From French 'plat' (flat).
a dull, obvious, and overused remark, especially one offered as if it were original
The speech was full of empty platitudes.
'Chime in' = add a comment to a conversation.
(of a bell or clock) to make a ringing sound
The clock chimed midnight.
a ringing sound, especially of a bell or set of bells
the chime of the doorbell
Historically a Caribbean pirate (17th-18th c.). Figuratively, a reckless adventurer.
a pirate, especially one who preyed on Spanish ships in the Caribbean
Tales of buccaneers and buried treasure.
(figurative) a reckless, unscrupulous adventurer, especially in business
He was known as a corporate buccaneer, unafraid of hostile takeovers.
'The pen is mightier than the sword'.
an instrument for writing or drawing with ink
She signed with a fountain pen.
a small enclosure for keeping animals
The sheep were kept in a pen.
to write or compose
He penned a heartfelt letter of thanks.
From Latin 'replicare' (to fold back).
to make an exact copy of; to reproduce (a study or result)
Other scientists could not replicate the experiment.
an exact copy or model of something, especially on a smaller scale
a replica of the Eiffel Tower
the action of copying or reproducing something
DNA replication; the replication of the study confirmed the results
a small mechanical or electronic device or tool, especially an ingenious one
His kitchen is full of gadgets.
gadgets collectively; mechanical or electronic devices
The car is packed with the latest gadgetry.
From 'bar' (to exclude).
except for; unless there is or are
Barring any delays, we'll arrive by noon.
'Move on' = progress past. 'Get a move on' = hurry.
to change position or place, or cause something to do so
Please move your car.
to affect someone emotionally
The film moved her to tears.
to formally propose (a motion) at a meeting
She moved that the proposal be adopted.
an act of moving; a step taken to achieve something
It was a smart career move.
Excessive anxiety about one's health.
abnormal anxiety about one's health, often imagining illnesses
His hypochondria led to weekly doctor visits.
a person who is abnormally anxious about their health
She's a bit of a hypochondriac, sure every headache is serious.
A small flaw, on skin or on a reputation.
a small mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something; a moral defect
It was a blemish on his otherwise clean record.
marked by a flaw or imperfection
They sell blemished fruit at a discount.
'Hammer and tongs' = fiercely. (See also 'hammered' = drunk.)
a tool with a heavy metal head, used for driving nails or breaking things
He hit the nail with a hammer.
'Hammer out' = work out (a deal) with effort.
to hit with or as if with a hammer
She hammered the post into the ground.
(informal) to defeat heavily
The team was hammered 6-0.
Slang for very drunk; also literal (shaped by hammering).
(slang) very drunk
They were absolutely hammered by midnight.
shaped or marked by hammering
a hammered copper bowl
From 'tie up'.
a connection, link, or partnership
The two firms announced a tie-up.
(US) a delay or holdup, especially in traffic
There was a major tie-up on the freeway.
From 'pall' (the cloth over a coffin) + 'bearer'.
a person who helps to carry or escorts the coffin at a funeral
His six grandsons served as pallbearers.
Originally a printing plate.
a widely held but oversimplified and fixed idea of a particular type of person or thing
The film plays on national stereotypes.
conforming to a fixed, oversimplified image; typical of a stereotype
the stereotypical image of a scientist
British; American often 'RV' or 'motorhome'.
a van equipped with beds and cooking facilities for traveling and camping
They toured the coast in a camper van.
Also 'runoff'.
a further contest or election held to decide a winner after a tie or inconclusive result
The top two candidates went to a run-off.
liquid, especially rainwater, that drains off the surface of land
Fertilizer run-off pollutes the river.
Plural: salvos or salvoes.
a simultaneous discharge of artillery or other guns
The fort fired a salvo to mark the anniversary.
(figurative) a sudden burst of aggressive words or actions
The senator fired an opening salvo at his opponent.
