Listen to the author reading this blog post:
by Liz Walter
Chatting to someone you don’t know can be difficult at any time, but it’s especially hard if you aren’t speaking in your first language. Back in 2017, my colleague Kate Woodford wrote a useful post about introducing yourself and giving a little information about yourself. This post and my next look at ways of continuing the conversation. Continue reading “Do you know many people here? Chatting to someone you don’t know (1)”
beige flag noun [C]
/ˌbeɪʒ ˈflæg/
a sign that someone you have started a romantic relationship with is a little strange or boring but not enough for you to end the relationship
According to the TikTok users who have latched on to the term in the past month, a beige flag is an odd trait in a romantic prospect that is not quite a deal breaker, but not exactly a plus, either. As one user put it, a beige flag makes a potential partner or a partner pause and say “Huh?” for a few seconds before carrying on with the relationship.
[nytimes.com, 7 June 2023]
See also red flag
ghostlighting noun [U]
UK /ˈgəʊst.laɪ.tɪŋ/ US /ˈgoʊst.laɪ.t̬ɪŋ/
the act of ending a relationship with someone by suddenly stopping all communication with them, then trying to make them believe that this did not actually happen and they must have imagined it
Ghostlighting mixes together ghosting – which is where a potential love interest disappears without an explanation – with the more sinister gaslighting, which is an emotional abuse or manipulation tool where a person purposefully tries to twist information to make their partner feel as though they are in the wrong.
[www.mirror.co.uk, 25 June 2023]
See also ghosting, gaslighting
groundhogging noun [U]
UK /ˈgraʊnd.hɒg.ɪŋ/ US /ˈgraʊnd.hɑːg.ɪŋ/
the act of dating the same type of person again and again, even though it never ends in a successful relationship
In dating, groundhogging means you date the same person repeatedly, which never works out for you. Think back on your relationships. Do they all tend to start and end the same way? Do your past significant others have a lot in common? If you answered yes, groundhogging could very well be to blame for your relationship woes.
[marriage.com, 14 March 2023]
See also Groundhog Day
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
Today I’m looking at words that mean ‘very or extremely large’. You’ll already know several words in this area – adjectives such as enormous, huge and massive – so I won’t focus on those. Instead, I’ll look at a set of adjectives that you might not know. Most have rather similar meanings. The differences are mainly found in the register of the words, that is, whether they are formal or informal. Continue reading “Vast, mahoosive and monstrous (Words meaning ‘very large’)”
Those who have strong communication, organisational and interpersonal skills find they can adapt quickly to new roles and flourish in busy workplaces. For too long these qualities have been known as soft skills, but increasingly voices in the recruitment sphere are referring to them as power skills because of the impact they have on the workplace. [feweek.co.uk, 14 August 2023]
resenteeism noun [U] UK /re.zənˈtiː.ɪ.zᵊm/ US /re.zənˈtiː.ɪ.zᵊm/ staying in a job that makes you very unhappy because it provides security or you have no other job to go to
Unlike quiet quitting, where workers refuse to take on extra tasks, workers with resenteeism can’t help but have a moody, negative attitude. As Jason Lalljee notes, “What makes resenteeism different from normal 9-to-5 blues, in theory, is that you’re more open with your dissatisfaction at work.” I believe that if leaders don’t take action, resenteeism can spread among staff members, sabotaging team morale. [fastcompany.com, 21 April 2023]
See also presenteeismshift shock noun [C] UK /ˈʃɪft ˌʃɒk/ US /ˈʃɪft ˌʃɑːk/ a feeling of surprise and disappointment when you start a new job and discover that it, or the company, is not as good as you expected
Shift shock can come as a result of different working hours to the ones you thought you would have (perhaps you were told in your interview you’d “probably” be working 9-5, Monday to Friday, but were advised to be flexible to meet business needs… then you got started and learned you’d be working every weekend), having unexpected responsibilities on your to-do list or discovering that a company’s culture isn’t as lovely as it appeared. [stylist.co.uk, March 2023]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
by Liz Walter
Today’s post looks at ways of talking about things that prevent or delay us doing things we want to do. Continue reading “A bump in the road: talking about things that prevent progress”
girl dinner noun [C]
UK /ˈgɜːl ˌdɪn.ər/ US /ˈgɝːl ˌdɪn.ɚ/
a simple meal a woman makes for herself, usually consisting of small amounts of different foods, none of which need preparation or cooking
You’re home by yourself and therefore can eat whatever you want for dinner, without having to consider the food preferences or nutrition needs of others. You grab a bag of popcorn, some bread, some cheese and a hunk of chocolate, and settle into the couch for a night of snacking and watching TV. Is there anything more glorious? Welcome to “girl dinner.”
