What does each word mean? A loan is something that is lent to someone with the expectation that it will be paid back with interest. The word can also be used to describe the act of lending. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is loan used in some example sentences: She applied for a student loan. The bank loaned them money for a mortgage. Lone is an adjective used to describe someone or something that is solitary or single. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is lone used in some example sentences: The lone cloud m...
What does each word mean? Threw is the past tense formation of the word throw, which describes the act of propelling something into the air. Throw is also used figuratively to refer to the act of entering an emotional state (like a tantrum) and the act of planning and hosting a celebration. It is also the verb used to describe the action of creating ceramics on a pottery wheel. Here is threw used in some example sentences: The girls threw the ball back and forth. The child threw a tantrum. The ventriloquist threw her voice and made everyone think the puppet was talking. We threw my dad a party for his seventieth birthday. The first pot I threw was ...
Happy Leap Day! Here’s our February Round-Up: - This month’s pair of Commonly Confused Words were complement and compliment. Not sure the difference? Click here for tips and tricks to help you tell them apart. - With Valentine’s Day falling in the middle of the month, what word could we choose for our 10 Words feature but love? Whether you’re looking to describe romantic love, familial love, or platonic love; we’ve got the word for you. - This month we also returned to our Idioms series with a list of idioms about thought and memory. Can you think of any others? - Does Spring still feel too far away? Get yourself ready with our n...
Last week we looked at the origins of the word language and today we’re going to continue on that theme with the word idiom. Idioms are an expressive way of using language. They are combinations of word which have a figurative meaning that is separate for the actual definitions of the words used. Here are some examples of idioms and what they mean: 1) fly on the wall an unnoticed witness I’d love to be a fly on the wall when she finally tells them the truth. 2) storm in a teacup a small occurrence exaggerated out of proportion All this outrage seems like a storm in a teacu...
There are an estimated 6000 languages spoken around the world and 43% are endangered. In February 2000, the first International Mother Language Day was marked and it has been observed every year since. This year the event takes place on February 21. Here is what the UN writes about the day on their website: ‘Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage. All moves to promote the dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to 'encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire so...
Tomorrow – February 13 – marks World Radio Day and this year’s theme is diversity. Here is what UNESCO writes about this day on their website: “Radio is a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity and constitutes a platform for democratic discourse. At the global level, radio remains the most widely consumed medium. This unique ability to reach out the widest audience means radio can shape a society’s experience of diversity, stand as an arena for all voices to speak out, be represented and heard. Radio stations should serve diverse communities, offering a wide variety of programs, viewpoints and content, and reflect the div...
A salary is a regular payment made by an employer to an employee. Though a salary is usually paid in monthly instalments, it is referred to as an annual sum. Here is salary used in some example sentences: Her first job after university had a salary of £18000. She used a calculator to work out her take-home salary. Her pension contributions came straight out of her salary. She was looking for a salaried role. Salary dates to the late-thirteenth century and entered English via the Old French ‘salaire’. The word comes from the Latin ‘salarium’ which means ‘allowance’ or ‘stipend’ – ...
What does each word mean? A complement is something that is added to another thing in order to complete it or make it perfect. The word can also be used as a verb to describe the act of completing or perfecting one thing by adding something else to it. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of complement. Here is complement used in some example sentences: Do you think the colours green and pink complement each other? My new handbag will complement my shoes nicely. This wine is the perfect complement for our dinner. A compliment is a remark or action that expresses praise and admiration. The word can also be used to desc...
How has your first month of 2020 been? Here's what we got up to this month: We began the year by sharing 20 steps you can take to help you improve your spelling this year. If you haven’t thought about your New Year’s resolutions since January 1st (or if you haven’t thought about them at all), it’s not too late. You’ve got eleven months left to achieve. Take your first step today – find part one of our list here and part two here. This month we returned to our Commonly Confused Words series and looked at the words peace and piece. Click here for some brilliant mnemonics to help you remember how to spell each of these words. ...