'Square meal' = a full meal. 'Make a meal of' (UK) = overcomplicate something.
an occasion when food is eaten; the food eaten then
We had a relaxed three-course meal.
the edible part of a grain or other food ground to a coarse powder
bone meal; cornmeal
From Latin 're-' + 'currere' (to run). Past: recurred (double r).
to happen again, especially repeatedly or periodically
The problem kept recurring.
an instance of something happening again
The treatment reduces the risk of recurrence.
occurring often or repeatedly
She suffers from recurrent headaches.
Informal.
(informal) a person who is easy to defeat, persuade, or influence
Don't think the new boss is a pushover.
(informal) something very easy to do
The exam was a pushover.
Adjective: 'epithelial'. Different from 'epithet' (a descriptive term).
the thin tissue forming the outer layer of the body's surfaces and lining internal organs and cavities
The epithelium of the gut absorbs nutrients.
relating to or consisting of epithelium
Epithelial cells line the surfaces of the body.
Greek 'epitithenai' (to add). Different from 'epithelium' (body tissue).
a descriptive word or phrase added to or used instead of a person's name
'The Lionheart' was the epithet given to King Richard I.
an insulting or contemptuous word or phrase used of a person
The crowd hurled racial epithets at the players.
American; British equivalent: 'carer'.
a person who looks after a child or someone who is sick, elderly, or disabled
She is the primary caregiver for her elderly mother.
Often carried in a 'toiletry bag'.
articles used in washing and grooming, such as soap, shampoo, and toothpaste
She packed her toiletries in a small bag.
Opposite of 'nadir'. Originally the point in the sky directly overhead.
the highest or most successful point of something
The empire was at its zenith in the 16th century.
German for 'wonder child'. Plural: wunderkinds or wunderkinder.
a person who achieves great success while relatively young; a prodigy
The tech wunderkind sold his first company at nineteen.
a prison sentence the offender does not have to serve unless they commit another offense within a stated time
He received a two-year suspended sentence.
Australian/NZ informal.
(Australian/NZ, informal) a nosy or prying person
Don't be such a stickybeak.
(Australian/NZ, informal) to pry into other people's business
Stop stickybeaking through my mail.
Concentrated in Pennsylvania and the US Midwest. Used with 'the' as a plural noun, and as an adjective.
a traditionalist Christian group that lives simply and avoids most modern technology
The Amish travel by horse and buggy.
From Urdu/Persian 'khak' (dust).
a dull yellowish-brown color, and the strong fabric of that color used for military uniforms
The soldiers were dressed in khaki.
'Shopping spree', 'spending spree', 'killing spree'.
a short period of unrestrained activity, especially spending, drinking, or wrongdoing
She went on a shopping spree after payday.
The people, language, and culture of Bengal (Bangladesh and West Bengal, India). Also an adjective.
a person from Bengal; the language spoken there
Bengali is among the most widely spoken languages in the world.
From Greek 'planetes' (wanderer).
a large round object in space that orbits a star, such as Earth
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system.
relating to a planet or planets
planetary orbits; planetary exploration
A domed theater that projects the night sky.
a building with a domed ceiling on which images of stars and planets are projected
The planetarium show explained how galaxies form.
From Spanish 'mestengo' (stray animal). Also the Ford Mustang car.
a small, hardy wild horse of the North American plains
A herd of mustangs galloped across the plain.
Don't confuse with 'squash'.
(law) to officially reject or annul (a verdict or decision)
The court quashed his conviction.
to put an end to; to suppress
The government quashed the rebellion.
'Prime-time slot' is the most valuable advertising window.
the time in the evening when the largest television audience is watching
The show airs in prime time on Thursdays.
Greek 'psyche' (mind) + 'pathos' (suffering). Often confused with 'sociopath'; both involve a lack of empathy.
a person with a personality disorder marked by a lack of empathy, remorse, and antisocial behavior
The film portrays a charming but ruthless psychopath.
French for 'little wing'.
a hinged surface on an aircraft's wing, used to control rolling and banking
The pilot adjusted the ailerons to bank left.
