infernal – An inhabitant of the underworld can be called an infernal. More…
sherpa – Literally means “inhabitant of an eastern country.” More…
aborigine – From Classical Latin meaning “ancestors,” it was spelled with a capital A as the name of the primeval Romans; the first people called aborigines were the original inhabitants of Italy and Greece and aborigine was specifically applied to the inhabitants of a country ab origine, “from the beginning.” More…
All at once, with a single decisive or powerful action. Watch the video
Following World War II, developed nations such as the US and Canada underwent rapid suburbanization. In response, governments planned massive road-building projects. However, many of the projects entailed destroying or dividing neighborhoods, and in the 1960s and 70s, some residents began to resist them. Due to public opposition, many projects were canceled—occasionally resulting in abandoned stretches of unfinished roadway that remain unused today. Where are some of these “roads to nowhere”? Discuss
Definition: (verb) Talk socially without exchanging too much information.
Synonyms: chew the fat, chitchat, claver, confab, chat, jaw, shoot the breeze, confabulate, gossip, chaffer, chatter, visit.
Usage: My teenage daughter can natter on the phone for hours.
Discuss
There, then, he sat, the sign and symbol of a man without faith, hopelessly holding up hope in the midst of despair. Discuss
In no possible manner; under no circumstances; not by any means. Watch the video
In 18th-century London, an unprecedented rise in the popularity of gin led to a decades-long epidemic of extreme public drunkenness known as the Gin Craze. Moral outrage and legislative action ensued. Between 1729 and 1751, a series of laws were passed to control gin consumption. Often, such laws resulted in mass law-breaking. Lower wages, rising food prices, and the unprofitability of gin production eventually conspired to end the craze. How had gin become so popular in the first place? Discuss
artificial language – An invented language, as opposed to a hereditary one, intended for a special use, as in international communication, a secret society, or computer programming. More…
auspicious, propitious – Auspicious implies success in the future, while propitious means favorable conditions are present; auspicious means promising or of good omen—not just special or memorable. More…
niche product – A product that is made and marketed for use in a small and specialized but profitable market. More…