For today’s Word for Wednesday, we’re going to look at one of the English language’s weird and wonderful discrepancies. The word in question: noon. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, noon refers to twelve o’clock in the middle of the day. Noon comes from the Old English ‘non’ which has been used in English since the mid-twelfth century. But the word ‘non’ – and here’s where it gets strange – comes from the Latin ‘nona hora’ meaning ‘ninth hour’ (in reference to the ninth hour after sunrise). Before the twelfth century, the word was used in reference to middle of the afternoon –&...
Friday January 24th January marks International Day of Education. The word education is used to describe the activities of imparting or acquiring knowledge or skill, usually in a formal setting like school or university. International Day of Education honours ‘education and its centrality to human well-being and sustainable development.’ Education is a human right that offers children ‘a ladder out of poverty and a path to a promising future’. Despite this, ‘about 265 million children and adolescents around the world do not have the opportunity to enter or complete school; 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40%...
What does each word mean? Peace is the absence of stress or freedom from dispute. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is peace used in some example sentences: Mum wanted was to drink her tea in peace. A short period of peace was followed by further battle. The world leaders tried to negotiate peace. A piece a segment or part of an object. The word might also be used to describe an artistic creation, a coin of a specific value, a firearm, or a counter in a boardgame. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is piece used in some example sentences: Would you like a piece of pie?...
Do you know the term ‘star-crossed’? You may have come across it in the opening of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: Chorus: Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents' strife. Romeo And Juliet Prologue, 1–8 If you are 'star-crossed' it means you are doomed. In Romeo and Juliet, you find out how the story ends right in the...
New year, new you – a phrase that you hear used a lot at this time of year. Many companies – including us – have shared articles about goal setting. Your friends and family members might be setting resolutions of their own. Perhaps you have one or two ideas about what you want to achieve this year. The word declutter is something else you hear quite a lot during the first part of the year. While it’s usually used around spring cleaning season, many people like to get ahead of the game. Decluttering describes the act of getting rid of unnecessary items from a (usually messy or overcrowded) space. Last year, on National Clean Off Your Desk Day, we...
Cava? Prosecco? Champagne? Or maybe just a cup of tea? What did you ring in the new year with? Champagne is a white sparkling wine that is exclusively produced in the French region with the same name. The word dates to the 1660s and is short for ‘vin de Champagne’ which translates to ‘wine made in Champagne’. While officially only wine from this region can be labelled Champagne, people have been using the word to refer to all sparkling wines since the late eighteenth century. Prosecco is a sparkling white wine made in the Veneto region of north-eastern Italy, and cava refers to sparking wines made in Spain. Champagne literally means ‘open co...
Merry Christmas to all our course subscribers and blog readers! Whatever you are doing, we hope you are having a lovely day. Here is a list of the Christmassy Words for Wednesday we’ve shared over the years: December 'Decem' is Latin for 'ten', so why is it the twelfth month of the year that’s called December? Advent Is advent a period of anticipation or a period of reflection? Pudding Christmas puddings may be delicious, but the origins of this word are less appealing... Reindeer How long have these creatures been a part of Christmas mythology? Trim Trim is a Janus word, which me...
'On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Twelve drummers drumming, Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree!' Although this bird takes centre stage in the famous Twelve Days of Christmas song, partridge is not a word you hear very often during the rest of the year. The twelve days in the song begin on Christmas Day and end on Twelfth Night (the evening of the fifth of January and the eve of Epiphany). While the song’s origins are unknown, the E...
Have you noticed a Christmas theme in our Word for Wednesday posts? Last week we looked at the word trim, and today’s word is something you might use when trimming your tree: tinsel. Tinsel is a type of Christmas decoration made up of strips of shiny metal foil attached to a thread. Used during the Christmas season to adorn everything from trees, to picture frames, to ponytails; tinsel is often a divisive subject. While some love it, others deem it gaudy. In fact, the word is sometimes used figuratively to describe something that is superficially glamorous but ultimately cheap. Here is the word used in some example sentences: Every Christmas th...
