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http://www.hinduonnet.com/nic/kye/index4.htm
December 2009
KNOW YOUR ENGLISH
"You look upset about something."
"I am. Sujatha said something nasty."
"That's nothing new. Sujatha is always saying something nasty. Why should it upset you?"
"She accused me of being lily-livered."
"She's called me that several times. But it didn't upset..."
"At least you know what it means. I don't!"
"I see. It means timid. Someone who is lily-livered lacks the courage to do things."
"In other words, he's too chicken to do things?"
"That's right! I laughed when Chandu asked a lily-livered person like Ganesh to try bungee
jumping."
"There's no point in asking those lily-livered bunch of individuals. They won't help us."
"The lily-livered Principal went on leave when he heard there was trouble at college."
"Do you want to go to the new restaurant on Saturday?"
"I can't. I'm going to Delhi on some personal work."
"Delhi? And that too personal work? Are you planning to quit your job?"

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"I'm just exploring other possibilities."
"Have you told your friend Chandu about it?"
"Are you joking? Why would I tell something like this to the office snitch?" "Office itch?"
"Not itch, but snitch. Do you know what it means?"
"Not really. But I can figure it out. A snitch is probably someone who carries tales to other
people. Someone who tattles on others."
"Well, kind of. A snitch is an informer."
"I see. How about this example? The snitch told the police what the gang was planning to do."
"That's a good example. Tell that snitch that I have no wish to talk to her."
"Which snitch?"
"That was just an example.
The word can also be used as a verb. When you `snitch on someone', you are informing on
that..."
"In other words, you are telling another individual what the person said or did."
"That's right! As soon as he stepped into the bank, the police surrounded Hemant. He realised
that someone had snitched on him."
"I don't like it when students snitch on their classmates."
"Good example. Well then,..."
"Does the word 'snitch' have any other meaning?"
"It does. We'll deal with it later. Why don't you go to the new restaurant on your own?"

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"I would like to, but unfortunately,
I have spent all my pocket money on other things."
"That's too bad. Why not ask your friend Madhu for a treat? He seems to have no problems
spending money like nobody's business."
"Like nobody's business? What do you mean?"
"When you say that someone spends money like nobody's business, you mean he spends money
excessively. He spends it without restraint."
"In other words, he spends a lot of money. Perhaps, too much."
"That's right. This informal expression can also be used to mean `very well'."
"I see. At one time my sister used to play the veena like nobody's business."
"That's a wonderful example. My grandmother makes laddus like nobody's business."
""Why not ask her to make you some?"
"I'll do that. After I return from Delhi." ******
"Efficiency is intelligent laziness." - Anonymous
November 2009
What is the meaning and origin of `Comstockery'?
Anthony Comstock was the U.S Postal Inspector in the late 19th century. He was a firm believer
in the principles of Victorian morality. In 1875, he succeeded in getting the `Comstock Law'
passed by Congress. This law made it illegal for people to send obscene materials through post.
Anyone sending or receiving such material through mail was promptly put in prison. Comstock's
definition of obscene material included pamphlets related to birth control, and medical books on

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human anatomy. These things were banned as well. According to some scholars, it was this
ridiculous censorship which made George Bernard Shaw coin the word `Comstockery' to mean,
`censorship because of perceived obscenity or immorality'. The Irish dramatist said,
"Comstockery is the world's standing joke at the expense of the United States." This angered
Comstock, and he called Shaw, "the Irish smut dealer".
Can the word `guys' be used to refer to a group of girls?
Yes, it can. When used in the singular, the word always refers to a man. One can never say, `She
is a nice guy'. It is always, `He is a nice guy'. The word `guys' can be used to refer to a group of
people. The people in question could be a group of boys, a group of girls, or a group consisting
of boys and girls.
*Come on you guys. Let's think of something interesting to do.
What is the meaning of `derring-do'?
This is a word which is seldom heard nowadays. Some dictionaries list it as being old fashioned.
It means daring, displaying courage against overwhelming odds. The term is mostly used to refer
to the daring actions which heroes perform in stories. The main stress is on `do'. *The title
suggested it would be a tale of derring-do. It turned out to be a soppy love story.
As children, when we misspelt a word, our teachers circled it, and made us rewrite it several
times. Hoping that we would learn the correct spelling! When printers make an error in spelling,
it sometimes results in the creation of a new word. Derring-do is one such example. The original
expression as used by Chaucer was `dorrying don' meaning `daring to do'. Through a series of
copying and printing errors, it became `derring-do'.
How is the word `dereliction' pronounced?
The `e' in the first syllable is like the `e' in `set', `bet', and `get', and the `e' in the second is like
the `a' in `china'. The final two syllables rhyme with the words `fiction' and `diction'. The word is
pronounced 'de-re-LICK-shen' with the stress on the third syllable. In some contexts, `dereliction'

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can be used to mean `failure'; failure to do one's duty. When you accuse someone of `dereliction
of duty', you are implying that the individual deliberately chose not to do his work. It is a case of
wilful negligence.
*The students are taking the Principal to court for dereliction of duty.
*What you and your friends did was a grave dereliction of duty.
The word can also be used to mean `in bad condition'; it is normally used in reference to
abandoned buildings.
*The old hotel was in a state of dereliction. The new owner wanted to renovate it.
"Half the lies they tell about me aren't true." - Yogi Berra
What is the meaning of close on the heels of something?
This is an expression which has been around for quite some time. When you say that something
came close on the heels of something else, you mean that it came soon after or immediately after.
Other expressions which have more or less the same meaning are, hard on the heels of
something and hot on the heels of something.
The young couple had a baby close on the heels of buying a house.
The expression comes from the world of hunting; when a hunter is close on the heels of an
animal, he is very close to his prey.
What is the difference between railroad someone into something and
railroad something through?
Americans tend to use the word railroad instead of railway. When you railroad someone into
doing something, you are forcing the individual into doing it. You are compelling a person to do
something without giving him much time to think about what he is being forced to do.
The agent tried to railroad me into buying the old house.

