Listen to the author reading this blog post:
In Part 1 of my ‘Idioms with the word “world”’ post, I looked at a variety of frequent and contemporary expressions, including ‘out of this world’ and ‘the best of both worlds’. Today’s post continues the ‘world idiom’ theme and includes an expression for discussing how to fix the world’s problems and another for relaxing by watching other people. Continue reading “Watching the world go by (Idioms with ‘world’, Part 2)”
tour tourism noun [U]
UK /ˌtʊə ˈtʊə.rɪ.zᵊm/ US /ˌtʊr ˈtʊr.ɪ.zᵊm/
the activity of travelling abroad to see a singer or band live in concert
Tour tourism is just like the usual travel that people make to go to another place, only this time they go on a journey to see their favorite artist perform. Expedia, an online travel brand, notices a sharp increase in it and sees Taylor Swift as the reason behind it. Aside from Taylor Swift, another equally famous pop star also caused the soar of tour tourism: Beyoncé and her Renaissance Tour.
[spieltimes.com, 12 November 2023]
dry tripping noun [U]
/ˈdraɪ ˌtrɪp.ɪŋ/
going on holidays where there is a focus on not drinking alcohol
According to a recent survey by Hotels.com, “dry tripping” or taking alcohol-free vacations is on the rise, especially among young people who are increasingly opting for a more mindful and health-conscious approach to travel. Many hotels and resorts around the world are catering to sober-curious travelers … offering alcohol-free beverage options, mocktail-making classes, and even detox-focused amenities.
[travelnoire.com, 24 November 2023]
slowcation noun [C]
UK /ˌsləʊˈkeɪ.ʃᵊn/ US /ˌsloʊˈkeɪ.ʃᵊn/
a type of holiday where the aim is to get to know the people and culture of a place slowly, rather than simply visiting the most popular tourist attractions
Embarking on a slowcation is like savoring a fine wine; it’s about indulging in the depth, complexity, and subtlety of a place, rather than merely skimming its surface. Instead of racing through a checklist of attractions, a slowcation invites you to linger, to delve into the heart of a destination. It’s about finding the soul of a place, living like a local, and allowing the rhythm of everyday life to dictate your days.
[drifttravel.com, 13 December 2023]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
If someone told you they were on top of the world you might well guess that they were very happy, but there are a great many ‘world’ idioms whose meaning isn’t quite so clear. In this post, I’ll be looking at the most common and useful of these and, because there are so many, the post will be in two parts. Continue reading “The world is your oyster! (Idioms with the word ‘world’, Part 1)”
autumn sneezing syndrome noun [U]
UK /ˌɔː.təm ˈsniːzɪŋ ˌsɪn.drəʊm/ US /ˌɑː.t̬ᵊm ˈsniːzɪŋ ˌsɪn.droʊm/
an allergy caused by pollen that people are most likely to suffer from during autumn
“Autumn sneezing syndrome” is on the rise as allergies become more common, an expert has said. The increasing number of cases is said to be caused by shifting pollen levels as well as an invasive plant called ragweed, a primary contributor to hay fever symptoms.
[telegraph.co.uk, 12 November 2023]
See also hay fever
quadrupledemic noun [C]
UK /kwɒdˈruː.pᵊlˌdem.ɪk/ US /kwɑːˈdruː.pᵊlˌdem.ɪk/
the widespread outbreak of Covid-19, flu, respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus at the same time
Cold and flu viruses slowed to a trickle during the early part of the Covid pandemic only to blast through human populations this year. Some public health experts have called it a “tripledemic,” but it might even be described as a quadrupledemic. In the Northern Hemisphere, flu began surging in October, months before its normal season. This year has also seen a steep, early rise in two other viruses, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) and adenovirus.
[bloomberg.com, 23 November 2022]
See also tripledemic
long cold noun [C]
UK /ˌlɒŋ ˈkəʊld/ US /ˌlɑːŋ ˈkoʊld/
a condition in which the effects and symptoms of a cold continue for several weeks or months
People can suffer from “long colds” and feel under the weather for weeks after initial symptoms such as sneezing have gone, research has shown … It revealed that the “long Covid” phenomenon applied to most respiratory illnesses, including the common cold.
[thetimes.co.uk, 7 October 2023]
See also long Covid
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
by Liz Walter
Back in 2016, my colleague Kate Woodford wrote a pair of posts on ways of describing good and bad things. However, sometimes things aren’t particularly good or bad, but somewhere in between. This post covers a selection of words and phrases you can use in these cases. Continue reading “It’ll have to do: talking about things that aren’t very good or very bad”
funwashing noun [U]
UK /ˈfʌn.wɒʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˈfʌn.wɑː.ʃɪŋ/
the practice of someone taking part in a popular event or show, appearing on television, etc. as a way to improve their reputation with the public
At the same time, former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage benefits from the same “funwashing” on “I’m a Celebrity Get me out of Here!” as Pauline Hanson, leader of the most successful extreme right party in Australia in recent years, did when she was invited on “Dancing with the Stars” just a moment after her political career plummeted.
