2009年5月13日星期三

0

outre

outre
Definition:
(adjective) Conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual.
Synonyms:
bizarre, eccentric, flaky, freakish, gonzo, off-the-wall, outlandish
Usage:
The more outre and grotesque an incident is the more carefully it deserves to be examined.

2009年5月9日星期六

0

otiose

otiose \OH-shee-ohss\ adjective
1 : producing no useful result : futile
2 : being at leisure : idle
*3 : lacking use or effect : functionless

Example sentence: "Half the streets are cobbled and half wide, empty, modern highways at whose pretentious crossings an occasional rickshaw waits for the otiose traffic lights to change to green." (Ian Fleming, Thrilling Cities)

Did you know? "Otiose" was first used in English in the late-18th century to describe things producing no useful result. By mid-19th century, it was being used in keeping with its Latin source "otiosus," meaning "at leisure." There is also the noun form "otiosity," which predates "otiose" by approximately three centuries. That noun is rarely found in writing today, but it makes an appearance on the occasional spelling bee word list.

2009年5月8日星期五

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corrigible

corrigible
PRONUNCIATION:(KOR-i-juh-buhl)

MEANING:adjective: Capable of being corrected.

ETYMOLOGY:From Latin corrigere (to correct). Ultimately from the Indo-European reg- (to move in a straight line, to lead or rule) that is also the source of regent, regime, direct, rectangle, erect, rectum, alert, source, and surge.

USAGE:"[The regulator] should guide corrigible companies through their weaknesses to become more useful corporate citizens."Patience Wheatcroft; FSA Should At Least Seek City's Respect; The Times (London, UK); Mar 4, 2005.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:A man's name is not like a mantle which merely hangs about him, and which one perchance may safely twitch and pull, but a perfectly fitting garment, which, like the skin, has grown over and over him, at which one cannot rake and scrape without injuring the man himself. -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, poet, dramatist, novelist, and philosopher (1749-1832)

2009年5月6日星期三

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embonpoint

embonpoint \ahng-bohng-PWANG (the "ng" is never pronounced, but the vowels are nasalized)\
noun : plumpness of person : stoutness

Example sentence: The judge was a man of stately embonpoint who walked with a heavy step as he entered the courtroom.

Did you know? "Embonpoint" is most often used to describe people of heavy, but not unattractive, girth. It derives from "en bon point," a phrase from Middle French that means "in good condition." The word was first used as a noun in English in the 17th century. It has subsequently appeared in works by Charlotte Bronte ("a form decidedly inclined to embonpoint" -- Shirley), James Fenimore Cooper ("an embonpoint that was just sufficient to distinguish her from most of her companions" -- Home as Found), and George Eliot ("as erect in her comely embonpoint as a statue of Ceres" -- Adam Bede), among others
.

2009年5月5日星期二

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动词+y=adj

wield+y=wieldy
MEANING:adjective: Easily handled or managed.

ETYMOLOGY:From Old English wealdan (to rule). Ultimately from the Indo-European root wal- (to be strong) that gave us the words valiant, avail, valor, and value.

USAGE:"What Lotus means, of course, is that the Exige [car] is small and wieldy; that it can out-corner a mosquito."Michael Booth; On Wheels: Lotus Exige S; The Independent (London, UK); Sep 3, 2006.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:Although a democracy must often fight with one hand tied behind its back, it nonetheless has the upper hand. -Aharon Barak, law professor, former President of the Supreme Court of Israel (b.1936)

2009年5月4日星期一

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bombast

bombast \BAHM-bast\ noun
: pretentious inflated speech or writing

Example sentence: Laura complained that the editorial columns in her local newspaper were full of bombast and offered little in the way of intelligent opinion.

Did you know? The original meaning of "bombast" (now obsolete) is "cotton or any soft fibrous material used as padding or stuffing." It is derived through Middle French "bombace," from Medieval Latin "bombax," which means "cotton." "Bombax" in turn comes from "bombyx," a Latin and ultimately Greek word that means "silkworm" or "silk." Etymologists aren't certain why the shift from silk to cotton occurred, though one source attributes it to an error going back to the Roman scholar Pliny, who had reported that cotton was produced by an insect analogous to the silkworm. "Bombast" has been retained in modern English because it took on a figurative sense used in reference to speech or writing. Thus the basic sense of "stuffing or padding" has survived, but now the stuffing consists of words rather than cotton.

