Monthly Archives

November 2022

Intermediate+ Word of the Day: duff

Duff is a colloquial and slang term with many different and unrelated meanings. As a noun, duff is a slang term for ‘the buttocks.’ It is also a stiff flour mixture boiled or steamed in a cloth and flavoured with currants and spices (this meaning came about as a variant of the word “dough”). In US, Scottish, and Irish English, duff is also a term used in ecology…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: screw

A screw is a metal fastener, similar to a nail but with a spiral body. As a verb, to screw means ‘to turn a screw’ or ‘to fasten something with a screw’ or ‘to adjust something with a twisting movement.’ Screw also means ‘to distort something by twisting it’ and ‘to strengthen’ …

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: bow

To bow is ‘to bend the knee or incline the head’ to show respect. It also means ‘to bend downwards’ and, figuratively it means to give in to something. The related noun bow describes the movement made to show respect. However, bow, with the second pronunciation above, has another noun meaning, ‘a flexible strip of wood bent by a string and used for shooting arrows,’…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: tweak

To tweak means ‘to pinch and pull with a jerk and twist’ or ‘to pull the nose gently and with care.’ It also means ‘to adjust a little bit.’ As a noun, a tweak is a sharp twist or jerk, as well as the act of tweaking. Also, a tweak is a minor adjustment. Informally, and mostly in the US, to tweak also means ‘to get high on drugs,’…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: pluck

To pluck means ‘to pull off from the place of growth,’ as done with flowers, feathers, or hairs. It also means ‘to remove feathers or hairs’ by pulling. Pluck also means ‘to grab and pull.’ In music, pluck means ‘to sound the strings of an instrument’ by pulling at them with the fingers…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: loop

A loop is any thread, cord, rope, etc. folded upon itself so as to leave a circular opening between the parts. In computing, a loop is the repetition of instructions in a program. Informally, we call a group or network of people who have access to inside information the loop…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: mole

A mole is a small spot, usually dark brown in color, on the skin. A mole is also an animal that eats insects and lives underground. Figuratively, a mole is a spy working within the organization he or she is spying on. In chemistry, a mole is the molecular weight of a substance expressed in grams…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: dig

To dig means ‘to turn over earth with a shovel or a spade’ or ‘to work very hard as if turning something.’ Dig also means ‘to poke or force.’ As a noun, a dig is a poke and also an archeological excavation site. Informally, a dig is a sarcastic remark…

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