling foolish)
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burnt toast theory noun [S] UK /ˌbɜːnt ˈtəʊst θɪə.ri/ US /ˌbɝːnt ˈtoʊst θɪr.i/ the idea that a minor inconvenience, like burning your toast in the morning, might actually be preventing something worse happening later in the day Small snags or setbacks — like spilling your coffee or waiting in a long line at the gas …
Continue reading New words – 9 June 2025
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Liz Walter Back in 1974, the world looked on as Muhammed Ali beat the great George Foreman in the thrilling boxing match known as the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’. Foreman’s recent death was a reminder of that contest, and also of just how many boxing …
Continue reading The gloves are off: idiomatic phrases from boxing
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femgore noun [U] UK /ˈfem.gɔːʳ/ US /ˈfem.gɔːr/ horror stories focusing on female characters who commit acts of violence rather than being the victims Historically, horror has often cast women as passive victims—screaming final girls, damsels in distress, or helpless figures of innocence. In contrast, femgore puts women in control of the narrative. These are stories …
Continue reading New words – 2 June 2025
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Kate Woodford Do you like learning English by playing games? Here at Cambridge Dictionary, we now have a Games Hub with daily word games so you can practise your English in a way that is both fun and motivating. To mark the arrival of our …
Continue reading Whose go is it? (The language of playing games)
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recession blonde noun [U] UK /rɪˌseʃ.ᵊn ˈblɒnd/ US /rɪˌseʃ.ᵊn ˈblɑːnd/ a darker shade of blonde hair that costs less to maintain because it needs fewer visits to the hairdresser Recession blonde refers to the darker, more brown-tinted hue that many are letting grow in with their normally bright, golden strands. TikTok users explain that while …
Continue reading New words – 26 May 2025
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Liz Walter My last post looked at ways of describing how important someone is in an organization, for example at work or in the armed forces. This post covers some more general ways of talking about how important someone is in a society, or how …
Continue reading Anyone who’s anyone: talking about how important people are (2)
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boomerasking noun [U] UK /ˈbuː.mər.ɑːs.kɪŋ/ US /ˈbuː.mɚ.æs.kɪŋ/ asking a question not because you want to hear the other person’s answer but because you want to tell them what you think the answer is Have you heard of boomerasking? It’s when someone asks a question, not because they care to hear your response, but because they …
Continue reading New words – 19 May 2025
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Kate Woodford It’s the second week of February and here in Cambridge, the weather feels arctic! As I type this, my fingers are as cold as ice. Time to get that electric heater from the spare room! In a way though, it’s appropriate, as today’s …
Continue reading Chilled to the bone or roasting? (The effect that the weather has on us)
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painsomnia noun [U] UK /peɪn.ˈsɒm.ni.ə/ US /peɪn.ˈsɑːm.ni.ə/ the condition of being unable to sleep, over a period of time, because you are in physical pain “Painsomnia”, as it is commonly known, affects an awful lot of bad sleepers, manifesting itself in everything from nerve and muscle pain to joint and bone discomfort. There are a …
Continue reading New words – 10 February 2025
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Liz Walter Most of us know someone who often gets into trouble because they don’t stop to consider the consequences of their behaviour. This post is about ways of describing these people and their actions. When people do things without thinking enough, we might say …
Continue reading Reckless and impulsive: words for acting without enough thought
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fraudbot noun [C] UK /ˈfrɔːd.bɒt/ US /ˈfrɑːd.bɑːt/ a type of computer program that uses AI to pretend to be an online customer in order to carry out fraudulent activities Introducing the fraudbot – a chatbot that impersonates customers and tries to open fake accounts, reopen closed accounts, or access real customer data. Not only do …
Continue reading New words – 3 February 2025
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Kate Woodford Regular visitors to the Cambridge Dictionary blog will be familiar with my newspaper idioms posts in which I present idioms and phrases from a range of national newspapers published on the same day. This post is the latest in this series. One tabloid …
Continue reading Getting hitched and biting your tongue (Newspaper idioms)
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gate lice noun [plural] /ˈgeɪt ˌlaɪs/ an informal way of referring to people who crowd around the boarding gate at an airport and try to board the plane before their assigned row or section has been called American Airlines has announced it is expanding its new technology to end a process known as “gate lice,” …
Continue reading New words – 27 January 2025
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Kate Woodford ‘Nothing succeeds like excess’, said Oscar Wilde, the famous Irish writer, presumably having a bit of fun with the old proverb, ‘Nothing succeeds like success.’ I mention this because today’s post is all about excess – that is, an amount or level of …
Continue reading Surfeits and gluts (Ways to say ‘too much’)
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DYOR abbreviation UK /ˌdiː.waɪ.əʊˈɑːʳ/ US /ˌdiː.waɪ.oʊˈɑːr/ abbreviation of “do your own research”: a basic principle of the cryptocurrency market, encouraging buyers to research and understand all the risks and benefits of a cryptocurrency deal before they invest in it As we enter the bull market, keep in mind that “DYOR” isn’t just some disclaimer-like catchphrase …
Continue reading New words – 20 January 2025
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Liz Walter In my last post, I looked at how to say someone’s age using the number of years they have been alive. Today’s post covers some other ways of talking about how old a person is, particularly looking at different life stages. A newborn …
Continue reading Toddlers, tweens and pensioners: more words for talking about age
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root-to-tip adjective /ˌruːt.təˈtɪp/ using all the different parts of a vegetable in cooking, so that none of it is wasted This project will see the launch of a “Living Laboratory” at King’s, where the project team will develop and test “root-to-tip” recipes that use more of the plant (i.e. peels and stalks) … The study …
Continue reading New words – 13 January 2025
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Kate Woodford Today’s post is the latest in my ‘Idioms and phrases in newspapers’ series, which provides you with a regular supply of common, contemporary English idioms and expressions. The phrases in this post are taken from a range of national newspapers published on the …
Continue reading A safe pair of hands (Newspaper idioms)
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pretty privilege noun [U] UK /ˈprɪt.i ˌprɪv.əl.ɪdʒ/ US /ˈprɪt̬.i ˌprɪv.əl.ɪdʒ/ the advantages or benefits that people who are physically attractive are thought to receive The social advantages of pretty privilege are many: good-looking people come off as smart, capable, trustworthy, and generally morally virtuous. People will buy you drinks at bars, randomly do nice things …
Continue reading New words – 11 November 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Liz Walter We all have times when we need to reassure someone, perhaps because they have done something they regret, because they are worried about something they have to do in the future or because they are experiencing something that is causing them anxiety. It …
Continue reading Nobody blames you: phrases for offering reassurance
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gastrodiplomacy noun [U] UK /ˌgæs.trəʊ.dɪˈpləʊ.mə.si/ US /ˌgæs.troʊ.dɪˈploʊ.mə.si/ the use of a country’s traditional food as a way of creating and maintaining good relationships with other countries Certainly, gastrodiplomacy has the potential to boost tourism. According to the World Food Travel Association, about 53 per cent of people who travel choose to visit a destination specifically …
Continue reading New words – 4 November 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Kate Woodford Today’s post has a very positive feel to it as I’m looking at the language around responding to opportunities. Starting with a useful collocation, we say that we take an opportunity, meaning that we use a chance to do something. To convey …
Continue reading Making the most of it (How we talk about using opportunities)
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paycation noun [C] /peɪ.ˈkeɪ.ʃən/ a job that allows someone to work remotely while visiting other cities and countries In the wake of the pandemic, a seismic shift occurred in the realm of work and travel. Companies were forced into flexible work policies allowing employees to work from anywhere with an internet connection. Now, in 2024, …
Continue reading New words – 28 October 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Kate Woodford Books play a hugely significant role in all our lives, so it’s probably no surprise that there are a lot of English idioms that include the word ‘book’. In this post, I’ve selected what I consider to be the most useful and current …
