Image by ktphotography from Pixabay Parties My Friends Enjoy There's no such phrase like "harvest party" or "fruit party". I invented them just to describe the activities my friends enjoy. Since almost everybody is burdened by mortgages (house, car etc.) and his or her kid's education costs, people want inexpensive parties. harvest party: Backyard harvest … Continue reading New Word #73: Partying →

Image by Bessi from Pixabay Lion I had thought lions only exist in Africa until I watched a video showing that lions also exist around Gir Forest National Park in India. This is life. Whenever we think something is set in stone, an exception comes in to surprise us. Tiger I heard of Siberian tiger, … Continue reading New Word #72: I Love Cats →

Image by hudsoncrafted from Pixabay The Differences There are many words to describe the differences between two things, each being a little different from others, each being used in certain circumstances. dichotomy: A division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different. "a rigid dichotomy between science … Continue reading New Word #71: Between Two Things →

Image by cocoparisienne from Pixabay Commonly Used scrap: a small piece or amount of something, especially one that is left over after the greater part has been used. It's often used in "a scrap of paper", "scrap metal", "wood scraps". scrappy: 1. consisting of disorganized, untidy, or incomplete parts. 2. (informal•North American) determined, argumentative, or … Continue reading New Word #70: C And P →

piranhas: A deep-bodied South American freshwater fish that typically lives in schools and has very sharp teeth that are used to tear flesh from prey. It has a reputation as a fearsome predator.From Boblorentson's blog here. sashay: Walk in an ostentatious yet casual manner, typically with exaggerated movements of the hips and shoulders.biscotti: Small, crisp … Continue reading New Word #69: Recently Learned →

deliver vs. deliverance For the longest time, I thought deliverance is the noun form for deliver until one day I realized that it's a mistake. Deliver's noun form is delivery, not deliverance. The two words share similar bodies, but with different tails. Deliverance is not used very often thankfully, which explains why I didn't realize … Continue reading New Word #68: Confusing Pairs →

The High Point in Height elevation: same as altitude, which means the height above a given level, especially sea level. For example, Edison Township of New Jersey has an elevation of 39 feet, which is equivalent to 12 meters. Since it is so close to the seaside (but no beach unless you travel two hours … Continue reading New Word #67: High And Low →

Photo by Yan Ming on Unsplash Many Words For "Four" quad: a quadrangle. In architecture, a quadrangle is a space or a courtyard, usually rectangular in plan, the sides of which are entirely or mainly occupied by parts of a large building. For example, several universities in the U.S. have quad like yard and architecture, … Continue reading New Word #66: Number 4 →

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay charade: an absurd pretense intended to create a pleasant or respectable appearance."talk of unity was nothing more than a charade"From Terveen Gill's blog here. jaggery: a coarse dark brown sugar made in India by evaporation of the sap of palm trees.From Terveen Gill's blog here. codicil: addition or supplement … Continue reading New Word #64: Recently Learned →

Image by Roland Mey from Pixabay Years ago, I was baffled by the phrases the native speakers often use that I had never learned at all from textbooks or classes or any of my readings. When it is a cold weather, people often say "nippy"; when something is not affordable, people don't say expensive but … Continue reading New Word #63: Commonly Used S&P →

Photo by Yan Ming on Unsplash Related with Three (Commonly Used) triad: a group or set of three connected people or things.trilogy: a group of three related novels, plays, films, operas, or albums.triple: consisting of or involving three parts, things, or peopletriplet: one of three children or animals born at the same birth.trinity: the state … Continue reading New Word #62: All About “Three” →

Image by Darkmoon_Art from Pixabay There are a lot of words to represent two in English. Here I will not list pair, double, couple, or twin since these are too often used and are well known. Other languages also have more than one word for two, but probably not as many as those in English. … Continue reading New Word #61: All About “Two” →

From WordPress Blogs gasconade: extravagant boasting.From Pooja's post here. unruly: disorderly and disruptive and not amenable to discipline or control.From Terveen's post here. rehash: Put (old ideas or material) into a new form without significant change or improvement.expound: present and explain (a theory or idea) systematically and in detail.From Heterodox Buddhist's post here. continuum: a … Continue reading New Word #60: Recently Learned →

