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Juicy bits
Word of the Day: Juicy Bits Most people are interested in a real scandal. More notably, they are interested in the juicy bits, the fascinating but slightly naughty pieces of information that should usually be kept hidden or secret. Most recently, a scandal surrounded Kazuyo Matsui’s English language video. In this video, she talked about…
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Boots on the ground
English Phrase: Boots on the ground There are times when having boots on the ground is essential. Most countries would prefer to negotiate when a violent military confrontation is possible. However, the meaning of the phrase boots on the ground is to have soldiers physically present in a location instead of only planes in the…
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Shtick
Word of the Day: Shtick Shtick is an unusual word. It originates from the Yiddish language, which Jewish people mainly used before the Second World War. While people don’t use Yiddish much anymore, many words have survived and are commonly used today. From my experience, I can say that Yiddish words are primarily used in…
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Open a can of worms
English Idiom: Open a can of worms The idiom open a can of worms is used to describe a situation that has become more complicated once you start to deal with it. It is similar to the domino effect. Once you start to deal with one problem, you discover another issue that you have to…
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A Living
Word of the Day: A Living It doesn’t matter what your job is. Whether you clean toilets or are an executive at one of the large, multinational banks, you still need to earn a living. More clearly, a living is money you earn by working at your job. Whether you prefer cash in hand or digital remittances, you need to…
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Nail your colours to the mast
English Idiom: Nail your colours to the mast Well, I’ve covered raise a red flag and half-mast, so today’s idiom, nail your colours to the mast, fits in with the flag theme. Flags are easily recognized and well-known symbols. A national flag is flown to let everyone know which country you are from or at least…
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Thorn in one’s side
Idiom: Thorn in your side Imagine how uncomfortable it would feel if you had a thorn stuck in your finger. If a sharp thorn sticks in your side or any other part of your body, it will hurt like hell. It would be a problem that never goes away and causes constant difficulty for you.…
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Troll
Word of the Day: Troll Traditionally, a troll is a creature that lives in caves or under bridges and scares people or, in nasty situations, eats them. Of course, they were imaginary and the stuff of fairy tales. However, modern technology has created a new kind of version. This more up-to-date version lurks on the…
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Gumption
Word of the Day: Gumption Gumption is the ability to decide what needs to be done and then do it with all of your energy and determination. In everyday slang, we often refer to it as having the guts to do something. Many people say they want to do something, but they develop a case…
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Leave someone/something in your wake
English Expression: Leave someone in your wake There are two ways to look at this expression. First, leaving someone in your wake can mean passing them in a race or competition. Of course, it’s never nice to experience someone passing you in a race, but the expression is neither negative nor positive. As I explained…
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