Continue reading Cooking or hitting the books? (Idioms with ‘book’)
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BIN attack noun [C] /ˈbɪn əˌtæk/ abbreviation for “bank identification number attack”: a type of fraud where the first six digits of a credit card are used to generate a large number of possible credit card numbers, with any valid numbers being used to pay for goods illegally Unlike card cracking, where a stolen list …
Continue reading New words – 21 October 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Liz Walter Today’s post is about ways of talking about someone’s intelligence. Interestingly, there are some subtle differences in the way British and American speakers use what are probably the two most common synonyms for intelligent: clever and smart. In British English, the word ‘clever’ …
Continue reading Wise, brainy, or astute: words for describing intelligent people
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rucking noun [U] /ˈrʌk.ɪŋ/ a type of exercise that involves walking while wearing a very heavy rucksack or backpack Taking things to the next level, rucking involves walking or hiking with a weighted backpack for a low impact workout aimed at improving strength and cardiovascular fitness. This slow-burning workout is by no means new, resurging …
Continue reading New words – 14 October 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Liz Walter Today’s post covers vocabulary, and particularly natural-sounding collocations (words that often go together), for talking about things we want to do in our lives. In its countable sense, an ambition is a wish to achieve something, whereas in its uncountable sense, it is …
Continue reading Pursuing aims and meeting targets: talking about things we want to achieve
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thinification noun [U] UK /ˌθɪn.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃᵊn/ US /ˌθɪn.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃᵊn/ the process by which devices such as mobile phones and smartwatches are increasingly being designed to be as thin as possible Remember when phone makers were racing to make their phones as thin as possible? The trend slowed down considerably in the past couple of years, but it …
Continue reading New words – 30 September 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Kate Woodford I recently heard a journalist complaining that she didn’t understand the government’s position on a particular issue. It was, she said, as clear as mud, meaning, of course, that it was not at all clear! This humorous idiom made me think about the …
Continue reading It’s as clear as mud! (Words and expressions that mean ‘difficult to understand’)
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anti-airport dad noun [C] UK /ˈæn.tiˌeə.pɔːt dæd/ US /ˈæn.t̬iˌer.pɔːrt dæd/ the father of a family who has a relaxed attitude towards travel, often arriving at the airport with very little time to spare or almost missing their flight, or anyone who behaves in this way when travelling with a group Just like being an airport …
Continue reading New words – 23 September 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Liz Walter In my last post on words for being clumsy, I included the phrase all fingers and thumbs. This made me think about how many phrases we have that contain the word ‘finger’. This post covers some of the most common and useful ones. …
Continue reading A finger in every pie: phrases with the word ‘finger’
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proptech noun [U] UK /ˈprɒp.tek/ US /ˈprɑːp.tek/ abbreviation for “property technology”: the business of using technology to buy and sell property in new ways The real estate industry has undergone a significant technological transformation in recent years, and the word “proptech” has firmly come into common use. But this concept is so broad that you …
Continue reading New words – 16 September 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Kate Woodford This week, I’m looking at the language we use to refer to sources – that is, the places, things, or people that provide or produce a particular thing. (That ‘thing’ can be a physical object or something abstract, such as knowledge or …
Continue reading Treasure troves and endless supplies (Words and phrases meaning ‘source’)
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noctalgia noun [U] UK /nɒkˈtæl.dʒə/ US /nɑːkˈtæl.dʒə/ a feeling of sadness felt by some people because light pollution means they can no longer see a dark sky at night The faster-than-expected growth in earthly and celestial lights is affecting human and ecological health. But it is not just our biology being affected. The night sky …
Continue reading New words – 9 September 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Liz Walter We all know someone who seems to have trouble with everyday life; someone who drops things, bumps into things, breaks things, and generally has more accidents than other people. There are lot of ways of talking about clumsy people like this. A very general …
Continue reading Like a bull in a china shop: talking about people who are clumsy
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BYOAI abbreviation UK /ˌbiː.waɪˌəʊ.eɪˈaɪ/ US /ˌbiː.waɪˌoʊ.eɪˈaɪ/ abbreviation for “bring your own artificial intelligence”: the practice of companies saying that employees can use their own artificial intelligence tools when at work The potential benefits of BYOAI are substantial. Allowing individuals to select their own AI toolkit enables a more personalized approach to technology in the …
Continue reading New words – 2 September 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Kate Woodford Today, I’m looking at ways of saying that we don’t like a particular thing or person. This might sound like a rather negative subject for a post, but it is a useful one, I’m sure you will agree! Starting with the phrase ‘don’t …
Continue reading It’s not really my thing (How to say you don’t like something)
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centibillionaire noun [C] UK /ˌsen.tɪˌbɪl.jəˈneəʳ/ US /ˌsen.t̬ɪˌbɪl.jəˈner/ someone who has assets and investments worth at least 100 billion dollars, pounds, etc. It took the dot-com bubble to create the first centibillionaire, Bill Gates, whose Microsoft shares briefly pushed him beyond 11 figures in 1999 before the crash chopped his net worth nearly in half. No …
Continue reading New words – 26 August 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Liz Walter Today’s post is the last in a short series on the topic of crime and deals with words and phrases connected with what happens once a criminal is caught. A person the police think could have committed a crime is called a suspect. …
Continue reading Trial, judge, and jury: talking about what happens when a criminal is caught
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flextirement noun [U] UK /ˈfleks.taɪə.mənt/ US /fleks.ˈtaɪr.mənt/ an arrangement where an employee gradually reduces their working hours until they completely retire Instead of a full-blown retirement when you reach 62 years old and can collect social security benefits, flextirement allows an employee to move to a more part-time role and eventually shorten the number of …
Continue reading New words – 19 August 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. By Kate Woodford The much-loved Tina Turner famously sang ‘You’re simply the best, Better than all the rest’, giving us a brief but helpful lesson in irregular comparatives and superlatives. In this post, I aim to expand on the superlative part of that lesson, providing useful words …
Continue reading Simply the best! (Ways to describe the best)
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quishing noun [U] /ˈkwɪʃ.ɪŋ/ a type of phishing attack that uses QR codes to trick people into visiting websites or downloading files that will harm their computer or allow people to take money from them Quishing works similarly to traditional phishing attacks, where the URL to the malicious website is delivered via email or SMS …
Continue reading New words – 12 August 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Liz Walter My last post looked at some general vocabulary for talking about crime. Today I’m going to focus on the specific area of theft. I’ll start with the difference between two common verbs, steal and rob. ‘Steal’ is followed by the thing that is …
Continue reading Robbing, looting, and embezzling: talking about stealing
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Generation T noun [U] /ˌdʒen.əˈreɪ.ʃᵊn ˈtiː/ a way of referring to the group of people who were born in the early 2000s and who spend a lot of their free time travelling and going on holiday With 18-24-year-olds set to be the most prolific travellers in 2024, ABTA – The Travel Association – has delved …
Continue reading New words – 5 August 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post. by Kate Woodford Today I’m looking at idioms and phrases from a range of national newspapers published on the same day. This is something I do every couple of months in order to provide you with up-to-date, common idioms. In one tabloid newspaper, a journalist describes …
Continue reading Never say die! (Idioms and phrases in newspapers)
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decel noun [C] /ˈdiːsel/ someone who believes that AI and other new technologies are developing so quickly that they are likely to cause very serious problems and that progress should be deliberately slowed down Another group of tech folks who matter in the AI debate are sometimes called the “decels.” Of course, decels are often …
