Intermediate+ Word of the Day: kindle

To kindle means ‘to make a flame begin burning’ and, more broadly, ‘to start a fire’ and also ‘to set fire to something.’ Figuratively, it means ‘to light up,’ ‘to arouse, excite, or stir up something or someone,’ or ‘to become aroused, excited, or stirred up…

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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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