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Today’s post looks at the various ways we talk about thinking, in the sense of using our brains to consider or understand something, or to solve a problem or plan something. Continue reading “Pondering, musing, and brooding (The language of thinking)”
fricy adjective
/ˈfraɪ.si/
having a taste that is both fruity and spicy
“Fricy” is 2026’s defining food trend, fusing fruity and spicy flavours in bold, new ways. Born out of a growing appetite for contrast-driven flavours, fricy food distinguishes itself by leaning into an intensified interplay of heat and sweetness, resulting in dishes that are sharper, more vibrant, and impossible to ignore compared to traditional spicy or fruity fare.
[oteats.outlooktraveller.com, 25 January 2026]
swangy adjective
/ˈswæŋ.i/
having a taste that is both sweet and tangy
Swangy foods will have chefs thinking outside the box, too, creating foods that are the best of both worlds. These two flavor profiles balance each other out, with tangy ingredients brightening sweet ingredients, and sweet ingredients mellowing out the sharpness of mouth-puckering notes.
[tastingtable.com, 17 January 2026]
spour adjective
UK /spaʊəʳ/ US /spaʊr/
having a taste that is both spicy and sour
The world of drinks is also moving in the same direction, adopting spicy and sour variations that reinterpret well-known classics. This has led to the creation of cocktails known as “spour,” where spicy and citrus flavors meet, and ingredients such as Tajín become a permanent fixture on the rims of glasses. The success of these flavors reflects a more curious public, less fearful of spice and increasingly attracted to immediate but layered taste experiences.
[reportergourmet.com, 8 January 2026]
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by Liz Walter
Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the most visited painting in the world, is famous for its subject’s strange smile. That smile is often described as enigmatic, meaning that it is rather mysterious and it is impossible to guess what she is thinking. Today’s post looks at some other words and phrases to do with people hiding or showing their emotions. Continue reading “Poker faced or heart on your sleeve? Showing or hiding emotions.”
clip farming noun [U]
UK /ˈklɪp ˌfɑː.mɪŋ/ US /ˈklɪp ˌfɑːr.mɪŋ/
the act of deliberately doing or saying something shocking or dramatic in a video on social media with the aim of producing short videos that are then widely shared online
Clip farming is a debated tactic in the streaming world that is used as a growth hack for creators. At its core, clip farming is when a streamer does or says something intentionally outrageous, funny, or shocking on stream—just to get clipped and shared. It’s like clickbait, but live.
[streamlabs.com, 11 July 2025]
nuisance streamer noun [C]
UK /ˈnjuː.sᵊns ˌstriː.məʳ/ US /ˈnuː.sᵊns ˌstriː.mɚ/
a live streamer who deliberately annoys people or causes trouble in public or online in order to attract viewers and followers
The stance is growing increasingly common across East and Southeast Asia: When it comes to nuisance streamers — online personalities who livestream their travels, often leaning on transgressive behavior as a means of creating viral content — criminal behavior is being met not with slaps on the wrist or expedited deportation but with serious legal consequences.
[japantimes.co.jp, 27 December 2025]
dark social noun [U]
UK /ˌdɑːk ˈsəʊ.ʃəl/ US /ˌdɑːrk ˈsoʊ.ʃəl/
the sharing of content privately online rather than on public social media platforms, making it difficult to track where the content has come from
Public likes and comments are fading while private chats are exploding. This quiet migration has a name: dark social. Dark social isn’t as sinister as it sounds. It’s simply the collective term for private or semi-private channels where people pass links, screenshots, memes, and recommendations.
[thedigitalage.co.uk, 26 September 2025]
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The idioms and phrases in today’s post all come from a range of national newspapers published on the same day. I write a post like this every couple of months in order to provide you with a regular supply of frequent, contemporary English idioms. Continue reading “Flavour of the month (Newspaper idioms)”
FOBO noun [U]
UK /ˈfəʊ.bəʊ/ US /ˈfoʊ.boʊ/
abbreviation for “fear of becoming obsolete”: a worried feeling that you may lose your job because your role can be done by AI
Rapid AI advances present an alluring opportunity for businesses to boost productivity and efficiency. But while CEOs battle their FOMO and race to adopt the new technology, their employees are experiencing a different side of the AI revolution — FOBO, the fear of becoming obsolete. It refers to workers’ fears that the speed of artificial-intelligence development is outpacing the reskilling of employees, leaving them redundant in the workplace.
[businessinsider.com, 27 January 2025]
See also FOMO
vibe revenue noun [U]
UK /ˈvaɪb ˌrev.ᵊn.juː/ US /ˈvaɪb ˌrev.ə.nuː/
money or funding that an AI company is given because people are excited about the potential of AI, rather than because the company’s products are already successful
His concerns were mirrored by the CEO of Picsart, who highlighted that many AI startups are attracting substantial funding without generating significant revenue. He referred to this trend as companies being valued based on “vibe revenue”, a term describing speculative investment rather than solid sales figures.
