Listen to the author reading this blog post:
One of various things that we like to do on this blog is consider the many different ways we express the same thing in English. (Of course, we are rarely expressing exactly the same thing and it’s the differences – sometimes very subtle – that make language interesting.) In today’s post, I’m looking at words and phrases we use to convey the basic meaning of ‘enough’. Continue reading “Ample and adequate (Other ways of saying ‘enough’)”
grandpa chic noun [U]
/ˈgræn.pɑː ˌʃiːk/
a way of decorating and furnishing your home that uses dark colours, a typically masculine style and old, good-quality furniture
The nature of grandpa chic? “It’s essentially a blend of vintage nostalgia and contemporary design,” explains interior designer Artem Kropovinsky. “It celebrates the loved, and the time-tested, infusing spaces with a warm sense of history and comfort.”
[homesandgardens.com, 12 July 2023]
minimaluxe noun [U]
UK /ˈmɪn.ɪ.mə.lʌks/ US /ˈmɪn.ə.mə.lʌks/
the trend of using a small number of high-quality items in simple shapes and neutral colours to create a spacious, elegant look in your home
Minimaluxe is the brand new design trend that will define this decade, making your home more elevated and you more calm. As an interior design trend, minimaluxe has been taking shape since 2020 and has now become a fully formed aesthetic era. It’s about paring back the visual clutter in order to celebrate the things that make you feel wonderful.
[livingetc.com, 4 May 2023]
clustering noun [U]
/ˈklʌs.tə.rɪŋ/
the trend of displaying several small objects in a group as a way of decorating a room
“Clustering is an art form,” she said. “And it’s hard to pull off because if you do it wrong, it can veer toward [being] messy. It’s the art of taking your things and putting them on display in little corners of your apartment.”
[apartmenttherapy.com, 14 February 2023]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
by Liz Walter
This post is one of an occasional series on alternatives for very common words (see, for example, my post on different ways of saying ‘get’). Continue reading “I’d give my right arm for it: ways of saying ‘want’”
soft hiking noun [U]
UK /ˌsɒft ˈhaɪ.kɪŋ/ US /ˌsɑːft ˈhaɪ.kɪŋ/
the activity of going for long walks in the countryside without any pressure to walk fast, climb hills or cover a certain distance
Soft hiking is the viral exercise trend that’s accessible to all fitness levels. You don’t have to be concerned about distance, elevation or reaching a summit. In short, soft hiking is simply another way to get outside and explore the great outdoors, get some steps in and soak up all that Mother Nature has to offer without pushing yourself in a way that feels gruelling.
[glamourmagazine.co.uk, 20 April 2023]
Hot Girl Walk noun [C]
UK /ˌhɒt gɜːl ˈwɔːk/ US /ˌhɑːt gɝːl ˈwɑːk/
a 4-mile (6.4 km) brisk walk outdoors during which you think about your goals and what you’re grateful for
The “Hot Girl Walk,” a fitness and lifestyle trend which unsurprisingly originated on TikTok, might appear almost identical to traditional walking at first glance. Hot-Girl Walkers are simply encouraged to get up, get out, and go for a long walk alone or with workout buddies, for the purposes of mental and physical health.
[thehill.com, 9 October 2022]
speed hiking noun [U]
/ˈspiːd ˌhaɪ.kɪŋ/
a physical exercise that involves going for long walks in the countryside at a fast pace and usually over hilly terrain
Currently sweeping TikTok with bloggers posting scenic snapshots of their adventures, the aim of speed hiking is to cover as much terrain as possible in the fastest time, at a turbo-charged pace between hiking and trail running.
[womensfitness.co.uk, 16 May 2023]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
Today’s post is the latest in my ‘newspaper idioms and phrases’ series. The aim of this series is to keep you supplied with up-to-date, frequent English idioms. As with previous ‘newspaper idioms’ posts, these expressions all come from a range of national newspapers published on the same day. Continue reading “A flash in the pan (Newspaper idioms)”
global boiling noun [U]
UK /ˌgləʊ.bəl ˈbɔɪ.lɪŋ/ US /ˌgloʊ.bəl ˈbɔɪ.lɪŋ/
a very fast and sharp increase in world temperatures caused by gases such as carbon dioxide that are collecting in the air around the earth and stopping heat escaping into space
The era of global warming has ended and “the era of global boiling has arrived”, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, has said after scientists confirmed July was on track to be the world’s hottest month on record.
[theguardian.com, 27 July 2023]
heat storm noun [C]
UK /ˈhiːt ˌstɔːm/ US /ˈhiːt ˌstɔːrm/
a period of extremely hot weather and high humidity that lasts several days
Europe is preparing for a “severe heat storm” with a second heatwave pushing temperatures even higher in the coming days and triggering warnings for tourists planning to travel for the school holidays. The new “heat storm” is being triggered by an anticyclone – a large-scale circulation of winds around an area of high atmospheric pressure – pushing north.
