słowo tygodnia - archiwum
shopgrifting
/ˈʃɒpgrɪftɪŋ/
noun [U]
the activity of purchasing something from a shop, using it, and then returning it within a specific period in order to get a full refund
example:
Big screen televisions are shopgrifted to watch major sporting events.
wikiality also Wikiality
/ˌwɪkiˈæləti/
noun [C/U]
something which is considered to be true because the majority of people agree on it, rather than because of real facts
example:
Wikiality it is the reality that exists if you make something up and enough people agree with you.
protire
/prəʊˈtaɪə(r)/
verb [I]
to leave your current job so that you can pursue work or hobbies that you are more interested in
example:
A significant proportion of talented young people precisely those who businesses are so keen on are protiring.
vanillacide
/vəˈnɪləˌsaɪd/
noun [U]
when an original idea or plan is repeatedly changed until it becomes less interesting and unique than it was first intended to be
example:
When nobody can agree on anything truly radical and cool that' a sure path to “vanillacide”.
homeshoring
/ˌhəʊmˈʃɔː(r)ɪŋ/
noun [U]
the transfer of service industry employment from offices to home-based employees with appropriate telephone and Internet facilities
example:
Homeshoring - getting workers to handle calls from their homes can boost productivity while cutting costs.
ringxiety
/rɪŋˈzaɪəti/
noun [U]
the annoying feeling of mistakenly thinking that you can hear your mobile phone ringing
example:
Ringxiety is a familiar and unnerving sensation: the false belief that you can hear your mobile phone ringing or vibrating.
staycation
/steɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/
noun [C]
a holiday in which you stay at home and visit places near to where you live
example:
Since not everyone has the time or money to invest in a long faraway trip, staycations have become more and more common.
phishing
/ˈfɪʃɪŋ/
noun [U]
the criminal activity of persuading people to give personal information such as passwords and credit card details by directing them to a fake website which has been made to look exactly the same as the website of a legitimate bank or other organisation
example:
We arrested a 21-year-old man on suspicion of phishing, a scam where someone sends out emails purporting to come from a bank.
maven
/ˈmeɪvən/
noun [C]
an expert in a particular subject
example:
Karl Lagerfeld is known to be the world famous fashion maven.
hopemonger
/ˈhəʊpˌmʌŋgə(r)/
noun [C]
someone, especially a political leader, who actively encourages attitudes of optimism and hope for the world
example:
In fact, Obama has used the word hopemonger to his advantage, identifying with it and adopting it as the hallmark of his campaign.
gripesite
/ˈgraɪpˌsaɪt/
noun [C]
a website aimed at making consumers more aware of deficient goods and services
example:
Quick-tempered Americans really lose it when they’ve been had as consumers. Increasingly, they are taking out their anger on strongly worded Internet gripesites.
framily
/ˈfræm(ə)li/
noun [C]
people who are not related to you but are your very close friends and are as important to you as your family
example:
Friends are increasingly becoming our framily.
embed
/im-ˈbed/
noun [C]
a journalist placed in a military unit in order to provide news coverage during a war
example:
Potential embeds have been offered specialist military survival training.
bouncebackability
/ˈbaunsbakə-ˈbi-lə-tē/
noun [C]
the ability to be successful again after a period of failure
example:
He has to show he has enough bouncebackability to get him into the project team.
bioneer
/ˈbī-(ˌ)ōˈnir/
noun [C]
an individual or group who creates new solutions for dealing with environmental issues, especially when these interact with other social and economic factors
example:
Bioneer is short for biological pioneer
staycation
/ˈstā-ˈkā-shən/
noun [C]
a holiday in which you stay at home and visit places near to where you live
example:
Since not everyone has the time or money to invest in a long faraway trip, staycations have become more and more common.
bravado
noun [U] pl. bravados l. ~es
a show of bravery, especially when unnecessary and dangerous, to make people admire you
example:
It was an act of bravado that made him ask his boss to resign.
On the other hand, according to Penny Lewis, a head teacher, young men lack confidence, which they hide with a show of bravado.
ogle
verb [I or T]
to look at someone with obvious sexual interest:
example:
I saw you ogling the woman in the red dress!.
hang/hold on (to sb/sth) like grim death
UK
to hold on very tightly to something, despite great difficulty
example:
Darren always drives and I sit behind him, hanging on like grim death.
gaffer
noun [C] UK INFORMAL
a slang word for boss, often used in manual labour.
example:
'Quick – get back to work! The gaffer is coming!'
hand-held
adjective [before noun]
describes something that has been designed so that it can be held and used easily with one or two hands
example:
PDA is a hand-held computer/device.
quitter
noun [C] DISAPPROVING
a person who gives up easily instead of finishing something
example:
I'm no quitter.
superfluous
adjective
more than is needed or wanted
example:
The report was marred by a mass of superfluous detail.
debunk
verb [T] INFORMAL
to show that something is less important, less good or less true than it has been made to appear
example:
The writer's aim was to debunk the myth that had grown up around the actress.