[thewire.in, 27 November 2023]
See also -washing, greenwashing, sportswashing
screenwashing noun [U]
UK /ˈskriːn.wɒʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˈskriːn.wɑː.ʃɪŋ/
the practice of someone appearing on a popular television programme as a way to improve their reputation with the general public
We need a word for the way political figures who have done terrible things are rehabilitated by television. So here’s a candidate: Screenwashing… Screenwashing induces us to forget or trivialise what these people did when they were in politics. It wipes the public memory clean. If you seek to remind people what these figures did when they were in politics, you are considered a spoilsport, a killjoy. This is the way the world ends: not with a bang but a bant.
[twitter.com/GeorgeMonbiot, 29 November 2022]
wokewashing noun [U]
UK /ˈwəʊk.wɒʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˈwoʊk.wɑː.ʃɪŋ/
behaviour or activities to make people believe that a company cares more about social problems such as racism and inequality than it really does
Enter wokewashing. In this phase, brands are co-opting social justice issues like anti-racism, feminism, inequality and mental health awareness. They align themselves with trending socially conscious and cultural issues. Meanwhile, some of the same (or similar) issues they speak up against are being perpetrated within their own company and their supply chains. Such is the dubious art of wokewashing.
[ecostyles.com.au, 23 February 2022]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
If you’ve resolved to achieve something that requires a lot of effort in 2024, then this post is for you! Today I’m looking at idioms and phrases that we use to talk about making an effort. If you didn’t already know this, ‘make an effort‘ (= try hard) is a phrase itself, for example:
Can we all, please, make an effort to keep the kitchen a bit cleaner? Continue reading “Going the extra mile and elbow grease (Idioms for making an effort)”
house hushing noun [U]
/ˈhaʊs hʌʃ.ɪŋ/
decorating your house using pale, neutral colours and not filling it with too many objects, so that it feels calm and relaxing
Brits are looking to their homes to provide some much-needed tranquillity. Enter “house hushing”, an organised exercise in decluttering and “noise” reduction that claims to instil a sense of calm into any home, and even improve your emotional wellbeing. House hushing can help to reorganise a space, creating a softer, quieter, more relaxing environment, which clears headspace and helps us to feel less stressed.
[ha-w.co.uk, undated]
appliance garage noun [C]
UK /əˈplaɪ.əns ˌgær.ɑːʒ/ US /əˈplaɪ.əns gəˌrɑːʒ/
a cupboard in the kitchen used for storing equipment that would normally be kept on the worktop, such as the food mixer, toaster, coffee maker etc.
Appliance garages come in all shapes, sizes and designs, from those designed to run from floor to ceiling, to designs that span from the worktop upwards. They can be classic or contemporary in their looks and are usually designed to tie in with the other kitchen units in the space.
[homebuilding.co.uk, 20 December 2022]
friendlord noun [C]
UK /ˈfrend.lɔːd/ US /ˈfrend.lɔːrd/
someone who rents out a room in their house to a friend
There’s limited data on friendlords, but we know the number of homeowners taking in lodgers has tripled in the last ten years. Housing expert Vicky Spratt notes: “Troublingly, such agreements are as commonplace as they are flimsy, with homeowners from younger generations renting out rooms to lodgers and friends to cover their mortgages.”
[thelead.uk, 26 January 2023]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
by Liz Walter
In my last post, I wrote about verbs that describe circular movements. I’m staying with the theme of movement today and looking at shaking movements and movements from side to side. Continue reading “Juddering, quivering and wobbling: more verbs to describe movement”
broken rung noun [C, usually S]
UK /ˌbrəʊ.kᵊn ˈrʌŋ/ US /ˌbroʊ.kᵊn ˈrʌŋ/
the situation where someone can progress quickly in the early stages of their career but finds it difficult to get a more senior post
Although women have made gains in representation at the senior level, advancements are slower at the manager and director levels. “The ‘broken rung’ is the biggest barrier to women’s advancement,” said Rachel Thomas, Lean In’s CEO and co-founder. “Companies are effectively leaving women behind from the very beginning of their careers, and women can never catch up.”
[cnbc.com, 18 October 2023]
See also glass ceiling
exhaustion gap noun [C, usually S]
UK /ɪgˈzɔːs.tʃᵊn ˌgæp/ US /ɪgˈzɑː.tʃᵊn ˌgæp/
the situation where women are generally more tired than men, said to be because women have to do more housework, childcare, etc. in addition to their job
The exhaustion gap is a term that refers to the overwhelming impact of work (both in the office world and at home) exhaustion on women, pointing to stats that show women are more likely to experience burnout and stress as they juggle the demands of their careers with household and caregiving responsibilities.
[stylist.co.uk, September 2023]
gender tenure gap noun [C, usually S]
UK /ˌdʒen.də ˈten.jə ˌgæp/ US /ˌdʒen.dɚ ˈten.jɚ ˌgæp/
the situation where women hold very senior jobs for a shorter time than men
Female CEOs typically have shorter tenures compared to their male counterparts, a new study has found. This “gender tenure gap” sees women leading companies on stock exchanges around the world such as the FTSE 100 and ASX 200 for shorter periods than male leaders.
[womensagenda.com.au, 6 November 2023]