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 messages. However, in quishing, the QR code is decoded into a URL that points to the malicious website. The malicious QR code can be printed on paper or simply created digitally on digital posters and delivered via social media posts or emails.
[authentic8.com, 13 June 2024]

FaaS noun [U]
/ˌefeɪeɪˈes/
abbreviation for “fraud as a service”: the business of selling knowledge, software, data etc. to enable people to carry out fraudulent activities online

In a world where the shadows of the internet foster not just innovation but also illicit economies, the emergence of Fraud as a Service (FaaS) marks an unavoidable evolution in the cybercrime saga. Imagine a marketplace, not unlike those you’re used to, but one that trades in deception, theft, and digital disruption.
[fraudio.com, 10 April 2024]

money mule noun [C]
/ˈmʌn.i mjuːl/
someone who receives money from a criminal into their bank account and then transfers it to another person

Money mules are a crucial link in the fraud chain – and, while they are criminals in the eyes of the law, many are completely unaware of their involvement. You may know one, or even be one yourself! … Not all money mules are complicit – many are victims of fraud themselves, while others may be forced or tricked into letting criminals use their bank accounts.
[which.co.uk, 1 July 2024]

About new words

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 into their plans for the year ahead. Dubbed Generation T by ABTA due to their enthusiasm for travel, almost three-quarters of them are planning to travel overseas in the next 12 months … That doesn’t mean lots of quick breaks either. Generation T has been taking a much higher number of holidays for seven days or more than any other age group.
[abta.com/news, 28 November 2023]

See also Generation Z

microgapping noun [U]
UK /ˈmaɪ.krəʊ.gæp.ɪŋ/ US /ˈmaɪ.kroʊ.gæp.ɪŋ/
an alternative to the gap year, where people take shorter breaks and travel around their home country

Want to “get off the beaten track” on home turf this year? Maybe go biking, learn photography or try a spot of forest bathing in ancient forests? Or forage for gin botanicals, paddle down an idyllic river or improve your cooking skills? All this and more are possible in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. It’s ideal territory for microgapping, if you can’t get much time off or fork out for a long holiday.
[visitdeanwye.co.uk, 15 August 2022]

ghamping noun [U]
/ˈgæm.pɪŋ/
camping in a place that is said to have ghosts

The Rhode Island house that inspired the 2013 horror film The Conjuring is offering fans of the films and amateur paranormal investigators the chance to go “ghamping” – ghost camping – on the property. The Burrillville structure, dubbed The Conjuring House after gaining fame from the film, said eight camp sites have been set up on the property, each with a 3-4 person tent.
[upi.com, 24 May 2023]

About new words

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 denizens of the tech world, too. For example, earlier this year, a bunch of tech folks, including Elon Musk, signed an open letter proposing a pause in AI research past the level of GPT-4. The decels are still in favor of building new AI tech; they just want to be more careful about it.
[techcrunch.com, 20 November 2023]

slop noun [U]
UK /slɒp/ US /slɑːp/
AI-generated content that is unwanted and of poor quality

Your email inbox is full of spam. Your letterbox is full of junk mail. Now, your web browser has its own affliction: slop. “Slop” is what you get when you shove artificial intelligence-generated material up on the web for anyone to view. Unlike a chatbot, the slop isn’t interactive, and is rarely intended to actually answer readers’ questions or serve their needs.
[theguardian.com, 19 May 2024]

e/acc noun [U]
/ˌiːˈæk/
abbreviation for effective accelerationism: a movement that believes AI and other new technologies should be allowed to develop as quickly as possible without any restrictions

E/acc, as it’s known online, represents an obscure but growing movement that has made progress — specifically accelerated technological progress — its moral mission … Many of e/acc’s proponents are venture capitalists, founders, and engineers who would happen to benefit financially from technology’s accelerated progress.
[ca.style.yahoo.com, 5 January 2024]

See also accelerationism

About new words

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 are trying a new workaround called “coffee badging”. With most companies telling workers to show up at least some of the week — and some companies even weighing a return to a blanket five-day office mandate — employees are getting crafty with how long they actually stay there.
[euronews.com, 19 June 2024]

mouse jiggling noun [U]
/ˈmaʊs ˌdʒɪg.ᵊl.ɪŋ/
the activity of making one’s computer mouse move at regular intervals, using a gadget or piece of software, in order to make your employer think you are working when in fact you are not

