boil the ocean idiom to undertake something that is vastly over-ambitious

This doesn’t mean you have to boil the ocean at your first attempt.

[http://fluxx.uk.com 09 Oct 2012]

buffling noun informal speaking at length and off the point in a business context

Even face to face you may find yourself baffled, as the world is awash with people who love ‘buffling’.

[Good Housekeeping (UK women’s magazine) Nov 2012]

co-opetition noun cooperative competition; an element of working together for mutual benefit between avowed corporate rivals

Microsoft and Google are archrivals on the business front, but they share a lot of customers. It’s a classic example of co-opetition.

[www.zdnet.com 06 Oct 2012]

About new words

Barbie flu noun the trend for young women to dramatically alter their appearance to make themselves look like human Barbie dolls

After one Ukrainian woman gained international notoriety for her transformation into a ‘living doll,’ at least two more have surfaced as devotees of the beauty trend, nicknamed the ‘Barbie flu.’

[http://theweek.com 18 Oct 2012]

pulchronomics noun the study of the economics of physical attractiveness

Hamermesh is the acknowledged father of pulchronomics, or the economic study of beauty.

[Smithsonian (US hist/sci/cult magazine) Nov. 2012]

virtual vanity noun feelings of insecurity over appearance brought on by seeing pictures of oneself on social networking websites

But surely if the virtual vanity is becoming too much, the easiest option is to log off?

[Grazia (UK celebrity magazine) 01 Oct 2012]

About new words

cryotherapy noun a treatment in which the patient is subjected to freezing jets of air in the bid to encourage the production of collagen and thus the rejuvenation of the skin

Cryotherapy is also used to smooth out wrinkles and fine lines.

[Grazia (UK celebrity magazine) 26 Nov 2012]

Facebook facelift noun facial cosmetic surgery as a result of vanity brought on by seeing too many photos of oneself on social-networking websites

Lucilla agrees. Her ‘Facebook facelift’ tipping point came two years ago, when a trend for posting pictures of celebrity dopplegangers swept the site.

[Grazia (UK celebrity magazine) 01 Oct 2012]

the 5:2 diet noun a modified and less extreme form of alternate day fasting, in which the dieter fasts on two days of the week and eats normally on the other five

Elaine is also doing the 5:2 diet as she has high bp and cholesterol.

[Text sent from woman, early fifties. 14 Oct 2012]

About new words

jel abbreviation informal jealous

Oh God, I’m jel!

[Heard in conversation (woman, 30s) 20 September 2012]

mob noun informal someone with a snobbish take on modern trends; a modern snob

Meet the ‘modern snobs’ (aka Mobs) – the sort of people who only watch TV dramas with subtitles.

[Grazia (UK celebrity magazine) 20 August 2012]

selfie noun informal a photograph taken of yourself, often for the purposes of posting on a social-networking website

‘The Newsroom’ Reacts To Allison Pill’s Nude Selfie

[www.buzzfeed.com 18 September 2012]

swag noun slang the quality of being accomplished, impressive, etc.

He’s got swag.

[Heard in conversation (teenage speaker) 30 Jul 2012]

About new words

burn book noun a diary in which you write criticisms of other people

BURN BOOK Last seen in Mean Girls, now someone’s penned one in Suri’s name. Now that’s mean, girls.

[Grazia (UK celebrity magazine) 17 September 2012]

judgie adjective informal judgemental or critical

Before you get all ‘judgie’ I need to add that I accomplished this feat on a manual typewriter. We didn’t get to use electric typewriters until high school!

[www.myawesomemaltese.com 03 September 2012]

pass-agg verb informal to behave in a passive-aggressive manner towards someone

Sarah (Catherine Shepherd) pass-aggs Helen (Jo Page) into next week when the latter turns up late to collect Chloe from school.

[The Guardian (UK broadsheet) 18 August 2012]

sock puppet noun an online alias, often used when posting unpleasant comments

These techniques (some, but not all, of which can be attributed to Leather; all of which can be attributed to various authors across the board) include:

1. Using sock puppet accounts to talk up one’s own book;
2. Giving positive reviews to one’s own book under a sock puppet account;

[www.theleftroom.co.uk 26 August 2012]

About new words

food literacy noun knowledge about good nutrition and cooking skills

The Queensland Government is proud to partner with The Good Foundation to deliver Jamie’s Ministry of Food to teach Queenslanders basic cooking skills and food literacy to improve their nutrition and health.