Do you celebrate Christmas? Have you trimmed your Christmas tree yet? Today’s Word for Wednesday is a Janus word (also known as a contranym or auto antonym). This means it has two contradictory meanings. The term is named for the god of beginnings Janus, whose image – usually depicted with two heads, one looking back into the past and the other looking forward into the future – is often found carved over doorways and gates. In the context of Christmas, trim means ‘to decorate’ or ‘to adorn’. For example: Each year the family gathers to trim the Christmas tree. For Christmas dinner, we had turkey with all the trimmi...
Commonly Confused Words: Waist vs. Waste Since we didn’t fit one in in October, we started November by adding to our Commonly Confusing Words series. This month’s words were waist and waste. One of these words refers to rubbish while the other one is a a part of the body – do you know which? Click here for tips and tricks to help you tell them apart. 25 Idioms about Earth In November, we finally finished our collection of blog posts on idioms about the four elements. In this article we look idioms about both the planet earth and the earth on the ground. Click here to learn the meanings of expressions like ‘down to earth’, ‘salt of t...
Thanksgiving and similarly-named festivals are celebrated in various countries to give thanks for the harvest and the blessings of the previous year. The date of the celebration changes from country to country and from year to year, and tomorrow – as the fourth Thursday of November – marks the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States of America. In America, Thanksgiving celebrations are the beginning of the festive period leading up to Christmas. Thanksgiving is usually celebrated by sharing a large turkey dinner with friends or family, with each person reflecting in turn on what they are thankful for. There are often parades in large cities. The phrase thank y...
Nice. It’s probably one of the most-used words in the English language. Chances are you’ve been advised not to use it by a teacher. I wouldn’t be surprised if we feature it for one of our 10 Words blog posts in the future. If something is nice, it is ‘pleasant’. You can read the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word here. Here is nice used in some example sentences: The weather is supposed be nice this weekend. He wasn’t very nice to his parents. Last week we looked at the word 'kind', which originally meant ‘treating someone like family’, and it's quite easy to im...
November 13th marks World Kindness Day, which was introduced by the World Kindness Movement in 1998. The World Kindness Movement is a ‘legally registered not-for-profit organization with no political, commercial or religious affiliations’. Members of the World Kindness Movement span 27 different countries and their mission is to ‘inspire individuals towards greater kindness by connecting nations to create a kinder world’. World Kindness Day aims to celebrate and promote kindness in the many different forms it comes in. Click here for ideas for how you can celebrate World Kindness Day in your communities. The Spellzone dictionary defines kin...
What does each word mean? Your waist is where your body narrows slightly between your ribs and hips. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is waist used in some example sentences: He loved the jeans but they were the wrong waist size. She tied a belt around her waist. Waste refers to an activity that is useless or profitless, the careless use of goods, or materials that are unused or worthless. The word is used as a verb to describe becoming physically weaker or using something inappropriately. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is waste used in ...
Friday is National Cappuccino Day. Every year, on November 8th, people join to celebrate the creamy drink they love so much. After all, what’s better on a cold November morning that a hot cup of coffee to help you warm up? A cappuccino is equal parts of espresso and hot milk. Sometimes the drink might be topped with cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate, or whipped cream. Although versions of coffee and milk have been enjoyed since the 1700s, the cappuccino as we know it became widespread after the second world war as espresso machines became more common. The drink – first called 'Kapuziner' – comes from Viennese coffee houses where it was sold alongsid...
20 Idioms About Air Autumnal October, with its crisp chilly air, seemed like the perfect season to continue with our series of idioms about the four elements. From castles in the air, to airing your dirty laundry, to walking on air, this article translates a variety of idioms about air into plain English. If you’re interested in other idioms about the four elements, click here for idioms about fire and here for idioms about water. And – of course – keep your eyes for the final instalment: idioms about earth. 10 Word for…ANGRY In September we continued with our 10 Words blog feature by sharing alternatives to the word 'angry'. In these...