Image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay There are so many words and phrases related with time that I don't know where to start. Here I only listed a few that I consider the most commonly and regularly used. If you have any words or phrases you'd like to add, please leave me a comment. Time … Continue reading New Word #59: Related With Time →

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay callow: (of a young person) inexperienced and immature.This is from Pooja's post here. ossify: become rigid or fixed in attitude or position; cease developing.This is from Pooja's post here. nefarious: (typically of an action or activity) wicked or criminal.flounce: (verb) go or move in an exaggeratedly impatient or angry manner; … Continue reading New Word #55: Recently Learned →

Image by Дарья Яковлева from Pixabay The word gastronomy means the practice or art of choosing, cooking, and eating good food. The first time I saw this word, I thought it's something related with astronomy, but to my surprise, it has nothing to do with the sky or celestial bodies. People Who Enjoy Food gourmet: … Continue reading New Word #54: Gastronomy →

bibliophile and logophile: bibliophile: a person who collects or has a great love of books. logophile: a lover of words. wordy and verbose and prolix and verbiage wordy: using or expressed in too many words. verbose: using or expressed in more words than are needed. verbiage: speech or writing that uses too many words or … Continue reading New Words #53: Related With Books Or Words →

Photo by Anthony Shkraba from Pexels These are all commonly used phrases and I have encountered one or another in different time in my reading or in conversations. I have to say I haven't used much of these in my own writing for the simple reason that I am not dead certain of the suitability. … Continue reading New Word #52: Life And Death →

Image by Laci Döme from Pixabay rictus: a fixed grimace or grin.From DeRicki's post here. cryonic: The practice or technique of deep-freezing the bodies of people who have just died, in the hope that scientific advances may allow them to be revived in the future. I have often wondered if any of the cryonic bodies … Continue reading New Word #51: Recently Learned →

Image by cocoparisienne from Pixabay countenance: A person's face or facial expression. grin: smile broadly, especially in an unrestrained manner and with the mouth open. beam: a radiant or good-natured look or smile. grimace: an ugly, twisted expression on a person's face, typically expressing disgust, pain, or wry amusement. frown: form an expression of disapproval, … Continue reading New Word #50: Facial Expressions →

Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay These are phrases commonly used. I think I didn't include phrases with "ears" since I can't think of any other than "I'm all ears" to indicate I'm interested in listening. If you have any phrases you want to add, please leave me a comment. Face facelift: a procedure carried … Continue reading New Word #49: Related With Body →

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay There are many lively phrases and idioms with animals in them. Here I have compiled a list of phrases that are commonly used. There are a lot more out there that I haven't heard of. And please let me know if you have encountered any. Cats curiosity killed the cat: … Continue reading New Word #48 : Cats And Dogs →

Shibboleth: a custom, principle, or belief distinguishing a particular class or group of people, especially a long-standing one regarded as outmoded or no longer important.From Pooja's post here. maudlin: self-pityingly or tearfully sentimental, often through drunkenness.From mjcd2017's post here. traction: the action of drawing or pulling something over a surface, especially a road or track. … Continue reading New Word #47: Recently Learned →

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay Someone sent me a message with "raison d'être" in it. Show off. I actually wondered how he finds "ê" on the keyboard. This is life, isn't it? Once one can handle English, one realizes that the goal post is moving to a French location. I used to be annoyed by … Continue reading New Word #46: That Doesn’t Sound Like English →

Image by Andrey Muzychuk from Pixaba This is only a list of rice dishes I've encountered in New Jersey so far. I feel rather embarrassed when I can't pronounce a dish's name when ordering it. Living in a multicultural environment but not being able to at least learn an entree's name that I want to … Continue reading New Word #44 : Rice Dishes →

