Last month, I published a post on idioms connected with man’s best friend (=the dog). When I researched the piece, I found that there were more frequent and useful canine idioms than I was expecting, so here is a second post on the subject. As well as idioms containing the word ‘dog’, I have included a few that feature dog-related vocabulary. I hope you learn a phrase or two from it! Continue reading “You’re barking up the wrong tree! (Dog idioms, Part 2)”→
I’m Anna Stevenson, the Word Watcher, and these are the words I’ve been watching.
What does the word “holiday” make you think of? Sightseeing and souvenir shopping? Lying on a beach? Actually, these days we’re finding all sorts of interesting ways to spend our precious time off. So let’s broaden our horizons in this post and look at some of the new types of holiday that have caught my eye recently. Continue reading “The Word Watcher: Holidays”→
The dog is sometimes referred to in English as man’s best friend, reflecting our close relationship with this remarkable animal. In the past, we used dogs to protect ourselves against predators. Nowadays, they perform all manner of roles for us, including herding farm animals, assisting in police work, and helping people with disabilities. And of course, many of us keep dogs as companions. It’s no surprise, then, that the word ‘dog’ features in a great many English idioms, (though it seems rather unfair that so many of these phrases have negative meanings!) This post and my next look at some of the most frequent and useful dog idioms. Continue reading “There’s life in the old dog yet! (Dog idioms, part 1)”→
Today’s post looks at words connected with fire and burning. As well as looking at words for different types of fire, I’ll cover some common collocations (words that go together) that we use when we talk about fire, several of which would not be possible to guess. Continue reading “Bursting into flames: talking about fire”→
Greggory DiSalvo / iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus
I’m Anna Stevenson, the Word Watcher, and these are the words I’m watching.
We go on holiday to relax and escape the stress of everyday life for a while. But sometimes just getting to our destination can be anything but relaxing.
Social media has become the perfect place to swap horror stories about our fellow travellers, resulting in a number of colourful new terms to describe other people’s annoying habits at the airport and on the plane. Continue reading “The Word Watcher: Airports and air travel”→
tasteslopnoun [U] UK /ˈteɪst.slɒp/ US /ˈteɪst.slɑːp/ AI-generated content, such as images of clothes, objects, or interior design, that is designed to look tasteful and stylish but is actually bland and unoriginal
Good taste used to require context. Now it requires the right moodboard. Instagram made taste visible, algorithms made it repeatable, and AI made it scalable. Welcome to the age of tasteslop, where originality may be the last status symbol left. [theestablished.com, 24 June 2026]
vibe hackingnoun [U] UK /ˈvaɪb ˌhæk.ɪŋ/ US /ˈvaɪb ˌhæk.ɪŋ/ cybercrime that is carried out with the help of AI, using natural language to give instructions and letting AI generate the code or other tools
The same large language models (LLMs) that help engineers write code faster now help criminals operate faster. What began as “vibe coding,” a mindset that embraces AI output with minimal review, has evolved into “vibe hacking,” attackers delegating the design, orchestration, and execution of campaigns to AI systems. [threatlocker.com, 21 April 2026]
dead internet theorynoun [S] UK /ˌded ˈɪn.tə.net ˌθɪə.ri/ US /ˌded ˈɪn.t̬ɚ.net ˌθɪr.i/ a theory that a lot of the internet is no longer created by real people but rather by bots and other AI tools
Sam Altman, the chief executive of ChatGPT creators OpenAI, has suggested that there might be some truth in the “dead internet theory”. The idea is a conspiracy theory that the majority of content and apparent people online are actually being automatically generated by computers, and that the internet is for the most part “dead”. [independent.co.uk, 5 September 2025]
graduation creepnoun [U]
/ˌgrædʒ.uˈeɪ.ʃᵊn ˌkriːp/ the trend for graduation ceremonies to be held for pupils and students at lower levels of education and not just for university graduates
Previously, events like these may have involved little more than a sing-along and some remarks from the teacher. Now, however, they’re ticketed occasions, with processions, diplomas, props, and professional photographers. The kids wear miniature caps and gowns, while parents mingle at a reception. Neither the parents nor the teachers I spoke to could point to any one reason for “graduation creep”: gentle parenting, a postpandemic rebound for in-person events, the need for social media documentation—take your pick. [slate.com, 28 June 2026]
fall curriculumnoun [C] UK /ˌfɔːl kəˈrɪk.jə.ləm/ US /ˌfɑːl kəˈrɪk.jə.ləm/ the trend for adults to assign themselves a number of subjects to study and learn more about during the autumn months
Across TikTok, Gen Zers and millennials are reclaiming study time through a new viral phenomenon known as the “fall curriculum.” The idea is simple but surprisingly effective: instead of scrolling endlessly on their phones, participants set themselves a personal curriculum of three or more subjects to explore during the season. The approach offers structure and the thrill of rediscovering the joy of learning for its own sake. [newsweek.com, 6 September 2025]
rejection cakenoun [C]
/rɪˈdʒek.ʃən ˌkeɪk/ a cake that someone decorates and shares on social media after their application to a university has been rejected, usually as a light-hearted way of showing their disappointment
As videos of emotional college acceptances and elaborate school-themed bed parties fill high schoolers’ social media feeds, some seniors are putting a humorous spin on the emotional let down of getting denied from colleges with rejection cakes … When Co-Founder of Counseling at Expert Admissions Bari Norman saw the rejection cake videos, she thought, “finally, some reality.” [eu.usatoday.com, 25 April 2025]
