-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Is it to-do or to do? This is something I always have to look up when I’m typing or writing it, so I thought I’d add a reminder here in my blog. My tip is: If it’s used as an adjective, before a noun, it’s hyphenated, as in ‘to-do list’. If it’s used as a noun, … Continue reading
A couple of months ago I wrote a post on the word loquacious and said how much I liked the sound of the word. A reader recently commented on that post (thank you) and said that they liked the sound of the word cogitate. Having not used that word before, I looked it up. I agree, it’s quite a … Continue reading
Whilst watching a television quiz show at the weekend, the contestant was being asked the meaning of the word loquacious. Out of the three options on the screen, I picked the answer ‘nearby’! The correct answer was in fact ‘talkative’. Merriam Webster online dictionary defines loquacious as: Full of excessive talk: wordy Given to fluent or excessive talk According to … Continue reading
I heard the word capricious on the television yesterday when someone was referring to the English weather. Although I wasn’t entirely sure of the exact definition of the word, I quite liked the sound of it. According to Merriam-Webster online dictionaries, the adjective capricious (which has been in use since 1601) means: 1. Likely to … Continue reading
Cambridge online dictionary defines insatiable as a desire or need “too great to be satisfied”. According to Wiktionary.org, nouns to which insatiable is often applied are appetite, desire, curiosity, thirst, hunger, need and greed. Sentences using the word insatiable The man had an insatiable curiosity about life He constantly read books to feed his insatiable thirst for knowledge … Continue reading
When I saw the word irregardless written in The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White, I was drawn to what it said beside it, which was “it should be regardless”. They explain that people have a desire to add in a prefix to make a word negative; however, by adding ‘ir-‘ … Continue reading
I’ve heard my work colleague use the word gubbins a few times, but never thought of looking it up until today. He says it’s a slang term that may be a substitute for ‘stuff’. Here are a couple of examples he gave me: I was clearing out some box files full of gubbins Reading through … Continue reading
My dad plays the trumpet and in one of his music books it told him about a substance called verdigris which can form in trumpets or any brass instruments. This image found on Wikipedia (author Richard Webb) shows this green pigment caused by the corrosion of the copper in the bronze. You may also have seen … Continue reading
I was watching a programme with the title ‘Just Harried’ (from the Charmed series) the other day and I was unsure of the meaning of harried. According to Merriam Webster.com the first known use of this word was in 1609 and it defines harried as “beset by problems: harassed”. The verb form is harry defined on Merriam-Webster … Continue reading
I thought it was about time that I understood what muscles are causing the frequent pain I am experiencing in my head, neck and back. The doctor has told me today that it is a fan-shaped muscle started at the back of the head, so I decided to do some research. Wikipedia explain that the … Continue reading
My Writing Notebook 