Continue reading New words – 29 July 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: By Patricia Ferraz We’re excited to share that Cambridge has launched a book club where you can brush up on your English through your love of reading and connect with a supportive community of book lovers from all over the world. To celebrate the launch, we have …
Continue reading Putting a spanner in the works – Idioms in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
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coffee badging noun [U] UK /ˈkɒf.i ˌbædʒɪŋ/ US /ˈkɑː.fi ˌbædʒɪŋ/ the activity of going to your place of work and staying just long enough to have a coffee with colleagues before going home again to work there Is your boss demanding you come into the office more often? As companies issue return-to-office orders, some workers …
Continue reading New words – 22 July 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: By Patricia Ferraz We’re excited to share that Cambridge has launched a book club where you can brush up on your English through your love of reading and connect with a supportive community of book lovers from all over the world. For the next two weeks, we’ll …
Continue reading In for a penny, in for a pound: Idioms in The Thursday Murder Club
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pebbling noun [U] /ˈpeb.ᵊl.ɪŋ/ the activity of giving someone small gifts or sending them memes, photos, or videos on social media to show you love them Now, it seems, humans are taking a page from the Antarctic animals, as a trend known as “pebbling” takes hold. How it works: A thoughtful lover gives their significant …
Continue reading New words – 15 July 2024
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snail girl noun [C] UK /ˈsneɪl ˌɡɜːl/ US /ˈsneɪl ˌɡɝːl/ a woman who thinks that being happy and enjoying a relaxed lifestyle is more important than working too hard and putting herself under pressure When Australian online site Fashion Journal recently published a piece titled “Snail girl era: Why I’m slowing down and choosing to …
Continue reading New words – 8 July 2024
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by Liz Walter Today’s post is the first in a short series on the topic of crime and it looks at some general vocabulary. Once again, I will be focusing on collocations, or words that go together. The most important verb you need to talk about crime is commit. We use this both with the word …
Continue reading Committing, tackling, and solving: Talking about crime
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hypertourism noun [U] UK /ˌhaɪ.pəˈtʊə.rɪ.zᵊm/ US /ˌhaɪ.pɚˈtʊr.ɪ.zᵊm/ the situation when an extremely large number of people visit a place on holiday, so that the place is spoiled and life is made very difficult for the people who live there While on the one hand many hundreds of people have found decent jobs in the tourism …
Continue reading New words – 1 July 2024
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warmdrobe noun [C] UK /ˈwɔːm.drəʊb/ US /ˈwɔːrm.droʊb/ a collection of warm clothes to wear in cold weather Finessing the art of cold weather dressing in winter is hard work, but a warmdrobe will make it decidedly easier. The key to a warmdrobe – a wardrobe curated specifically for bitterly cold times such as these – …
Continue reading New words – 24 June 2024
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street scar noun [C] UK /ˈstriːt ˌskɑːʳ/ US /ˈstriːt ˌskɑːr/ a patch of asphalt used to repair a road that is not the same colour, or sometimes the same material, as the road underneath it Telecoms and water companies are creating “street scars” in a “wasteful process” that is marring British high streets, Nicholas Boys …
Continue reading New words – 17 June 2024
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by Kate Woodford I recently published a blog post on the language that we use to describe the way things seem to be (Keeping Up Appearances). Today, I’m looking at a related subject – words that describe things that are definitely not what they seem to be. Starting with a very useful adjective, things that are …
Continue reading Fakes and forgeries (Things that are not what they seem to be)
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applejuicification noun [U] UK /ˌæp.ᵊl.dʒuː.sɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃᵊn/ US /ˌæp.ᵊl.dʒuː.sə.fəˈkeɪ.ʃᵊn/ the use of apple juice as the main ingredient in drinks that contain several different fruit juices, especially when this is not made clear in the name or on the packaging Last week, an X user shocked the internet in a viral thread by pointing out that most …
Continue reading New words – 10 June 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter It is common to see confusion between the words ‘worse’ and ‘worst’, so in today’s post, I am going to explain the difference and also talk about some useful phrases which contain these words. Let’s start with worse, which is the comparative version of ‘bad’. …
Continue reading Worse than or worst of all? How to use the words ‘worse’ and ‘worst’
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brokefishing noun [U] UK /ˈbrəʊk.fɪʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˈbroʊk.fɪʃ.ɪŋ/ the practice of pretending to have less money than you really do, in order to trick another person into buying things for you It turned out that Siobhan had fallen victim to a trend for a misrepresentation of money – sometimes called “brokefishing” – that has been rising …
Continue reading New words – 3 June 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford There’s an English saying You can’t judge a book by its cover, meaning that you cannot know what someone or something is really like by considering only appearance. However, we all make assessments based on how someone or something seems to be (even if we …
Continue reading Keeping up appearances (Talking about how things seem)
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reindeer noir noun [U] UK /ˌreɪn.dɪə ˈnwɑːʳ/ US /ˌreɪn.dɪr ˈnwɑːr/ crime stories and films set in Lapland “Reindeer noir” intertwines traditional Nordic noir elements such as dark and brooding atmospheres, complex characters, and intricate mysteries with the unique cultural aspects of Lapland. This fusion creates a distinct sub-genre that explores crime and societal issues in …
Continue reading New words – 27 May 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford This week, in the second of two ‘Talking about differences’ posts, I’m looking at idioms and other phrases that are used for saying that things or people are different. Starting with a very common phrase, someone or something that is nothing like (or not anything …
Continue reading Apples and oranges (Talking about differences, Part 2)
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DINKWAD noun [C] UK /ˈdɪŋk.wɒd/ US /ˈdɪŋk.wɑːd/ ABBREVIATION FOR dual income, no kids, with a dog: a member of a young couple in which both partners earn a lot of money and have a dog but no children “The allure of the DINKWAD lifestyle is solely based on financial and personal freedom from any responsibility,” …
Continue reading New words – 20 May 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter My last post was about hiding things, and today I am writing about finding or discovering them. Find is a very general word, used both for when you look for something deliberately or when you find it by accident. It is usually used to talk …
Continue reading Searching out and tracking down: talking about finding or discovering things
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neobank noun [C] UK /ˈniː.əʊˌbæŋk/ US /ˈniː.oʊˌbæŋk/ a type of bank that provides only online banking services and has no physical branches Neobanks work similarly to traditional banks and offer the same types of services, yet they perform all available functions online or through a mobile app. Neobanks may also partner with chartered banks to …
Continue reading New words – 13 May 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford My last two posts have focused on the language that we use to describe people and things that are similar or the same, covering words such as identical and analogous and expressions such as dead ringer and spitting image. In this post, I look at …
Continue reading Varied and diverse (Talking about differences, Part 1)
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WFB noun [U] ABBREVIATION FOR working from boat: used to refer to a person doing their job while living on a boat rather than travelling to an office, etc. in order to do it As the trend of working remotely continues, more and more people are evolving Working From Home (WFH) into Working From Boat …
Continue reading New words – 6 May 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter The other day, I read a report about someone whose crimes were hidden in plain sight. In other words, they should have been easy to spot, but in fact were so obvious that nobody noticed them. We can also say that someone hides (or hides …
Continue reading Hidden in plain sight: words and phrases connected with hiding
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kitschen noun [C or U] /ˈkɪtʃ.ᵊn/ a trend for decorating kitchens in an unusual and interesting way, using bright colours and a mixture of objects of different styles If you needed any more proof that minimalism was on the way out, look no further than the eclectic “kitschen” trend sweeping social media. But what exactly …
Continue reading New words – 29 April 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford Two weeks ago, I published a blog post on the language of describing similarities, including words such as identikit and analogous. This week I’m looking at idioms and phrases in this area. Let’s start with similarities between people. Someone who is a dead ringer for …
