feign (verb) [pronounce fayn – rhymes with pain] – to pretend (= acting like someone you’re not or acting as if you’re doing something) feigning (adjective) – pretending feigningly (adverb) – pretending Here are some examples of how you can use feign: Derek didn’t want to go to work, so he feigned sickness. We were… Continue reading Word to the Wise: feign
rind (noun) [pronounce raind] – the hard outer part of a fruit, meat or cheese, or of a tree Pics by Paul J Everett Here are some examples of how you can use rind: Do you usually cut off the rind of the watermelon before you eat it? You can grate some lemon rind and… Continue reading Word to the Wise: rind
voracious (adjective) – (eating) with great hunger or greed voraciously (adverb) – (eating) with great hunger or greed voraciousness (noun) – the need to eat or do some activity with a lot of eagerness or greed This word comes from the Latin vorax = swallow greedily (devour). Martin Thomas Here are some examples of how… Continue reading Word to the Wise: voracious
lachrymose or lachrimose (adjective) [pronounce: lak-ri-mus]– causing someone to cry, or crying easily lachrymosely or lachrimosely (adverb) – causing someone to cry, or crying easily lachrymosity or lachrimosity (adjective) – the tendency to cry or giving cause to tears This word comes from the Latin lacrima = tear. Martin Thomas Here are some examples of how… Continue reading Word to the Wise: lachrymose
gadfly (noun) – a fly that lives on animals, or: an irritating person who asks questions all the time or who criticizes constantly Here are some examples of how you can use gadfly: The horse was flying his tail, trying to beat off the gadflies that bit his skin. The Prime Minister opened the newspaper… Continue reading Word to the Wise: gadfly
reprehend (verb) – criticize strongly reprehension (noun) – strong criticism reprehensive (adjective) – strongly criticizing reprehensible (adjective) – deserving strong criticism Please note the difference between reprehensive and reprehensible. They’re opposites. Here are some examples of how you can use these words: Teachers should reprehend their students firmly for cheating. The politician was about to… Continue reading Word to the Wise: reprehend
Check out this infographic and article, then answer the questions in the Reading Comprehension Quiz! From Marco Polo to Dagobert Duck who swam in his pool full of gold coins, to Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, people have been dreaming about riches. But instead of green bills or long lists of winning stocks, what… Continue reading The Fascinating World of US and UK Coins – Reading Comprehension & Quiz
deprecate (verb) – disapprove, belittle (make fun of something) deprecating (adjective) – critical, disapproving, belittling (making fun of something) deprecatingly (adverb) – critically, disapprovingly, making fun of something self-deprecating (adjective) – modest and critical about yourself, especially in a humorous way Cory Doctorow Here are some examples of how you can use deprecating and self-deprecating:… Continue reading Word to the Wise: deprecating and self-deprecating
escutcheon (noun) – shield or plate in the shape of a shield with a coat of arms (= symbol of a country, state, city, noble family, etc.) Here are some examples of how you can use escutcheon: The door of the town hall bore an escutcheon showing the coat of arms of the city. The… Continue reading Word to the Wise: escutcheon
Kam Abbott pagan (noun) [pronounce pay-gan] – an unbeliever or someone who believes in gods that don’t belong to one of the three big religions (Christianity, Islam or Judaism). pagan or paganistic (adjective) – connected to pagans paganism (noun) – the belief in other gods or not believing at all Note: This word is often… Continue reading Word to the Wise: pagan
English with a Smile 