2009年5月2日星期六

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May 2: problem saturation

May 2: problem saturation
A process by which Mainstream Media addresses an issue incessantly, building up to a sense of pending doom. Of course, the problem, while worrisome, does not pose the grave threat they would like you to believe. Finally, MSM abandons coverage of the problem completely, moving on to another problem.


"Honey, why don't we hear any news about the drug cartels anymore?"
"That was last month's problem saturation, dear."

2009年5月1日星期五

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SANDBAG是沙包吗?

sandbag \SAND-bag\ verb
1 : to bank, stop up, or weight with sandbags
2 : to hit or stun with or as if with a sandbag b : to treat unfairly or harshly
*3 : to conceal or misrepresent one's true position, potential, or intent especially in order to take advantage of

Example sentence: Shortly after agreeing to place a wager on the match, I realized I had been sandbagged and was clearly outmatched by my opponent.

Did you know? In the 19th century, the verb "sandbag" began to be used to describe the act of bludgeoning someone with a small, sand-filled bag -- a tactic employed by ruffians, usually as a prelude to robbing their victims. The verb went on to develop metaphorical extensions, such as "to coerce by crude means." By the 1940s, it was being used of a strategy in which a poker player with a good hand bets weakly, in order to draw other players into holding on to their hands and raising the bet. The use of "sandbag" has since evolved to refer to a general strategy of playing down one's position in order to gain some sort of advantage.

2009年4月30日星期四

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dilatory

dilatory \DILL-uh-tor-ee\ adjective
*1 : tending or intended to cause delay
2 : characterized by procrastination : tardy

Example sentence: The Senator's seemingly endless motions to adjourn were clearly dilatory.


Did you know? Slow down. Set a leisurely pace. What's the hurry? If procrastination is your style, "dilatory" is the word for you. That term has been used in English to describe things that cause delay since at least the 15th century, and its ancestors were hanging around with similar meanings long before that. If you take the time to trace the roots of "dilatory," you will discover that it derives from "dilatus," the past participle of the Latin verb "differre," which meant either "to postpone" or "to differ." If you think "differre" looks like several English words, you have a discerning eye. That verb is also an ancestor of the words "different" and "defer."

2009年4月29日星期三

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apathy \AP-uh-thee\ noun

apathy \AP-uh-thee\ noun
1 : lack of feeling or emotion : impassiveness
*2 : lack of interest or concern : indifference

Example sentence: Every electoral season, editorials in the local newspaper complain about voter apathy and cynicism.

Did you know? There's no reason to be uncaring about the origins of "apathy" -- though there is a clue to the word's beginnings in that sentence. "Apathy" was borrowed into English in the late 16th century from Greek "apatheia," which itself comes from the adjective "apathes," meaning "without feeling." "Apathes," in turn, was formed by combining the negating prefix "a-" with "pathos," meaning "emotion." Incidentally, if you've guessed that "pathos" is the source of the identically spelled noun in English (meaning either "an element in experience or in artistic representation evoking pity or compassion" or "an emotion of sympathetic pity"), you are correct. "Pathos" also gave us such words as "antipathy," "empathy," "sympathy," "pathetic," and even the archaic word "pathematic" ("emotional").

2009年4月28日星期二

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多姿多彩的chirography

chirography \kye-RAH-gruh-fee\ noun
*1 : handwriting, penmanship
2 : calligraphy

Example sentence: As she leafed through her father's old book, Sheila noted that its margins were filled with annotations made in his distinct chirography.

Did you know? Some might argue that handwriting is a dying art in this age of electronic communication. Nevertheless, we have a fancy word for it. The root "graph" means "writing" and appears in many common English words such as "autograph" and "graphite." The lesser-known root "chir," or "chiro-," comes from a Greek word meaning "hand" and occurs in words such as "chiromancy" ("the art of palm reading") and "enchiridion" ("a handbook or manual"), as well as "chiropractic." "Chirography" first appeared in English in the 17th century and probably derived from "chirograph," a now rare word referring to a legal document or indenture. "Chirography" should not be confused with "choreography," which refers to the composition and arrangement of dances.