With one more day until Halloween, how could we resist choosing a scary Word for Wednesday? Today the word aghast might be used to describe someone who is struck with fear or dread. Here is the word used in some example sentences: He was aghast when he heard the news. The public were aghast to read about the horrific treatment of prisoners in the journalist’s exposé. Around 1300, the word 'agast’, meaning 'terrified' or 'suddenly filled with frightened amazement' started being used in English. It came from the Old English ‘gæsten’ meani...
What does the word genuine have in common with your knee? More than you might think! The Spellzone dictionary defines genuine as ‘sincerely felt or expressed’ or ‘not fake or counterfeit’. Here is the word used in some example sentences: It is vital to check that your news sources are genuine. She felt genuine affection towards her new puppy. He wanted to know if the belt was made of genuine leather. The word has been used in English since the 1590s and comes from the Latin ‘genuinus’ meaning ‘native, natural, innate’. Those who know the word ‘genuflect’ may be able to guess at...
Some of the words we look at in our Word for Wednesday feature are hundreds of years old, while others began appearing in the English language much more recently. One newer word that’s been cropping up on the news and in conversations a lot this year is vape. Vape is a verb used to describe the act of inhaling and exhaling vapour from an electronic cigarette. The word can also be used as a noun in reference to the electronic cigarette itself, similarly to how a ‘cigarette’ is sometimes called a ‘smoke’. Other terms for these types of devices include ‘e-cigarette’ and ‘e-cig’. There are nearly three million people vaping ...
The recent bad weather in England has got us thinking about the word flood. A flood is when water overflows and submerges land that is normally dry. While the word is normally used in reference to the weather, it can also be used to describe an overwhelming amount of something fluid or intangible (for example, memories, information, or tears). Flood comes from the Old English ‘flōd’ which in turn comes from the Proto-Germanic ‘floduz’ meaning ‘flowing water or deluge’. The word has been used metaphorically to mean ‘sudden abundance’ since the mid-fourteenth century. From floods of tears, to being flooded with memories, to o...
Here at Spellzone, we’re partial to a good quiz. Be it spelling or trivia, in the classroom or at the pub, we can certainly get behind an activity that helps people develop their knowledge. What's interesting about this word is that its origin story is unclear. One rumour is that the word came into use after a Dublin theatre owner bet he could add a new word to the English language in just a few days. Supposedly he had the word written on city walls across Dublin and the next day the mysterious word was the talk of the town. Soon after the word quiz was incorporated into English as a synonym for ‘test’ which is what the people of the city though the word was meant to...
Back to School Whether you’re a teacher, student, or parent, we hope you had a restful summer and are now enjoying the new school term. If you’re looking to change up your lesson plans or get to grips with spelling this year, Spellzone is the course for you. Spellzone is an online English spelling resource used by students aged seven to adult. It unlocks the mystery of English spelling and is adaptable for all abilities including students learning English as a foreign language and those with dyslexia. Want to find out more about how to integrate the course into your studies? This month we shared some of our favourite back-to-school blog posts from the ar...
Depending on the type of English you speak, you may not have heard of this word. Even if you have come across it written down, you may be wondering how on earth it’s pronounced. Queue is the British English word for a line of people or vehicles and is pronounced like the letter ‘q’. In American English, you would describe someone or something as ‘waiting in line’ instead. You can find the Spellzone dictionary definition of the word the word queue plus a recording of how to pronounce it here. In the sixteenth century the word was a heraldic term for the ‘tail of a beast’. The word was also a Middle English metaphor for a ‘line of dan...
