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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: sway

To sway means ‘to move or swing from side to side’ or ‘to cause to move or swing from side to side.’ Figuratively, it means ‘to influence’ and, related to this, it can also mean…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: goad

A goad is a rod with a pointed (or, nowadays, sometimes electrically charged) end for driving cattle or other animals. Figuratively, something that drives, urges, or encourages can also be a goad. The related verb to goad means…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: hoist

To hoist is a verb that means ‘to lift or raise,’ especially with a mechanical device. In US English, it also means ‘to raise to one’s lips and drink,’ mainly referring to beer, whiskey or any other alcoholic drink. As a noun, a hoist is…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: flounder

To flounder means ‘to struggle to move or to gain balance,’ usually helplessly and quite clumsily. Related to this, it also means ‘to speak or act in a clumsy way or with hesitation’ and, more generally, ‘to struggle’ or ‘to be in great difficulty.’ You might have also heard that a flounder is a type of…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: egg

You probably know that an egg is the roundish reproductive body produced by female birds and most reptiles and, perhaps, that it is also the cell produced by female mammals that, when joined with a male cell, forms a baby. However, did you know that egg is used informally to refer to a person, normally with a descriptive adjective?

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: hip

The hip is the part on each side of our bodies where the thigh bone meets the pelvis and also the joint of this area. Unrelatedly, the hip is the ripe fruit of a rose. As an adjective…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: clam

A clam is a soft-bodied edible shellfish with two connected shells. Informally, a very silent and secretive person can be called a clam. As a slang term in the US, a clam is a dollar, though this is now a bit dated. As a verb, mainly used in US English, to clam means ‘to dig for or gather…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: click

A click, you might know, is a sharp sound. The related verb means ‘to make such a sound’ and, informally and figuratively, ‘to become suddenly understood or clear.’ Figuratively if things click, it means that they go well together or if two people click, it means that they…

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