SC:提到个有中国味的书法这个词,大家心中可以想出多少个英语单词呢,看到如今网络盛行的时代,提到书法不免有怀旧和心动的感觉,你也一样吗?

2009年4月27日星期一

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inveterate

inveterate \in-VET-uh-rut\ adjective
1 : firmly established by long persistence
*2 : confirmed in a habit : habitual

Example sentence: Since Ernie is an inveterate liar, we naturally didn't believe him when he told us he'd met the movie star.

Did you know? Like "veteran," "inveterate" ultimately comes from Latin "vetus," which means "old," and which led to the Latin verb "inveterare" ("to age"). That verb in turn gave rise eventually to the adjective "inveteratus," the direct source of our adjective "inveterate" (in use since the 14th century). In the past, "inveterate" has meant "long-standing" or simply "old." For example, one 16th-century writer warned of "Those great Flyes which in the springe time of the yeare creepe out of inveterate walls." Today, "inveterate" most often applies to a habit, attitude, or feeling of such long existence that it is practically ineradicable or unalterable.

2009年4月26日星期日

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somnolent

somnolent \SOM-nuh-luhnt\, adjective:
1. Sleepy; drowsy; inclined to sleep.

2. Tending to cause sleepiness or drowsiness.

In his case, restrained ultimately meant boring, as the audience was lulled into a somnolent state.-- Teresa Wiltz, "The Hip, the Flip, the Flop", Washington Post, March 3, 2000

Meanwhile, many a somnolent local authority has been stirred into action by Davidson's blunt approach.-- John Lucas, "Memorials are made of these on the eve of Remembrance Sunday", Daily Telegraph, November 7, 1998

Back in the somnolent heat of Bangalore he wrote a revealing novel entitled Savrola.-- David Stafford, Churchill and Secret Service


Somnolent is from Latin somnolentus, from somnus, "sleep." A related word is insomnia (in-, "not" + somnus).

0

sanative

sanative
Definition:
(adjective) Having the power to cure; healing or restorative.


Synonyms:
alterative, curative, healing, remedial, therapeutic

Usage:
The doctor suggested that his asthmatic patient relocate to the sanative environment of the countryside, where the fresh mountain air is free of smog and pollution.

2009年4月25日星期六

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矫揉造作的sententious

sententious \sen-TEN-shus\ adjective
*1 : given to or abounding in aphoristic expression or excessive moralizing
2 : terse, aphoristic, or moralistic in expression

Example sentence: The paper that Jed handed in to his teacher was not so much a research paper as a sententious manifesto denouncing globalization.

Did you know?
Nowadays, "sententious" is usually uncomplimentary, implying banality, oversimplification, and excessive moralizing. But that hasn't always been the case, nor is it universally so even now. The original Middle English sense of "sententious" was "full of meaning," a meaning adopted from Latin "sententiosus" (from "sententia," meaning "sentence" or "maxim"). In Modern English, too, "sententious" has sometimes referred to what is full of significance and expressed tersely. Or sometimes "sententious" simply suggests an affinity for aphorisms, as when it refers to the likes of Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard (of almanac fame), the homespun philosopher given to such statements as "early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

SC:单看这个词的外表,我肯定你会猜错她的意思哦,SENTENCE+TEDIOUS

2009年4月24日星期五

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argosy

argosy
\AHR-guh-see\ noun
1 : a large ship; especially : a large merchant ship
*2 : a rich supply

Example sentence: Uncle Ken is always armed with an argosy of jokes, and he keeps the family entertained for hours.

Did you know? Looking at the first sense of "argosy," you might assume that this word is a close relative of "argonaut," but that isn't the case. Although both words have a nautical sense, they have different etymologies.