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When you railroad something through, you force a bill through a legislative body. The bill is
passed quickly without being given due consideration. Every year we see this happening in
Parliament.
On the last day, we managed to railroad the new constitution through.
Is it okay to say, My friend wants to retire and live in a farm?
No, it isnt. Remember the lines from the nursery rhyme, Old MacDonald had a farm? We say,
And on his farm, he had a cow. Just as one doesnt play in the beach, but on it, one doesnt
live in a farm, but on it.
How long have you been living on this beautiful farm?
Nagesh finds it difficult to work on the farm during winter.
How is the word subterfuge pronounced?
The first syllable rhymes with the words cub, tub, and hub. The following er sounds like
the a in china, and the final syllable rhymes with the word huge. The word is pronounced
SUB-te-fyuuj with the stress on the first syllable.
When you trick someone or employ dishonest means in order to achieve your goal, you are
making use of subterfuge. Very often, the deception is employed to hide ones real intentions.
The word literally means escape secretly; it comes from the Latin subter meaning secretly
and fugere meaning to flee.
I dont care how you get the information. Obtain it by subterfuge if you have to.
Everyone knew the minister wasnt sick at all. It was only a subterfuge



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Is it okay to say prepare the vegetables?
I understand this is an expression commonly found in recipe books. When you ask someone to
prepare the vegetables, what you would like the person to do is to wash them, clean them, peel
them, and cut them. In other words, the person ensures that the vegetables are ready to be used.
Maya, youll have to prepare the potatoes. I want you to peel them and then cut them into thin
slices.
Every generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and
wiser than the one that comes after it. George Orwell
How is the word masquerade pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word mask, and the ue in the second syllable is like
the a in china. The final syllable sounds like the word raid. The word is pronounced mask-
e-RAID with the stress on the final syllable. Some people drop the vowel in the second syllable,
and pronounce the word mask-RAID.
The word comes from the Italian mascarata meaning a ball at which masks are worn. People
generally wear a mask when they wish to hide their identity. When you masquerade as being
someone else, you are pretending to be someone that you are not.
*Terrorists masquerading as policemen managed to enter the Ministers house.
The word can also be used to mean to put on a show or to cover up; you act in a way which
prevents others from knowing the truth about something unpleasant.
*For the sake of her parents, Gayathri kept up a masquerade of being happily married.
What is the meaning of mollycoddle?
The expression can be used both as a noun and a verb. When you coddle someone, you go out
of your way to protect the person; you are being overly protective. Molly, I understand, was

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traditionally a nickname for Mary. The expression mollycoddle is often used contemptuously
to refer to a man whom you think is rather weak and ineffectual; the individual, in your opinion,
is effeminate. When used as a verb, it means to overprotect or pamper someone.
*The new principal believes that students should be mollycoddled.
Does the word daymare exist?
Yes, it does. In fact, the word has been in use for several hundred years now; the well-known
author, Charles Dickens, used daymare in his novel David Copperfield. A daymare is like a
nightmare except that it takes place during the day time. The anxiety attacks that we sometimes
have when we are wide awake can be called daymares. The pressure that we feel on the chest
when we have a nightmare is usually present during a daymare as well.
*She has a daymare every day around noon.
What is the difference between a soliloquy and a monologue?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of soliloquy. The o in the first and third syllable is
pronounced like the a in china. The second syllable lil rhymes with fill, bill, and chill.
The qui in the final syllable is like the qui in quit and quiz. The word is pronounced se-
LIL-e-kwi with the stress on the second syllable. It comes from the Latin soliloquium meaning
talking to oneself. A soliloquy is a device used by a dramatist to let the audience know what a
character is thinking. In a soliloquy, a character is speaking to himself; he is thinking aloud, and
what he says is meant only for the audience, and not for the other characters in the play. The
plays of Shakespeare are well known for their soliloquies. A monologue is one person talking;
not necessarily to himself. A play in which there is only one character is called a monologue.
The term can also be used to refer to a conversation between two individuals in which one
person does most of the talking. The other individual merely listens.
Efficiency is intelligent laziness. Anonymous


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October 2009
Why is the place where the pilot sits called a `cockpit'?
The word `cockpit' was in use long before the airplane was invented. Cock-fighting was a very
popular sport in Europe. Men would dig a small pit, drop the two feathered contestants into it,
and watch as the two birds tore into each other. The original meaning of `cockpit' was a small
enclosure where birds fought. With the passage of time, however, the word took on a broader
meaning: it began to refer to any place, usually small, where there was a lot of fighting. Belgium,
for example, was referred to as `the cockpit of Europe'. When planes began to be used during the
First World War, the place where the pilot sat began to be called a cockpit because all the action
was taking place in the confined space.
What is the meaning and origin of the expression `hair of the dog that bit
someone'?
Some people think that the best way to overcome a hangover is to have another drink. This
remedy is based on the principle of `likes are cured by likes': in other words, the cause of a
problem is just as likely to be the cure.
The headache is getting worse. I think I need some of the hair of the dog that bit me.
Here, drink this. It's the hair of the dog that bit you.
In the old days, people believed that if you were bitten by a mad dog, the best antidote was to
place the hair from the animal's tail on the wound!
How is the word `paedophile' pronounced?
There seem to be different ways of spelling and pronouncing the word. `Pedophile' seems to be
the common American spelling. far as the pronunciation is concerned, the first syllable is like the
`ped' in `pedal', and the following `o' like the `o' in `go', `so', and `no'. The final syllable sounds
like the word `file'. The word is pronounced `PED-o-file' with the stress on the first syllable. It is

