Listen to the author reading this blog post:
I recently published an article on the word ‘sleep’ and its related collocations and idioms. Continuing the theme, this week’s post looks at the range of alternatives to the word ‘sleep’ and the phrase ‘fall asleep’. As you might expect, it includes a good number of phrasal verbs. Continue reading “Dropping off and snoozing (Talking about sleep, Part 2)”
agrivoltaics noun [S]
UK /ˌæg.rɪ.vəʊlˈteɪ.ɪks/ US /ˌæg.rə.voʊlˈteɪ.ɪks/
the use of the same piece of land to grow crops and to create energy through solar panels
Putting solar panels on farmland, known as agrivoltaics, has been a bit of a political hot-potato in some parts of Europe and the U.S. For environmental engineer Chad Higgins, the choice between farmland and energy is a false one. There has to be thoughtful design, he says, but “our research indicates they can coexist and even create mutual benefits”. Indeed, agrivoltaics projects are springing up across the globe, especially in Asia.
[reuters.com, 20 March 2023]
Pyrocene noun [S]
UK /ˈpaɪ.rə.siːn/ US /ˈpaɪ.roʊ.siːn/
the present era, in which there are more frequent and more serious wildfires as a result of climate change
Geologists have renamed the present era as the “Pyrocene”, the age of fire, taking over from the Holocene epoch which dated from the last Ice Age. Fires are increasing in prevalence and intensity everywhere, adding to the cascading list of interlocking environmental disasters.
[independentaustralia.net, 8 November 2022]
gigafire noun [C]
UK /ˈɡɪɡ.ə.faɪəʳ/ US /ˈɡɪɡ.ə.faɪr/
a wildfire that burns more than 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) of land
What initially began as 37 separate fires caused by lightning strikes came together to form California’s first gigafire, a term used to describe fires that burn at least a million acres of land. The gigafire ranks at the top of the state’s five largest wildfires in modern history, all in one year.
[laist.com, 5 October, 2022]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
by Liz Walter
My last two posts (Verbs to use instead of ‘say’ and Using animal noises to show human emotions) have been about verbs that describe the way people speak. In this post and the next one, I’ll be looking at some useful phrases that actually contain the verbs talk, speak, and say. Continue reading “Now you’re talking! Phrases with the verb ‘talk’”
salt tooth noun [S]
UK /ˌsɒlt ˈtuːθ/ US /ˌsɑːlt ˈtuːθ/
If you have a salt tooth, you like eating savoury foods, especially crisps, chips, etc.
Would you always choose crisps over chocolate? You’re not alone. While many of us may admit to a sweet tooth, more than 40 per cent of people have a weakness for salty rather than sugary flavours. Experts call this phenomenon a salt tooth, and it’s becoming more common. For while some people are genetically programmed to crave salt, others are now developing a salt tooth as a result of the prevalence of highly processed, salty food in our diet.
[irishnews.com, 18 June 2023]
food noise noun [U]
/ˈfuːd ˌnɔɪz/
the constant thoughts about food that some people have when they are trying to lose weight
Losing weight is never an easy feat. Besides implementing new nutrition and lifestyle choices, Another thing that can make losing weight (and keeping it off) more difficult is something called “food noise.” If you’ve ever wondered why you’re hungry all the time, even if you just ate, or find yourself consistently planning your next meal, you may be dealing with food noise.
[parade.com, 3 May 2023]
lion diet noun [S]
/ˈlaɪ.ən ˌdaɪ.ət/
a type of eating plan in which someone eats only meat from certain animals and no other types of food for a limited period of time
Are you a complete carnivore and love your meat? Well, then the lion diet may be something to your liking. A meat-based diet that focuses on eliminating major food groups and beverages from your meals, the eating pattern involves only consuming salt, water, and meat from ruminant animals (including beef, lamb, goat, bison, and deer). But why? To identify food sensitivities.
[indianexpress.com, 10 May 2023]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
Sleep is a necessary activity that allows us to rest and recuperate. Although it’s essential, we sometimes find it surprisingly difficult. Perhaps for this reason, we often talk about sleep. This post – in two parts – will give you lots of useful vocabulary for speaking about this subject. Continue reading “How did you sleep? (Talking about sleep, Part 1)”
spathroom noun [C]
UK /ˈspɑːθ.ruːm/ US /ˈspæθ.ruːm/
a bathroom that has been designed to be very clean, comfortable and relaxing, like a spa
More people are looking to incorporate wellness into their home, particularly in the bathroom. The focus is on creating a “spathroom”, a bathroom/spa hybrid that promotes serenity and calm. Good lighting is a spathroom essential, as light has a huge effect on our wellbeing.