Blend of 'aviation' + 'electronics'.
the electronic systems used in aircraft and spacecraft
The jet's avionics were completely upgraded.
Literary/nautical.
up in or into the air; high above
The flag was held aloft.
From Spanish 'macho' (male). Noun: 'machismo'.
showing aggressive pride in one's masculinity
He felt he had to act macho in front of his friends.
strong or exaggerated masculine pride or aggressiveness
The film critiques the toxic machismo of army culture.
French loanword; the 't' is silent.
the state of being respected or admired; prestige
A degree from that school carries a certain cachet.
From 'impair' (to weaken/damage): hearing-impaired, visually impaired.
(added to a noun) having the named faculty weakened or damaged
Subtitles help hearing-impaired viewers.
Old-fashioned/humorous, like a melodrama villain.
wicked and cruel, especially in a cowardly way
a dastardly plot to seize the throne
Latin 'super' (over) + 'intendere'. Noun: 'superintendent'.
to be responsible for managing or arranging an activity; to oversee
She superintended the building works.
In American urban buildings, often called "super" (informal).
a person who manages a department, organization, or institution
The school superintendent oversees all the district's schools.
Archaic/legal. Common in contracts: 'the schedule and any amendments thereto'.
(formal or legal) to that thing or place
the contract and the documents attached thereto
From 'rotate'.
a rotating part of a machine, especially the blades of a helicopter
The helicopter's rotor began to spin.
From Latin 'disseminare' (to scatter seed).
to spread or distribute (information or ideas) widely
The agency disseminates weather warnings to the public.
Aircraft 'taxi' along it between runway and terminal.
a paved path at an airport along which aircraft move between the runway and the terminal
The plane waited on the taxiway for clearance.
From Greek 'aero' (air) + 'nautes' (sailor).
the science or practice of building and flying aircraft
He studied aeronautics at university.
relating to aeronautics or aircraft
an aeronautical engineer
From Greek 'skleros' (hard).
abnormal hardening of body tissue, especially of the arteries or nervous system
Atherosclerosis is the hardening of the arteries.
Abbreviated 'MS'.
a chronic disease in which the immune system attacks the protective sheath of the nerves
She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in her thirties.
British term; the US process is 'the draft'.
to compel someone by law to join the armed forces
Thousands of young men were conscripted during the war.
a person compelled by law to join the armed forces
The conscripts underwent six weeks of basic training.
American equivalent of 'conscript'; from 'the draft'.
(American) a person who is conscripted into military service
Many draftees were sent to Vietnam.
compulsory enlistment for state service, typically into the armed forces
Conscription was introduced in 1939.
From 'chart' (a map). 'Uncharted territory/waters' = an unfamiliar situation.
(of an area) not mapped or surveyed
The expedition entered uncharted territory.
(figurative) unfamiliar or unknown
Remote work put many managers in uncharted territory.
'Splinter group' = a small group that breaks away from a larger one.
a small, thin, sharp piece of wood, glass, or similar material broken off a larger piece
She got a splinter in her finger.
to break into small, sharp fragments
The glass splintered when it hit the floor.
(of a group) to split into smaller factions
The party splintered into rival groups.
wages owed to an employee for work done in the past
The court awarded her six months' back pay.
Airport code LHR; one of the world's busiest airports.
London's largest airport, in west London
Our flight lands at Heathrow at noon.
A blend of 'stagnation' + 'inflation'.
a situation of high inflation combined with economic stagnation and high unemployment
The 1970s oil crisis brought years of stagflation.
Greek 'dys-' (bad) + 'morphe' (form). 'Body dysmorphic disorder' = preoccupation with imagined flaws.
relating to or characterized by an abnormality or deformity of shape
The scan revealed several dysmorphic features.
(psychology) involving a distorted perception of one's own body
Body dysmorphic disorder can be very distressing.
