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Do you know someone who is ‘good in a crisis’ – someone who stays admirably calm in difficult circumstances when the people around them are too stressed to make good decisions? Perhaps you are good in a crisis. This week, I’m looking at all the words and phrases we use to talk about such people.
Continue reading “Calm and collected (The language of staying calm in a crisis)”
vibe coding noun [U]
UK /ˈvaɪb ˌkəʊ.dɪŋ/ US /ˈvaɪb ˌkoʊ.dɪŋ/
a way of creating computer programs using AI to generate code from prompts, focusing on what the program should do rather than on the details of the code itself
What is vibe coding? A computer scientist explains what it means to have AI write computer code − and what risks that can entail. Now, just as you can ask ChatGPT to spin up a recipe for a favorite dish, you can now ask generative AI tools to write computer code for you. Andrej Karpathy, an OpenAI co-founder who previously led AI efforts at Tesla, recently termed this “vibe coding.”
[theconversation.com, 4 June 2025]
glazing noun [U]
/ˈgleɪ.zɪŋ/
the tendency of AI programs to use excessive praise and flattery towards the user
Everyone’s panicking about AI “glazing.” Even if you’ve never heard the Gen-Z slang, you probably know what I’m talking about—that tendency of ChatGPT to shower you with praise, calling every mediocre idea “brilliant” and every half-baked thought “insightful.”
[jeremyutleydesign.com, 28 July 2025]
AEO noun [U]
UK /ˌeɪ.iːˈəʊ/ US /ˌeɪ.iːˈoʊ/
abbreviation for “answer engine optimization”: a form of SEO that allows AI tools to answer users’ specific questions, instead of simply giving links to websites
AEO is a digital marketing strategy focused on optimizing content to directly answer user queries in search engine results. [It] focuses on answering user questions directly. Rather than simply targeting keywords, AEO targets specific queries. These are often phrased as questions and aim to deliver the most relevant, concise answer possible.
[aioseo.com, 14 August 2025]
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by Liz Walter
We all know that there’s no such thing as a perfect life. Even people who are generally happy and successful will always have some experiences that make them upset or frustrated. Today’s post looks at the language we use when we speak about this.
Continue reading “Taking the rough with the smooth: talking about imperfect situations”
SIM farm noun [C]
UK /ˈsɪm ˌfɑːm/ US /ˈsɪm ˌfɑːrm/
a device that can hold several SIM cards, used by criminals to send very large numbers of texts and calls at the same time, with the aim of defrauding people
The new offence will make the possession or supply of SIM farms without a legitimate reason illegal, shutting down a key route used by criminals to exploit the public, and will carry an unlimited fine in England and Wales and a £5,000 fine in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
[www.gov.uk, 24 April 2025]
scam farm noun [C]
UK /ˈskæm ˌfɑːm/ US /ˈskæm ˌfɑːrm/
an organized network of people who, often against their will, participate in criminal activities that involve defrauding people
Scam farms are organised criminal operations where scams are run at scale, often through call centres or coordinated online activity. But what’s more disturbing is the growing link between scam farms and human trafficking. Some scam farm workers have been lured with fake job offers, only to have their passports taken, their communications monitored, and their lives threatened.
[https://cyberwardens.com.au, 19 July 2025]
FaaS noun [U]
/ˌef.eɪ.eɪˈes/
abbreviation for “farming as a service”: a business model where farmers rent specialized machinery, technology, and services as they need them rather than buying them
FaaS startups are improving agriculture by offering end-to-end solutions for sustainable and tech-driven farming. From precision agriculture to farm electrification, these 10 innovative startups are reshaping food production in 2025.
[startus-insights.com, 1 March 2025]
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This week’s blog post is a companion to one that I published last month on ways of talking about luck. Today’s post focuses on the language of chance – that force that makes things happen without any obvious cause.
Continue reading “Random and fortuitous (Words for talking about chance)”
blobbery noun [C]
UK /ˈblɒb.ᵊr.i/ US /ˈblɑː.bɚ.i/
a garden, or a garden design, where shrubs and bushes have been cut into round shapes and arranged in a way that creates a landscape of blobs
Although the blobbery is a new trend, there is a rich history of incorporating blob-like shapes into topiary. You can create a blobbery with all one plant, or mix up shrubs with different textures and colours – but either way, creating an area of flowing, curved topiary shapes will add year-round structure and interest to any garden.
[countryliving.com, 2 August 2025]
meadowscaping noun [U]
UK /ˈmed.əʊ.ˌskeɪp.ɪŋ/ US /ˈmed.oʊ.ˌskeɪp.ɪŋ/
a trend where carefully maintained lawns and flowerbeds in a garden are replaced with meadows of wild flowers to look more natural and to attract more bees and other insects
If mowing your lawn feels more like a chore than a joy, or you’re craving a backyard that feels more like nature than a golf course, it might be time to consider meadowscaping. This growing gardening trend is about swapping traditional lawns for vibrant wildflower meadows, spaces that are beautiful, low-maintenance, and bursting with life.