[county.wedding, 24 February 2023]
bed rotting noun [U]
UK /ˈbed ˌrɒt.ɪŋ/ US /ˈbed ˌrɑː.tɪŋ/
the habit of spending a lot of time in bed to relax
As experts and introverts continue to tout the benefits of self-care, “bed rotting” has become one of the most popular forms of recouping. While it may sound extreme “bed rotting” just refers to lying in bed for long periods of time … While people have laid around and stayed in bed for long periods of time for years, many Gen Zers online note that “bed rotting” has to be intentional and come with no guilt to really count and be regenerative.
[nypost.com, 29 May 2023]
table gown noun [C]
/ˈteɪ.bᵊl ˌgaʊn/
an expensive tablecloth usually made from shiny or sparkling material and highly decorated
Summerill & Bishop, which has been adorning the smartest tables since launching its fashion-forward collection of table linens eight years ago, has upped the ante with its new Couture collection of glamorous, sequin-bedecked “table gowns”. With a camouflage design inspired by the mottled bark on the London plane trees that surround the brand’s Holland Park flagship, each cloth is embellished with upwards of 260,000 sequins embroidered on to pure French linen.
[telegraph.co.uk, 8 June 2023]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
by Liz Walter
My last post looked at replacing the common verb ‘say’ with more interesting verbs that can convey information about a speaker’s emotions or personality. This post continues that theme, this time concentrating on verbs that are used for animal noises. Continue reading “Growling, hissing and croaking: using animal noises to show human emotions”
thirst trip noun [C]
UK /ˈθɜːst ˌtrɪp/ US /ˈθɝːst ˌtrɪp/
a holiday lasting a few days, taken during a period when there are no public holidays
With nearly 100 days between President’s Day and Memorial Day weekend, Americans are entering the longest stretch of the U.S. calendar without a federally sanctioned day off. This 3-day weekend drought leaves people parched for a getaway. New search data from Hotels.com shows a new trip type is quenching our thirst this spring: thirst trips, or short weekend stays that satisfy our desire for a day off by the pool.
[hospitalitynet.org, 22 February 2023]
slowmad noun [C]
UK /ˈsləʊ.mæd/ US /ˈsloʊ.mæd/
a digital nomad (= a remote worker who travels to different locations) who spends a lot of time in one place
Many years later, with my teenage dreams still in mind, I left my Parisian apartment and became a slowmad. I started wandering in Europe until I discovered the concept of coliving and something I didn’t know I needed, a sense of community. Fast forward to early 2022 when I encountered the place I now call home: Château Coliving.
[chateaucoliving.com, 19 May 2023]
lisness noun [U]
/ˈlɪz.nəs/
a type of travel where a longer holiday will include some time spent working, attending a business conference etc.
Between business and pleasure, we’ve identified a paradigm shift that we call “lisness”. The reverse of the old way – of tacking a day or two of relaxation onto a business trip – this is about planning a leisure trip and creating time in which to work. We’re seeing client travels extending into month-long ventures, with a 75/25 leisure/business split. With time to labour and time to lounge (or explore).
[blacktomato.com, 30 May 2023]
Listen to the author reading this blog post:
In a recent post, I looked at phrases containing the word ‘day’, most of which relate in some way to time. Today, I’m considering frequent idioms that feature the word ‘day’. In many of these, the original meaning of ‘day’ isn’t quite as obvious. Continue reading “At the end of the day (Phrases with ‘day’, Part 2)”
infla-dating noun [U]
UK /ˈɪn.fləˌdeɪ.tɪŋ/ US /ˈɪn.fləˌdeɪ.t̬ɪŋ/
going out with someone you have a romantic relationship with to do things that are not very expensive
As you can guess by its name, infla-dating is a trend where people are going on cheaper dates. This trend works for people who are in a long-term relationship as well as singles on a first date. Because with everything as expensive as it is right now, it’s not financially practical to have a date at fancy restaurants anymore.
[yourtango.com, 16 April 2023]
wokefishing noun [U]
UK /ˈwəʊk.fɪʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˈwoʊk.fɪʃ.ɪŋ/
pretending to care more than you actually do about social problems such as racism and inequality in order to attract someone you want to have a romantic relationship with
So, what’s “wokefishing?” Don’t fall prey to this sneaky dating trend. Wokefishing is like the love child of being “woke” and “catfishing,” and it’s as deceptive as it sounds. Wokefishing is all about pretending to be socially conscious to attract potential partners. These modern-day chameleons will say anything to make you think they’re as progressive as can be.
[distractify.com, 17 May 2023]
untyping noun [U]
/ˈʌn.taɪ.pɪŋ/
choosing to start a romantic relationship with someone who isn’t the type of person you normally find attractive
To hell with consistency: “untyping” has hit the dating scene to shake things up, perhaps for the better. Rather than succumb to dating burnout, singles are thinking outside the box and parting ways with the norms in a partner they once considered to be dealbreakers.
[myimperfectlife.com, 27 May 2023]