to know next to nothing
VERB
to know almost nothing about sth
example:
She knows next to nothing about wrestling.
daunting
adjective
frightening, discouraging
example:
The prospect of meeting the Prime Minister is quite daunting
look-alike
noun [C]
person who has a very similar appearance to sb else.
example:
She worked as Princess Diana's look-alike back in the 80's.
roadkill
/’rōd-;kil/
noun [U]
1 : the remains of an animal that has been killed on a road by a motor vehicle
2 : one that falls victim to intense competition
example:
On average, two crocodiles a year end up as roadkill on Florida's Highway 1.
punch-drunk
adjective
1 : suffering cerebral injury usually from many minute brain hemorrhages that is a result of repeated head blows received in boxing and is typically marked by mental confusion, incoordination, and slurred speech
2 : behaving as if punch-drunk : DAZED, CONFUSED
example:
Did you notice that Andrew is behaving like a punch-drunk?
in mint condition
if something is in mint condition, it looks as if it is new.
example:
There's an ad here for a 1974 Volkswagen Beetle. It's dark blue and in mint condition, apparently.
an old chestnut
(informal)
a subject, idea, or joke which has been discussed or repeated so many times that it is not interesting or funny any more.
example:
I wondered whether there might, after all, be some truth in the old chestnut that one's school days are the happiest of one's life.
an eagle eye
noun [C]
if someone has an eagle eye, they are good at noticing small details because they watch things very carefully.
example:
Nothing escapes his
eagle eye.
foursome
noun [C]
a group of four people meeting for a social activity, such as playing a game or having a meal:
example:
Why don't we invite Caroline and Mark and make up a
foursome?
chute (SLIDE)
noun [C]
a narrow, steep slope down which objects or people can slide
example:
a water
chute
a laundry
chute
a garbage/rubbish
chute
an emergency
chute
shell (sth) out
phrasal verb [M] INFORMAL
to pay or give money for something, usually unwillingly:
example:
Having
shelled out fifty pounds for the tickets, I wasn't going to miss the show.
stun gun
noun [C]
a device which produces a small electric shock in order to stop an animal or human from moving temporarily without harming them permanently
example:
The police uses
stun guns to stop aggressive football fans.
potpourri
noun
1. [U] a mixture of dried petals and leaves from various flowers and plants that is used to give a room a pleasant smell
2. [S] an unusual or interesting mixture of things
example:
1. a bowl of
potpourri
2. Her new TV show will be a
potpourri of arts and media reports.
pot luck
noun
1. [U] anything that is available or is found by chance, rather than something chosen, planned or prepared
2. [C] MAINLY US an informal meal where guests bring a different dish which is then shared with the other guests
example:
1. We had no idea which hotel would be best, so we just took
pot luck with the first one on the list
2. We are having a
pot luck on Saturday.
marmalade dropper (BrE) muffin choker (AmE)
noun
a piece of information that is extremely shocking or upsetting, particularly a newspaper headline or article
example:
The news of his suicidal death was a real
muffin choker for me.
bling-bling
noun
expensive, often flashy jewelry worn in an ostentatious manner or other shiny accessories, such as chrome wheels or teeth
example:
Quit wearing so much
bling-bling! You look like a jerk!
al desko
adverb
whilst sitting at the desk; usually about consuming a lunch; a phrase derived from Italian al fresco (in the open air)
example:
In my office eating
al desko has become a normal practice.
prairie dogging
noun
A phenomenon that occurs in cubicle-filled office buildings. Whenever there is a loud sound or other unusual occurrence, everyone pops up to look over the walls to see what is happening.
example:
Her new perfume had the whole office
prairie-dogging when she came to work this morning.
blackleg
noun [C] UK DISAPPROVING
person who works when his/her fellow workers are on strike.
example:
They did not expect him to be a
blackleg.
injudicious
adj FORMAL
not appropriate or tactful
example:
It is an
injudicious moment to ask for a rise now.
en masse
adverb
in a mass or crowd, all together
example:
Individually the children are delightful;
en masse they can be unbearable.
comport
verb [R] FORMAL
conduct oneself in the specified way, behave
example:
He
comported himself with dignity.
Mr Nice Guy
noun
someone who is taken advantage of because he is too nice
example:
Stop being
Mr Nice Guy! It is their job not yours! Do not let them take advantage of you!
a fudge
noun
a soft, creamy light brown sweet made of sugar, milk, butter, etc.
example:
I should stop eating so many Skrivanek
fudges.
to toss and turn
to be unable to sleep or to sleep badly, especially because something is worrying you
example:
After the party she <strong>was tossing and turning</strong> feverishly.
prime time
noun
the most popular time for watching television, which is in <br>the middle of the evening
example:
Overt violence should not be shown on television during <strong>prime time</strong>.
law-abiding
adj.
a law-abiding person obeys the law
example:
He is a very
law-abiding citizen.
all-singing, all-dancing
(humorous)
very modern and technically advanced
example:
She showed us the new
all-singing, all-dancing graphics software she had bought for her computer
black-robe disease
noun
(of a judge) an arrogant attitude. Also black robe syndrome.