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also possible to pronounce the `ae' in the first syllable like the `ee' in `fees', `bees', and `sees'. The
word is used to refer to an adult, usually male, who is sexually attracted to children. `Paedophile'
comes from the Greek `paidos' meaning `child' and `philos' meaning `loving'.
Is it okay to say `House: To Let'?
Yes, it is. In our country, it is quite common to see such a sign in front of houses and apartment
buildings. The Old English word `laetan' from which we get the word `let' had several different
meanings. One of the meanings was `to rent'. Therefore, when you see a `to let' sign in front of a
house, it means the house is available for rent. In the game of tennis, when a player is serving,
we sometimes hear the umpire say, `let'. In this context, the word means `obstruction'. The ball
touched the net before dropping into the proper service box.
What is the difference between `despite of' and `in spite of'?
The big difference is we cannot say `despite of'. It is always `despite'. `In spite', on the other
hand, is always followed by `of'. As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference.
In spite of /despite the rain, the children really enjoyed themselves.
"When I was a young man I vowed never to marry until I found the ideal woman. Well, I
found her but, alas, she was waiting for the ideal man." - Henri Alain -Fournier
How is the word ensconce pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word in, and the con in the second is pronounced like
the word con. The final ce sounds like the s in sit, sun, and swim. The word is
pronounced in-SKONS with the stress on the second syllable. This is one way of pronouncing
the word. Ensconce is mostly used in formal contexts to mean to settle oneself comfortably.
*I found Sajid watching TV ensconced in my favourite chair.
The word can also be used to mean hidden in a safe environment, unseen by others.

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*The children were playing hide and seek. Chitra decided to ensconce herself in the small
cupboard in the kitchen downstairs.
Many supermarkets have an express counter with a sign which says, Ten
items or less. Is it okay to use less in this context?
I dont know why we have such counters in our country because even people with twenty items
or more bulldoze their way into them. If you make the mistake of telling them they have too
many items, they give you a dirty look. Less items is wrong. The word less is mainly used
with uncountable nouns. One can talk about less time, less sugar, less money, etc. Item, on
the other hand, is a countable noun, and in the case of such nouns, we use few. We do not say
less items, but fewer items.
*For some strange reason, we had fewer participants this year.
What is the meaning and origin of plume yourself on something?
When you plume yourself on or upon something, you congratulate yourself on something.
You are extremely proud of something that you have achieved.
*Every now and then, Yogesh plumes himself on his good looks.
The long feathers that a bird has are referred to as plumes. In order to look their best, and
attract the members of the opposite sex, birds often clean their plumes with the help of their
beak. In the past, it was common practice among soldiers to wear such plumes on their helmet:
very often, the feather one wore indicated ones rank.
What is the difference between believe in and believe?
When we are young, we believe in a lot of things: we believe in monsters, Santa Claus, ghosts,
green witches, giants, etc. As children, we think that these people/things are real; that they
actually exist. When you believe in something, you feel rather strongly that it exists. If you
believe in some idea, you support it because you think it is the right thing to do.

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*I believe in capital punishment, but my father doesnt.
When you believe someone, you trust the person. You are willing to accept what he says as
being true.
*The problem with Bala is he doesnt believe anyone.
What is the meaning of dog-eared?
Not everyone makes use of a bookmark when they read. In order to remember which page they
have to return to, many people choose to fold the top corner of the page instead. The page that is
folded in this manner is said to be dog-eared. The expression can also be used to mean shabby
from overuse.
*The old trunk in the garage contained many of my sisters dog-eared notebooks.
Asking politicians to give up a source of money is like asking Dracula to forsake blood.
Cal Thomas
Know your English
"Surprise!"
"Not a very good one, Im afraid. I was hoping to get some shut-eye."
"Shut-eye? Whats that?"
"When do you normally shut or close your eyes?"
"When I dont want to see something horrible, or when...."
"Really? Does this mean you never look at yourself in the mirror?"
"Not very funny, you know. So tell me,...."
"Trying to needle you, thats all."

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"In other words, trying to irritate me?"
"Thats right! When you needle someone, you try to annoy the person. People think I just love
needling Ananya."
"Do you?"
"Its fun to needle people once in a while, you know."
"That may be true, but stop needling me. Now tell me, what does shut-eye mean?"
"It means sleep. Its mostly used in informal contexts. Its getting late; youd better get some
shut-eye."
"How about this example? Im really tired. I need to get some shut-eye."
"Sounds good. I could use another hour of shut-eye."
"Well, youre not going to get it. Ive come here to...."
"What are you doing here anyway? Arent you supposed to be in school? Youd better come
clean. What...."
"What do you mean come clean? I had a bath before coming here. Doesnt it...."
"When you come clean with someone, you tell him everything. You unburden yourself."
"In other words, if youve done something wrong, you admit it to the person."
"Exactly! Sujatha refused to come clean with her problems."
"Im sure shell come clean eventually."
"Lets hope so. So tell me, what are you doing here?"
"Havent you been reading the papers?"

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"No, ever since I got my no-motion, Ive been extremely busy."
"No-motion? What are you talking about?"
"Its an expression that is being used in the corporate world these days. A no-motion is a
promotion, but without monetary benefits."
"Your pay doesnt increase, but your responsibilities do."
"Exactly! More work for the same pay."
"When did you get this no-motion?"
"Last week. Fifteen people were fired, and six of us were given a no-motion."
"I guess congratulations are in order."
"No need. Id rather have my old job back. Now, theres too much work and too much...."
"Why dont you do what we students are doing? Go on strike."
"The students are on strike! Why?"
"About ten days ago, our principal died, and someone else was appointed in her place. The
students want the principals daughter to become the principal."
"Your principals daughter? How is she qualified? Shes still in school, isnt she?"
"Hey, when a politician dies, they see to it that his son, daughter or wife takes his place. Nobody
talks about qualifications, then."
"Listen, Im in no mood to argue. I need my shut-eye. Now, please leave."
"Do you have anything to eat?"
"LEAVE!"

