Are you observant? (Do you usually notice what’s happening around you?) This week we’re thinking about words and phrases in this area.
A really useful word is the verb spot. If you spot something or someone that interests you, you notice them, often when you are trying to see them: I spotted Tom in the crowd. / Police spotted him leaving the building.
Continue reading “Observant or blissfully unaware? (Noticing and not noticing things)”
coffin cubicle noun [C]
UK /ˈkɒf.ɪn kjuː.bɪ.kᵊl/ US /ˈkɑː.fɪn kjuː.bɪ.kᵊl/
a very small living space for one person made from an apartment that has been subdivided into units
The cost of living in a coffin cubicle? Over half of their monthly income. Few have their own bathroom facilities and virtually none have any sanitary space for cooking, washing or eating. Facilities are shared or, worse still, kitchens share space with bathrooms.
[www.theclever.com, 9 October 2017]
broken-heart syndrome noun [U]
UK /ˈbrəʊ.kᵊnˈhɑːt ˈsɪn.drəʊm/ US /ˈbroʊ.kᵊnˈhɑːt ˈsɪn.droʊm/
a temporary medical condition which affects the heart and is usually caused by a stressful or upsetting situation
Once medications stabilised Simpson, the physicians talked to her about the stress in her life, and they told her about broken-heart syndrome. It “made complete sense,” Simpson said. She was sent home after two days, and though she still takes two heart medications, she is doing fine.
[www.independent.co.uk, 20 October 2017]
death cleaning noun [U]
/ˈdeθ kliː.nɪŋ/
the practice of throwing away things you don’t need as you get older, so that after your death your friends or family do not have to deal with a large number of possessions you have left behind
Magnusson says people should start thinking about death cleaning as soon as they’re old enough to start thinking about their own mortality. “Don’t collect things you don’t want,” she says. “One day when you’re not around anymore, your family would have to take care of all that stuff, and I don’t think that’s fair.”
[Time, 17 October 2017]
by Liz Walter
In my last post, I mentioned that the word ‘time’ is the most common noun in English. This is partly because there are so many phrases which contain the word. This post looks at some common and useful examples.
Continue reading “Having the time of your life: phrases with time”
stoozing noun [U]
/ˈstuːz.ɪŋ/
the practice of borrowing money on a credit card with a 0% interest rate and then investing the same money in a bank account that pays a high interest rate so that a profit can be made when the original loan is repaid
“Ideally stoozing would be most appropriate for consumers who already have savings and a decent income,” explained Rachel. “This is so that they could leave the deposit untouched in a high interest current account, while also meeting any minimum funding requirements to be eligible for interest, and at the same time managing repayments on a credit card.”
[www.moneyfacts.co.uk, 27 September 2017]
price gouging noun [U]
/ˈpraɪsˌgaʊdʒ.ɪŋ/
the act of increasing the price of goods or services beyond what is considered fair, normally during a state of emergency
As Hurricane Irma … hits the northeast Caribbean, Florida residents are already seeing price gouging for items like water, food and gas as they prepare for the storm that is on track to reach parts of the state by the weekend. Florida State Attorney General Pam Bondi opened a price-gouging hotline for residents to report these instances, and a “high volume of complaints” have already rolled in since it opened on Monday.
[www.time.com, 7 September 2017]
robo-adviser noun [C]
UK /ˈrəʊ.bəʊ.ədˈvaɪ.zəʳ/ US /ˈroʊ.boʊ.ədˈvaɪ.zɚ/
a computer system that uses algorithms and other software to provide financial advice
New customers usually answer online questions about their financial goals and attitude to risk. The robo-adviser then suggests portfolios that it will manage for them. This can be done within minutes.
[Sunday Times, 2 July 2017]
We have two ears and one mouth so that we listen more than we talk, or so the saying goes. Whatever we think of this saying, most of us certainly listen (or at least, hear) a lot during the course of a day. This week, then, we’re looking at the various words and phrases that we use to describe this activity.
Continue reading “Are you listening? (Hearing and listening words and phrases)”
wild cycling noun [U]
/ˈwaɪld ˈsaɪ.klɪŋ/
the activity of exploring the countryside by bicycle, using only small paths and lanes
Wild cycling is a release: it’s getting back to nature, and even more to our collective childhoods. That’s when most of us first got bikes. Remember how it felt? The freedom, the means to roam and discover places, and the visceral rush of bombing through the woods and bouncing over the bumps. It’s escaping traffic, living in the moment – but above all wild cycling is childlike fun.