What does each word mean? If you allude to something, it means you are making a disguised reference to it. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is allude used in some example sentences: She alluded to who she was talking about without mentioning a name. The novel alludes to current politics. If you elude something, you avoid, evade, or escape from it. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is elude used in some example sentences: She managed to elude capture. Sleep had eluded him for some nights now. Where does each word come from? Both of t...
Ahoy, me hearties! As you may know, tomorrow is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. The celebration was founded over twenty years ago in 1995 and is a fun way to raise money for charities by dressing up and talking like pirates. While participants are certainly not advised to take part in any of the gruesome aspects of piracy (no pillaging or plundering, please!), toy sword fights and elaborate costumes are widely encouraged. As well as, of course, showing off your best pirate lingo. While historically, there have been many different pirate dialects, children’s’ stories and franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean have promoted certain words and stereotypes – ...
How strange that, in all our years of writing Word for Wednesday posts, we’ve never featured the word spelling. A few years ago, we discovered that the word grammar has links to magic – and of course the word spelling does too (magic spell, anyone?). The word dates to the 1660s when it meant ‘manner of forming words with letters’ and came from the Old English spell- and the suffix -ing. The word evolved to mean 'the way a word has been spelled' by the 1730s. In Old English, spell meant ‘story’ and came from the Proto Germanic ‘spellam’. Around 1200 the word spell took on the meaning ‘utterance’ and late...
For some reason, even though it’s been many years since I finished school, I still associate September with fresh starts. There’s something about the evenings falling slightly earlier each day and the tiniest chill to the summer air that makes me want to knuckle down and achieve my goals before the end of the year. Those of you who speak French, may have noticed that ‘sept’ is the French word for ‘seven’ – a little strange perhaps given that September is the ninth month of the year. This is because until around 700 BC, when the second King of Rome Numa Pompilius added January and February, the Roman calendar was made up of ten ‘officia...
A New Blog Feature Welcome to our new 10 Words blog feature designed to help you expand your vocabulary. In each article we’ll choose a word and give you 10 other words you might be able to use in its place. Maybe you’re learning English, or maybe you’re just bored of using the same words over and over again – either way this series is sure to help. You may also be interested in our three tips for expanding your vocabulary. To kick off the series, we’ve chose the word happy. Click here for more. Commonly Confused Words This month, for our Commonly Confused Words post, we looked at the words enquire and inquire. Though ...
August is drawing to a close and to get you prepared for the start of the academic year in just a few day’s time, we’ve chosen a school-related word for this week’s Word for Wednesday. The word pupil has two meanings. It can be used to describe a school student and the dark circle at the centre of the iris in an eye. Although not all homonyms have the same origin, both versions of the word pupil derive from the Latin ‘pupilla’ meaning ‘doll’. While it’s not too difficult to see how the meaning of pupil might have evolved from doll, to child, to schoolchild, to student; you might be wondering where the eye-related meaning comes into the...
As we enter the last couple of weeks of the summer holidays, some of you will be practising getting back into your routines before school starts. After all you want to be ready to learn (or teach) – and not groggy – on that first morning back in the classroom. The word groggy is used to describe someone who is stunned, dazed, or unsteady usually from lack of sleep, illness, injury, or intoxication. Coined from grog and the suffix -y, and first used around 1770, groggy referred to someone in a state of drunkenness that caused them to stagger or stumble. Grog was rum diluted with water and rumoured to be named for Admiral Edward Vernon who ordered it to be served to his sa...
What does each word mean? Historically, the distinction between the verbs enquire and inquire is that enquire is used to mean ‘ask’ in the wider sense, while inquire is reserved for formal investigations. In modern usage, however, enquire (and the noun enquiry) are more commonly found in British English and inquire (and the noun inquiry) are more commonly found in in American English. Click here to see the Spellzone dictionary definition of enquire and here for the vocabulary lists related to the word. Click here to see the Spellzone dictionary definition of inquire and here for the vocabulary lists related to the word. Here are both words used in some exa...