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"Anybody who thinks talk is cheap should get some legal advice." Franklin P. J ones
September 2009
What is the meaning of the expression to lose face?
When you say that someone has lost face, you mean that the individual has lost some of the
respect that others had for him. Something that the person said or did has made those around him
stop respecting him. When you lose face, you are usually publicly humiliated.
The pilots didnt want to call off the strike because they were afraid to lose face.
The idiom lose face is actually a translation of the Chinese expression tiu lien meaning lose
face.
How is the word fecund pronounced?
There are several ways of pronouncing this word. The e can be pronounced like the ee in
fees, bees and cheese or like the e in bet, set, and get. The c is like the k in kit,
kiss and kind, and the following u like the a in china.
The word can be pronounced FEE-kend or FE-kend with the stress on the first syllable. Fecund
comes from the Latin fecundus meaning, fertile or fruitful. The word, which is mostly used
in formal contexts, can be used with human beings, animals and plants.
The fecund soil enabled them to grow crops throughout the year.
If we dont control these fecund animals, they will overrun the vegetation.
When you say that someone has a fecund imagination, you mean that the individual has a vivid
imagination.
Rams fecund imagination enabled him to write four wonderful books
What is the meaning and origin of sweat like a pig?

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This rather strange expression is mostly used in informal contexts to mean to perspire profusely
or excessively.
When I met Usha for the first time, I was so nervous that I sweated like a pig.
By the end of the first set, Naresh was sweating like a pig.
This is an odd expression because pigs do not have sweat glands, and therefore do not perspire
like humans do. According to some scholars, the idiom refers to the sweating that a pig does
when it is roasted over fire. I understand when a pig is roasted, fat oozes out, and it is this fat that
is referred to in the idiom.
What is the difference between a loving child and a lovely child?
A loving child is an affectionate child; someone who shows a lot of love and affection towards
other people.
Yogeshs six year old daughter is a loving child.
The word lovely, on the other hand, has several different meanings. In British English, one of
the meanings of lovely is kind, friendly, and pleasant to be with. Unlike a loving person, a
lovely person need not openly demonstrate his/her affection for someone. The word lovely
also means beautiful; a lovely child therefore is someone who is good to look at. A loving
child need not necessarily be good looking; similarly, a lovely child need not always be
affectionate towards one and all.
Which is correct: Monday through Friday or Monday to Friday?
Both are correct. The expression Monday through Friday is mostly used in American English,
while the British prefer Monday to Friday.
Heres to our wives and girlfriends: may they never meet. Irish Toast


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What is the meaning of dragon lady?
A dragon is a very powerful animal; therefore, a dragon lady should be a woman who is very
powerful. Men, of course, dont like it when a woman becomes powerful. It is not surprising,
therefore, that the expression dragon lady has a negative connotation. The term is used to refer
to a powerful woman who goes about her business in a ruthless manner; she is a tyrant who
bosses over everyone around.
*I have been working for a dragon lady for twenty years.
The term can also be used to refer to a glamorous woman who has a seductive quality about her:
a femme fatale. Dragon lady comes from the world of comics. Milton Caniff, the creator of the
comic strip Terry and the Pirates, named his villain, a woman of Asian descent, Dragon Lady.
This resulted in people calling any powerful woman who was Asian, a dragon lady. With the
passage of time, the term began to be used to refer to any woman who was as ruthless as the
character in the comic strip: she didnt necessarily have to be Asian.
What is the meaning and origin of the ghost walks?
For those who grew up reading Phantom comic books, let me assure you, the idiom has nothing
to do with the masked hero: Lee Falks character was the ghost who walks. The expression the
ghost walks is mostly used in the world of theatre to mean payday. It is the day on which all
those who are involved in a production get paid.
*According to the Manager, the ghost walks today.
The idiom is believed to have been coined in the 19th century. The story goes that the actors
working for a small company hadnt been paid for several weeks. They were extremely angry
about this, and decided to teach the producer a lesson. The play they were staging was
Shakespeares Hamlet. During one particular performance, Hamlet, waiting for his fathers
ghost to appear, said, Perchance twill walk again. When he heard this, the actor playing the
ghost shouted from the wings: No, Ill be damned if the ghost walks any more until our salaries
are paid. According to the story, everyone received their salary that night!

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Is it okay to say revert back?
We very often hear people using the word back with both revert and return. We will be
returning back to Hyderabad on the 20th. The software company has asked us to revert back to
the older version. In both these sentences, the word back is unnecessary. When you revert to
something, you are returning or going back to it. There is no need to use the word back with
revert.
*The new schedule is creating too many problems. Should we revert to the old one?
In legal contexts, the word revert can be used to mean to become the property of a person
again.
*If I lose the case, the property will revert to my brother.
Whats the difference between all in all and all and all?
When you say, All in all, its been a really bad week, what you mean is that everything
considered, its been a terrible week. The expression can also be used to mean everything.
*Cricket has become the all in all for Ananya.
Dictionaries do not list all and all.
The only imaginative fiction being written today is income tax returns. Herman Wouk
What is the meaning of the word abnegate?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this formal word. The a is like the a in ant and
apple, and the e sounds like the i in sit and bit. The final syllable sounds like the word
gate; the word is pronounced AB-ni-gate with the stress on the first syllable. This is just one
of the ways of pronouncing the word. When you abnegate something, you give up your claims
on it; you deny yourself the pleasures of something.
*The ailing King was unwilling to abnegate his powers to his son.