[nytimes.com, 18 July 2023]
lazy girl job noun [C]
UK /ˈleɪ.zi gɜːl ˌdʒɒb/ US /ˈleɪ.zi gɝːl ˌdʒɑːb/
a job that is well paid, does not demand long hours or too much effort, and can often be done remotely
“A lazy girl job is basically something you can just quiet quit,” she says in the two-and-a-half minute video. “There’s lots of jobs out there where you could make, like, 60 to 80 K and not do that much work and be remote.” As an example, she zeroes in on non-technical roles, where she feels the hours fall within a 9-to-5 schedule, and believes the pay is enough to allow for some financial freedom.
[www.bbc.com, 26 July 2023]
tomato girl noun [C]
UK /təˈmɑː.təʊ ˌgɜːl/ US / təˈmeɪ.t̬oʊ ˌgɝːl/
a style for young women based on looking healthy, relaxed and typically feminine, said to be inspired by how they would dress and behave when on holiday in a sunny Mediterranean country
Contrary to the name, being a tomato girl has nothing to do with enjoying the fruit or tomato sauce, but instead centers around everything that could come to mind when thinking of tomatoes: lounging in the Italian summer weather, drinking spritz cocktails and also wearing breezy outfits that incorporate a red-themed color palette.
[wwd.com, 29 June 2023]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
I recently wrote a post on expressions that we use to convey that there is enough of something. Today I’m looking at the opposite – the way we talk about too little or too few of something. Continue reading “Scarce, scant and sparse (Ways of saying ‘not enough’)”
bucket budgeting noun [U]
/ˈbʌk.ɪt ˌbʌdʒ.ɪtɪŋ/
a way of organizing your finances that involves saving money in a different bank account for each type of bill or purchase
“Bucket budgeting”, sometimes referred to as “bucketing”, is basically a modern version of “envelope budgeting”. The key difference between the two is that with bucket budgeting, instead of setting aside cash in envelopes for regular spending, you set up targeted savings accounts for various savings goals.
[gulfnews.com, 26 January 2022]
bougie broke adjective
UK /ˌbuː.ʒi ˈbrəʊk/ US /ˌbuː.ʒi ˈbroʊk/
not having as much money as you want, but still able to buy and do relatively expensive things (see bougie)
A new guide on embracing a “bougie broke” lifestyle — a personal finance trend crafted as a humorous yet critical response to the cost of living crisis — has stirred a cocktail of amusement and ridicule online. The “bougie broke” trend originated from TikTok, where users bemoaned about how broke they were while pursuing a luxury lifestyle.
[msn.com, 27 July 2023]
financial cleanse noun [C]
/faɪˌnæn.ʃəl ˈklenz/
a detailed examination of your finances to identify ways of saving money and spending less
Self-styled financial influencers are giving Gen Zers some much-needed advice, touting a month-long “financial cleanse” as the ultimate way to whittle down spending in 2023. Seema Sheth, who coined the “30-day financial cleanse,” boasts her method as a way to cut down on unnecessary costs and ensure more money in your pockets this year.
[nypost.com, 3 January 2023]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
by Liz Walter
Today’s post looks at ways of talking about the speed at which people, vehicles, or other things move. Many of the items in this post can also be used figuratively, for instance to describe the speed of change or progress. Continue reading “Flat out or at a snail’s pace? Talking about speed”
haycation noun [C]
/heɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/
a holiday spent on a farm, during which the guests sometimes help out with the farm work
Check out of the city life for a few days and check into a stay that’s raw, real, and rural. A haycation on a family-owned farm is good for the soul and a fast track to connecting with a more grounded way of life. Pack the car, pop on some hard-wearing denim, and spend a few nights at any one of these regional stays.
[www.australiasgoldenoutback.com, 15 February 2023]
trip lit noun [U]
/ˈtrɪp ˌlɪt/
a type of book whose story takes place in the city or country you are going to for your holiday
This summer, why not take a break with the most escapist “new” book trend – let’s call it “trip lit”. “Trip lit” per se is not a new concept for us, but nevertheless we are delighted to see that the idea of travelling by book is becoming much more mainstream and the pleasures of walking into new environments and wonderful settings are being appreciated.
[tripfiction.com, 4 August 2023]
gamma destination noun [C]
/ˌgæm.ə ˌdes.təˈneɪ.ʃᵊn/
a place to go on holiday that very few other people in the world go to
Over the next five years, high-net-worth explorers will increasingly be avoiding over-crowded “alpha destinations”. Even “beta destinations” such as Rwanda and Antarctica will start to become overly busy at certain times of year. As luxury travellers dream of even more extreme adventures, there is a greater opportunity to devise trips to emerging gamma destinations that offer an array of entirely new experiences.
[globetrender.com, 27 November 2022]