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay grill vs barbecue I never know what's the difference between grill and barbecue. Some people told me barbecue is the sauce while grill is the method; some say grilled meat has less fat than barbecued meat. Still I don't know the difference. Or probably they are the same. grill: cook … Continue reading New Word #43: Cooking Methods →

I've always been fascinated with words ending with "k" and "ky". There are a lot of them and each is sonorous, spontaneous, slang like, and vivid in the description of what it is supposed to describe. And it is no surprise that I can remember each one of them after just one encounter and never … Continue reading New Word #45: The Fascinating “K” And “KY” →

Image by Kristine Lejniece from Pixabay bubba: used as an affectionate form of address to a brother. (North America)From annzimmerman's post here.This is the first time I encounter this word--it is so endearing. cassowary: a very large flightless bird related to the emuFrom Iseult Murphy's post here. Love large flightless bird. They look so eccentric … Continue reading New Word #44: Recently Learned →

Image by Chingiz Khalafov from Pixabay A Temporary Stay I learned the word peripatetic from mjcd2017 here. peripatetic: traveling from place to place, in particular working or based in various places for relatively short periods. This word has a temporary feel to it. sojourn: a temporary stay. tarry: to remain or stay, as in a … Continue reading New Word #43: Peripatetic →

Image by John Hain from Pixabay I learned many new words through the American Revolutionary War. One of the most interesting words is "dragoons"--they dismount their horses first before fighting on foot, unlike the cavalry who will fight while mounted. I just wonder where they would keep their horses while fighting? I mean on a … Continue reading New Word #42: The Revolutionary War →

There are a score of words that start with "b" and end in "st" or "ster", which are very confusing. I hope listing them out here will reduce the confusion, but I know I am probably hoping too much. Still we try, despite knowing the futility of it. Image by Momentmal from Pixabay blust: This … Continue reading New Word #40: Bluster, Blaster, Or Blister →

Photo by Maria Oswalt on Unsplash Most of these words for eating and drinking are often used. I've never seen "manducate" being used, but for the rest, they are all quite common. Sometimes I can encounter several just in one scene about a dinner or a party. There must be more words about eating and … Continue reading New Word #39: Eat And Drink →

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels There are so many words for different kinds of walk or the same kind of walk that at certain point, I thought the list would never end. And I know there are more walks out there beyond this list. I wonder if the English speakers of the ancient times … Continue reading New Word #37: Walk →

Image by FelixMittermeier from Pixabay A List Or A Collection anthology: a published collection of poems or other pieces of writing. repertoire: a stock of plays, dances, or pieces that a company or a performer knows or is prepared to perform. portfolio: a collection of financial investments; a collection of drawings or maps. programme: booklet … Continue reading New Word #31: Different Collections →

Image by My Luu from Pixabay Have some doubts misgiving: a feeling of doubt or apprehension about the outcome or consequences of something. qualm: an uneasy feeling of doubt, worry, or fear, especially about one's own conduct; a misgiving. Disagree silently acquiesce: accept something reluctantly but without protest. Disagree mildly demur: raise doubts or objections … Continue reading New Word #30: Varying Degrees Of Disagreement →

Image by Comfreak from Pixabay chortle: laugh in a breathy, gleeful way; chuckle.The word is from Clayjonz's post here. gyration: a rapid movement in a circle or spiral; a whirling motion.skanky: dirty and unpleasant.This is from Bonnywood's post here. bumptious: self-assertive or proud to an irritating degree.This is from Pooja's post here. typology: a classification … Continue reading New Word #29: Recently Learned →

Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels The following are two groups of words that are not infrequently used, one starting with t and the other starting with f or fl. I constantly get confused between tout and taunt, flaunt and flout, flounder and founder and flounce. The most surprising of all is founder which is … Continue reading New Word #25: Used And Confused →

Photo by Julien Riedel on Unsplash Fig, fun, fog are commonly known, but there are many interesting three letter words that are not often used, like fib, fob, fub, fab, fad, fop, fab: fabulous; wonderful. fad: an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something fid: a square wooden or iron bar fib: a lie, typically … Continue reading New Word #24: The Three Letter F Words →