[telegraph.co.uk, 16 July 2023]
cooling centre noun [C]
UK /ˈkuː.lɪŋ ˌsen.təʳ/ US /ˈkuː.lɪŋ ˌsen.t̬ɚ/
a place such as a library, museum or other public building where someone can go to cool down in periods of severe hot weather, run as a public service and providing air conditioning, cold water and other facilities
Some community centres and most public library branches have air-conditioned spaces. These facilities become cooling centres when Environment Canada issues a heat warning or declares an extreme heat emergency. You don’t need to register, pay, or show identification to visit a cooling centre.
[vancouver.ca/home-property-development, 28 July 2023]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
In my last couple of posts, I’ve looked at the language we use to describe how and when we sleep (Part 1 and Part 2). In this, the third of my ‘sleep’ posts, I look at the language of not sleeping and stopping sleeping. Continue reading “Tossing and turning (Talking about sleep, Part 3)”
autobesity noun [U]
UK /ˌɔː.təʊˈbiː.sə.ti/ US /ˌɑː.t̬oʊˈbiː.sə.t̬i/
the fact of cars being much bigger and heavier than they were in the past
Paris city hall is to impose higher parking fees on owners of SUVs in its battle to reduce pollution in the capital. A councillor from the party that proposed the increased charges said the aim was “to focus on an absurdity: autobesity … the inexorable growth in the weight and size of vehicles circulating in our cities, and particularly in Paris”.
[theguardian.com, 11 July 2023]
motonormativity noun [U]
UK /ˌməʊ.təʊ.nɔː.mə.ˈtɪv.ə.ti/ US /ˌmoʊ.t̬oʊ.nɔːr.mə.ˈt̬ɪv.ə.t̬i /
a way of thinking that means people accept problems and risks related to travelling by car that they would not find acceptable in other aspects of their lives
British people appear to have an in-built acceptance of risks and harms from motor vehicles that they would not accept in other parts of life, with potentially widespread repercussions for how policy decisions are made. Such is the cultural ubiquity of these assumptions, described by the researchers as “motonormativity”, that politicians are less likely to try to tackle issues such as pollution from vehicles or poor driving, they warned.
[modeshift.org.uk, 19 January 2023]
MaaS noun [S]
/ˌem.eɪ.eɪˈes/
abbreviation for “mobility as a service”: a service that allows users to book and pay for all the different types of transport needed for a journey from a single platform such as an app.
Simply put, MaaS is the concept of on-demand transportation, where a single digital platform offers riders the most efficient, seamless connection from point A to point B possible. By combining and coordinating various modes of transportation services, riders can effortlessly reach their destination at any time of the day or night.
[ecolane.com, 17 January 2023]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
by Liz Walter
My last post was on phrases containing the verb ‘talk’. This one looks at some phrases with the related words ‘speak’ and ‘say’. Continue reading “You’re speaking my language! Phrases with the verbs ‘speak’ and ‘say’”
candyceutical noun [usually plural]
UK /ˌkæn.diˈsuː.tɪ.kᵊl/ US /ˌkæn.diˈsuː.t̬ɪ.kᵊl/
a small, chewy, coloured sweet that contains vitamins or other ingredients to improve your health
The booming market in chewable supplements needs to be taken seriously because these products “aren’t benign”, health experts have warned. The appearance and marketing of these so-called “candyceuticals” has a role to play in their attraction, experts say.
[diabetes.co.uk, 5 July 2023]
pangenome noun [U]
UK /ˌpænˈdʒiː.nəʊm/ US /ˌpænˈdʒiː.noʊm/
the complete set of genetic material of humans from different geographical and ethnic origins
More than 20 years after scientists first released a draft sequence of the human genome, the book of life has been given a long-overdue rewrite. Unlike the previous reference the new “pangenome” incorporates near-complete genetic sequences from 47 men and women of diverse origins, including African Americans, Caribbean Islanders, East Asians, West Africans and South Americans.
[nytimes.com, 10 May 2023]
robotherapist noun [C]
UK /ˈrəʊ.bəʊ.θer.ə.pɪst/ US /ˈroʊ.boʊ.θer.ə.pɪst/
a robot that can massage someone to treat pain and injury, in a similar way to a physiotherapist
Enter the Backhug: a robotic therapist equipped with 26 mechanical fingers to scan the unique curvature of your spine and press away stiffness in the joints of your back, neck and shoulders. When I was invited to try one of these “robotherapists”, I jumped at the chance. Despite taking regular exercise, I suffer from many complaints, and was intrigued to see what difference six weeks of daily massage could make.
[theguardian.com, 7 July 2023]