It doesn’t seem like such a stretch to assume the word nightmare is related to the English word mare which means 'female horse'. With ghost stories like that of the headless horseman, it doesn’t seem implausible that among the many weird connections and quirks in the English language there might be one about horses and sleeping. The mare in nightmare actually comes from the Proto-Germanic ‘maron’ meaning ‘goblin’. In German folklore a mare was an evil female spirit or goblin-like creature who suffocated men in their sleep. Another archaic word for nightmare is incubus which is also the name of a mythological male demon who was believ...
Trivia is a word used to describe information that is of little importance or consequence. You may have heard the term used in reference to quiz games. What’s interesting about the word trivia is that, compared to most of the words we look at in our Word for Wednesday feature, it isn’t that old. Trivialities, bits of information of little consequence was a book first published in 1902 and made popular when it was rereleased in 1918. A follow-up More Trivia was released in 1921 and by 1932 the word trivia was widely used in the English language. Both books were published as a collected edition in 1933. Later, in the 1960s, college students began informally quizzi...
British English or American English? The internet means choosing whether to use American spelling or English spelling no longer just depends on what country you live in. More and more people work with colleagues from all over the world and different institutes, organisations, and publications have different style guides. This means it is likely that you will have to change between American and British spelling every now and then. In this article, to celebrate American Independence Day, we shared three of our favourite articles on American English from the archive. Commonly Confused Words July took us back to our Commonly Confused Words series. For vs. Fore vs. Four ...
Yesterday marked International Day of Friendship and to celebrate we’ve picked companion for this week’s Word for Wednesday. Friendship days are marked all over the world. Loved ones are honoured with gifts, cards, and friendship bracelets. In 2011, the UN General Assembly declared July 30 as International Day of Friendship with ‘the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.’ So why have we chosen the word companion and not friend as this week’s word? Honestly – because we think it has a more interesting origin. The word dates back to aroun...
In a rush? Not sure what to have for lunch? You probably can’t go too wrong with a sandwich. We get the word for this convenient lunchtime staple from John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. Said to be a keen gambler, the Earl of Sandwich supposedly ate slices of cold meat between bread at the gaming table instead of full meals. It's speculated that this was so that he didn’t have to stop to eat and so that that he didn’t get his playing cards dirty from the greasy meat. His friends then began ordering ‘the same as sandwich’ and from there the story of the sandwich as we know it now evolved. The word date backs to 1762 and the account ...
What does each word mean? Bath is a noun used to describe the process of washing by immersing oneself in hot water, as well as the vessel used to contain the water. In British English the word may also be used to refer to a building that contains public swimming or spa facilities, while in American English the word is sometimes used as a shorthand for a bathroom. In British English, the word is also used as a verb to describe the act of washing oneself or someone else by immersion in a tub of water. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is bath used in some example sentences: He preferred baths to showers. The bat...
All over the internet, people are celebrating World Emoji Day – so what better choice could there be for our Word for Wednesday? World Emoji Day was launched by Emojipedia founder Jeremy Burge in 2014, though people sometimes posted the calendar emoji on July 17 before then. This is because July 17 is the date shown on most calendar emojis – though Facebook shows May 14, founder Mark Zuckerberg’s birthday instead. Emojipedia is searched over 25 million times a month and the team there work on updating emoji definitions, tracking the changes to emoji definitions, and keeping up with the latest emoji definitions. Click here to find out some interesting stastics. ...
Although this week's pair of words have slightly different meanings, many people use them interchangebly. Scroll down to find out more. What does each word mean? If you assume something, you suppose it to be true without having proof or you take control of it. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is assume used in some example sentences: He’d always assumed her hair was naturally blonde. You shouldn’t assume you will enjoy a book just because you like the cover. The supply teacher assumed responsibility of the classroom. Here are all the Spellzone study lists related to the word assume....
