Archives

Intermediate+ Word of the Day: camp

A camp is, as you probably know, a place where people sleep temporarily. The tents or shelters they sleep in and also the people themselves can be called a camp. Figuratively, people who share…

Continue Reading

Intermediate+ Word of the Day: bind

To bind means ‘to tie or fasten something with string or rope’ or ‘to bandage a wound.’ Figuratively, often in the passive voice, we use it to mean ‘join, unite’ or ‘to be under an obligation.’ In book publishing, to bind means ‘to fasten sheets with a cover.’ As a noun, a bind is a tie that binds, whether literally or figuratively, and it also means ‘a complicated situation,’ although this meaning is now…

Continue Reading

Intermediate+ Word of the Day: beacon

A beacon is a guiding signal, usually a light in a high up position, designed to attract attention or warn people. They were originally large fires used to signal people over long distances in the days before…

Continue Reading

Intermediate+ Word of the Day: flow

Flow is what water does, ‘to move in a stream.’ It also means ‘to rise and advance,’ like tides do, or ‘to circulate,’ like blood does through our veins. Figuratively, it means…

Continue Reading

Intermediate+ Word of the Day: gripe

To gripe means ‘to complain constantly about something’ and, in US English, also ‘to annoy or irritate.’ As a noun, a gripe is an annoyance or complaint. Gripes, usually in the plural, is…

Continue Reading

Intermediate+ Word of the Day: train

A train is, as you probably know, a group of railroad cars connected together. Figuratively, any line or procession of people or anything drawn along is also called a train. As a verb, to train is to teach and make someone…

Continue Reading

Intermediate+ Word of the Day: batter

As a verb, to batter means ‘to pound something repeatedly or continuously’ and also ‘to beat someone up’ or ‘to abuse physically on an ongoing basis.’ As a noun, batter is a thin mixture of…

Continue Reading

Intermediate+ Word of the Day: prick

To prick is ‘to pierce or make a puncture,’ with something sharp and tiny, like a needle, and also ‘to cause to feel a sharp pain, as from piercing.’ Figuratively, we use it to talk about mental pain as well. A prick is a small puncture made by a needle or something similar, the sharp pain felt when pricking, and also the act of pricking itself. Vulgarly, a prick is a penis and, informally, we call a nasty…

Continue Reading