[eatliveescape.com, 5 August 2005]
chaos gardening noun [U]
UK /ˈkeɪ.ɒs ˌgɑː.dᵊn.ɪŋ/ US /ˈkeɪ.ɑːs ˌgɑːr.dᵊn.ɪŋ/
a gardening trend where a mix of seeds is sown randomly, resulting in a garden where flowers of many different colours and types grow together with no uniform design
I first heard the term “chaos gardening” on TikTok, where thousands of videos have surfaced depicting backyard gardeners mixing random seeds together in a mason jar, sprinkling them into a garden bed or bare spot of their yard, and essentially hoping for the best.
[veranda.com, 11 June 2025]
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by Liz Walter
Today’s post is the second of a pair covering words and phrases connected with competitions and contests of all types (you can find the first post here). This post focuses on vocabulary associated with winning and losing.
Continue reading “Decisive victory or narrow defeat: talking about competitions (2)”
land snorkelling noun [U]
UK /ˈlænd ˌsnɔː.kᵊl.ɪŋ/ US /ˈlænd ˌsnɔːr.kəl.ɪŋ/
the activity of exploring a landscape slowly on foot, concentrating on the details that can be seen in your surroundings, in a similar way to snorkelling in water
We all know what snorkelling in the sea is, but have you heard of land snorkelling? Thankfully, this new hiking trend doesn’t require a pair of flippers or a snorkel; it’s all about slowing yourself down, wandering through nature, and having full awareness of your surroundings. With land snorkelling, it’s all about the journey, not the destination.
[t3.com, 29 May 2025]
stopover-cation noun [C]
UK /ˈstɒpəʊ.və.ˌkeɪ.ʃᵊn/ US /ˈstɑːpˌoʊ.vɚˌkeɪ.ʃᵊn/
a holiday trend where travellers spend time in the city where their flight has a stopover, before continuing on to their main destination
The “stopover-cation” is the latest travel trend that turns your stop-over into a stay-over. Rather than allowing the minimum 2-3 hour pit-stop between connecting international flights, you give yourself 24 hours or more to explore the stopover city, en route to your final destination.
[travel.nine.com.au, 18 February 2025]
townsizing noun [U]
/ˈtaʊn.saɪ.zɪŋ/
a trend where travellers visit smaller, quieter towns and villages rather than the better-known big tourist cities
Townsizing taps into Gen Z’s longing for sustainability, authenticity, and local engagement. Destinations that offer cultural richness, history, and natural beauty, such as quaint European villages or rural towns in Asia, are becoming highly appealing. This trend is having a profound impact on rural tourism, which could see significant growth in the coming years.
[travelandtourworld.com, 11 July 2025]
See also downsizing
Listen to the author reading this blog post.
Today’s post has a rather positive feel to it as I’m looking at the language we use to describe luck and feeling lucky.
Continue reading “Do I feel lucky? (Ways of talking about luck)”
DWM noun [C]
/ˌdiː.dʌb.ᵊl.juːˈem/
abbreviation for “date with me”: a trend where someone posts content on social media about the dates they have gone on, often with videos documenting a date in real time
In a world where privacy is optional and personal branding is everything, it’s no surprise that dating has gone public—literally. Enter the Date With Me (DWM) trend: a growing movement where Gen Z shares their dating lives online. Perhaps the most polarizing element of the DWM trend is the rise of live-streamed dates. Viewers watch as daters eat dinner, flirt, and sometimes even argue—all in real time.
[eq.irisdating.com, 5 June 2025]
See also GRWM
loud looking noun [U]
/ˌlaʊd ˈlʊkɪŋ/
an approach that involves someone making it clear, usually on social media and dating websites, that they are single and looking for a romantic relationship
Loud looking basically entails being completely open and transparent about your intentions in the dating world. “Loud looking is a mindset that’s all about unapologetically embracing transparency, self-expression, and mutual respect,” [said] Devyn Simone, Tinder’s resident relationship expert.
[vice.com, 3 February 2025]
micromance noun [U]
UK /ˈmaɪ.krəʊˌmæns/ US /ˈmaɪ.kroʊˌmæns/
the small actions that someone does to show they love their partner
“Micromance is all about the small, meaningful acts that build connection,” dating coach Sabrina Zohar told HuffPost. “It’s not grand gestures or expensive dates ― it’s remembering the little things, showing up consistently, being emotionally present.” … “The beauty of micromance is that it makes romance possible anytime, anywhere.”
[huffingtonpost.co.uk, 26 March 2025]