[http://www.jamieoliver.com 14 August 2012]

gastrocrat noun a wealthy foodie

Notting Hill’s gastrocrat restaurant The Ledbury was packed to the gills in the weeks immediately after 15 thugs stormed in to rob and terrorise diners during last year’s riots.

[The Evening Standard (London’s free newspaper) 10 August 2012]

obesity paradox noun the tendency for moderately obese people with certain chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, to live longer than people of normal weight with the same diseases

Whatever the explanation for the obesity paradox turns out to be, most experts agree that the data cast an uncertain light on the role of body fat.

[New York Times (US broadsheet) 18 September 2012]

Dr. Carl Lavie […] was one of the first researchers to document the obesity paradox, among patients with heart failure in 2002.

[New York Times (US broadsheet) 18 September 2012]

About new words

blanket shrug noun a woollen cape-like garment that opens at the front

Blanket shrugs get even hotter this year.

[Grazia (UK celebrity magazine) 17 September 2012]

dench adjective slang very good; cool

He said: ‘When he says DENCH around the boss I don’t think he knows what’s going on’.

[www.thesun.co.uk 20 September 2012]

facekini noun a face mask worn on the beach to avoid facial tanning

In China, some are going to extraordinary lengths to avoid getting a bit of sun with a new item of beachwear – dubbed the
Facekini – causing something of a stir in the coastal tourist city of Qingdao, Shandong Province.

[http://behindthewall.nbcnews.com 21 August 2012]

About new words

iPub noun a pub with iPads on its tables. The customers use a magnetic swipe card from the bar to buy drinks and then pour the drinks themselves from taps installed on their tables.

Introducing the iPub: London boozer serves beer with iPads

[www.zdnet.com 24 August 2012]

like-gating noun the practice of requiring a user to ‘like’ a brand’s page so that they can access content from that brand on social-networking websites

Well, like-gating on facebook isn’t exactly a new thing. Thousands of companies on Facebook us [sic] it. It’s pretty much page one of most of the Social Media marketing guides I’ve seen […]

[http://discuss.joelonsoftware.com 10 September 2012]

link juice noun the number and quality of links between websites

One-way links are essential to your website as it builds link juice for search engines and also the exposure of being seen by their site visitors and customers.

[www.empowernetwork.com 25 August 2012]

site scraper noun a piece of software that collects content from other sites

‘Use of site scrapers, article crawlers, or other automated methods/scripts to mine the article content of GoArticles are expressly forbidden unless permission has been specifically granted by GoArticles.com’ read one warning.

[The Guardian (UK broadsheet) 22 September 2012]

About new words

gender pollution noun the phenomenon whereby women entering a career renders that career less desirable for men

‘Men don’t go for those jobs as much, especially after women take those jobs.’ ‘Yes, yes, that’s called gender pollution.’

[The Colbert Report (US current affairs satire) 08 August 2012]

groomzilla noun informal, humorous a man who is neurotically obsessed with planning his wedding

Brad Pitt has turned into a groomzilla and can’t wait to marry Angelina Jolie.

[www.standard.co.uk 05 August 2012]

ladvert noun informal an advert featuring and designed to appeal to a ‘lad’

LADVERTS Thanks to sport, adverts for ‘lads’ are everywhere.

[Grazia (UK celebrity magazine) 20 August 2012]

About new words

flirtationship noun informal a relationship that consists chiefly of flirting

‘Hey, are you and so-and-so dating?’ If you get this question a lot, along with raised eyebrows and winks from your mutual friends, chances are you’re in a flirtationship.

[www.howtoputthefunbackintodating.com 29 August 2012]

mansplain verb informal (of a man) to explain something patronisingly to a woman

Lupe Fiasco Mansplains Some More in the Video for ‘Bitch Bad’

[www.spin.com 23 August 2012]

wifestyle noun informal what sort of wife you are

Your choice of ‘wifestyle’: be like Kate Moss or Kate Middleton

[www.newstatesman.com 02 July 2012]

About new words