kite (kīt)
Pronounced: click here
Function: noun [count]
Plural: kites
Meanings:
1 : a toy that is made of a light frame covered with cloth, paper, or plastic and that is flown in the air at the end of a long string
Example:
<The children were flying kites.>
2 : a type of hawk that has long, narrow wings
Idiom:
as high as a kite
Status: informal
Meaning:
: greatly affected by alcohol or drugs : very drunk or intoxicated
Example:
<The driver was as high as a kite.>
Idiom:
go fly a kite
Status: US, informal & old-fashioned
Meaning:
Go fly a kite is used to tell someone who is bothering you to go away.
Example:
<When I asked her what was wrong, she told me to go fly a kite.>
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2008年1月24日 星期四
kite:Word of the Day
2008年1月22日 星期二
underbelly:Word of the Day
underbelly (ŭn'dər-bĕl'ē)
Pronounced: click here
Function: noun [count]
Plural: underbellies
Meanings:
1 : the bottom part of a body or large object
Examples:
<the underbelly of an airplane>
<whales with white underbellies>
2 : an area that is easy to attack or criticize — usually singular
Examples:
<the underbelly of the enemy army’s defenses>
<They exposed the underbelly of the nation’s economic policy.>
3 : a part of society, a city, etc., that is hidden or secret and usually unpleasant — usually singular
Examples:
<the sordid underbelly of city life>
<the industry’s dark underbelly>
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2008年1月15日 星期二
vengeance: Word of the Day
vengeance (vĕn'jəns)
Pronounced: click here
Function: noun [noncount]
Meaning:
: harm done to someone as punishment for an injury or offense they have done to someone else : revenge
Examples:
<The fire was set as an act of vengeance.>
<He swore vengeance against his son's kidnapper.>
<Angry protesters wanted to inflict vengeance on the killer.>
Idiom:
with a vengeance
Meaning:
: with great force or effort
Examples:
<After losing the first three games, the team came back with a vengeance to win the next four.>
<She set to work with a vengeance and finished the job in two hours.>
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teeny-weeny:Word of the Day
teeny-weeny
Pronounced: click here
Function: adjective
Comparative and superlative forms: teeny–weenier; teeny–weeniest also more teeny–weeny; most teeny–weeny
Status: informal
Meaning:
: very small : tiny
Examples:
<I will have a teeny-weeny piece of cake.>
<Aren’t you even a teeny-weeny bit jealous?>
<a teeny-weeny little house/bug>
<I like the car, too, but there’s just one teeny-weeny little problem: we can’t afford it!>
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2008年1月12日 星期六
ignoramus:Word of the Day
ignoramus (ĭg'nə-rā'məs)
Pronounced: click here
Function: noun [count]
Plural: ignoramuses
Meaning:
: a person who does not know much : an ignorant or stupid person
Example:
<I can't believe they let an ignoramus like that run the company.>
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2008年1月11日 星期五
whoop:Word of the Day
whoop
Pronounced: click here
Function: noun [count]
Plural: whoops
Meaning:
: a high, loud sound that expresses enthusiasm or excitement
Examples:
<The coach let out a big whoop when the team scored.>
<Whoops and cheers erupted when the runner crossed the finish line.>
Idiom:
big whoop
Meaning:
Big whoop is used in a sarcastic way to say that something is not important or impressive.
Example:
<"Their team is going to the playoffs." "Big whoop." [=so what?]>
Note: Big whoop is often used in the phrase no big whoop.
Example:
<It might look special, but it's really no big whoop. [=it is not a big deal]>
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2008年1月9日 星期三
nifty:Word of the Day
nifty
Pronounced: click here
Function: adjective
Comparative and superlative forms: niftier; niftiest
Status: informal & somewhat old-fashioned
Meaning:
: very good, useful, or attractive
Example:
<a nifty pair of shoes>
<This nifty little machine can do just about anything.>
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© Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.
from Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
something that is nifty is good because it is clever, skillful, or effective:
<a nifty little gadget for squeezing oranges>
vegetate:Word of the Day
vegetate
Pronounced: click here
Function: verb [no object]
Inflected forms:
vegetates; vegetated; vegetating
Meaning:
: to be very lazy or inactive : to live or spend your time without doing things that involve physical or mental activity
Examples:
<I just spent the weekend vegetating at home.>
<I'm worried that after I retire I'll just sit at home, watch TV, and vegetate.>
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© Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.
2008年1月6日 星期日
epic: Word of the Day
epic
Pronounced: click here
Function: adjective
Meanings:
1 : telling a story about a hero or about exciting events or adventures
Examples:
<an epic poem>
<an epic film/novel>
2 [more epic; most epic] : very great or large and usually difficult or impressive
Examples:
<The football game was an epic battle between two great teams.>
<The bridge was an epic achievement.>
<The company is engaged in an epic struggle for survival.>
<an accomplishment of epic proportions>
<undertaking an epic journey>
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typo:Word of the Day
typo
Pronounced: click here
Function: noun [count]
Plural: typos
Status: informal
Meaning:
: a mistake (such as a misspelling) in typed or printed text
Example:
<I spotted three typos on the menu.>
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© Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.
highlight:Word of the Day
highlight
Pronounced: click here
Function: verb [with object]
Inflected forms:
highlights; highlighted; highlighting
Meanings:
1 a : to make or try to make people notice or be aware of (someone or something) : to direct attention to (someone or something)
Examples:
<Unfortunately, the media insisted upon highlighting his troubled past.>
<The speech highlighted [=emphasized] the importance of improving education in rural communities.>
1 b : to be a very interesting, exciting, or important part of (something)
Example:
<Our trip was highlighted by a great jazz concert we attended.>
2 : to mark (something, such as text) with a bright color
Examples:
<The students highlighted important vocabulary words in their textbooks.>
<Important names and dates in each chapter are highlighted.>
<(computers) Use your mouse to highlight the text that you want to revise.>
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© Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.
2008年1月4日 星期五
Wedge:Word of the Day 01/04/2008
wedge
Pronounced: click here
Function: noun [count]
Plural: wedges
Meanings:
1 : a piece of wood, metal, etc., with one pointed end and one thicker end that is used to split something, to fit into a space, to separate two things stuck together, etc.
Examples:
<He used a wedge to split the firewood.>
<A wedge held the door open.>
2 : something that is shaped like a triangle or wedge
Examples:
<wedges of cheese>
<a lemon wedge>
3 : a golf club that is used for hitting short, high shots
Idiom:
drive a wedge between
Meaning:
: to cause disagreement or anger between (people who had been friendly before)
Example:
<A fight over their parents’ estate drove a wedge between the brothers.>