The original argonauts sailed on a ship called the Argo to seek the Golden Fleece; their moniker combines the name of their ship and the Greek word "nautes," meaning "sailor." "Argosy" comes from "Ragusa," the Italian name for the city that is now Dubrovnik, Croatia. Over time, "Ragusa" was modified into "ragusea," a noun for the laden merchant ships that sailed from that port in medieval days. A broadening of meaning and another shift in spelling gave us "argosy," denoting any merchant vessel or rich store.

2009年4月23日星期四

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paladin

paladin \PAL-uh-din\, noun:
1. A knight-errant; a distinguished champion of a medieval king or prince; as, the paladins of Charlemagne.

2. A champion of a cause.


Once in power, though, Clinton stumbled repeatedly over obstacles created by the schizoid campaign he had conducted, in which he had cast himself simultaneously as the champion of a more conservative Democratic credo and as a paladin of the party's traditional activism.
-- Robert Shogan, The Fate of the Union

Even Columbia University economist Jagdisch Baghwati, the paladin of free trade, calls for controls on capital flow.
-- "Terrors in the Sun", The Nation, June 29, 1998

Matisse, paladin of modernism, is a long way from us now.
-- Robert Hughes, "The Color of Genius", Time, September 28, 1992

. . .the celebrated but distrusted paladin of imperialism and the romantic conception of life, the swashbuckling militarist, the vehement orator and journalist, the most public of public personalities in a world dedicated to the cultivation of private virtues, the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the Conservative Government then in power, Mr. Winston Churchill.
-- Isaiah Berlin, "Mr. Churchill", The Atlantic, September 1949

Paladin derives from Late Latin palatinus, "an officer of the palace," from Latin palatium, "royal residence, palace," from Palatium, one of the seven hills of Rome, on which Augustus had his residence.

0

eidetic

eidetic 爱的体客
\eye-DET-ik\ adjective
: marked by or involving extraordinarily accurate and vivid recall especially of visual images

Example sentence:
Thanks to her eidetic memory, Kirsten was able to recall every last detail of what happened that night, including what color dress she was wearing.

Did you know? "Eidetic" is the technical adjective used to describe what we more commonly call a photographic memory. The word ultimately derives from the Greek noun "eidos," meaning "form." The ability of certain individuals to recall images, sounds, or events with uncanny accuracy is a subject of fascination for researchers in the field of psychology. Among notable people who were reputed to have eidetic memories is the late television comic Jackie Gleason, who reportedly was able to memorize an entire half-hour script in a single read-through.

SC:看到她的第一眼就喜欢上她了,也许这就是一见钟情,爱的体客

2009年4月22日星期三

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boilerplate

boilerplate \BOY-ler-playt\ noun
1 : syndicated material supplied especially to weekly newspapers in matrix or plate form
2 *a : standardized text b : formulaic or hackneyed language
3 : tightly packed icy snow

Example sentence: Most of the real estate contract was legal boilerplate.

Did you know? In the days before computers, small, local newspapers around the U.S. relied heavily on feature stories, editorials, and other printed material supplied by large publishing syndicates. The syndicates delivered that copy on metal plates with the type already in place so the local papers wouldn't have to set it. Printers apparently dubbed those syndicated plates "boiler plates" because of their resemblance to the plating used in making steam boilers. Soon "boilerplate" came to refer to the printed material on the plates as well as to the plates themselves. Because boilerplate stories were more often filler than hard news, the word acquired negative connotations and gained another sense widely used today: "hackneyed or unoriginal writing."

2009年4月21日星期二

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How – When – Where
By John Oxenham


It is not so much WHERE you live,
As HOW, and WHY, and WHEN you live,
That answers in the affirmative,
Or maybe in the negative,
The question- Are you fit to live?

It is not so much WHERE you live,
As HOW you live,
and whether good
Flows from you through your neighbourhood.

And WHY you live,
and whether you Aim high and noblest ends pursue,
And keep Life brimming full and true.

And WHEN you live,
and whether TimeIs at its nadir or its prime,
And whether you descend or climb.

It is not so much WHERE you live,
As whether while you live you live
And to the world your highest give,
And so make answer positive
That you are truly fit to live.

