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 about an object or something you can see. For information, we are more likely to use the phrasal verb find out. Discover is used for objects and information, and tends to be used more when we find something by accident or for the first time:
neobanknoun [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 offer their customers FDIC insurance and additional benefits, but those considering a neobank should check to make sure. cnn.com, 4 March 2024
time banknoun [C]
/ˈtaɪm ˌbæŋk/ a system where the unit of currency is one hour of someone’s time, with the people using the bank exchanging services and skills
A time bank functions much like traditional currency but with a unique twist: it’s measured in hours, not dollars. Every hour spent helping others earns one credit – every hour holds equal value, irrespective of the service provided. It’s a system that stitches communities together by recognizing and honoring the contributions of all participants. [givingtuesday.org, 5 November 2023]
multibanknoun [C]
/ˈmʌl.tiˌbæŋk/ a place where essential items such as food, clothing, toiletries and household goods are given to people who don’t have enough money to buy them
First established 14 months ago in Scotland and since March in Manchester, four new multibanks are set to launch in 2024 including in London, the Midlands and Wales, with the idea that there will be multibanks in different parts of the country by the end of next year. [standard.co.uk, 19 December 2023]
WFBnoun [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 (WFB). For some, WFB is done intermittently, alternating living and working onshore with occasional cruises on their boat. [sailworldcruising.com, 18 Nov 2022 ]
wanderpreneurnoun [C] UK /ˌwɒn.də.prəˈnɜːʳ/ US /ˌwɑːn.dɚ.prəˈnɝː/ someone who does not have a permanent office or home and spends time living with their family and working in different towns or countries
I’m here with three kids in tow, making me part of a growing trend for “wanderpreneurs”: digital nomads but all grown-up. Have kids, will travel. For wanderpreneurs, this is a nomadic life but with structure: children are occupied during the day so adults can earn money. [Sunday Times, 24 March 2024]
tethered nomadnoun [C] UK /ˌteð.əd ˈnəʊ.mæd/ US / ˌteð.ɚd ˈnoʊ.mæd/ someone who spends part of their time living and working in a single location and the rest of their time travelling so that they can live and work in different places
So here is the “tethered nomad”—not entirely untethered from traditional work but not anchored firmly to an office space either. This breed of workers seeks to marry the structure of conventional employment with the autonomy of remote working. They’re crafting a hybrid existence, leveraging technology and flexible work policies to work part-time in offices and part-time in settings of their choosing. [mbopartners.com, 12 January 2024]
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 something) in plain sight:
Clues to his feelings were hidden in plain sight in his poems.
Andreas von Einsiedel / Corbis Documentary / Getty
kitschennoun [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 is “kitschen”, and how can you pull off this quirky, eccentric look in your own home? A mash-up of kitsch and kitchen, “kitschens” are all about embracing a quirky style and creating a unique, characterful kitchen – think vintage finds and a vibrant use of colour. [housebeautiful.com, 13 February 2024]
Narnia pantrynoun [C] UK /ˈnɑː.niː.ə ˌpæn.tri/ US /ˈnɑːr.niː.ə ˌpæn.tri/ a small room accessed through a door in a kitchen, used to store food, appliances etc.
But the real status symbol of the invisible kitchen is the “Narnia pantry”, where “you open a cabinet door”, explains Bune Strandh, “and it leads to a hidden utility room – for storage, extra sinks, the dishwasher – where you can get rid of everything if you’re entertaining”. [telegraph.co.uk, 14 February 2024]
invisible kitchennoun [C]
/ɪnˌvɪz.ə.bᵊl ˈkɪtʃ.ᵊn/ a style of kitchen where appliances, accessories and other objects are hidden away inside large cupboards, making the room more spacious
Invisible kitchens are a minimalist kitchen trend, whereby conventional parts of a kitchen are housed out of sight, often in full-height cabinets. These cabinets open up to reveal kitchen pantries and breakfast bars alike, maximising your kitchen storage ideas. But, when closed, you’d be none the wiser. [idealhome.co.uk, 6 February 2024]
unexpected red theorynoun [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 theory: the viral decorating trend everyone’s talking about. According to TikTok, the newly coined “unexpected red theory” is the secret to making any space look better. Essentially, it’s adding anything that’s red – be it big or small – to a room where it doesn’t match at all, transforming the space in one fell swoop. [housebeautiful.com, 27 February 2024]
blue cardnoun [C] UK /ˌbluː ˈkɑːd/ US /ˌbluː ˈkɑːrd/ a small blue card shown by the referee to a football player who has not obeyed a rule and who is therefore going to be sent to the sin bin
The prospect of sin bins in football has moved a step closer, with it being reported that the International Football Association Board [IFAB] is planning to make an announcement to trial sin bins in the professional game. It is also being reported that officials would carry a blue card to signify a player had been sent to the sin bin. A spell of 10 minutes in the sin bin would follow a blue card. [tntsports.co.uk, 8 February 2024]
greenstallingnoun [U] UK /ˈgriːn.stɔː.lɪŋ/ US /ˈgriːn.stɑː.lɪŋ/ the act, of a business, of delaying taking action to reduce carbon emissions because of a worry about being criticized for doing the wrong thing or not doing enough
Greenstalling is an approach whereby businesses intend to do the right thing by drastically ramping up decarbonisation efforts, but ultimately get stuck in “analysis paralysis” where they can’t find the right approach to doing it for fear of criticism. It is likely to be a major barrier for businesses just starting out on their net-zero journeys. [edie.net, 22 February 2024]
popcorn brainnoun [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 may already feel like your head is filled with soup – it only having taken two months of 2024 to burn you out – but now you should also worry about your brain popping like pieces of corn according to one psychologist. [unilad.com, 20 February 2024]
VEXASnoun [U]
/ˈvek.səs/ an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the body and mostly affects men
VEXAS was first identified only two years ago, when it was believed to be a rare inflammatory disease. At the time the condition was discovered and named only 25 men – and no women – were found to be affected. That same year, COVID-19 was spreading across the world claiming thousands – and later millions – of victims. It’s no surprise that VEXAS, with its very limited impact on the population, didn’t make many headlines at the time. [euronews.com/health, 2 February 2024]
Alaskapoxnoun [U] UK /əˈlæs.kəˌpɒks/ US /əˈlæs.kəˌpɑːks/ a virus, discovered in Alaska, that is passed between mammals and occasionally affects humans
An elderly man from Alaska has become the first person to die after contracting Alaskapox – a recently discovered viral disease. Alaskapox, or AKPV, is a double-stranded DNA virus with officials saying it appears to be zoonotic, primarily circulating across Alaska’s state mammals with occasional transmission to humans. [news.sky.com, 14 February 2024]