From 'pontiff' (the Pope).
to express one's opinions in a pompous and dogmatic way
He loves to pontificate about politics at dinner.
From Latin 'tumultus' (uproar).
a loud, confused noise; a state of confusion or disorder
The announcement was met with tumult.
very loud, confused, or excited; full of upheaval
a tumultuous welcome; a tumultuous decade
'Greener pastures' = a better situation elsewhere. 'Put out to pasture' = retire someone.
land covered with grass, used for grazing livestock
The cows grazed peacefully in the pasture.
to put (livestock) to graze in a pasture
The cattle were pastured on the hillside.
Unsweetened, unlike 'condensed milk'.
unsweetened milk thickened by evaporating some of its water content, sold in cans
The recipe calls for a can of evaporated milk.
From Greek 'gyros' (turn) + '-scope'. Adjective: 'gyroscopic'.
a spinning wheel mounted so that it keeps a steady orientation, used in navigation and stabilization
A gyroscope keeps the drone level.
relating to or resembling a gyroscope; maintaining a fixed orientation due to angular momentum
The drone uses gyroscopic stabilization to stay level.
(baseball) abbreviated 'SS'.
(baseball) the fielding position between second and third base, or the player there
The shortstop fielded the grounder cleanly.
The 'b' in 'comb' is silent.
a hairstyle in which hair from the side is combed over a bald area to conceal it
He tried to disguise his baldness with a comb-over.
Especially in South Asia.
a permanent military camp or quarters
The troops were housed in the cantonment.
The 'b' is silent: 'SUT-ul'.
so delicate or precise as to be hard to notice; clever and indirect
a subtle change in tone; a subtle hint
the quality of being subtle; a fine distinction
the subtlety of the flavors
in a subtle way
The two versions differ subtly.
From Greek 'geras' (old age). Can be offensive if applied loosely to people.
relating to old people, especially their medical care
a geriatric ward; geriatric medicine
the branch of medicine that deals with the health and care of old people
She specializes in geriatrics.
The cedar of Lebanon appears on that country's flag.
a tall evergreen coniferous tree with fragrant, durable reddish wood
The chest was made of aromatic cedar.
Always plural ('a pair of binoculars'). From Latin 'bini' (two) + 'oculus' (eye).
an instrument with a lens for each eye, used for seeing distant objects
She watched the birds through binoculars.
'With it' (informal) = fashionable or alert. 'I'm with you' = I understand / I agree.
accompanied by; in the company of
She came with her brother.
using (an instrument or means)
He cut it with a knife.
in relation to; concerning
Be careful with that.
American; British: 'postman'. Gender-neutral: 'mail carrier'.
(American) a man who delivers mail; a postman
The mailman left a parcel on the porch.
Also 'townhouse'.
a tall, narrow terraced house, or a city residence as opposed to a country one
They bought a three-story town house downtown.
(US) a 'town hall meeting' is a public Q&A with officials.
a building used for a town's local government offices and public meetings
The council meets at the town hall.
From Latin 'sub' (below) + 'limen' (threshold). Don't confuse with 'sublime'.
affecting the mind below the level of conscious awareness
subliminal advertising
Don't confuse with 'subliminal' (below conscious awareness). 'From the sublime to the ridiculous'.
of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire awe
The view from the summit was sublime.
(chemistry) to change directly from a solid to a gas without passing through a liquid state
Dry ice sublimes at room temperature.
A synthetic opioid up to 100 times stronger than morphine; central to the modern overdose crisis.
a powerful synthetic opioid painkiller, often involved in fatal overdoses
Fentanyl has driven a sharp rise in drug deaths.
'Gross misconduct' is serious enough to justify dismissal.
unacceptable or improper behavior, especially by a professional or official
He was fired for gross misconduct.
From mis- + 'shapen' (an old past participle of 'shape').
badly shaped; deformed
The potter discarded the misshapen bowl.