It would be interesting to ask different people what their first association with the word stream is. For me, the first thing that comes to mind is Netflix. Others, I’m sure, will think of small narrow rivers, or associate the word with the flow of people or air or smoke. Literary friends might think of stream of consciousness. In Old English, stream referred to a ‘course of water’ and in the twelfth century, the word started being used to describe ‘anything issuing from a source and flowing continuously’. Stream isn’t the only water-related word that has been borrowed in reference to technology – in the early days of the internet, ...
What does each word mean? For is a preposition used to describe one thing in relation to another thing. It means ‘in support of’, ‘with regard to’, ‘on behalf of’, ‘with benefit to’ and more. Here is for used in some example sentences: She voted for the Green Party. After the way the teacher dealt with the bullying at school, the parents and children found they had a renewed sense of respect for her. She was a delivery driver for the new pizza joint in town. The Spellzone course is a powerful tool for leaning. He was grateful to his family for their continued support. We leave for Spain to...
The Spellzone dictionary defines the word clue as 'evidence that helps solve a problem'. Indeed, your first association with the word is possibly in the context of playing games. Here is clue used in some example sentences: He begged the quizmaster for a clue. The detective hoped to find a clue that would unlock the case. She hoped a genetic test would give her a clue about her ancestry. Clue is a spelling variant of the word ‘clew’ which also means ‘a ball of thread’. If you’re wondering what a ball of string has in common with a hint, here’s a clue: the answer lies in Greek...
Fifty Idioms to Describe People We began this month by sharing part two of our list of 50 idioms used to describe people. You can read part one here. An idiom is a combination of words that has a figurative meaning separate from the actual definitions of the words used. There are an estimated 25,000 idioms in the English language so we hope our regular idiom lists help our second-language students make sense of some confusing translations. You can find more of our idiom lists on our blog archive. Make the Most Out of Your Spellzone Subscription The Spellzone website is full of great resources – from the courses themselves, to our spelling games, to our ...
The Spellzone dictionary defines ‘coward’ as ‘a person who shows fear or timidity’. Here is the word ‘coward’ used in some example sentences: Instead of defending what was right, the politician behaved in a cowardly manner. She accused her friend of being a coward for not wanting to ride on the rollercoaster. In the mid-thirteenth century, the accusation was saved for those with an unwillingness to face peril or injury. It comes from the Anglo-French ‘couard’, from the Old French ‘coart’. The word is probably a metaphorical reflection of an animal – ‘coart’ comes from the Italia...
I am not a cricket person, but my family are a cricket family. This means that for the duration of the World Cup my family group chat will read more like a sports commentary. Since I was Googling the rules of the game anyway, I thought I might as well investigate the origins of the word too. Cricket is a homonym – it has multiple meanings. In one context it describes a grasshopper-like insect, and in another it refers to the ball game my family are so obsessed with. The word is also sometimes used to describe a type of footstool. In reference to the insect, cricket dates back to around 1500 and comes from the Old French ‘criquer’ meaning ‘to creak , rattle, crac...
Although it may be June, here in England it doesn’t feel like summer. With flood and thunderstorm warnings, and disruption on our roads and railways, this rain is more of a downpour than a shower. Still, it got us thinking about the word shower itself. While most of us probably associate showers with bathing before we do with rain, the word didn’t take on this meaning until 1859 (when it was first used as an abbreviation for shower-bath – a word attested from 1803). Shower comes from the Old English ‘scur’ meaning ‘a short fall of rain, storm, tempest; fall of missiles or blows; struggle, commotion; breeze’. It has been used metaphoricall...
When in doubt – consult a dictionary! Whether you end up with a physical book, a dictionary website, or an app that you can use without drawing too much attention to yourself, we believe that finding the right dictionary for your lifestyle is an essential part of good spelling practice. The word for this type of alphabetical reference book dates back to the 1520s and comes from the Medieval Latin dictionarium which means ‘collection of words and phrases’ and is probably a shortening of dictionarius which means ‘of words’. The PIE root of this word is deik which means ‘to show’ or ‘pronounce solemnly’. ...
