micro-scheduling noun [U]
UK /ˈmaɪ.krəʊ.ʃedjuːlɪŋ/ US /ˈmaɪ.kroʊ.skedʒuːlɪŋ/
the activity of planning your time in a way that accounts for what you will do in every minute of the day

The CEOs have said it: scheduling meetings, lunch breaks and workouts is no longer enough. To hit peak productivity, micro-scheduling is the best option: in other words, planning every minute of your day, down to checking your phone and making tea. It’s all the rage in Silicon Valley: Bill Gates and Elon Musk both split their days into five-minute chunks. And New York-based entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk reportedly plans his day out to the second.
[standard.co.uk, 21 February 2019]

timeboxing noun [U]
UK /taɪm.bɒk.sɪŋ/ US /ˈtaɪm.bɑːk.sɪŋ/
a technique to manage your time more efficiently that involves planning what you are going to do in every minute of the next week

There are various timeboxing apps and templates out there … but I start by using Google calendar to schedule a week full of tasks. Everything, from what time I start writing to when I walk the dog, is neatly mapped out.
[The Guardian, 12 October 2019]

FONC noun [U]
UK /fɒŋk/ US /fɑːŋk/
abbreviation for “fear of not chilling”: a worried feeling that you may miss the opportunity to stay at home and relax, because you are too busy and are going out a lot

You know you have FONC when your busy schedule causes mild panic about when you’ll have time to treat yourself to some necessary R&R. “It’s kind of the opposite of saying yes to everything,” says Kott … “It’s like, I’d rather be home chilling or chilling with friends. If there’s a really busy week, or a really busy few days of the week in a work sense, then I try to allow space for relaxation,” she says.
[standard.co.uk, 21 February 2019]

About new words

laughter club noun [C]
UK /ˈlɑːf.tə.klʌb/ US /ˈlæf.tɚ.klʌb/
an organization of people who meet regularly to laugh together as a form of therapy

It’s no joke. Laughter clubs exist all over the country. They’re run by “certified laughter leaders” – often psychologists, therapists, and psychiatrists – who are trained in the healing benefits of laughter. These workshops can help you connect with others as you get in a good laugh.
[www.rd.com/health/wellness, no date]

entertrainment noun [U]
UK /en.təˈtreɪn.mənt/ US /en.t̬ɚˈtreɪn.mənt/
fitness classes that combine exercise with entertainment, designed to make exercise more fun

So, how do we navigate this confusing world of entertrainment? How to sort off the marketing gimmicks from the genuinely useful concepts? Firstly, it’s worth repeating Beverley’s line: movement is good for you, and if fun, faddy classes help get you working out, then that’s probably a good thing. Don’t beat yourself up about loving entertrainment if it works for you.
[www.telegraph.co.uk, 22 March 2019]

sober bar noun [C]
UK /ˈsəʊ.bə.bɑːʳ/ US /ˈsəʊ.bə.bɑːr/
a bar where no alcoholic drinks are served

Many of the wave of sober bars are new, and it remains to be seen whether they will continue to proliferate and thrive. In Auckland in 2015, an alcohol-free bar shut down after just five weeks. But there’s no doubt that interest in non-alcoholic adult beverages is increasing across the beverage industry, and that’s unlikely to stop soon.
[bbc.com/worklife, 19 July 2019]

About new words

facial fingerprint noun [C]
UK /ˌfeɪ.ʃᵊl.ˈfɪŋ.gə.prɪnt/ US /ˌfeɪ.ʃᵊl.ˈfɪŋ.gɚ.prɪnt/
the pattern of lines and other markings on someone’s face that is different in every person and can be used for identification purposes

Unless you have an unshakeable faith in the incorruptibility of our own state – which, judging by the wider mood, most of us don’t – it seems bafflingly reckless to offer up your face to be logged. Yet more than 150 million people, so far, have downloaded FaceApp. Millions more have handed over their facial fingerprints in order to unlock their smartphones more easily, or to activate Apple’s cute little Animojis.
[www.telegraph.co.uk, 18 July 2019] Continue reading “New words – 18 November 2019” →

breatharian noun [C]
UK /breθ.ˈeə.ri.ən/ US /breθ.ˈer.i.ən/
someone who believes that by doing a special type of breathing exercise they can get all the nutrients they need from air and do not have to eat solid food