SC:谷歌邮箱中收到的一陌生邮件,一眼瞧到了这个,觉得不错就拿来和大家分享了

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Georgia ice cream

Georgia ice cream
n.— «Rogers merely shifted the ideas that worked at Toddle House, such as waffles with pecans, into the Waffle House concept. He always served lots of grits, which Rogers likes to call “Georgia ice cream.”»
—“Waffle Housing” by David Hoekstra Chicago Sun-TImes: Scratch Crib (Illinois) Apr. 15, 2009

SC:不知所云,

2009年4月20日星期一

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让人怜爱的exhilarating

exhilarating
Definition:(adjective) Making lively and cheerful.

Synonyms:stimulating

Usage:
Countless climbers flocked to the region to experience the exhilarating effects of the mystical mountain air.


SC:漂亮的词,为什么不多多用呢!

2009年4月19日星期日

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组合词piebald

The Word of the Day for April 19 is:
piebald \PYE-bawld\ adjective
1 : of different colors; especially : spotted or blotched with black and white
*2 : composed of incongruous parts

Example sentence: "From the waist down they affect a piebald, garage-sale look: old sweatpants, one-piece Cooperalls, hockey shorts and stockings of assorted colors and vintages."
(Charles McGrath, New England Monthly, February 1989)


Did you know?
To many people, the noisy black and white birds that go by the scientific name Pica pica -- better known as magpies -- are nothing but pests. But the Latin root that was adopted for their name isn't a linguistic nuisance; it played an important role in the development of "piebald."

The "pie" of "piebald" ("pie" is another name for a magpie) derives from "pica," which is Latin for "magpie."

The other part of "piebald" comes from the word "bald," which can mean "marked with white"; it can also be found in "skewbald," an adjective used to describe animals marked with patches of white and any other color but black.

SC:今天选这个词的主要用意是想再次让大家注意记英语单词组合词,

2009年4月18日星期六

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The Word of the Day for April 18 is:

The Word of the Day for April 18 is:

hoick \HOIK\ verb
: to move or pull abruptly
: yank

Example sentence:
When she noticed that her toddler's nose was running, Stacy quickly hoicked out a tissue from her purse.
n. 初学走路的孩子

Did you know? Etymologists suspect that "hoick" is an alteration of the verb "hike," which is itself akin to "hitch."
类似于

"Hike" entered the language during the first decade of the 19th century, whereas "hoick" appeared near that century's close.

The word "hoick" can be used for any type of abrupt pulling movement but is commonly used for the sudden pulling back on the joystick of an airplane; a rough, jerky movement when rowing; and a jerky, elevated shot in cricket.

In fox hunting, the word "hoicks" is used to call attention to a hound that has picked up the scent and to bring the pack together.

2009年4月17日星期五

0

Dictionary.com

Word of the Day for Friday, April 17, 2009
ephemeral \ih-FEM-er-ul\, adjective:
1. Beginning and ending in a day; existing only, or no longer than, a day; as, an ephemeral flower.
2. Short-lived; existing or continuing for a short time only.


Success is very ephemeral. You depend entirely on the desire of others, which makes it difficult to relax.
-- Eva Green

In "Mississippi Mermaid," the planter character played by Belmondo, a fellow who has sought a safe, permanent love, is liberated when he chooses to follow the ephemeral.
-- Vincent Canby, "Truffaut's Clear-Eyed Quest.",
New York Times, September 14, 1975

Rather, we must separate what is ephemeral... from the things that are of lasting importance.
-- Patrick Smith, Japan: A Reinterpretation

Ephemeral derives from Greek ephemeros, from epi, upon + hemera, day.

2009年3月15日星期日

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邮箱学英语 learn vocab using Email

每天学一个单词,每天学一个句子,每周读一篇美文,所有这些只要你有一个邮箱,自己去GOOGLE一下吧。
a word a day , quotes of the day , heartmath

2009年2月10日星期二

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Quote of the Day

Work without Hope draws nectar in a sieve,
And Hope without an object cannot live.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)

2009年1月16日星期五

0

How to learn vocabulary

a text from internet ,it' s fabulous so I just reship it

Introduction
Learning vocabulary is a very important part of learning a language. The more words you know, the more you will be able to understand what you hear and read; and the better you will be able to say what you want to when speaking or writing.