Image by hudsoncrafted from Pixabay Being Indirect prevaricate: speak or act in an evasive way. equivocate: use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself. circumlocution: the use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive. implicit: implied though not plainly expressed. … Continue reading New Word #23: Being Indirect →

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash I've always thought there are a lot of words to signify a period of time, but when I listed them out, there were not as many as I thought. I must have missed some. Please let me know if you have used or encountered such a word before. I've … Continue reading New Word #22: A Period Of Time →

Photo by Diane Helentjaris on Unsplash veracity: conformity to facts; accuracy.This is from Pooja here. detente: the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries.This is from Mitchteemley here. sally: a sudden charge out of a besieged place against the enemy; a sortie. (noun or verb)"O, that this too too sallied flesh would meltThaw … Continue reading New Word #21: Learned Recently →

To describe people is one of the best ways to learn new words. This person can be somebody around you or a movie or TV character that you are familiar with. And you can do it with your friends together to pile some words on a person you all know. It will be a great … Continue reading New Word #12 Describe A Person →

I've always tried to find painless learning methods, especially when vocabulary is concerned. Learning From Others Reading other people's posts is a good way to learn new words. Here are several new words I learned recently. xaern: (v) to enjoy something so much you begin to hate how much you enjoy it. I learned this … Continue reading New Word #11: My Methods →

malaprop: the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one, often with unintentionally amusing effect, as in, for example, “dance a flamingo ” (instead of flamenco). homophone: two or more words that sound alike, but have different meanings or spellings. I encountered this word in Luisa's post here. I've made mistakes like … Continue reading New Word #10 : Malaprop →

As a non-native speaker, I've always felt uncertain and insecure of my language. Just listening to my accent and looking at my Asian face, people may dismiss me or disqualify me right away, without giving me a chance to prove myself. I think a lot of people are like me, considering the number of non-native … Continue reading New Word #9: Word Replacement →

There are many words for praise, but here I am talking about formal praises, often for ceremonial purposes, some in song and poem forms, and some concerning religious services or funeral arrangements. prothalamion: I learned this word from Pooja's post here. The word means "a song or poem celebrating an upcoming wedding."paean: a song of … Continue reading New Word #8: To Praise Formally →

Many of us grew up with simple native languages with about 3000 basic words --the rest is just a mixture and extension of these basic building blocks. We are in for a big shock when we realize that English has so many words. One concept can be described by ten to twenty different words, each … Continue reading New Word #7: Can’t Describe It →

I've always felt that "f" is unfairly vilified. It takes on the thankless task of starting words like "fail", "frail", "flail", "fray", "fake", "fall". Even the seemingly harmless word like "frame" is burdened with additional meaning of "producing false evidence against". Hasn't "f" suffered enough? It is a hardworking alphabet and please give him a … Continue reading New Word #6: The Double “F” Words →

Diurnal: of or during the day. Nocturnal: done, occurring, or active at night. Matutinal: of or occurring in the morning. Vespertine: relating to, occurring, or active in the evening. Crepuscular: of, resembling, or relating to twilight. Out of the five words, I've only regularly seen nocturnal being used. However once I read crepuscular somewhere and … Continue reading New Word #5: Timeline Of A Day →

These three vales are: Valediction: the action of saying farewell.Valetudinarian: a person who is unduly anxious about their health.Valedictorian: a student, typically having the highest academic achievements of the class, who delivers the valedictory at a graduation ceremony. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between these three words, which look too much alike. Also one … Continue reading New Word #4: The Three Vales →

It is said the Eskimos have fifty words for snow and certain people living in rain forests have fifty words for different shades of green. I had not noticed the big number of words for the brown color until I read "Heartburn", in which the main character's friend Arthur complains about colors--he doesn't know about … Continue reading New Word #3: Many Shades of Brown →

Spiel means "a long or fast speech or story, typically one intended as a means of persuasion or as an excuse but regarded with skepticism or contempt by those who hear it." It can also be used as a verb. I wonder if some of the lectures I attended during my school days can be … Continue reading New Word #2: Spiel →