Audra Bear identifies as a breatharian and claims she fasts for up to 97 days because food gets in the way of her enjoyment of life. Despite the dangers and lack of any scientific backing whatsoever that it works, Audra, 25, insists that it is good for her. She has tried various diets over the years including being a vegan then a raw vegan for four years before taking on so-called pranic living and breatharianism.
[Metro, 28 June 2019] Continue reading “New words – 11 November 2019” →

microworker noun [C]
UK /ˈmaɪ.krəʊ.wɜːkəʳ/ US /ˈmaɪ.kroʊ.wɝːkɚ/
someone whose job is to carry out a number of small but important tasks online that need human input and cannot be done by a computer

Two years ago she swapped her dental practice for online work as part of the global army of hidden “microworkers” – performing tasks that machines alone cannot. Think of a day in your “digital life”. Whether it’s your phone’s search engine recommending relevant restaurants or a music app’s suggested playlist – none of this would be possible without microworkers.
[www.bbc.co.uk/news, 2 August 2019]

slashie noun [C]
/ˈslæʃ.i/
someone who has several different jobs at the same time, from the use of the slash (/) in, for example, writer/dog walker/barista

Sam Gray is a so-called “slashie” … She’s a former teacher living in Torquay, and currently works five different jobs. In addition to her own dog-grooming business, Toodles, Sam works as a private tutor, teaches crochet and sells patterns, works security for nightclubs and bars and works two 12-hour night shifts at a local arcade.
[www.bbc.co.uk/news, 22 April 2019]

micro-bonus noun [C]
UK /’maɪkrəʊ.ˌbəʊnəs/ US /’maɪkroʊ.ˌboʊnəs/
a small amount of money made available by a company for employees to give to their colleagues as a reward for good work

Former employees of businesses that use the micro-bonus peer-to-peer system aren’t quite of the same opinion, with claims it’s “open to abuse”, as well as the fact that it can result in a popularity contest and diminish the value of the work you do, by making it seem like you’re purely working for tips.
[www.executivegrapevine.com, 17 May 2019]

About new words

property noir noun [U]
UK /ˌprɒp.ə.ti.ˈnwɑːʳ/ US /ˌprɑː.pɚ.t̬i.ˈnwɑːr/
a style of crime fiction where the plot involves the people who live in a particular neighbourhood and the houses they live in

A clever enjoyable follow-up to Our House, Candlish’s award-winning first venture into property noir, this is scarily plausible.
[www.telegraph.co.uk, 1 November 2018]

yarden noun [C]
UK /ˈjɑː.dən/ US /ˈjɑːr.dən/
a small yard behind a house that has been turned into a garden

I wanted my yarden to be a quiet place of refuge, somewhere to relax in a slouchy chair after work, with a beer and a book, somewhere to get lost in my slippers on a Sunday morning and, after tweaking out a few weeds, discover that my cup of tea was stone cold and a couple of hours had passed… And as well as a marvellous, lush space, I also wanted to grow my own produce.
[www.telegraph.co.uk, 9 February 2019]

Dimby noun [C]
/ˈdɪmbɪ/
abbreviation for develop in my back yard: someone who sells their house or land they own to a property developer

Of course, becoming a Dimby won’t work for everyone struggling to sell – you’ll usually need land on which to develop, and it helps if you have a single-storey property among taller buildings, or a detached home in a built-up area.
[Sunday Times, 27 May 2018]

About new words

flight shaming noun [U]
/ˈflaɪt.ʃeɪ.mɪŋ/
the act of making someone feel guilty about travelling by air because of the impact on the environment

Yet with growing pressure and heightened concern around global heating – plus potentially higher taxes in future on flights, to counter carbon emissions, and the social effect of “flight shaming” – it is possible there will be a more substantial shift in the coming years in the way holidaymakers travel.
[www.theguardian.com, 9 June 2019]

Green Friday noun [C]
/ˌgriːn.ˈfraɪ.deɪ/
an alternative to Black Friday, when consumers are encouraged to shop less and/or to buy sustainable products instead

Blind consumerism is clearly a huge problem. Often times, the customer will settle on a product that lacks an ethical supply chain or a positive impact in the interest of getting the best deal. By celebrating Green Friday, we’re offering our customers a chance to get a killer deal on some great products made from sustainable materials with an ethical supply chain AND plant 10 trees for each item purchased.
[www.tentree.com, 16 November 2018]

net zero adjective
UK /net.ˈzɪə.rəʊ/ US /net.ˈzɪə.roʊ/
describes a situation where the amount of carbon emissions put into the atmosphere is no more than the amount removed, thereby not allowing climate change to get worse

Theresa May has sought to cement some legacy in the weeks before she steps down as prime minister by enshrining in law a commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, making Britain the first major economy to do so. The commitment … would make the UK the first member of the G7 group of industrialised nations to legislate for net zero emissions, Downing Street said.
[www.theguardian.com, 11 June 2019]

About new words