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We’ve all had the experience of looking forward to something and expecting it to be great but finding, when it happens, that it’s a disappointment. Conversely, we all know what it’s like to have low expectations of something but find that it’s much better than we were expecting. This post looks at language in this area and includes both single words and phrases.
Continue reading “Did it live up to your expectations? (Talking about disappointment)”
morning shed noun [C]
UK /ˌmɔː.nɪŋ ˈʃed/ US /ˌmɔːr.nɪŋ ˈʃed/
a beauty routine that involves applying various products to the face and hair and leaving them overnight, then removing them the next morning
It might not sound unique, but most morning sheds—and therefore, nighttime routines performed about eight hours before them—consist of fairly robust lineups. Think: overnight collagen wrap masks, wrinkle patches, undereye masks, lip masks, mouth tape, jaw straps, hair wrap, and heatless curlers—all worn at once and overnight.
[glamour.com, 24 July 2024]
fox tox noun [U]
UK /ˈfɒks ˌtɒks/ US /ˈfɑːks ˌtɑːks/
a cosmetic treatment where Botox injections are used to lift the outer corners of someone’s eyes, making their face look like that of a fox
Fox tox is the latest neurotoxin aesthetic to become buzzy in beauty. “The fox tox look strikes a balance between drama and subtlety by giving your brows a noticeable lift that’s still fresh and natural,” says Marris. She explains that with fox tox, the brows appear snatched while the eyes look elongated and youthful.
[newbeauty.com, 5 December 2024]
aufguss noun [U]
/ˈaʊf.gʊs/
a type of sauna session where a trained expert uses perfumed oils, special lighting and music to create an experience said to be good for physical and mental health
Candlelit and subterranean, Barcelona’s best spa blends Roman-style bathing with expert-led aufguss sessions. Don’t miss its Himalayan salt sauna, which hosts beautifully choreographed infusions, mixing aromatic steam and meditative rituals.
[cntraveller.com, 7 February 2025]
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by Liz Walter
“If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times: don’t exaggerate!” So goes the old joke. In general, we disapprove of people who exaggerate, that is, make something seem more extreme than it really is. Today’s post looks at some of the many ways we have of describing this behaviour.
Continue reading “Laying it on thick: talking about exaggeration”
mirror life noun [U]
UK /ˈmɪr.ə ˌlaɪf/ US /ˈmɪr.ɚ ˌlaɪf/
a form of life based on molecules whose structure is the reverse of those found in life on Earth
Efforts to create ‘mirror life’ – life whose building blocks have the opposite handedness to life on Earth – should be halted, an international group of experts has recommended. While the ability to create such lifeforms is likely many years away, the researchers say that work towards making them should be stopped until there is ‘compelling evidence’ that they won’t cause harm.
[chemistryworld.com, 18 December 2024]
electric plastic noun [U]
UK /ɪˌlek.trɪk ˈplæs.tɪk/ US /ɪˌlek.trɪk ˈplæs.tɪk/
a type of plastic that can conduct electricity
Finding ways to connect the human body to technology could have broad applications in health and entertainment. A new “electric plastic” could make self-powered wearables, real-time neural interfaces, and medical implants that merge with our bodies a reality.
[singularityhub.com, 25 October 2025]
jelly battery noun [C]
UK /ˈdʒel.i ˌbæt.ər.i/ US /ˈdʒel.i ˌbæt̬.ɚ.i/
a type of battery that is soft and stretchy because it is made of a gel-like substance
Researchers from our department have developed soft, stretchable ‘jelly batteries’ that could be used for wearable devices or soft robotics, or even implanted in the brain to deliver drugs or treat conditions such as epilepsy. The self-healing jelly batteries can stretch to over ten times their original length without affecting their conductivity – the first time that such stretchability and conductivity has been combined in a single material.
[ch.cam.ac.uk, 17 July 2024]
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From time to time, we all complain, whether it’s about the poor quality of service in a restaurant, a noisy neighbour, or rain that won’t stop. (Some people – and I certainly know one or two – never stop complaining!) This post will provide you with a range of interesting alternatives to ‘complain’ and ‘complaint’ and will explain the differences between them.
Continue reading “Stop whining! (Words for ‘complain’ and ‘complaint’)”
DeFi noun [U]
/ˈdiːˌfaɪ/
abbreviation of deregulated finance: a financial system that uses cryptocurrency, rather than traditional banks, to allow people and companies to buy and sell products and services from each other
The traditional banking system is difficult to access for unbanked and underbanked populations around the world, often due to geographic, economic and documentation barriers. DeFi makes financial services available to anyone with an internet connection and a digital wallet.