Which words to learn
Every day you hear or read many new English words. You also find them in your dictionary when you are translating from your own language. You can抰 possibly learn all these new words, so your first problem is to decide which ones to concentrate on. Here are some suggestions:


learn the words that are important to the subjects you are studying
learn the words that you read or hear again and again
learn the words that you know you will often want to use yourself
do not learn words that are rare or not useful (your teacher can help you with this)

How to learn words
Once you have chosen which words to learn, you next have to decide how you are going to learn them. Here are a few ideas:


write the words in a notebook (with their translations or definitions)
write the words and definitions on small cards
(advice on how to do this)
say the words many times (if you have an electronic dictionary you can hear how the word is pronounced)
put the words into different groups (you could use a graphic organiser)
write them in a file for use with a computer program
make associations (in pictures or with other words)
ask someone to test you
use the words in your own speaking or writing

Some students put a tick or cross in their dictionary next to every word they look up. The next time they turn to a page with a marked word, they quickly check to see if they remember the meaning of that word.

In all of the above ways, you are doing something with the words. It抯 usually not enough to just read through a list of words with their definitions or translations and try to remember them. Most students find that they memorise words better if they do something with them. Even better is to try and learn the word in a typical combination with other words. Learning that to apologize means to say sorry is a good start, but it's much better to learn a whole expression containing the word, e.g. He apologized for being late. Not only is this often easier to remember, but you are also learning some very important information on how the word is used.

Learning vocabulary by reading
The way you learned very many of the words in your own language was by meeting them in the books and magazines you read. The context of a new word in a sentence or story was often enough for you to guess the meaning. Meeting the word again and again in your reading helped you learn it for use in your own speaking and writing. Doing lots of extra reading for pleasure - both fiction and non-fiction - is an excellent way to learn new English words, too. But choose books that you find quite easy to read. Difficult stories or texts that you struggle to understand will not help you to develop your vocabulary the natural way. But remember: to learn new words from reading you have to read A LOT!

More on the importance of reading.

More information about learning words
The vocabulary you know can be divided into two groups - passive vocabulary and active vocabulary. Passive vocabulary contains all the words that you understand when you read or listen, but which you do not use (or cannot remember) in your own writing and speaking. Active vocabulary is all the words you understand, plus all the words that you can use yourself. Your active vocabulary, in English and your own language, is probably much smaller than your passive vocabulary.

The more you work on learning a word, as suggested above, the more likely it is that it will become part of your active vocabulary.

Things to know about the words you learn
Usually the first things you learn about a new English word are what it means and its translation in your own language. But there are other things you need to find out before you can say that you know a word like a native speaker does. For example, you have to learn:


how it is spelled
how it is pronounced
how it is inflected (i.e. how it changes if it is a verb, noun or adjective)
other grammar information about it
how it collocates (i.e. what other words are often used with it)
More on collocation
if it has a particular style or register

Native speakers learn these things about words by hearing them and reading them again and again. This is the best way for you to learn them, too.
original site
http://esl.fis.edu/learners/advice/vocab.htm

2009年1月14日星期三

0

Blind transfer

When someone calls your office phone and you transfer them to a random number from a department you choose because you either can't find the correct number or you don't feel like looking it up.

Co-worker: Who just called?

You: I'm not really sure but I totally just blind transferred him to some one in human resources.

2009年1月13日星期二

0

epoch

\EP-uk\ noun
1 a : an event or a time that begins a new period or development b : a memorable event or date
2 *a : an extended period of time usually characterized by a distinctive development or by a memorable series of events b : a division of geologic time less than a period and greater than an age

Example sentence:
The Victorian epoch is often seen as a time of great formality.

Did you know?
"Epoch" comes to us, via Medieval Latin, from Greek "epoche," meaning "cessation" or "fixed point." "Epoche," in turn, comes from the Greek verb "epechein," meaning "to pause" or "to hold back." When "epoch" was first borrowed into English, it referred to the fixed point used to mark the beginning of a system of chronology. That sense is now obsolete, but today "epoch" is used in some fields (such as astronomy) with the meaning "an instant of time or a date selected as a point of reference." The "an event or a time that begins a new period or development" sense first appeared in print in the early 17th century, and "epoch" has been applied to defining moments or periods of time ever since.