Continue reading Dead ringers and peas in pods (Talking about similarities, Part 2)
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unexpected red theory noun [U] UK /ˌʌn.ɪk.spek.tɪd ˈred ˌθɪə.ri/ US /ʌn.ɪkˌspek.tɪd ˈred ˌθɪr.i/ an interior design trend based on the idea that any room will look more attractive if you add one red item or feature to it, especially if the red looks strange or wrong with the other colours in the room Unexpected red …
Continue reading New words – 22 April 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter Today’s post is about words we use for fastening and unfastening things. The verbs fasten and attach are very general. It doesn’t matter what you use to join the parts together: it could be glue, buttons, string – anything! Secure is also general and emphasizes …
Continue reading Binding, nailing, and gluing: talking about fastening things together
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popcorn brain noun [U] UK /ˈpɒp.kɔːn ˌbreɪn/ US /ˈpɑːp.kɔːrn ˌbreɪn/ a psychological condition where someone cannot keep their mind and attention fixed on anything, thought to be caused by spending too much time on social media A psychologist has warned against scrolling on your phone and ending up with “popcorn brain”. Yup, popcorn brain. You …
Continue reading New words – 15 April 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford This week, I’m looking at the language we use to say that things or people are similar, either in appearance or character. There are a tremendous lot of interesting words and phrases in this area so this post will be in two parts. Starting with …
Continue reading Alike and analogous (Talking about similarities, Part 1)
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bookshelf wealth noun [U] /ˌbʊk.ʃelf ˈwelθ/ an interior design trend where someone has bookshelves in their home that are filled with books and other objects they genuinely love, rather than displaying these things in order to look clever or stylish There’s a brand new trend popping up on TikTok known as “bookshelf wealth” – but …
Continue reading New words – 8 April 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter Here in the UK we are well into our spring season, which made me think about the words and phrases we use to describe the plants that are now growing or coming back to life after the long winter. When plants start to appear above …
Continue reading Shoots, blooms and blossom: talking about plants
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tipflation noun [U] /ˌtɪpˈfleɪ.ʃən/ the increase in the amount of money that people are expected to give as a tip An increase in tipping has come as part of a post covid world, and gratitude is not the only reason for the rise. A change in the way we live (and hygiene concerns) has played …
Continue reading New words – 1 April 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford Today we’re looking at idioms from a range of national newspapers that were published on the same day. We do this every couple of months in order to provide you with up-to-date, frequently used idioms. A broadsheet features an article about men’s fashion. The journalist …
Continue reading Sitting on the fence (Newspaper idioms)
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snackification noun [U] UK /ˌsnæk.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃᵊn/ US /ˌsnæk.ə.fəˈkeɪ.ʃᵊn/ the shift from eating proper meals every day to eating several snacks instead Snackable lifestyles are popular amongst gen Z and millennials. But how is snackification changing eating habits for these young consumers? Half of U.S. consumers eat three or more snacks a day according to market research …
Continue reading New words – 25 March 2024
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford One of various things that we like to do on this blog is consider the many different ways we express the same thing in English. (Of course, we are rarely expressing exactly the same thing and it’s the differences – sometimes very subtle – that …
Continue reading Ample and adequate (Other ways of saying ‘enough’)
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grandpa chic noun [U] /ˈgræn.pɑː ˌʃiːk/ a way of decorating and furnishing your home that uses dark colours, a typically masculine style and old, good-quality furniture The nature of grandpa chic? “It’s essentially a blend of vintage nostalgia and contemporary design,” explains interior designer Artem Kropovinsky. “It celebrates the loved, and the time-tested, infusing spaces …
Continue reading New words – 11 September 2023
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter This post is one of an occasional series on alternatives for very common words (see, for example, my post on different ways of saying ‘get’). There are a few single-verb alternatives for the verb ‘want’. Desire is slightly formal or literary and implies quite a …
Continue reading I’d give my right arm for it: ways of saying ‘want’
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soft hiking noun [U] UK /ˌsɒft ˈhaɪ.kɪŋ/ US /ˌsɑːft ˈhaɪ.kɪŋ/ the activity of going for long walks in the countryside without any pressure to walk fast, climb hills or cover a certain distance Soft hiking is the viral exercise trend that’s accessible to all fitness levels. You don’t have to be concerned about distance, elevation …
Continue reading New words – 4 September 2023
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford Today’s post is the latest in my ‘newspaper idioms and phrases’ series. The aim of this series is to keep you supplied with up-to-date, frequent English idioms. As with previous ‘newspaper idioms’ posts, these expressions all come from a range of national newspapers published on …
Continue reading A flash in the pan (Newspaper idioms)
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global boiling noun [U] UK /ˌgləʊ.bəl ˈbɔɪ.lɪŋ/ US /ˌgloʊ.bəl ˈbɔɪ.lɪŋ/ a very fast and sharp increase in world temperatures caused by gases such as carbon dioxide that are collecting in the air around the earth and stopping heat escaping into space The era of global warming has ended and “the era of global boiling has …
Continue reading New words – 28 August 2023
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford In my last couple of posts, I’ve looked at the language we use to describe how and when we sleep (Part 1 and Part 2). In this, the third of my ‘sleep’ posts, I look at the language of not sleeping and stopping sleeping. The …
Continue reading Tossing and turning (Talking about sleep, Part 3)
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autobesity noun [U] UK /ˌɔː.təʊˈbiː.sə.ti/ US /ˌɑː.t̬oʊˈbiː.sə.t̬i/ the fact of cars being much bigger and heavier than they were in the past Paris city hall is to impose higher parking fees on owners of SUVs in its battle to reduce pollution in the capital. A councillor from the party that proposed the increased charges said …
Continue reading New words – 21 August 2023
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter My last post was on phrases containing the verb ‘talk’. This one looks at some phrases with the related words ‘speak’ and ‘say’. I will start with a group of phrases where you can use either ‘speak’ or ‘talk’ with the same meaning. If two …
Continue reading You’re speaking my language! Phrases with the verbs ‘speak’ and ‘say’
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candyceutical noun [usually plural] UK /ˌkæn.diˈsuː.tɪ.kᵊl/ US /ˌkæn.diˈsuː.t̬ɪ.kᵊl/ a small, chewy, coloured sweet that contains vitamins or other ingredients to improve your health The booming market in chewable supplements needs to be taken seriously because these products “aren’t benign”, health experts have warned. The appearance and marketing of these so-called “candyceuticals” has a role to …
Continue reading New words – 14 August 2023
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford I recently published an article on the word ‘sleep’ and its related collocations and idioms. Continuing the theme, this week’s post looks at the range of alternatives to the word ‘sleep’ and the phrase ‘fall asleep’. As you might expect, it includes a good number …
Continue reading Dropping off and snoozing (Talking about sleep, Part 2)
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agrivoltaics noun [S] UK /ˌæg.rɪ.vəʊlˈteɪ.ɪks/ US /ˌæg.rə.voʊlˈteɪ.ɪks/ the use of the same piece of land to grow crops and to create energy through solar panels Putting solar panels on farmland, known as agrivoltaics, has been a bit of a political hot-potato in some parts of Europe and the U.S. For environmental engineer Chad Higgins, the …
Continue reading New words – 7 August 2023
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter My last two posts (Verbs to use instead of ‘say’ and Using animal noises to show human emotions) have been about verbs that describe the way people speak. In this post and the next one, I’ll be looking at some useful phrases that actually contain …
Continue reading Now you’re talking! Phrases with the verb ‘talk’
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salt tooth noun [S] UK /ˌsɒlt ˈtuːθ/ US /ˌsɑːlt ˈtuːθ/ If you have a salt tooth, you like eating savoury foods, especially crisps, chips, etc. Would you always choose crisps over chocolate? You’re not alone. While many of us may admit to a sweet tooth, more than 40 per cent of people have a weakness …
Continue reading New words – 31 July 2023
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford Sleep is a necessary activity that allows us to rest and recuperate. Although it’s essential, we sometimes find it surprisingly difficult. Perhaps for this reason, we often talk about sleep. This post – in two parts – will give you lots of useful vocabulary for …