[forbes.com, 25 September 2024]
intention economy noun [U]
UK /ɪnˈten.ʃən iˌkɒn.ə.mi/ US /ɪnˈten.ʃən iˌkɑː.nə.mi/
a system in which AI learns what people are likely to want to buy or do in the future, with companies using the information to create corresponding products and services
In other words, in the intention economy, companies will learn what you think about and what motivates you in order to predict what you may do in any given situation. They will then sell that information to others who can benefit from knowing your future actions before you make them. The way intention economy companies will collect such precious data — your very thoughts, behaviors, and their evolution over time — is by your use of their LLM-powered AI chatbots.
[fastcompany.com, 25 January 2025]
wealthtech noun [U]
/ˈwelθtek/
the use of technology to help people manage, and increase, the money they have invested
The demand for transformational financial services capabilities will drive growth of more than $6 billion in the global wealthtech solutions market, according to a new report. Wealthtech solutions typically work with robo-advisors, digital platforms, and fintech applications, enabling them to provide low cost and efficient personalized investment advice, automated portfolio management, and streamlined financial planning.
[investmentnews.com, 4 September 2024]
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by Liz Walter
My last post looked at words and phrases for things that cost a lot of money. Today’s post looks at ways of describing things that don’t cost much.
Frankenshoe noun [C]
UK /ˈfræŋ.kən.ʃuː/ US /ˈfræŋ.kən.ʃuː/
a shoe that is a combination of two or more very different styles
Nowadays, though, Frankenshoes have gotten even weirder. There are sneakers turned into dress shoes and dress shoes turned into sneakers. We are living in a veritable golden age for the Frankenshoe, surrounded by new releases of mix-and-match footwear. Whether you like them or not, they’re still being released, still being discussed and, crucially, bought.
[ssense.com, 8 July 2024]
snoafer noun [C]
UK /ˈsnəʊ.fəʳ/ US /ˈsnoʊ.fɚ/
a shoe that is a combination of a sneaker and a loafer
Is it a sneaker? Is it a loafer? This hybrid shoe that laughs in the face of God doesn’t have to decide. The snoafer, which won’t be available until August, recently joined the club of odd-looking shoes going viral on social media.
[morningbrew.com, 28 April 2024]
sneakerina noun [C]
UK /ˌsniː.kəˈriː.nə/ US /ˌsniː.kəˈriː.nə/
a shoe that is a combination of a sneaker and a ballerina shoe
Hold onto your shoelaces because the fashion world just got flipped on its head with the outrageous emergence of the sneakerina! Yes, folks, the wacky lovechild of a ballerina flat and a sneaker has stomped its way into the spotlight as the must-have footwear for spring.
[wearandchill.com, 9 February 2025]
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This is the second of my two-part post on useful idioms and phrases that feature the word ‘eye’. Part 1 focused mainly on expressions that said something about the act of looking and seeing. Today’s post features ‘eye’ phrases on a range of themes.
Continue reading “Your eyes are bigger than your stomach (Idioms with ‘eye’, Part 2)”
snackle box noun [C]
UK /ˈsnæk.ᵊl bɒks/ US /ˈsnæk.ᵊl bɑːks/
a box, designed to look like a box for fishing tackle, where each compartment contains a different snack food
Snackle boxes, compartmentalized snack packs meant to resemble fishing gear, are the hottest novelty capturing the imagination of weary travelers all over the internet. While you could purchase a pre-made snackle box from a variety of companies getting in on the trend, making your own ensures all of the food inside is a personal favorite.
[yahoo.com/lifestyle, 24 September 2024]
chaos cake noun [C]
UK /ˈkeɪ.ɒs ˌkeɪk/ US /ˈkeɪ.ɑːs ˌkeɪk/
a cake that is decorated in a very unusual and artistic way
Chaos cakes are exactly what they sound like — cakes that are decorated with no rhyme or reason, or cakes that are totally out of the realm of “normal” decoration. The super realistic “is it cake?” trend may have come and gone. Now cakes are not only definitely cake but they’re also fascinating to look at in an entirely different way.
[sheknows.com, 5 December 2024]
window diner noun [C]
UK /ˈwɪn.dəʊ ˌdaɪ.nəʳ/ US /ˈwɪn.doʊ ˌdaɪ.nɚ/
someone who goes to eat in a restaurant and orders very little, or nothing, to eat and drink
A chef has served up a fiery restaurant row after hitting out at “window diners” who only order tap water and share courses. Speaking about his experience, Mr Corcoran said on social media: “Little sharing plates have ruined dining … it is now apparently completely normal to book a table for 4 people say and then order one starter and two mains to share and a glass of tap water.”
[independent.co.uk, 13 November 2024]