2009年1月12日星期一

0

British council 提供的中文学单词服务

http://www.englishonline.org.cn/zh-hans/learners/word-of-the-day/diversion#tabs-141140-1

2009年1月11日星期日

0

debonair

debonair \deb-uh-NAIR\ adjective
*1 : suave, urbane
2 : lighthearted, nonchalant

Example sentence:
David, a handsome and debonair bachelor, is a much sought-after guest for dinner parties.

Did you know?
In Anglo-French, someone who was genteel and well-brought-up was described as "deboneire" -- literally "of good family or nature" (from three words: "de bon aire"). When the word was borrowed into English in the 13th century, it basically meant "courteous," a narrow sense now pretty much obsolete. Today's "debonair" incorporates charm, polish, and worldliness, often combined with a carefree attitude (think James Bond). And yes, we tend to use this sense mostly, though not exclusively, of men. In the 19th century, we took the "carefree" part and made it a sense all its own. "The crowd that throngs the wharf as the steamer draws alongside is gay and debonair; it is a noisy, cheerful, gesticulating crowd," wrote Somerset Maugham in 1919 in his novel The Moon and Sixpence.

2009年1月10日星期六

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suitcase

n. I recommend what a trainer once referred to as “suitcases” where you lie flat on your back, lifting your feet slightly off the ground, arms overhead slightly from touching the ground (this should tense up your abs) and bringing your knees and elbows together and crunching in one fluid motion (like closing yourself up in a suitcase, i guess). When you extend back out, don’t touch the ground, keeping the tension on your abs. —“How to lose a tummy and love handles?” by nmp0906 Lose Love Handles Dec. 17, 2008. Categories: English, Sports & Recreation, Slang—More information about suitcase and related words at Double-Tongued Dictionary.

2009年1月9日星期五

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scarification test

a test, e.g., Pirquet test, in which a material is pricked or scratched into the skin.

来自:Stedmans.com (医学生必备)

2009年1月8日星期四

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resolution rush

January 8: resolution rush

the rush of people who swarm the gym, and other excersise places, in the weeks after new years. usually subsides quickly

the gym's got the resolution rush, but will be clear by valentine's

2009年1月7日星期三

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Quote of the Day

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When one takes a broad survey of the country, he will find that the most useful and influential people in it are those who take the deepest interest in institutions that exist for the purpose of making the world better.
Booker T. Washington (1856-1915)

2009年1月6日星期二

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avenaceous

A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg


avenaceous

PRONUNCIATION:
(av-uh-NAY-shuhs)

MEANING:
adjective: Relating to or like oats.


ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin avena (oats).


USAGE:
"See birds that know our avenaceous store,
Stoop to our hand, and then repleted soar."
The Poems of H.C. Burner; Scribner; 1896.
(written as a parody of Alexander Pope)


A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
For money you can have everything it is said. No, that is not true. You can buy food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; soft beds, but not sleep; knowledge but not intelligence; glitter, but not comfort; fun, but not pleasure; acquaintances, but not friendship; servants, but not faithfulness; grey hair, but not honor; quiet days, but not peace. The shell of all things you can get for money. But not the kernel. That cannot be had for money. -Arne Garborg, writer (1851-1924)

2009年1月5日星期一

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elysian

The Word of the Day for January 5 is:

elysian \ih-LIZH-un\ adjective, often capitalized
1 : of or relating to Elysium
*2 : blissful, delightful

Example sentence:
"The summer, in some climates, makes possible to man a sort of Elysian life." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden)

Did you know?
In classical mythology Elysium, also known as the Elysian Fields, was the paradise reserved for the heroes immortalized by the gods. Ancient Greek poets imagined it as the abode of the blessed after death. The first known use of the place-name as a word for a blissful state enjoyed by mere mortals is found in Shakespeare's Henry V. Following the Bard, many other writers over the centuries have used "Elysium," as well as "Elysian Fields," to refer to paradisiacal places or states. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) was the first to summon "Elysian" as an adjective for the blissful quality emanating from such places.