When we’re talking about something that happens, to tend means ‘to be likely or usual.’ If someone or something tends to or towards something, it means that they are disposed to it or that they have a particular tendency toward it. Tend also means ‘to lead in a certain direction or to a certain result.’ In a different sense, tend also means ‘to take care of’ or ‘look after’ …
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the early 1920s in New Orleans, US. However, jazz is also a slang word that means ‘liveliness, excitement, spirit,’ as well as ‘pep or enthusiasm,’ when talking about a person. It can also mean ‘unnamed things that are similar or related to another thing.’ In fact, that is why people started calling the music style jazz in the first place. In a negative sense, jazz means ‘insincere or pretentious talk.’ As a verb, to jazz means not only to play jazz music, but also…
A bit is the mouthpiece of a horse’s bridle and it is also a small thin shaft that can be used in a drill. Most commonly, however, a bit is a small quantity or piece of something, a very short time, and also an action associated with a particular situation or person. Unrelatedly, a bit is a single, basic unit of computer information, valued at either 0 or 1. It is also the past tense…
You probably already know that wind is air in motion and also breath. Colloquially, wind means ‘hint’ and ’empty talk,’ as well as ‘gas generated in the stomach’ in the UK. Related to this, the verb wind means ‘make short of breath.’ Unrelatedly, and with a different pronunciation, wind is also a verb that means ‘to take a twisting course,’ ‘to wrap around,’ and ‘to tighten the spring of something.’ As a noun, a wind is a…
Most commonly, to entertain means ‘to hold someone’s attention’ usually by amusing them in some way. However, entertain has many other meanings, like ‘to have someone as a guest’ and ‘show hospitality.’ It is also a synonym for consider, in reference to an idea, and it also means ‘to harbor,’ in reference to feelings or thoughts….
Groom is a shortened version of bridegroom–a man who is about to get married or just got married. A groom is also someone whose job is to look after horses. As a verb, to groom means ‘to brush or clean an animal’ and it is also what animals do to each other or to themselves when they remove dirt or parasites from their fur or skin. It can also be used to describe people….
Nowadays we hear about drones a lot; they are plane-like machines operated by remote control. However, a drone is also the male bee and, colloquially, a dull and uninteresting person. A person who lives off the work of others is also called a drone, although this meaning is rather dated now. As a verb, to drone means ‘to make a monotonous and low sound’ and, often with the adverb on, ‘to speak in a monotonous and boring way.’ Related to this, another meaning of drone as a noun is ‘a monotonous low tone.’ The pipe in a set of bagpipes….
A block is a large piece of stone or wood and also a tiny one, with designs engraved on it, used for printing. Anything that prevents movement, both literally and figuratively, is a block, as is a piece of wood or plastic in the shape of a cube, like the ones children use as toys. In sports, a block is the action of stopping an opponent. Mainly in US English, block is also a section of a city surrounded by streets. As a slang term, a person’s head is a block….
To fold means ‘to bend something over itself,’ like cloth or paper. To fold also means ‘to cross, to put one over the other,’ when talking about a person’s arms. Fold is also a synonym for wrap and it means ‘to embrace’ as well. Informally, to fold means ‘to close or bring to an end,’ when talking about a show, ‘to fail in business,’ and also ‘to give in.’ As a noun, a fold is a layer of something or a line made on something by folding. Another meaning for the noun fold is ‘a pen where animals are kept,’ especially…