Continue reading How did you sleep? (Talking about sleep, Part 1)
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spathroom noun [C] UK /ˈspɑːθ.ruːm/ US /ˈspæθ.ruːm/ a bathroom that has been designed to be very clean, comfortable and relaxing, like a spa More people are looking to incorporate wellness into their home, particularly in the bathroom. The focus is on creating a “spathroom”, a bathroom/spa hybrid that promotes serenity and calm. Good lighting is a …
Continue reading New words – 24 July 2023
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter My last post looked at replacing the common verb ‘say’ with more interesting verbs that can convey information about a speaker’s emotions or personality. This post continues that theme, this time concentrating on verbs that are used for animal noises. Several animal verbs are used …
Continue reading Growling, hissing and croaking: using animal noises to show human emotions
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thirst trip noun [C] UK /ˈθɜːst ˌtrɪp/ US /ˈθɝːst ˌtrɪp/ a holiday lasting a few days, taken during a period when there are no public holidays With nearly 100 days between President’s Day and Memorial Day weekend, Americans are entering the longest stretch of the U.S. calendar without a federally sanctioned day off. This 3-day …
Continue reading New words – 17 July 2023
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford In a recent post, I looked at phrases containing the word ‘day’, most of which relate in some way to time. Today, I’m considering frequent idioms that feature the word ‘day’. In many of these, the original meaning of ‘day’ isn’t quite as obvious. Let’s …
Continue reading At the end of the day (Phrases with ‘day’, Part 2)
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infla-dating noun [U] UK /ˈɪn.fləˌdeɪtɪŋ/ US /ˈɪn.fləˌdeɪt̬ɪŋ/ going out with someone you have a romantic relationship with to do things that are not very expensive As you can guess by its name, infla-dating is a trend where people are going on cheaper dates. This trend works for people who are in a long-term relationship as well …
Continue reading New words – 10 July 2023
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Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter This post looks at ways of conveying personality or emotions by choosing a more interesting verb than ‘say’ when you report someone’s speech. Anyone who has been on a creative writing course will be familiar with the maxim ‘Show, don’t tell,’ and choosing a specific … Continue reading Spluttering, cackling and drawling: verbs to use instead of ‘say’
four-hands dinner noun [C] UK /ˌfɔː.hændz ˈdɪn.ər/ US /ˌfɔːr.hændz ˈdɪn.ɚ/ a special dinner cooked in an expensive, often famous restaurant by two senior chefs Modern German restaurant Heimat’s head chef Peter Find and Towngas’ CulinArt 1862 head chef Stanley Wong are coming together for a special four-hands dinner happening in March and April. Celebrating their … Continue reading New words – 3 July 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford The word ‘day’ features in a lot of commonly used phrases and idioms so I thought I’d take a look at the most useful ones. This post focuses mainly on phrases rather than idioms. A useful phrase for saying that something will happen very soon, … Continue reading From one day to the next (Phrases with ‘day’, Part 1)
supercloud noun [S] UK /ˈsuː.pə.klaʊd/ US /ˈsuː.pɚ.klaʊd/ a single computing system where services such as storage, apps etc. from different providers can be easily accessed by the user The answer proposed by the supercloud concept is to create another abstraction layer above this that operates agnostically of whatever cloud platform or platforms are running below … Continue reading New words – 26 June 2023
by Liz Walter One way to improve your English is to find more interesting vocabulary to use instead of very common words. This post looks at five verbs you can use instead of ‘get’. Regular readers of my posts will know that I often talk about collocation, or words that commonly go together. I’ll be focusing … Continue reading Obtaining information and deriving satisfaction: 5 different ways of saying ‘get’
RTO abbreviation UK /ˌɑːtiːˈəʊ/ US /ˌɑːr.tiːˈoʊ/ abbreviation for “return to office”: going back to the workplace after working from home during and after the Covid pandemic The very existence of the RTO debate — with its emphasis on the physical location of employees — is really a failure to prioritize the needs of a business. … Continue reading New words – 19 June 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford I recently published a post on the various ways we describe the condition of objects, including words such as shabby and rickety and phrases such as beyond repair and on its last legs. Staying with this theme, today I’m looking at words that we use … Continue reading Chips, cracks and dents (Describing the condition of objects, Part 2)
password child noun [C] UK /ˈpɑːs.wɜːd tʃaɪld/ US /ˈpæs.wɝːd tʃaɪld/ a humorous way of referring to a parent’s favourite child, supposedly because the parent will often use the name of that child as a computer password It’s common knowledge that older parents are notoriously bad at remembering passwords, which is probably why they use the … Continue reading New words – 12 June 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter My last post was on the topic of bravery, so by way of a contrast, this one looks at words and phrases connected with the opposite. The most common word for someone who isn’t brave is coward. The related adjective is cowardly (one of those … Continue reading Wimps and scaredy-cats: talking about people who are not brave
rich mom energy noun [U] UK /ˌrɪtʃ mɒm ˈen.ə.dʒi/ US /ˌrɪtʃ mɑːm ˈen.ɚ.dʒi/ the confident attitude and simple, elegant way of dressing that suggests a woman has a lot of money Rich mom energy was similarly inspired by the lifestyle (and fashion) choices of the superrich. An extension of the quiet luxury trend, it also … Continue reading New words – 5 June 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford A friend recently told me that she needed a new sofa. Her current one, she said, ‘had seen better days’, meaning that it was clearly old and damaged. This nice idiom (‘have seen better days’) got me thinking about the many ways we describe the … Continue reading On its last legs (Describing the condition of objects, Part 1)
jugging noun [U] /ˈdʒʌg.ɪŋ/ a crime in which a robber waits at a cashpoint or bank for someone to withdraw money, before following them and stealing the money from them Heart-stopping video captured on a home surveillance camera shows a Richardson man run for his life as a stranger darts after him. Richardson police tell … Continue reading New words – 29 May 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford This post is for anyone who feels they use the words ‘surprised’ and ‘shocked’ too much and is looking for more interesting alternatives. It will include both single words and phrases. To describe the feeling of being extremely surprised or shocked, you can use the … Continue reading Stunned and thunderstruck (Words for being surprised or shocked)
doomerism noun [U] /ˈduːmər.ɪz.ᵊm/ a feeling of worry and fear that a situation will not get better, especially with regard to climate change Doomerism, or extreme pessimism, is an increasingly common attitude regarding the disheartening trends of climate change. It’s not uncommon to hear “We’re screwed, and nobody is going to help us.” While this … Continue reading New words – 22 May 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter Everyone has times when they have to do things that scare them, and there are lots of different ways to talk about this. When someone is brave, they show bravery. Another word for this is courage and the related adjective is courageous. Be careful with … Continue reading Plucking up courage: talking about being brave
Bare Minimum Mondays noun [plural] UK /ˌbeə ˌmɪn.ɪ.məm ˈmʌn.deɪz/ US /ˌber ˌmɪn.ə.məm ˈmʌn.deɪz/ the trend of doing as little as possible at work on Mondays in order to reduce stress during the rest of the week There’s a new day of the week that’s gaining popularity among Gen Z workers — “Bare Minimum Mondays.” Bare … Continue reading New words – 15 May 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford Today’s post is the latest in my ‘Idioms and phrases in newspapers’ series, which I write in order to provide you with a regular supply of contemporary, frequently used English idioms and phrases. The expressions all come from a range of national newspapers that were … Continue reading Calling it quits and pitting your wits! (Idioms and phrases in newspapers)
frolleague noun [C] UK /ˈfrɒl.iːg/ US /ˈfrɑː.liːg/ a colleague who becomes a friend By having frolleagues you feel a little bit less at work and more with folks that you have a personal connection with. In interactions with frolleagues your work feels less transactional. I’ve found that I can find trusted frolleagues in different parts … Continue reading New words – 8 May 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter On Saturday, 6 May, the UK will see its first coronation (ceremony to make someone king or queen) since 1953, when Queen Elizabeth began her extraordinarily long reign (the time she was queen). This post looks at some of the vocabulary connected with that … Continue reading Pomp and pageantry: language for the coronation of King Charles III