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The word can also be used to mean to renounce or deny.
*We were shocked when everyone in their family abnegated their god.
What is the meaning and origin of even Homer sometimes nods?
This is an expression which is not heard very often these days. Homer is the Greek poet who
wrote two great epics: the Iliad and the Odyssey. The word nod in this context means to fall
asleep. What happens when you are at work and feel drowsy? As you are unable to think
clearly, you begin to make numerous mistakes. What the idiom means is nobody is perfect:
even someone as great as Homer ended up making mistakes in his two epics.
*When I told Anjali there were a couple of errors in her report, she replied that even Homer
sometimes nods.
*Anand has been doing a brilliant job. Every now and then, he slips up. Even Homer sometimes
nods, I guess.
The idiom is actually a translation of a line from the Roman poet Horace, who in his De Ars
Poetica, wrote: I think it is a shame when the worthy Homer nods: but in so long a work it is
allowable if drowsiness comes on.
How is the word conscientiously pronounced?
The first syllable sounds like the con in concert and conscious; the sci is like the shi in
ship and shin. The e that follows is pronounced like the e in set and bet, and the t like
the sh in shoot and sharp. The iou is like the a in china, and the final y like the i in
it and bit. The word is pronounced con-shi-EN-shes-li with the stress on the third syllable.
Politicians have real problems pronouncing this word. Understandable I guess, because the word
means putting a lot of effort into your work. We all know how much work a politician puts in
once hes been elected!
*Vikram is very conscientious, and Im certain he will finish his dissertation on time.

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*The Minister said that he had been carrying out his duty conscientiously.
Learning is not a spectator sport. Anonymous
August 2009
What is the meaning and origin of the expression kiss of death?
In the old movies dealing with the Mafia, whenever the Don kissed someone squarely on the
mouth, it meant the person was going to be bumped off soon. It was the kiss of death. The
idiom kiss of death refers to an action which results in the ruin or failure of something. It is the
instrument of a persons downfall.
Throwing up on the stage was the kiss of death for Rahuls acting career.
The origin of the idiom, however, has nothing to do with the Mafia. Judas helped identify Jesus
to the Roman authorities by kissing him. The idiom kiss of death refers to the betrayal of Jesus
by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane. The earlier expression, I understand, was Judas kiss.
What is the meaning of He works like a Trojan?
The expression is considered rather old fashioned, and is seldom heard nowadays. The Trojans
were people who lived in the beautiful city of Troy. They were believed to be very courageous,
and when the Greeks invaded their city, they defended it in a determined manner. The expression
to work like a Trojan means, to work hard.
Rahul is a good person to have on the team. He works like a Trojan.
What is the difference between a home away from home and a home from
home?
There is no difference in meaning between the two expressions. The idiom a home away from
home is mostly used in American English, while the British and the Australians prefer a home
from home.

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When you say that a place is your home away from home, what you mean is that you feel as
comfortable and as relaxed there as you do in your own home.
My brother-in-law visits Mumbai so often that its become his home away
How is the word officious pronounced? What does it mean?
The o in the first syllable is like the a in china, and the following ffic is pronounced like
the word fish. The iou is like the a in china, and the final s is like the s in sit, stand,
and sip. The word is pronounced e-FISH-es with the stress on the second syllable. Officious
has nothing to do with the word official. When you say that someone is officious, what you
mean is that the person is rather meddlesome. The individual pokes his nose in other peoples
affairs; he is eager to offer advice. Such people are overly aggressive in their desire to help, and
usually have a very high opinion of themselves. The word is mostly used to show disapproval.
Its not surprising that the officious little man has no friends.
What is the meaning of everything but the kitchen sink?
This is an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts. If you are planning on taking a
trip, and you pack everything but the kitchen sink, it means youre taking almost everything you
own. Its an exaggerated way of saying that the individual has packed too many things.
It was the first time they were travelling with the baby. They packed everything but the kitchen
sink.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make
it worth the effort. Herm Albright
What is the difference between misdemeanour and misbehaviour?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of misdemeanour. The first syllable sounds like the word
miss, and the e is like the i in bit, hit, and sit. The following syllable is pronounced like
the word mean, and the final our is like the a in china. The word is pronounced mis-di-

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MEAN-e with the stress on the third syllable. Both misdemeanour and misbehaviour can be
used to mean bad unacceptable behaviour; an act which breaks a rule. Of the two,
misdemeanour is considered to be formal.
*The young bride wasnt aware of her husbands past misdemeanours.
Misdemeanour is also used in the context of law. When you commit a misdemeanour, you are
breaking the law; you are committing a crime which is not very serious. Since the offence is
minor, the penalty is usually a fine; sometimes, the person is put in prison for a very short period
of time. Petty theft, simple assault, trespass, etc are all examples of misdemeanours. A felony is
a serious crime.
What is the meaning of all hell broke loose?
The expression is mostly used in informal contexts in American English. Hell is usually
associated with chaos; therefore, when you say, all hell broke loose, what you mean is that the
situation went completely out of control. There was pandemonium; people started shouting and
screaming at each other, and at times resorted to violence.
*All hell broke loose when the CEO saw the article in the magazine.
Is there a word to describe a driver who slows down in order to have a good
look at the accident that has happened?
This happens all the time in our country, doesnt it? Whenever an accident takes place, people
are curious to see what has happened. Even those who generally drive fast, slow down, look out
of the window to see whats happened. Instead of looking straight ahead at the road, they strain
their neck to take in the details. Such drivers are called rubbernecks.
*I was delayed because there were several rubbernecks ahead of me intent on staring at the
crash.


