Intermediate+ Word of the Day

Intermediate+ Word of the Day: privilege

A privilege is a right, an advantage or an exemption, granted to someone in authority, that frees them from some obligations. It is also the condition of enjoying special rights or advantages, because of social status or wealth, for example. A privilege may also be a benefit that is granted to an employee or client of a company or a member of a club. If someone says something is his or her privilege that means it is…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: rake

A rake is a gardening tool, long-handled and with three or more teeth or tines used to gather leaves, hay, or grass, or for smoothing the surface of the soil. As a verb, it means ‘to smooth, clear, or prepare a surface with a rake’ or, often followed by up or together, ‘to gather together with a rake.’ Figuratively,…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: branch

In botany, a branch is an armlike division of the stem of a tree or shrub, which can be thin or thick. Coming from this meaning, any division of a system or structure is also a branch and, in businesses or companies of any kind, a local division is a branch. As a verb, to branch means…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: goof

Goof is a slang term, used more in US than UK English, and now a little dated. As a verb, sometimes followed by up, it means ‘to make an error or a misjudgment’ or ‘to spoil, bungle, or make a mess of something.’ Followed by off or around, it also means ‘to waste or kill time’ and, in US English…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: cast

To cast means ‘to throw’, ‘to put forth or send,’ or ‘to cause to fall upon something’ or ‘to drop or shed.’ If you cast an eye or a look, it means you direct it. Cast also means ‘to deposit’ or ‘to put in a place, especially by force.’ As a noun, cast is the act of throwing. It also means ‘kind, quality or sort.’ In medicine, a cast is a…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: tune

A tune is any of a series of musical sounds that form a melody and also a state of harmony, both in terms of music and figuratively. The verb to tune means ‘to adjust a musical instrument to a pitch.’ Followed by in, it means ‘to adjust a radio or TV to receive a signal’ and followed by out it means…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: coarse

Coarse is an adjective that refers to textures. It means ‘made up of large or relatively large parts or particles’ and also ‘having no delicacy or smoothness to the touch.’ Figuratively, it means ‘lacking refinement or taste’ and it can be used to refer to people or actions. It also means ‘common,’ ‘of…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: sock

You probably already know that socks are the pair of short, or long, stockings we wear on our feet. However, did you know that sock is also a verb? It is a colloquial term and means ‘to hit or strike very hard’ and, related to this meaning, the noun sock is ‘a hard strike or blow.’ In US show business slang, a sock is a great and…

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Intermediate+ Word of the day: foot

You know already that a foot is at the end of each of our legs and that we stand and move on them. Anything resembling a foot, in shape or function, is also a foot, as is the lowest part or bottom of anything, like a hill, staircase, or page, or the part of anything considered to be opposite to the top or the head. A foot is also a unit of length equal to 30.48 centimeters. As an adjective, foot means ‘operated with…

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Intermediate+ Word of the Day: jet

A jet is a stream of liquid or gas that shoots out from an opening with great force and also the spout or nozzle that lets out the liquid or gas. In aeronautics, jet is short for jet plane, or jet engine, a plane or engine moved or producing movement via jet propulsion. As a verb, to jet means ‘to move or travel in or as though in a jet plane.’ As an adjective, jet refers to…

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