skychology noun [U] UK /skaɪˈkɒl.ə.dʒi/ US /skaɪˈkɑː.lə.dʒi/ the act of looking up at the sky, thought by some people to be good for your wellbeing Introducing “skychology” – the simple act of looking upwards, towards the sky. It has been found to have a positive effect on our wellbeing. The practice of skychology was coined … Continue reading New words – 1 May 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford My last blog post looked at adjectives used to describe things that are unusual or in some way different. In today’s post, I focus on idioms and phrases in this area. Something that is unusual and unexpected may be described as out of the ordinary. … Continue reading Out of the ordinary: ways of saying that something is unusual (2)
virovore noun [C] UK /ˈvaɪə.rə.vɔːʳ/ US /ˈvaɪ.rə.vɔːr/ an organism that eats viruses What if science could harness an organism that had the power to eat viruses? … According to a study published in late 2022 on PNAS, a previously unknown microbe called a “virovore” does just that. Newly defined, virovores sustain themselves by consuming viruses, … Continue reading New words – 24 April 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter I have recently written two posts on the topic of importance, so this one looks at the opposite: how to say that something isn’t important. A very common way of showing that something is unimportant is to say that it doesn’t matter. This often implies … Continue reading There’s bigger fish to fry: talking about things that are not important
dopamine decor noun [C] UK /ˌdəʊ.pə.miːn ˈdek.ɔːʳ/ US /ˌdoʊ.pəˌmiːn ˈdeɪˈkɔːr/ the trend of using bright colours and patterns when decorating and furnishing your home to make you happier and improve your mental health Dopamine decor has been inspired by a catwalk trend where people choose to dress in colourful clothes to enhance their mood. The … Continue reading New words – 17 April 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford Today, I’m looking at the various words that we use to describe things that are unusual or in some way different. As usual, I’ll be looking at the subtle differences in meaning between this group of near-synonyms. The word unique in its strictest sense means … Continue reading Quirky and novel: ways of saying that something is unusual (1)
frauxmage noun [U, C] UK /ˈfrəʊ.mæʒ/ US /ˈfroʊ.mɑːʒ/ cheese made without using any products from animals The Mauxarella is a soft and moist frauxmage offering a mild but fulfilling taste. This frauxmage may be grated and melts beautifully in the oven to create delectable dishes like pizza and nachos. [vegancheese.co, accessed 1 March 2023] chaos … Continue reading New words – 10 April 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter This is the second of two posts on importance and covers some more aspects of the topic. I will start with things that are important because of their effect on someone or something else. Someone or something that has the power to affect things can … Continue reading Making a song and dance about it: talking about importance (2)
thrift flipping noun [U] /ˈθrɪft ˌflɪp.ɪŋ/ the activity of buying second-hand clothes, turning them into new, more attractive items and sometimes selling them for a higher price Thrift flipping, or upcycling thrifted clothing to wear or sell, is a trend that has increased in popularity over the past year. From cutting a shirt to sewing … Continue reading New words – 3 April 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford Earlier this month, we published a blog post on idioms used to describe people arguing. Today’s post follows on from that and focuses instead on the nicer area of becoming friends again after an argument. Again, we’re looking at idioms and phrases with this meaning. … Continue reading Keeping the peace and olive branches (Idioms for becoming friends again after an argument)
dirty wellness noun [U] UK /ˌdɜː.ti ˈwel.nəs/ US /ˌdɝː.t̬i ˈwel.nəs/ activities that involve being outside in nature and getting dirty, thought to be good for people’s physical and mental health When I first heard about “dirty wellness,” a philosophy that espouses leaving our sanitized, hermetically sealed existence behind and reconnecting with good old-fashioned bacteria-laden dirt, … Continue reading New words – 27 March 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Kate Woodford The English language contains a lot of idioms and phrases on the theme of arguing. This post looks at some of the most useful ones. I hope you find it interesting. Before a disagreement even begins, if someone clearly wants an argument and tries to … Continue reading Crossing swords and sparks flying (Idioms about arguing)
rage applying noun [U] /ˈreɪdʒ əˌplaɪ.ɪŋ/ the activity of impulsively applying for several new jobs only because your present job is currently making you unhappy or angry What can you do instead of rage applying? Spencer says that instead of soothing the panic and anger you’re feeling, rage applying can actually build on that negativity … Continue reading New words – 20 March 2023
Listen to the author reading this blog post: by Liz Walter The word ‘important’ is extremely common and is sometimes overused by learners of English. There are many possible alternatives – so many in fact, that this is the first of two posts on the topic. This one looks at general words, words meaning ‘extremely important’ … Continue reading A matter of life and death: Talking about importance (1)
breadflation noun [U] /bredˈfleɪ.ʃᵊn/ a continuous increase in the price of bread While prices are going up just about everywhere, a few items tend to stand out more than others. Enter “breadflation”. The average per-pound price of white bread in the U.S. has surged more than 25% since the pandemic began. And premium loaves of … Continue reading New words – 13 March 2023
Listen to the author reading this post: by Kate Woodford Today’s offering is Part 2 of a post looking at the language of large numbers or amounts of things. Part 1 focused on adjectives and verbs, so this post looks at nouns and phrases in this area. There are a few nouns meaning ‘a lot of’, … Continue reading No shortage of phrases (The language of large amounts or numbers, Part 2)
resilience hub noun [C] /rɪˈzɪl.jəns ˌhʌb/ a place in a city where someone can go during a heatwave to access air conditioning, get water, use the internet etc. Cities around the world are adopting various measures to deal with the threat of heatwaves, which are increasing in frequency and severity, and put old and infirm … Continue reading New words – 6 March 2023
by Liz Walter There are an extraordinary number of phrases containing the word ‘back’, so today’s post will pick out some of the most useful ones, all of which use ‘back’ in the sense of a part of the body. Several phrases make use of the idea that if someone is behind you, you can’t see … Continue reading Watch your back! Idioms with the word ‘back’
social omnivore noun [C] UK /ˌsəʊ.ʃəl ˈɒm.nɪ.vɔːʳ/ US /ˌsoʊ.ʃəl ˈɑːm.nɪ.vɔːr/ a person who never eats meat at home but sometimes eats it when in a restaurant or at someone else’s house Levy is part of a growing number of people who seek a middle ground. They’re social omnivores—vegetarian at home but sometimes partake in meat … Continue reading New words – 27 February 2023
by Kate Woodford Today, I’m looking at the language we use to describe large amounts or numbers of things. Of course, words that mean ‘very large’ such as huge and massive, are often used in this way, but for the purposes of this post, I’ll focus on words and phrases which refer specifically to large amounts … Continue reading Teeming with and abundant (The language of large amounts and numbers, Part 1)
crypto winter noun [C] UK /ˈkrɪp.təʊ ˌwɪn.təʳ / US /ˈkrɪp.toʊ ˌwɪn.t̬ɚ/ a situation when the price of cryptocurrency falls and remains very low for a long period of time When will the crypto winter end? No one can say for sure, but given the current economic trajectory and recent string of bankruptcies, experts don’t think … Continue reading New words – 20 February 2023
by Liz Walter I’ve been struck recently by the huge popularity of the phrase it is what it is. According to the New York Times, it first appeared in 1949, but it is only in this century that it has really caught on. Like many phrases that find sudden popularity, it is a neat way of … Continue reading It is what it is: the language of acceptance
Palentine’s Day noun [C, usually singular] /ˈpæl.ən.taɪnz ˌdeɪ/ a day, usually 13 February, when friends celebrate their relationship by exchanging gifts and cards in the same way that people in a romantic relationship do on Valentine’s Day Looking to gain points this year for being the best mate ever? Check out this guide for the … Continue reading New words – 13 February 2023
by Kate Woodford Part 1 of this money-themed post looked at idioms that say something about having lots of money. Today’s post features idioms about not having enough money and about controlling how you spend money when you don’t have very much of it. In addition, I’ll also include sayings about money. A number of idioms … Continue reading Making ends meet and feeling the pinch (Money idioms, Part 2)
gamevertising noun [U] UK /ˈgeɪm.və.taɪ.zɪŋ/ US /ˈgeɪm.vɚ.taɪ.zɪŋ/ a way of advertising a product by making it appear in a computer game The simplest way of gamevertising is to insert a product in the background of an already existing game. Gamevertising can drive revenue both inside and outside a game. It’s a friendly, non-intrusive way to … Continue reading New words – 6 February 2023
by Liz Walter It is natural to want our family and friends to be safe, and this post looks at words connected with being careful – both for advising people to be careful and for describing careful people and actions. When you see someone who is in immediate danger, you might call to them to look … Continue reading Look out! Talking about being careful.