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How is the word burlesque pronounced?
The ur sounds like the ur in fur and purr, and the lesque rhymes with desk. The word is
pronounced bur-LESK with the stress on the second syllable. A burlesque is usually a parody;
it is something written or enacted, and its aim is to make people laugh, usually by making fun of
something. The word comes from the Italian burla meaning joke, fun, mockery. When used as
a verb, the word can mean, to make ridiculous.
What is the meaning and origin of the expression tally ho?
The expression comes from the cruel world of fox hunting. When a hunter sighted the fleeing
fox, he shouted tally ho; this was supposedly to alert the dogs (hounds) which had been brought
along to chase and kill the fox. I understand that tally-ho is actually a corruption of the French
expression ty-hillaut a qui forheur: this was shouted by hunters in France when they spotted a
deer.
Whats the point in going out? Were going to wind up back here anyway? Homer
Simpson
What is the meaning and origin of rain check?
If someone invites you to dinner, and you are unable to go, you can always ask for a rain check.
What you mean by this is that circumstances do not permit you to accept the invitation; you are,
however, willing to go out with the person some other time.
*I cant go to the beach with you this weekend. How about a rain check?
*He promised to give me a treat this weekend. Ive asked for a rain check.
The expression comes from the world of baseball. Whenever a ballgame had to be cancelled
because of rain, spectators who had paid to get in were given a ticket stub as they left the
stadium. This stub was called rain check, and it allowed a person to see another game at the
same stadium on some other day.

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Trees and hedges are sometimes cut in the shape of animals. Is there a word
for this?
The clipping of shrubs and trees in the shapes of animals is called topiary. The top rhymes
with the words hope, soap, and dope. The i is like the y in yes, yet, and you, and the
following a sounds like the a in china. The final y is like the i in it, bit and fit. The
word is pronounced TOPE-ye-ri with the stress on the first syllable. This is one way of
pronouncing the word. Topiary comes from the Latin topiarius, meaning ornamental
gardener.
What is the meaning of the expression ad nauseam?
Lets begin by dealing with the pronunciation of this Latin expression. The first word is
pronounced like the word add. The au in nauseam is like the au in caught, taught, and
naught, and the following se is like the zi in zip and zinc. The final syllable is
pronounced like the word am. The expression is pronounced add NAU-zi-am with the main
stress on the first syllable of nauseam. When someone talks about something ad nauseam, he
talks about it so much that it becomes extremely boring for the listeners.
*The Minister talked ad nauseam about his achievements.
What is the meaning of get to the bottom of something?
When you try to get to the bottom of something, you do everything you can to find the truth
about it. Very often, you choose to spend a lot of time exploring the problem in order to have a
thorough understanding of it. It is only after this that you discover the truth about something.
*The investigators need to get to the bottom of this fraud.
What is the difference between avoiding taxes and evading taxes?
Most people try to avoid taxes, not evade them. When you evade paying taxes, you are doing
something illegal. You are deliberately choosing not to pay taxes; you are failing to fulfil your

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duty as a citizen of this country. Evasion suggests dishonesty. Our politicians are often accused
of evading taxes. When you succeed in avoiding paying taxes, you make use of the rules and
regulations that are in place to your advantage: you find legal ways of paying less taxes or not
paying anything at all. In this case, you are not doing anything illegal.
An intelligence test sometimes shows a man how smart he would have been not to have
taken it. Laurence J . Peter
How is the word besiege pronounced?
The e in the first syllable sounds like the i in it, bit, and sit, and the following ie sounds
like the ee in fees, and cheese. The final ge is like the j in jam, and jump. The word is
pronounced bi-SEEJ with the stress on the second syllable.
The word has several meanings. When soldiers, for example, besiege a town, they surround it.
They prevent people and supplies from entering or leaving the town. When a person is besieged,
he is surrounded by other people.
The moment he walked out of the stadium, he was besieged by reporters.
The word can also be used to mean, to make many requests or complaints about something.
The radio station was besieged with telephone calls from angry women.
Is it okay to say, He was sworn in President?
No, it is not. You can either say, He was sworn in or He was sworn in as President. You
cannot say, He was sworn in President.
Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.
My friend will be sworn in tomorrow evening.
What is the meaning and origin of fly off the handle?

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This expression of American origin is normally used in relation to a person. When you say that
someone flew off the handle, you mean he lost his temper. He became extremely angry about
something you said or did, and started shouting.
Another informal expression which has the same meaning is, to go ballistic.
Our coach flies off the handle every time someone makes a mistake.
The CEO flew off the handle when he heard that the workers were going on strike.
During the old days, axes were made by hand; sometimes, the axe head and the wooden handle
were crudely fitted together. When people were cutting trees, it was quite common for the axe
head to come loose and fly off its handle. The flying axe head used to cause a great deal of
commotion among those working nearby. They let off steam by shouting at the person using the
axe, or by cursing the implement itself.
What is the meaning of neophyte?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this word. The ne is pronounced like the word knee,
and the following o is like the o in so, go, and no. The final syllable is pronounced is like
the word fight. The word is pronounced KNEE-o-fight with the stress on the first syllable.
This is just one way of pronouncing the word. Neophyte comes from neo meaning new and
phytos meaning planted.
A beginner or someone who is new to something is usually referred to as a neophyte. The word
can also be used to refer to a newly ordained priest or someone who has recently converted.
Sahana has been taking sitar lessons for over five years. Shes not a neophyte.
I need someone with experience. Radha is a neophyte at politics.
If you die in an elevator, be sure to push the Up button. Sam Levenson


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July 2009
What is the meaning of pastiche?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this word of French origin. The a is like the a in
ant, and stamp; the following i is like the ee in seed, and deed. The final che sounds
like the sh in ship, and shoe. The word is pronounced pas-TEESH with the stress on the
second syllable.
The word has different meanings. One meaning is to imitate. When a writer or a musician
deliberately chooses to imitate the style of a particular author/musician, it is called a pastiche. In
this case, the artist is borrowing elements from another source; sometimes, the borrowing may be
from several different sources.
*The play was a witty pastiche of Shakespeares Othello. The audience loved it.
What is the meaning of grossed out?
When you say that something is gross, what you mean is that it is disgusting: it could be the
smell, the looks, the taste, etc. The medicine that my mother gave me was gross. The expression
gross out is mostly used in American English to mean to fill someone with disgust. It is
considered to be slang, and therefore should be avoided in formal contexts.
*The murder scenes in the movie were very graphic. They grossed me out.
The o in gross is pronounced like the o in so, no, and go. The main stress is on the
word out.
Does the expression hand-me-up exist?
Believe it or not, it does. People who have older brothers or sisters will certainly know what
hand-me-downs are. They are usually clothes which the older child has outgrown, and which
the parents give to the next in line. If the clothes are still in good condition, they get handed
down to the unfortunate third child. Sometimes, a child grows up wearing hand-me-downs! A

