Last week I posted a blog on the language we use to talk about things that last a short time. This post focuses on the opposite: describing things that last a long time.
Some adjectives simply mean ‘continuing for a long time’, such as lasting and prolonged: Continue reading “Abiding memories and long-term effects: words that mean ‘lasting a long time’”
algocracy noun [U]
UK /ˌæl.ˈgɒk.rə.si/ US /ˌæl.ˈgɑː.krə.si/
a social system where people are governed and important decisions are made by computer algorithms
Robots could use vast amounts of data and an insidious knowledge of ways to manipulate human behaviour to effectively take over vast swathes of our lives in what would effectively become rule by algorithm, or an ‘algocracy’, the head of the City watchdog has warned.
[www.telegraph.co.uk, 11 July 2018]
cyberdefender noun [C]
UK /ˈsaɪ.bə.dɪfen.dəʳ/ US /ˈsaɪ.bɚ.dɪfen.dɚ/
a person who takes actions to protect a workplace from cybercrime (=crime or illegal activity that is done using the internet)
To build the best line of defense for your business, you need to take a communal approach to your cybersecurity strategy. Cybercrime is modern crime; there is no silver bullet. That’s why everybody within your company needs to be a cyberdefender.
[www.business.com, 1 November 2018]
Silicon Gorge noun [U]
UK /ˌsɪl.ɪ.kən.ˈgɔːdʒ/ US /ˌsɪl.ɪ.kən.ˈgɔːrdʒ/
a region in the southwest of England, specifically the area around the city of Bristol, where numerous tech companies are located
California may be able to boast of Silicon Valley, but in a (not so) quiet corner of southwest England lies … Silicon Gorge. Home to a growing number of exciting Bristol startups, this zone of commercial enterprise is fast becoming an aspirational hotspot for tech wizards and ambitious business leaders alike.
[www.ignite.digital, 15 September 2017]
Today’s post looks at words and phrases that describe things that end after a short time. A very common adjective for this is brief. A brief activity or period of time does not last long:
We had a brief phone conversation.
For a brief period she taught in the US.
Continue reading “Passing phases and fleeting glimpses: words that mean ‘brief’”
blood avocado noun [C]
UK /ˌblʌd.æv.əˈkɑː.dəʊ/ US /ˌblʌd.æv.əˈkɑː.doʊ/
an avocado that has been grown in an area controlled by a drug cartel (=a criminal group that produces illegal drugs) and that forces farmers to give that group a percentage of their income from growing the fruit
Avocado on toast might be off the menu. British and Irish restaurants are increasingly ditching them over concerns that Latin American imports are damaging the environment and funding Mexican drug cartels. Growers in Michoacán, west Mexico, have had their land seized by drug lords who are reported to be earning £150m a year by selling the so-called ‘blood avocados’ to British traders.
[The Guardian, 10 December 2018]
coffee name noun [C]
UK /ˈkɒf.i.neɪm/ US /ˈkɑː.fi.neɪm/
a name you give when ordering a coffee or in similar situations because it is easier to pronounce or spell than your real name
Ordering a morning coffee in a busy café can be difficult for anyone, but it becomes especially difficult when you have a name baristas seem unable to understand. Many people opt for a ‘coffee name’, usually a short Anglo-Saxon name like Jack or Jess, or an Anglo-Saxon name that sounds similar to their real non-Anglo-Saxon name. The idea of a coffee name is not unique to Australia, with social media posts of mangled names being shared by coffee lovers in the United States and United Kingdom.
[www.sbs.com.au, 12 January 2016]
chrono-nutrition noun [U]
UK /ˌkrɒn.ə.njuːˈtrɪʃ.ᵊn/ US /ˌkrɒn.ə.nuːˈtrɪʃ.ᵊn/
a way of eating based on the theory that when we eat, as well as what we eat, has an important influence on our health
Chrono-nutrition is an evolving and developing field of science which is beginning to show how our ancient biology is in conflict with our modern lifestyle. The mechanisms behind why time of eating may influence health are not entirely clear.
[Medical Research Council, mrc.ukri.org, 19 June 2018]
by Liz Walter
Last month I wrote about the importance of collocations (word partners) for making your English fluent and natural. In this post I am going to concentrate on collocations connected with a very basic topic – communicating.
A major reason to learn good collocations is to avoid using common words too much. So while it’s fine to say that someone ‘starts’ or ‘has’ a conversation, it would be much more impressive to use the collocations strike up a conversation or hold a conversation:
She struck up a conversation with one of the other passengers.
I know enough French to be able to hold a conversation. Continue reading “Hurling insults and hazarding a guess: ways to talk about communication”
generation scroll noun [U]
UK /ˌdʒen.əˈreɪ.ʃən.ˈskrəʊl/ US /ˌdʒen.əˈreɪ.ʃən.ˈskroʊl/
a way of referring to the generation of people who watch TV, read news, etc. mostly on a computer or mobile phone
This 25th annual analysis of media habits, based on a survey of 2,000 young people, says this is now ‘generation scroll’ – in which most viewing is through mobile internet devices, whether a phone, laptop or tablet computer. Only 10% now get ‘almost all’ their TV programmes through a TV screen.