green comet noun [C] UK /ˌgriːn ˈkɒm.ɪt / US /ˌgriːnˈkɑː.mɪt/ a type of comet (= an object that moves around the sun that is seen on rare occasions from the earth as a bright line in the sky) that has a green glow because of radiation from the sun A green comet that will be … Continue reading New words – 30 January 2023
by Kate Woodford Today, in the latest of my money-themed posts, I’m looking at money idioms, by which I mean idioms that say something about money (and not idioms about other subjects that feature the words ‘penny’, ‘money’, ‘coin’ etc.). There are lots of money idioms so this is Part 1 and we’ll publish Part 2 … Continue reading Paying through the nose and pushing the boat out (Money Idioms, Part 1)
denim archaeologist noun [C] UK /ˌden.ɪm ˌɑː.kiˈɒl.ə.dʒɪst/ US /ˌden.ɪm ˌɑːr.kiˈɑː.lə.dʒɪst/ someone whose job is to find and study old items of clothing made from denim A pair of Levi’s jeans from the 1880s has sold at an auction in a small town in New Mexico for more than $87,000. The jeans – found in an … Continue reading New words – 23 January 2023
by Liz Walter You will probably already know several ways to express your opinions in English. This post is about something different: the words we use with the noun opinion – in other words, its collocations. Although it is fine to say that someone has an opinion, hold is a slightly more advanced collocation. We sometimes … Continue reading Conflicting, positive or strongly held? Using the word ‘opinion’
chauffeur mum noun [C] UK /ˈʃəʊ.fə ˌmʌm/ US /ʃoʊˈfɝː ˌmʌm/ a mother who lives in an area with little or no public transport and spends a lot of time driving her children to and from school and other places Chauffeur mums are a well-known Australian phenomenon. A lack of convenient transport options coupled with gendered … Continue reading New words – 16 January 2023
by Kate Woodford Last month I wrote a post on words and phrases used to talk about our money habits. Continuing with the money theme, I’m looking this week at verbs and verb phrases for spending money. Starting with the verb ‘spend’ itself, we say someone spends a fortune when they spend a lot of money … Continue reading Skimping and splurging (Verbs for spending money)
tripledemic noun [C] /ˌtrɪp.ᵊlˈdem.ɪk/ the widespread outbreak of Covid-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus at the same time The United States has already plunged into one of the roughest seasons of winter illnesses in decades. After nearly three years of being sequestered, children and adults are back out in crowds, with no masks, no distancing, … Continue reading New words – 9 January 2023
by Liz Walter My last post looked at some meanings of the word way and how to avoid common mistakes when using it. This post will look at just a few of the very many useful phrases that contain way. Let’s start with the phrase in the title of these posts: No way! This can either … Continue reading No way! Using the word ‘way’ (2)
productivity theatre noun [U] UK /ˌprɒd.ʌkˈtɪv.ə.ti ˈθɪə.təʳ/ US /ˌproʊ.dəkˈtɪv.ə.t̬i ˈθiː.ə.t̬ɚ/ a way someone behaves at work that makes them appear to be working very hard, even if this is not the case We know there is a disconnect between the views of employers and employees on the productivity of working from home. Employees are happier … Continue reading New words – 2 January 2023
by Kate Woodford Would you describe yourself as careful with money or are you a big spender? Today’s post considers the language we use to talk about our money habits. Let’s start with words for not spending a lot of money. Someone who is thrifty spends their money carefully and doesn’t waste it. The adjective frugal … Continue reading Spendthrifts and skinflints (The language of how we spend)
space brolly noun [C] UK /ˈspeɪs ˌbrɒl.i/ US /ˈspeɪs ˌbrɑː.li/ a type of antenna in the shape of an umbrella that can measure Earth’s forests from space and collect information on the extent to which they are being destroyed It looks for all the world like a giant brolly, but there’s no rain where it’s … Continue reading New words – 26 December 2022
by Liz Walter According to the Cambridge International Corpus, we use the word way 848 times in every million words, making it extremely common (by contrast, method comes up 65 times per million). Learners of English use it even more often (939 times per million words), but this may be because they are using it where … Continue reading Is this the way? Using the word ‘way’ (1)
place lag noun [U] /ˈpleɪs ˌlæg/ a feeling of surprise and slight confusion that people experience after making a long journey by plane and arriving in a place that is strange and new The pilot and writer Mark Vanhoenacker has coined the expression “place lag” to describe the wonder of arriving at new locales after … Continue reading New words – 19 December 2022
by Kate Woodford In a supermarket last week, I heard a mother telling her child not to be naughty. Naughty is, of course, a word usually used for (badly behaved) children rather than adults. It made me think about other words that we use mainly for children, and I thought the subject would make an interesting … Continue reading Telltales and fidgets (Words that we use for children)
butter board noun [C] UK /ˈbʌt.ə ˌbɔːd/ US /ˈbʌt̬.ɚ ˌbɔːrd/ a wooden board spread generously with butter and topped with other foods, such as herbs, spices, fruit, sauces, etc. If you’ve ever put together a charcuterie board, you know it usually costs a small fortune to buy all the fixings. Luckily, that’s not the case … Continue reading New words – 12 December 2022
by Liz Walter My last post looked at linkers that express the contrast between ideas. This post covers linkers for adding extra information, showing the reason for something, and showing things in sequence. Common ways of adding more information are in addition, moreover and furthermore. These are all rather formal and not usually used in speech. … Continue reading Moreover, consequently and therefore: ways to link ideas (2)
desk-bombing noun [U] UK /ˈdeskˌbɒm.ɪŋ/ US /ˈdeskˌbɑː.mɪŋ/ the activity of suddenly going to talk to someone who is working at their desk, rather than phoning them or sending them an email, seen by some people as impolite On “desk-bombing”, Trehan goes on: “One explanation is that workers grew accustomed to going solo during the lockdowns … Continue reading New words – 5 December 2022
by Kate Woodford My last ‘How we talk’ post focused on words used for people who talk a lot, including adjectives such as ‘talkative’ and ‘forthcoming’. This week, I’m looking at the opposite – words that we use for people who say very little. A common word for this is quiet. ‘Quiet’ can describe someone who … Continue reading Has the cat got your tongue? (How we talk, Part 2)
thermal tourism noun [U] UK /ˌθɜː.mᵊl ˈtʊə.rɪ.zᵊm/ US /ˌθɝː.mᵊl ˈtʊr.ɪ.zᵊm/ travel to a warmer country to spend the winter months there in order to avoid the cold weather and higher heating bills in your own country Tourism operators in Southern European countries are hoping to capitalise on cold winters and energy bills elsewhere on the … Continue reading New words – 28 November 2022
by Kate Woodford This week and next, I’m looking at ways to describe how much – or how little – we speak. There are lots of words (especially adjectives) in this area, with very different connotations, from chatty (=talking a lot in a friendly, informal way) to reserved (=tending not to talk about your feelings or … Continue reading He could talk the hind legs off a donkey (How we talk, Part 1)
brown noise noun [U] /ˌbraʊn ˈnɔɪz/ a type of sound that resembles a low rumble or the noise the sea makes, thought by some people to encourage sleep and relaxation Welcome to the cult of brown noise, a sometimes hazily-defined category of neutral, dense sound that contains every frequency our ears can detect. Brown noise … Continue reading New words – 21 November 2022
Once again, it’s the time of year when the Cambridge Dictionary team looks back over the past twelve months to choose a word that represents what the dictionary, and what the English language, means to its users. This year’s word might surprise you, so read on to find out why the Word of the Year … Continue reading Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year 2022
by Liz Walter When we speak and write, it is important to show the link between different statements. For example, do we want to add information, contrast two ideas, or show that one thing is the reason for another? Of course it is possible to use very simple linking words such as and, but and so, … Continue reading Whereas, despite and nevertheless: ways to link ideas (1)
Great Wealth Transfer noun [S] UK /ˌgreɪt ˈwelθ ˌtræns.fɜːʳ/ US /ˌgreɪt ˈwelθ ˌtræns.fɝː/ the gradual movement of money from baby boomers (people born in the mid-1940s to mid-1960s) to younger generations, either given as gifts or passed on through inheritance Ultimately, while the specific impacts at this stage remain relatively unknown, it’s important to acknowledge … Continue reading New words – 14 November 2022
by Kate Woodford Today’s post is a round-up of the idioms and phrases found in a range of national newspapers published on the same Sunday in October. I write one of these newspaper idioms posts every few months as a way of providing you with a regular supply of contemporary, frequently used English idioms. Let’s start … Continue reading Hot air and bad blood (Idioms found in newspapers)