What does each word mean? Biweekly means both ‘every two weeks’ and ‘twice a week’. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is biweekly used in some example sentences: The club meets biweekly on Mondays and Thursdays. The paper is distributed biweekly, usually in the second and fourth week of the month. Fortnightly is a British English word meaning ‘every two weeks’. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is fortnightly used in an example sentence: The paper is distributed fortnightly, usually in the second and fourth week ...
This week’s pair of words often cause confusion in the world of business. Read on to find out what each word means and to learn tricks to help you tell them apart. What does each word mean? The adjective biannual describes something that occurs or is payable twice each year. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is biannual used in some example sentences: The theatre company performs a biannual show in the community garden which is free for members of the public to attend. The payment will be due biannually at the discussed rate. The senior staff members met biannually to discuss progress and make plans f...
What does each word mean? Alternate means ‘every other or every second’. As a verb, it describes the act of ‘taking turns’. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word and here for Spellzone vocabulary lists related to it. Here is alternate used in some example sentences: We Skype on alternate weekends. They alternated between driving and giving directions. In American English, alternate is also used to describe something that is presented as ‘another option’. For example: Would it be possible to schedule our meeting at an alternate time? In British English, however, this use of alternate is consider...
What does each word mean? If you flaunt something, it means you are displaying it in an ostentatious manner. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is flaunt used in some example sentences: He flaunted his new shoes. Having saved up for months, she was looking forward to flaunting her new iPhone. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists related to the word flaunt. If you flout something, it means you are disregarding a rule or convention. The word is also sometimes used to mean ‘mock’ or ‘scoff’. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is flout used in some exa...
A poll is a way of looking into the public opinion of something by gathering information through votes or interviews. The word can also be used as a verb to describe the act of gathering this information. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is poll used in some example sentences: It is imperative that you go to the polling station and vote in the election. He took a poll to see which members of the group used Apple products. They polled a sample of the public in attempt to predict the outcome. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists related to the word poll. A pole is a long rod, usually round and made of wood, metal, or...
What does each word mean? The word wait refers to the act of staying in one place in anticipation or expectation of something happening. The word also describes the act of serving food when in relation to a waiter or waitress. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is wait used in some example sentences: We waited for the bus. She decided to wait until she’d read the book before watching the film adaptation. He had an evening job waiting tables. There’s an hour-long wait to go on the rollercoaster. We had a long wait at the airport. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists related to the word wait. The wei...
What does each word mean? The word allow refers to the act of making it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen. The past tense and past participle for allow is allowed. You can read the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word here. Here is allowed used in some example sentences: The teacher allowed the class to spend five extra minutes in the playground. By leaving earlier than he needed to, he allowed himself time to stop at the shop. His argument was weak, but she allowed it because she was bored of the debate. Click here for the Spellzone Word Lists which include the word allowed. The Spellzone dictionary defines aloud...
What does each word mean? The word desert has two meanings. It is defined by the Spellzone dictionary as either a noun which describes ‘arid land with little or no vegetation’, or a verb which describes the act of leaving someone ‘who needs or counts on you’ ‘in the lurch’ or ‘behind’. Here is desert used in some example sentences: The famous saguaro cactus only grows in the wild in the Sonoran desert. My friends and I are banned from going into the deserted old house at the edge of town. He deserted his wife and children. Dessert refers to ‘a dish served as the last course of a meal’. Here is dessert used in...
Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve looked at ways to use Spellzone in both classroom and workplace scenarios. Spellzone is also suitable for second-language English speakers. Perhaps you are a student on your way to study in an English-speaking university, or a company looking to expand internationally – today we’ll look at how Spellzone may be able to help you. The Spellzone course uses a series of visual prompts to help users remember words. If you do not recognise a word, chances are there will be a picture alongside it which will help you to identify what it means. Take a look at this free unit for some examples. If you still can’t work out what a word m...
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