[www.bbc.co.uk/news, 30 January 2019]
textavism noun [U]
/ˈtekst.ə.vɪ.zᵊm/
the use of text messages to try to persuade people to act in a way that will achieve a particular result, usually a political or social one
In the past year, text activism, or textavism, has consumed nearly all of Butler’s limited spare time … It often involves sending text messages to voters in swing states. ‘We try to apply pressure where we can do the most good’, Butler said. Recently, in the course of twenty-four hours, texters from MoveOn, where Butler volunteers, sent more than two million messages urging registered Democrats to vote in November.
[www.newyorker.com, 5 November 2018]
sadfishing noun [U]
/ˈsæd.fɪʃ.ɪŋ/
the practice of writing about one’s unhappiness or emotional problems on social media, especially in a vague way, in order to attract attention and sympathetic responses
You’ll have seen sadfishing happening on Facebook. Any time someone puts ‘I’m just so done with all this’ as their Facebook status without any explanation and then replies to anyone who asks a follow question with ‘I’ll PM you’: that’s sadfishing. If you’re a supermodel and influencer from the Hollywood Hills then sadfishing will make you money in #sponcon.
[www.metro.co.uk, 21 January 2019]
This week we return to animal idioms, starting with the humble – and often irritating! – fly. Though small in size, the fly appears in a surprisingly large number of common idioms. To describe someone who is very gentle and who never offends or hurts others, you might say they wouldn’t hurt a fly:
I don’t believe Molly did that. She wouldn’t hurt a fly! Continue reading “Flies on the wall and fish out of water: animal idioms, part 2”
FIRE noun [U]
UK /ˈfaɪəʳ/ US /faɪr/
abbreviation for financial independence, retire early: a way of life that involves working hard and saving as much money as possible during your 20s and 30s in order to be able to retire when you are in your 40s
The ‘retire early’ part of this movement can be something of a misnomer. Many FIRE devotees don’t plan to spend 50 years playing bridge or taking leisure cruises. Instead, the focus is on financial independence: the aim is to save enough of a nest-egg, and live simply enough, so that the ensuing decades can be spent doing something other than chasing payrises and promotions at a corporate job, or worrying about owing the bank a large mortgage.
[www.bbc.co.uk, 2 November 2018]
disloyalty bonus noun [C]
UK /ˌdɪsˈlɔɪ.əl.ti.bəʊ.nəs/ US /ˌdɪsˈlɔɪ.əl.ti.boʊ.nəs/
a salary increase gained through changing to a new job rather than staying in your old one, where salaries for existing workers tend not to increase at the same rate
Workers who choose to stay in their jobs rather than move are missing out on a ‘disloyalty bonus’, a new report suggests. The Resolution Foundation found pay growth has hit 10% for those who change jobs, while those who remain in their posts received a pay rise of just 2.5%.
[news.sky.com, 2 August 2018]
flexism noun [U]
/ˈflek.sɪ.zəm/
discrimination against someone who has flexible working hours
“What I’m really trying to do with the term ‘flexism’ is take out the sexism part of flexibility. It’s not about being discriminated for working flexibly because you’re a woman or a mom. It’s about being discriminated for working flexibly full-stop. Until we make flexibility available to everyone for any reason, we’re going to continue to see flexism in the workforce.”
[www.officespacesoftware.com, 22 June 2018]
by Liz Walter
Last month I wrote about words and phrases for talking about improvement. This post covers the opposite: talking about things getting worse. Get worse is the most common way of expressing this idea:
The weather seems to be getting worse.
Continue reading “Going from bad to worse: talking about things getting worse”
HIIS noun [U]
/hɪs/
abbreviation for high-intensity interval skipping: physical training that consists of short periods of intense skipping with short periods of rest in between
Forget HIIT, HIIS … is likely to become a big fitness trend in 2019. The exercise, involving short, sharp bursts of skipping, is one of the many ways that the Victoria’s Secret Angels keep in shape, as you can burn up to 1200 calories in a session.
[www.harpersbazaar.com, 14 December 2018]
fitness snacking noun [U]
/ˈfɪt.nəs.snæk.ɪŋ/
keeping fit by doing very short periods of physical activity regularly
British celebrity personal trainer Matt Roberts recently told The Telegraph that ongoing spurts of physical activity can help prevent illnesses associated with sedentary lifestyles, like heart disease and diabetes. The fitness expert said that not enough people get the daily exercise they need, and ‘fitness snacking’ is an approach that helps folks incorporate physical activity in a manageable way.
[globalnews.ca, 1 October 2018]
immersive yoga noun [U]
UK /ɪˈmɜː.sɪv.ˈjəʊ.gə/ US /ɪˈmɝː.sɪv.ˈjoʊ.gə/
a type of yoga accompanied by relaxing sounds and images
The city’s immersive yoga trend feeds into a wider, global movement. New York’s Woom Centre, for example, offers classes complete with sound therapy, blindfolded segments, essential oils and a gulp of a “fresh elixir” shot, while Humming Puppy in Melbourne, Sydney and NYC pipes sound at supposedly healing frequencies into the studio.
[www.eventbrite.com, 20 June 2018]