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hand-me-up is the opposite of hand-me-down. In this case, it is the younger generation which
passes things on to the older generation: parents, grandparents, etc. Young people today are very
fond of gadgets: computers, IPods, and cell phones are some of the things they must have. They
cannot survive without them. Once a particular model becomes outdated, some people
immediately go to the market and buy the latest version. What do the youngsters do with the old
gadget? Many choose to hand it over to their less tech savvy parents or grandparents. This
handing over of used gadgets to the older generation is called hand-me-up.
*I got this laptop from my daughter. Its a hand-me-up.
What is the difference between man of promise and man of promises?
A politician is a man of promises; hes not to be believed or trusted. Before an election, he
promises you a lot of things. You know from experience that its all talk; hes not going to fulfil
any of them. In fact, once he gets elected, hes going to forget all about them.
*Why do you waste your time with him? Hes a man of promises.
A man of promise is someone with the potential of becoming good at something; hes a person
with a bright future.
*Keep an eye on Raman. Hes a young man of promise.
Telling lies is a fault in a boy, an art in a lover, an accomplishment in a bachelor, and
second-nature in a married man. Helen Rowland
What is the difference between take part and partake?
The word partake which comes from the Middle English part taking has several different
meanings; one of them is take part in. When you partake in something, you are taking part in
it. You are participating in some activity along with others. The word partake is not frequently
heard in everyday conversation as it is considered to be rather formal. Some people say that it is
old fashioned. The word is pronounced par-TAKE with the stress on the second syllable.

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*Sujatha and Ramesh refused to partake in the games we had planned.
When people partake of something, they share their food or drink with their friends or guests.
*We were invited to partake of their simple meal.
What is the meaning of as good as it gets?
When you tell a person that something is as good as it gets, what you mean is that his present
situation is the best that he can hope for. His situation is not going to improve in any way, and
therefore he shouldnt hope that things will change for the better in future. If he continues to
keep his fingers crossed, he is going to be very disappointed.
*There is no point in shouting and getting upset. This is as good as it gets.
The expression can also be used to mean the best.
*Some people say that when it comes to vacation, Goa is as good as it gets.
How is the expression nolens volens pronounced?
The o in the two words is like the o in no, and go; the e is like the e in set, and get.
The final s sounds like the z in zip, and zoo. The word is pronounced no-lenz VO-lenz
with the stress on vo. This Latin expression means whether unwilling or willing. One is
compelled to do something whether one wishes to or not.
*When the market crashed, the CEO was compelled nolens volens to quit his job.
Which is correct: close proximity or closed proximity?
The first is preferable to the second. You dont say closed proximity. It is always close
proximity, close lipped, and close minded. We often hear people using the expression close
proximity. Careful users of the language, however, frown upon this: as far as they are
concerned, both close proximity and closed proximity are wrong. They feel that the word

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close in close proximity is redundant: after all, the word proximity means near. Another
common error we all make is herewith enclosed. Enclosed will do; you dont need herewith.
What is the meaning of noisome?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of the word. The oi in the first syllable is like the oy in
toy, boy, and coy. The o in the second syllable is like the a in china, and the final e is
silent. The word is pronounced NOY-sem with the stress on the first syllable. When you refer
to something as being noisome, what you mean is that it is very disgusting or offensive.
*The noisome odour made quite a few guests throw up.
The word can also be used to mean harmful or dangerous.
*The scientists did everything they could to stop the spread of the noisome fumes.
It is better for civilization to be going down the drain than to be coming up it. Henry
Allen
What is the difference between `histrionics' and `hysterics'?
During elections, we sometimes have politicians telling the world that they will be seeking the
blessings of their parents before they `file their nomination papers'. Instead of making this a
private affair, they invite a lot of people from the press to witness the event. As the
photographers start to click their cameras, the politician falls at his mother's feet, and when he
gets up, he begins to weep uncontrollably.
The parents break down as well, and the next day we see a picture of the three in a tight embrace.
We know that the politician is putting on a show; the overly dramatic behaviour is for the sake of
the cameras. This deliberate display of insincere and rather exaggerated emotion is called
`histrionics'. The word comes from the Latin `histrio' meaning `actor', and it is usually used to
show disapproval.
Cut out the histrionics, will you? We know that you are not as crazy as you pretend to be.

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When you are in `hysterics', you laugh or weep uncontrollably. Unlike in the case of `histrionics',
the emotions you display are spontaneous, not planned. The word comes from the Latin `hystera'
meaning `womb'. In the old days, it was thought such uncontrollable fits of crying or laughter
were common only among women: people believed that women had hysterics because of
specific female health problems.
The new man gave a brilliant performance. He has us in hysterics.
What is the meaning of `walking a thin line'?
When you walk a thin line between something, what you are doing is performing a balancing act.
You are caught between two individuals or groups who have radically different views about
something. You do your job by treading carefully: you try your best not to annoy or anger the
two individuals/ groups. The expression `to walk a fine line' has the same meaning. I understand
that both these expressions come from the world of tightrope walking.
The Minister knew that he had to walk a fine line between the striking workers and the
Management.
How is the word `pulchritude' pronounced?
The first syllable `pul' rhymes with `skull', and `null'. The `ch' is like the `k' in `kill' and `kiss',
and the following `i' sounds like the `i' in `it', and `fit'. The final syllable is like the `tude' in
`attitude' and `aptitude'. The word is pronounced `PUL-kri-tyud' with the stress on the first
syllable. Pulchritude is mostly used in formal contexts. It means `great physical beauty', and in
most cases the word is used to refer to the attractiveness of a woman.
The speaker said that it was not actress' pulchritude that fascinated him.
Is the word `police' followed by a singular or a plural verb?
The dictionaries list the word `police' as a plural noun. The word, therefore, has to be followed
by a plural verb. It does not have a singular form.