example:
The
Black Robe disease is still infecting our court.
boo word
noun
an expression or term that represents a topic that is unpopular or unwelcome.
example:
Democracy - a
boo word for the Chinese Government.
customer of size
noun
an overweight or overlarge airline passenger. Also passenger of size.
example:
The
"customer of size" is responsible for notifying the airline that they need an extra seat for accommodation.
to guzzle
verb.
to eat or drink a lot of something, eagerly and quickly - usually showing disapproval
example:
They have been
guzzling beer all evening.
to be upbeat
INFORMAL
be full of hope, happiness and good feelings about something
example:
Live music and a parade set
an upbeat mood for the official opening.
shrinking violet
noun [C] INFORMAL
a person who is very shy or modest and does not like to attract attention
example:
She loves appearing on television and is no <strong>shrinking violet</strong> when it comes to expressing her views.
gobsmacked
so shocked you cannot speak; very surprised
example:
They were
gobsmacked when they heard the news.
a nark
a person, especially a criminal, who gives the police information about other criminals; a stoolpigeon in American English slang
example:
What a load of rubbish! If Paul were a nark, the mafia guys would have caught him long time ago.
a doggy bag
noun [C]
a small bag that a restaurant provides so that you can take home any food you have not finished
example:
Do not wipe your plate clean if you are full. Instead, ask the waiter for a
doggy bag.
five-spot
(noun)
an American five-dollar bill.
example:
My brother asked me if I would give him a
five-spot for a movie ticket. I said yes.
lob
verb
to kick or throw a ball slowly into the air with a high arc.
example:
Ronaldinho
lobbed the ball into the England goal from 35 yards away to give his country the win.
fink
noun, verb
1. (noun) Someone who is disapproved of or whom no one likes.
2. (verb) To become an informer; to tell on someone.
example:
What a
fink you are! You drank my beer and ate my food!
malinger
verb
to pretend to be ill in order to get sympathy or to be excused from work or school
example:
Emergency room workers shouted at her and accused her of
malingering, deliberately faking the seizures.
to catch sb red-handed
verb
to catch someone at the moment when they are doing something wrong
example:
Tom was caught
red-handed taking money from the register.
snotty
noun
thinking that you are more important than other people
example:
I will not be told what to do by some
snotty little clerk.
a twinkle in your eye
noun
an expression in your eyes that shows you are happy or amused
example:
"I can get that at home!" - she said with a twinkle in her eye.
figurehead
noun [C]
someone who seems to be the leader of a country or organization but who has no real power
example:
The Queen is merely a
figurehead.
lovebirds
plural noun HUMOROUS
two people who love each other, especially young people who show their love in a very obvious way in public
example:
Brad and Gretta are such
lovebirds; they cannot spend two minutes away from one another.
lovebirds
plural noun HUMOROUS
two people who love each other, especially young people who show their love in a very obvious way in public
example:
Brad and Gretta are such
lovebirds; they cannot spend two minutes away from one another.
to know something inside out
to know understand something thoroughly or from every perspective
example:
If you want to find out more about this building, ask Mr. Johnson. He
knows this town inside out.
antsy
adjective US SLANG
restless, impatient and tired of waiting
example:
I hope Sylvia calls soon. Just sitting around and waiting is making me
antsy.
off-the-cuff
adjective
an off-the-cuff remark, reply etc is one that you make without thinking about it first
example:
The press officer said that the statement was an off-the-cuff remark, not as an official statement of policy.
smug
adjective
showing too much satisfaction with your own cleverness or success - used to show disapproval
example:
"I knew I would win", she said with a
smug smile.
trafficker
noun
someone who buys and sells illegal goods, especially drugs
example:
Without any national system, gun
traffickers continue to make huge purchases in certain states for sale in illegal markets everywhere.
mezzanine
noun [C]
a small additional floor between one floor of a building and the next floor up
example:
You can look down from the mezzanine into the ground floor lobby. The shoe department is on the mezzanine floor.
duplex
noun [C]
a set of rooms for living in that are on two floors of a building
example:
A Duplex Bungalow is 2 separate rooms under one roof each with their own bathroom sharing a common wall, porch and pier.
quality time
time that you spend with someone, giving them your full attention because you value the relationship
example:
He makes sure he spends a few hours
quality time with his children every day.
brass monkey weather
UK INFORMAL
extremely cold weather
example:
It is
brass monkey weather today!
to egg sb on
(verb)
to encourage somebody to do something, especially wrong, foolish, or dangerous
cause to act, provoke
example:
Jack is always egging me on to drive faster than the speed limit allows.
to gatecrash
to enter (a party) without an invitation or ticket;
to go to a party or other event when you have not been invited;
example:
He decided to gatecrash the wedding of his ex-girlfriend.
canorous
(k-nôrs, -nr-, knr-s)
melodious; musical
example:
He heard a long, loud, and canarous peal of laughter.
the hoi polloi
The common people generally; the masses.
example:
Lizzie insisted that her children distinguish themselves from the hoi polloi by scrupulous honesty.
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