liveaboard noun [C] UK /ˈlɪv.əˌbɔːd/ US /ˈlɪv.əˌbɔːrd/ someone who lives permanently on a boat The couple are currently in Greece, “a seagoing nation” they adore for its free mooring and the warm welcome extended to liveaboards. They dropped anchor on the small island of Meganisi when Covid struck but plan to cruise on towards Turkey. … Continue reading New words – 7 November 2022
by Liz Walter We often need to talk about amounts and numbers that are not exact, either because an exact figure isn’t needed or because we don’t know it. This post looks at some words and phrases for doing this. The most basic and common way is to use the prepositions around or (especially in British … Continue reading At a rough guess: talking about approximate numbers and amounts
spiritual bath noun [C] UK /ˌspɪr.ɪ.tʃu.əl ˈbɑːθ/ US /ˌspɪr.ə.tʃu.əl ˈbæθ/ a ritual that involves having a bath to encourage wellbeing, with oils, herbs, flowers etc. added to the water and in a relaxing environment, for example with candles and soft music A souped up version of the bubble bath, spiritual baths are an art form. … Continue reading New words – 31 October 2022
by Kate Woodford In part 1 of this post (Changing our minds, Part 1), I looked at language that is often used to refer to people in positions of power changing their decisions or plans. This post continues the ‘changing your mind’ theme but instead focuses on the sort of language that is used when people … Continue reading Having second thoughts (Changing our minds, Part 2)
super-smeller noun [C] UK /ˈsuː.pəˌsmeləʳ/ US /ˈsuː.pɚˌsmelɚ/ someone whose sense of smell is so powerful that they can smell things most other people cannot From petrol and perfume to Parkinson’s disease, super-smellers can detect scents others are oblivious to … One of the most extreme cases of a super-smeller to emerge in recent years is … Continue reading New words – 24 October 2022
by Liz Walter My last post looked at a range of verbs to talk about touching and hitting in a variety of contexts. This post focuses on hitting things and people with force. If you cannon into someone or something, you hit it hard and at speed, while if something cannons off (UK), caroms off (US), … Continue reading Walloping, belting and clobbering: verbs for touching and hitting (2)
centennial noun [C] /senˈten.i.əl/ someone who was born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s From baby boomers, to generation X, all the way up to millennials, each age group has their own characteristics and their distinct way to act. That also applies for one of the youngest generations: centennials. But, is it really … Continue reading New words – 17 October 2022
by Kate Woodford ‘A wise man changes his mind. A fool never will,’ or so says the proverb. Whether or not this is true, we all change our minds, sometimes about trivial things and sometimes about things that really matter. This post (in two parts) takes a look at nouns, verbs and idioms in this area … Continue reading U-turns and flip-flopping (Changing our minds, Part 1)
director of first impressions noun [C] UK /dɪˈrek.tər əv ˌfɜːst ɪmˈpreʃ.ᵊnz/ US /dɪˈrek.tɚ əv ˌfɝːst ɪmˈpreʃ.ᵊnz/ someone who works in an office or hotel and whose job is to welcome and help visitors While directors of first impressions may work under various job descriptions, they must invariably succeed at one common goal: To set a … Continue reading New words – 10 October 2022
by Liz Walter There are an incredible number of verbs that express the concept of touching or hitting someone or something, and they can have very different connotations, from caressing (touching in a very gentle and loving way) right through to punching (hitting someone or something very hard with a closed hand): She gently caressed the … Continue reading Caressing, patting and elbowing: verbs for touching and hitting (1)
stealth help noun [U] /ˌstelθ ˈhelp/ a type of book that uses a story or an account of someone’s experience to inspire its readers to achieve goals and overcome problems In the aftermath of the pandemic, publishers have said that writers are leaning towards feelgood and optimistic works. One such genre is “stealth help”, which … Continue reading New words – 3 October 2022
by Kate Woodford Part 1 of this ‘energy’ series looked at adjectives for describing lively, energetic people. This post looks at nouns that mean ‘energy’ and idioms that we use to describe energetic people. Let’s start with the word ‘energy’ itself as there are some very useful collocations. We say that we have and get energy … Continue reading Boundless energy and oomph (Language relating to energy, Part 2)
thunder fever noun [U] UK /ˈθʌn.də ˌfiː.vəʳ/ US /ˈθʌn.dɚ ˌfiː.vɚ/ a more serious form of hay fever that people can experience when there is a high pollen count and thundery weather at the same time A high pollen count mixed with thunderstorms will trigger a weather phenomenon called “thunder fever” this week, causing problems for … Continue reading New words – 26 September 2022
by Kate Woodford Some of you reading this post will have enjoyed a break from your work or studies over the summer months. You might (I hope!) be feeling refreshed and ready to throw yourself into your work (=start working with energy and enthusiasm). With this in mind, I thought I’d take a look at words … Continue reading Bouncy and boisterous (Language relating to energy, Part 1)
disloyalty card noun [C] UK /dɪsˈlɔɪ.əl.ti ˌkɑːd/ US /dɪsˈlɔɪ.əl.ti ˌkɑːrd/ a card that is given to a customer by a group of similar businesses, used to reward the customer for buying goods at any of the businesses and not just one “Through the disloyalty card that is a part of the campaign, every card holder … Continue reading New words – 5 September 2022
by Kate Woodford In the last of these three ‘heart’ posts I’ll be looking at phrases for expressing emotions. There are quite a lot and I won’t be able to cover them all so if you can think of a useful ‘heart’ idiom or phrase on this theme that I haven’t included, do please leave a … Continue reading Sobbing or pouring your heart out (‘Heart’ senses and phrases, Part 3)
superskinny noun [C] UK /ˌsuː.pə.ˈskɪn.i/ US /ˌsuː.pɚ.ˈskɪn.i/ a very thin skyscraper ‘Superskinnies’ are changing urban skylines and the Steinway Tower in New York is the slimmest (so far), with a height-to-width ratio of 24:1. The views are staggering, as they should be at $26 million an apartment. [thetimes.co.uk, 9 July 2022] sidescraper noun [C] UK … Continue reading New words – 29 August 2022
by Kate Woodford In Part 1 of this ‘heart’ series, I looked at common ‘heart’ idioms and phrases for saying that someone is kind. In this post, I’ll consider various figurative senses of the word ‘heart’ and then focus on idioms and phrases that relate to love and romance. Just as the heart is located (more … Continue reading Losing and breaking your heart (Heart senses and phrases, Part 2)
sea allotment noun [C] UK /ˈsiː əˌlɒt.mənt/ US /ˈsiː əˌlɑːt.mənt/ a small area of the sea that someone rents for growing shellfish, edible seaweed etc. As with land-based allotments, members of a sea allotment society share an area granted to them by local authorities and use it to cultivate food. The difference is that instead … Continue reading New words – 22 August 2022
by Liz Walter This is the second of two posts on texture. The previous one provided words to describe food, texture words from fabrics, and words to describe how smooth or rough something is. This one will focus on hardness and softness. Something that is soft and easy to press down is squashy, or more informally … Continue reading Spongy, rock-hard or pliable? Talking about textures (2)
cash stuffing noun [C] /ˈkæʃ ˌstʌf.ɪŋ/ the practice of saving cash in a different envelope for each type of bill or purchase Inspired by Tik Tok influencers, one money trend that seems new, but is actually a throwback to simpler times, is “cash stuffing.” It’s pretty much what it sounds like: dividing up your income … Continue reading New words – 15 August 2022
by Kate Woodford The word ‘heart’ is used a tremendous lot in English. As you might imagine, it’s often used to say things about love and emotions, but it has other less predictable meanings too. In this three-part post, I’ll look at the way we use this word, focusing on its various senses and a range … Continue reading A heart of gold or a heart of stone? (‘Heart’ senses and phrases, Part 1)
urban mining noun [U] UK /ˌɜː.bən ˈmaɪ.nɪŋ/ US /ˌɝː.bən ˈmaɪ.nɪŋ/ removing and recycling metal parts from objects such as batteries and electronic devices that have been thrown away As well as requiring good collection and recycling systems, urban mining relies upon people handing over products they no longer use. British charity WRAP (the Waste and … Continue reading New words – 8 August 2022
by Liz Walter Today’s post focuses on the texture of things: in other words, the way they feel. One of the most common times we talk about texture is when we are describing food, as the way it feels in the mouth is central to our enjoyment (or otherwise!) of eating. For example, we usually prefer … Continue reading Tender, velvety or abrasive? Talking about textures (1)