Intermediate+ Word of the Day

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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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: toil

As an uncountable noun, toil is hard and exhausting work or, by extension, the result of such work. As a countable noun, it is a period of intensive work or a task requiring hard work. The verb to toil means ‘to engage in continuous hard work,’ but it can also mean…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: blob

A blob is a lump of thick, liquid substance or any other small lump, drop, or splotch. An object with no distinct shape or definition is also a blob, especially if it’s a large one. Informally and always quite pejoratively, we use blob to talk about people. A person who’s boring and uninteresting can be a blob, and so can…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: cram

To cram means ‘to fill something by force with more than it can easily hold’ or ‘to force or stuff something.’ When we are talking about people going into a limited space, it means ‘to crowd.’ Informally, if you study for an exam at the very last minute trying to memorize facts, then you’re cramming. Cram is…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: clasp

A clasp is a device that fastens two or more things together. It is also a firm grasp of the hand or a tight hug or embrace. As a verb, to clasp means ‘to fasten with a clasp.’ It also means ‘to grasp with the hands’ or ‘to hug or embrace…

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