The recent termination of over a dozen Wells Fargo employees for so-called simulation of keyboard activity, also known as ‘mouse jiggling’, has sparked widespread debate about modern management practices and the ethical implications of employee surveillance. This development is indicative of larger issues within corporate culture, particularly in the remote work landscape.
[developerherald.eu, 13 June 2024]

vampire task noun [C]
UK /ˈvæm.paɪə tɑːsk/ US /ˈvæm.paɪr tæsk/
one of the routine but necessary administrative tasks that employees have to spend a lot of time doing rather than more important work

Constantly overwhelmed by your to-do list at work? It’s time to stop “vampire tasks” from taking over your day. Between filing documents, clearing emails, scheduling meetings, chasing co-workers, managing your calendar and filling out expenses, how much of your working day is taken up by… doing your job? … If your days feel long and stressful but you’re not entirely convinced you’ve been productive by the time you clock off, you could be getting bogged down by these “vampire tasks”.
[www.stylist.co.uk, April 2024]

About new words

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 other some sort of gift, whether it be a cup of coffee or a sweet viral video, to brighten their day. “Pebbling started with the advent of meme sending as a form of creating a connection with people,” [said] Gigi Engle, a relationship expert and psychotherapist.
[nypost.com, 8 June 2024]

trendbait noun [U]
/ˈtrend.beɪt/
a new term or concept created to attract attention on social media platforms and start a trend

Trendbait describes the influx of slang for slang’s sake, where people create slang terms or new phrases in the hopes of going viral … Trendbait leans into internet FOMO – the fear of missing out. It helps generate language which bonds niche communities on the internet. And, where relevant, brands can lean into this language to connect with their target audience.
[brandwatch.com, 6 June 2023]

See also clickbait

anti-fan noun [C]
/ˈæn.tɪ.fæn/
someone who posts a lot of negative comments about a famous person on social media websites

We hear a lot these days about young people’s infatuation with influencers … But we almost never hear about an arguably more dedicated group: their anti-fans. These are the people who unite around a shared hatred of particular social media stars. They post on sites which host many forums where anti-fans post biting criticism of influencers’ appearance, weight and lifestyle, calling them bad mothers or suggesting their partners have cheated.
[theguardian.com, 27 Febuary 2024]

About new words

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 sector, on the other hand the most delicate parts of the ancient island of Zanzibar are suffering from the deplorable phenomenon of hypertourism which, for example, is suffocating the small pristine sand islands used as a base for observations of marine fauna and diving.
[ytali.com, 14 February 2024]

See also overtourism

hush trip noun [C]
/ˈhʌʃ ˌtrɪp/
a journey taken by an employee who then works remotely at the place they are visiting without telling their employer they are doing so

Last summer, the site surveyed 918 GenZers remote and hybrid workers and 44% revealed that they have taken a hush trip. About 65% used a virtual background to bamboozle their employers. The majority were able to get away with their trip without their bosses finding out
[forbes.com, 15 May 2024]

airport dad noun [C]
UK /ˌeə.pɔːt ˈdæd/ US /ˌer.pɔːrt ˈdæd/
the father of a family who takes charge of organizing a holiday and likes to arrive at the airport very early, or anyone who behaves in this way when travelling with a group

The term “airport dad” originated on TikTok when kids began documenting their actual fathers while traveling. Over time, the term has expanded to be used to describe anyone who likes to be in charge of the travel day. There are a few ways to identify an “airport dad”: Do they have boarding passes ready to go and seats checked in for all members of their travel party? Did they arrive early to the airport to sit at the gate “just in case”? Did they double-check that all packed bags were under the weight limit?
[yahoo.com, 13 October 2023]