[The Telegraph, 3 September 2017]
slow adventure noun [U, sometimes C]
UK /sləʊ ədˈven.tʃəʳ/ US /sloʊ ədˈven.tʃɚ/
a type of holiday involving outdoor activities that allow you to appreciate the natural environment and are not physically demanding
A new adventure concept called ‘slow adventure’ has just been revealed in Northern Ireland … Slow adventure focuses on slow, immersive experiences that engage with nature and provide an opportunity to learn about the local environment, food and wildlife whilst also taking part in an activity … Those who book onto an experience could get to enjoy walking through the Sperrin Mountains foraging for food along the way, bake their own bread the traditional way in a farmhouse kitchen, see how artisan cheese is produced or have a go at traditional fishing and cook their catch on a wild camp fire.
[Outdoor Enthusiast, 11 September 2017]
river bugging noun [U]
UK /ˈrɪv.ə bʌg.ɪŋ/ US /ˈrɪv.ɚ bʌg.ɪŋ/
a type of outdoor activity involving sitting in a very small inflatable boat shaped like an armchair (called a river bug) and being carried along a river where the current is very strong
River bugging is the latest thing to hit the UK shores from New Zealand … After receiving expert instruction from our experienced river bug guides, we’ll get you out on the white water course. You will be complete with your webbed gloves and full wet suit gear, ready to hit the course.
[www.pinkston.co.uk, 28 March 2017]
Are you always saying ‘always’? Do you usually say ‘usually’? Would you like more ways to say how often you do something or how often something happens? Then look no further because this week, we’re looking at interesting alternatives to words such as ‘often’, ‘sometimes’ and ‘rarely’.
Continue reading “Once in a blue moon (saying how often we do things)”
napercise noun [U]
UK /ˈnæp.ə.saɪz/ US /ˈnæp.ɚ.saɪz/
a type of exercise class that involves sleeping for a short time
David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the ‘napercise’ class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part.
[www.independent.co.uk, 28 April 2017]
sweatworking noun [U]
UK /ˈswet.wɜː.kɪŋ/ US /ˈswet.wɝː.kɪŋ/
any activity that combines exercise with networking, such as going to the gym with business clients
“Sweatworking is about combining your work meetings with your workouts, to the benefit of both,” explains Steven Ward, CEO of non-profit fitness lobby UK Active. “It’s an efficient way to get some exercise while developing a greater rapport with clients and colleagues.” Dubious? Don’t be. Sweatworking is a bona fide thing, and yes, real people are actually doing it.
[Men’s Health, 5 September 2017]
Fitstagrammer noun [C]
UK /ˈfit.stə.græm.əʳ/ US /ˈfit.stə.græm.ɚ/
someone who posts on the social media site Instagram about fitness and healthy eating
The disposition of the Fitstagrammer – or certainly the one he live-feeds on social media to his hundreds of thousands of dedicated digital disciples – is one of unchecked buoyancy. He is a human medicine ball with a lunatic’s smile, a Prozac pill with glutes the size of watermelons. He’s like one of those grinning, gormless punchbags once found at fairgrounds: the harder life hits them the faster they come bouncing back up.
[GQ, 26 July 2017]
by Liz Walter
Talking about time is a very basic skill, but one that can often cause problems, especially if your main language thinks about time in a different way.
Firstly, if you want to know the time, what question do you need to ask? Well, if you are sure that the person you are asking knows the answer, you can simply say: What time is it? or What’s the time? (this is less common in US English). However, if you are not sure if they know, for example if you want to ask a stranger on a train or in the street, you can say: Excuse me, do you have the time, please? or (in UK English) Have you got the time, please?
shoefie noun [C]
/ˈʃuː.fi/
a photo of one’s shoes, posted on a social media site
A shoefie—a selfie of your footwear—is the bread and butter of the fashion girl’s Instagram arsenal. After all, in the age of social media, does it even matter that you bought a killer pair of heels if nobody sees it on your grid?
[www.harpersbazaar.com.au, 11 August 2017]
plandid noun [C]
/ˈplæn.dɪd/
a photograph posted on a social media site that is designed to look as though the subject was unaware it was being taken
It’s unclear precisely who coined the term but a quick Instagram search will show you more than 500 plandids of people trying to nail that nonchalant look. You’ll see a stream of people looking oh-so-casually at the ground, or gazing into the horizon. Others will be mid-prance with a hand cocked to a jaunty angle. “Oh, I didn’t even realise you were taking a photo,” is the aesthetic.
[www.mashable.com, 1 August 2017]
bothie noun [C]
UK /ˈbəʊθ.i/ US /ˈboʊθ.i/
a split-screen image of two photos or videos taken using the front- and back-facing cameras of a phone at the same time
Allow me to introduce you to “the bothie.” It’s not a selfie, nor a normal photo … but a hybrid of the two. It’s a composite shot from both cameras on your phone, showing both you and whatever else is out there. It’s a bothie. Crazy idea? Maybe. And yet, if history is any indication, you’ll scoff at the bothie now and then while you’re not looking they will take over the world.
[www.wired.com, 16 August 2017]