Greek 'psyche' (mind) + 'delos' (clear). Associated with 1960s counterculture.
relating to drugs that produce hallucinations; (of art or music) having vivid colors and swirling patterns
psychedelic drugs; a psychedelic poster
psychedelic art, music, and culture, especially of the 1960s
The album is steeped in 1960s psychedelia.
Of intelligence, this use is now dated and offensive; prefer 'learning disability'.
below the normal level or standard
subnormal temperatures for the season
Informal for expensive. Also spelled 'pricy'. From 'price'.
(informal) expensive
The restaurant is good but pricey.
From Latin 'audire' (to hear).
a short performance by which an actor, singer, or musician is tested for a role
She has an audition for the school play.
to perform an audition; to assess someone by audition
Hundreds auditioned for the part.
'Ungodly hour' = unreasonably early or inconvenient.
wicked or irreligious
They condemned his ungodly behavior.
(informal) unreasonable, especially of time
She phoned at some ungodly hour.
Originally to gather leftover grain after a harvest.
to gather (information or material) bit by bit
She gleaned what she could from old letters.
(British informal) 'potty' as an adjective = slightly crazy. 'Potty-trained'.
a small pot used as a toilet by a young child
She's learning to use the potty.
(British, informal) slightly crazy; foolish
He's gone a bit potty in his old age.
From Latin 'deus' (god).
a god or goddess
The temple was dedicated to a local deity.
Plural: horsemen. Female: horsewoman. The 'Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse'.
a person who rides horses, especially skillfully
He was a fine horseman.
the art or skill of riding horses
Her horsemanship impressed the judges.
Latin for 'peak'. 'Apex predator' = top of the food chain.
the top or highest point of something; the peak
the apex of the pyramid; the apex of her career
From Latin 'perplexus' (entangled).
to puzzle or confuse someone
Her strange reply perplexed him.
completely puzzled; confused
He gave a perplexed frown.
the state of being puzzled; bewilderment
She stared at the form in perplexity.
Often 'a madcap scheme'.
amusingly impulsive, reckless, or eccentric
They came up with a madcap plan to sail across the Atlantic.
Almost always 'self-fulfilling prophecy'.
(of a prediction) bound to come true because expecting it changes behavior
Fear of failure can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Business jargon; also 'pre-meet'.
a preliminary meeting held to prepare for a later one
Let's have a quick premeet before the client call.
Homophones: 'pore' and 'poor'. 'Pour over' (liquid) vs 'pore over' (study).
to make a liquid or other substance flow from a container
She poured the tea.
(of rain) to fall heavily
It's pouring outside.
'Kick the habit' = quit. 'Kick the bucket' = die. 'Kick off' = begin.
to strike with the foot
She kicked the ball into the net.
'For kicks' = for fun.
a blow with the foot
He gave the door a kick.
(informal) a thrill or feeling of excitement
She gets a kick out of skydiving.
an illicit payment made to someone who has facilitated a transaction or appointment
He took a kickback on the deal.
Literary word for a snake; associated with the serpent in the Garden of Eden.
a large snake (literary or biblical)
A serpent coiled around the branch.
winding and twisting like a snake
a serpentine mountain road
'Suffice (it) to say' = it is enough to say. Related: sufficient.
to be enough or adequate
A small donation will suffice.
enough; adequate for a particular purpose
Do we have sufficient evidence to proceed?
Spanish loanword.
a small grocery or convenience store, especially in a Hispanic neighborhood
She grabbed a coffee from the bodega on the corner.
Plural of 'die', but now used for both singular and plural. 'No dice' = no luck.
a small cube marked with one to six spots, used in games of chance
He rolled the dice and moved his piece.
to cut (food) into small cubes
Dice the onion finely.
Informal. From "dice" - a gamble.
risky or uncertain
The financial situation is dicey.
A sales technique. Irregular, following "sell": past/past participle is "upsold", not "upselled".
to persuade a customer to buy a more expensive product or additional items
The waiter tried to upsell us a bottle of premium wine.