About new words

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 – lies in tri- and quad-layering. This is the practice of acquiring pieces that need as little thought as possible because you know you can rely on them to do all of the heavy lifting for you.
[stylist.co.uk, January 2024]

method dressing noun [U]
UK /ˈmeθ.əd ˌdres.ɪŋ/ US /ˈmeθ.əd ˌdres.ɪŋ/
a trend where an actor dresses in the same way as the character they played in a film at events where they are promoting that film

When attending official ceremonies, festivals, or film promotions, actresses still impersonate their characters outside the film set. That new marketing technique combining fashion and performance is known as method dressing. We just have to look back at the big promotional marathon for Dune Part II to witness first-hand the role of method dressing as a marketing strategy. That evening, Zendaya and Florence Pugh opted for two opposite looks that matched their characters in Denis Villeneuve’s film.
[cosmopolitan.com, 26 April 2024]

See also method acting

movement director noun [C]
UK /ˈmuːv.mənt dɪˌrek.təʳ/ US /ˈmuːv.mənt dɪˌrek.tɚ/
someone who creates sequences of movements for fashion models to perform on the catwalk

Though the Poland-born creative has been collaborating with Galliano and the Margiela in-house team since 2018, in addition to working closely with other major brands like Versace and Tom Ford, his journey to becoming one of the most sought-after movement directors today has been nothing short of intriguing, with notable stints in dance, acting and modelling.
[vogue.co.uk, 20 March 2024]

About new words

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 Smith has said in a report. He uses the term “street scars” to describe black or grey patches of tarmac that disfigure the paving of streets and pavements, examples of which can be seen all over the UK.
[theguardian.com, 9 February 2024]

gentle density noun [U]
UK /ˌdʒen.təl ˈden.sɪ.ti/ US /ˌdʒen.t̬əl ˈden.sə.t̬i/
a type of urban development that focuses on building small apartment blocks and houses for one family so that the number of people living in that area does not increase severely and suddenly

High-rise towers and large-scale developments are often associated with high density. However, gentle density takes a different approach by integrating with the existing form and character of single-detached home neighborhoods. This design is not imposing and blends in with the surrounding area.
[urbanlogiq.com, 19 April 2023]

grey belt noun [C usually S]
UK /ˈgreɪ ˌbelt/ US /ˈgreɪ ˌbelt/
areas of land around a city or town that contain unused buildings, car parks etc. and that could be used to build houses

The Labour Party has announced a housing initiative to build 1.5mn houses on the UK’s “grey belt”. This plan aims to address the UK’s current housing crisis by releasing grey belt land for development. Explaining the initiative, the Labour Party stated: “When people talk about the green belt, most people think about hills and countryside but actually some green belt land includes poor quality land, car parks, and wasteland.”
[ftadviser.com, 22 April 2024]

See also green belt

About new words

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 mixed juices and smoothies are mainly made from apples. The post looked at 13 juices in a supermarket aisle, noting that the majority were made with 50% apple juice or more, despite not having any apple in the name. It was described as “applejuiceification and the illusion of choice”.
[theguardian.com, 1 April 2024]

dirty soda noun [C]
UK /ˌdɜː.ti ˈsəʊ.də/ US /ˌdɝː.t̬i ˈsoʊ.də/
a sweet, fizzy, non-alcoholic drink, such as cola or lemonade, mixed with cream and other flavourings such as syrups and fruit juice

The latest phenomenon in the beverage world, dirty sodas refer to soft drinks “made dirty” by the addition of flavor-boosting ingredients such as cream, flavored syrups, or fruit juices … Dirty soda “how-to” videos have become standard fare on TikTok of late, and last year the dirty soda concept went mainstream when Sonic Drive-Ins began offering “Dirty Drinks” laced with cream and flavored syrups.
[masslive.com, 8 April 2024]

WaterTok noun [U]
UK /ˈwɔː.tə.ˌtɒk/ US /ˈwɑː.t̬ɚ.ˌtɑːk/
a community on the social media service TikTok where people post videos of recipes for water mixed with different flavoured ingredients

Welcome to “WaterTok,” one of the latest trends taking over timelines. People are creating cocktails of flavored syrups, powder packets, ice, and, obviously, water (traditionally in their large Stanley cups) in an effort to boost their daily water intake.
[fastcompany.com, 11 April 2024]

About new words