[benzatine.com, 13 November 2025]
bragawatts noun [plural]
UK /ˈbræg.ə.wɒts/ US /ˈbræg.ə.wɑːts/
the practice of AI companies boasting about very large projects to create excitement and attract investment, even though many of these projects are never completed
Given the practical problems and enormous costs AI data centres face, is the whole movement really one big bubble? One speaker at a recent conference coined the term “bragawatts” to describe how the industry is talking up the scale of proposed AI sites. “The current trajectory is very difficult to believe. There has certainly been a lot of bragging going on. But investment has to deliver a return or the market will correct itself.”
[bbc.co.uk/news, 23 September 2025]
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by Liz Walter
When we want to speak to someone for a specific reason, we don’t usually begin immediately with the thing we want to say. Instead, we often use a phrase that will help the other person get some idea of what sort of conversation it is going to be. Continue reading “I need to ask you a favour: signalling what we are going to say”
analogue bag noun [C]
UK /ˈæn.ə.lɒg ˌbæg/ US /ˈæn.ə.lɑːg ˌbæg/
a bag filled with activities such as knitting or books to help someone use their smartphone less in their free time
So-called analogue bags, filled with activities such as crosswords, knitting, novels and journals, have become the unexpected accessory of the season. They are being championed by millennials and gen Z as a way to reduce screen time – the idea is that the bag should contain the essentials needed to remain offline for as long as possible.
[theguardian.com, 9 January 2026]
Janalogue noun [C]
UK /ˈdʒæn.ə.lɒg/ US /ˈdʒæn.ə.lɑːg/
a campaign organized in the month of January that encourages people to spend less time using digital devices and more time on non-digital activities
Deloitte expects the next New Year’s resolution trend could be a digital detox, with Brits starting the year with an “analogue January” or “Janalogue” – a conscious disconnect from digital devices and apps. Of course, some resolutions may not endure, but “Janalogue” could well become an annual month of digital disconnection for UK consumers.
[advanced-television.com, 17 December 2025]
friction-maxxing noun [U]
/ˈfrɪk.ʃᵊn.ˌmæksɪŋ/
the practice of making everyday activities slightly less convenient to reduce reliance on digital devices and to discourage overuse
Paying with cash instead of a card. Using a flip-phone instead of a smartphone. Expressing your true opinion, even if it causes tension. Welcome to the new trend of friction-maxxing that’s catalyzing what it means to be human in 2026. Kathryn Jezer-Morton argues that in the face of technologies that sell us escapism at every turn, we need to build up tolerance for “inconvenience” and start friction-maxxing.
[cybernews.com, 7 January 2026]
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My first post on death and dying looked at softer, less direct ways of talking about this subject, for example saying that we ‘lose’ a person or that a person ‘passes away’ rather than saying they ‘die’. Today, I’m looking at idioms and phrases generally in this area, some of which are also gently euphemistic. Continue reading “Talking about death (Part 2)”
bio-baiting noun [U]
UK /ˈbaɪ.əʊ.beɪtɪŋ/ US /ˈbaɪ.oʊ.beɪtɪŋ/
writing an online dating profile that makes you seem much more interesting, attractive etc. than you really are
Like catfishing, bio-baiting involves a bit of deception – but this time it’s all about overselling your dating app bio in ways that don’t quite hold up in real life. A poll found that nearly 63 per cent admitted to feeling let down after meeting someone who didn’t live up to their carefully polished dating app profile. Ultimately, the best defence against bio-baiting is to move the conversation off the app and into real life quickly.
[indy100.com, 26 September 2025]
See also catfishing
chatfishing noun [U]
/ˈtʃæt.fɪʃ.ɪŋ/
using AI tools to write messages to other people on dating apps
It’s a well-worn adage of the Internet age: people often aren’t what they seem to be online. But until recently, you could at least be assured that they were people. Now, though, “chatfishing,” a new wave of online deception, is taking over dating apps. Instead of “catfishing”—using an entirely fake identity—people are using artificial intelligence to help them chat up prospective love interests and secure dates.
[scientificamerican.com, 22 October 2025]
grim-keeping noun [U]
/ˈgrɪm.kiːpɪŋ/
forming a relationship with someone based on disliking the same things
Grim-keeping flips the script on dating compatibility. Forget matching over favorite TV shows or whether you both like long walks on the beach. This trend is about uniting over the stuff you can’t stand. From universally annoying habits to oddly specific gripes, grim-keeping makes negativity the new love language.
[huffingtonpost.co.uk, 30 October 2025]