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The police were unable to stop the murder from taking place.
Is it okay to say, `The father was extremely jealous about his daughter's
popularity'?
No, it isn't. You are not `jealous about' something, you are usually `jealous of' something or
someone.
The Manager was jealous of his colleague's achievements.
"I f your wife wants to learn how to drive, don't stand in her way." - Stan Levenson
What is the meaning and origin of saved by the bell?
When you are in a rather sticky situation, what is it that you pray for? You hope that something
will happen in the last minute which will help you get out of the rather difficult situation. When
you are saved by the bell, a difficult situation suddenly comes to an end: before you have to say
or do anything.
*The principal wanted to know who had broken the window. Before we could answer, his cell
phone rang. We were saved by the bell.
*Luckily the guests arrived before I could say anything. Saved by the bell.
The idiom comes from the sport of boxing. Every round in a boxing match lasts for three
minutes, and each round begins and ends with the ringing of a bell. At the beginning of a round,
when the bell rings, the two opponents step out and start fighting. At the end of the round when
the bell rings again, each is expected to immediately stop fighting and return to his respective
corner. There may be times during a particular round when a fighter may be doing badly: he may
be getting pummelled by his opponent. During such times the fighter hopes that before he gets
knocked out, the bell signalling the end of the round rings. If it does, he has been literally saved
by the bell. He can go back to his corner, take some rest and return to fight another round.


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How is the word debacle pronounced?
The first syllable de is pronounced like the word day. The following a is like the a in
bath, path, and ask, and the final cle is like the ckle in tackle, buckle and pickle.
The word is pronounced dayBAAkl with the stress on the second syllable. This is one way of
pronouncing the word. When you say that something was a debacle, what you mean is that it was
a total disaster. It was a fiasco. This is just one of the meanings of the word.
*Keshavs first performance as a stand-up comedian was a debacle: the audience kept booing
him.
What is the difference between arrested and detained?
When a policeman arrests someone, he is levelling a charge against the individual. The officer is
accusing the individual of having committed a crime. In order to arrest someone, a policeman
usually requires a warrant. When the police detains someone, they are merely forcing him to
stay. In this case, the individual hasnt been charged with a crime: he hasnt been arrested as yet.
If the policeman feels that the person has information regarding a crime, he may choose to
detain him. It doesnt mean he thinks that the person is guilty of a crime. Both the guilty and
the innocent can be detained.
*The minister was detained for questioning.
What is the meaning of chairdrobe?
Chairdrobe is a combination of two words: chair and wardrobe. There are people who are
too lazy to put away their clothes in their cupboard. They prefer to leave their washed and
unwashed clothes on a chair, instead. The piled up clothes on the chair is called chairdrobe.
*Go through my chairdrobe. Youll find the shirt youre looking for.
I take a very practical view of raising children. I put a sign in each of their rooms: Checkout
Time is 18 years. Erma Bombeck

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June 2009
How is the word shibboleth pronounced?
The sh is like the sh in sheep, ship, and sheet. The first syllable shibb rhymes with the
words nib, bib, and lib; the following o is like the a in china. The final e sounds like
the e in set and bet. The word is pronounced SHI-be-leth. Some people drop the o in the
second syllable and pronounce the word SHIB-leth. Shibboleth comes from the Hebrew
sibbolet meaning water or ear of corn. The Gileadites and the Ephraimites were two tribes
that were at war with each other. When the Ephraimites invaded their neighbour, they were
soundly thrashed. To prevent the enemy from escaping, the Gileadites set up blockades at
various points. Whenever a soldier was caught, the Gileadites made him say the word
shibboleth. The Ephraimites had a problem pronouncing this word because the sound sh did
not exist in their language. They said sibboleth instead of shibboleth. When a person
pronounced the word sibboleth, the Gileadites knew that he wasnt one of them. They quickly
proceeded to kill him. A shibboleth is a word, phrase, or custom which one can use to prove that
he/she is a true member of a group. The word has several other meanings as well.
What is the difference between a hotel and a motel?
The word motel is a combination of two words: motor and hotel. In the old days, motels
were invariably located on highways; they were mostly used by people who were travelling by
car. Unlike a hotel, the rooms of a motel are not located inside a building. In the past, a motel
usually consisted of a single row of connected rooms built on a parking lot. Nowadays, we have
motels in the heart of cities, and they sometimes contain more than one floor. A motel is usually
much cheaper than a hotel; the services it offers are rather limited: it usually doesnt have a
restaurant, and as a result doesnt provide room service. The word motel, like the word hotel
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Is it okay to begin a letter with hi when you are writing to someone you
dont know?
Hi is a greeting which is normally used in informal contexts with people you know. It is a
greeting which indicates familiarity with the individual you are talking/writing to. If you are
introduced to someone who looks about your age, you may be able to get away with a hi. If he
is older than you, then a hello or how do you do? is preferable. If you are writing to someone
you dont know, its better to play safe. Have a formal beginning: Dear Sir
Does the word missent exist?
Yes, it does. Just ask the South African MP who wanted to send a message to his girlfriend. The
poor man did something wrong, and he ended up sending the passionate message to his wife of
30 years! Result? The man became front page news: Missent text ends MPs marriage. When
something is missent, it is usually sent to the wrong destination; it is sent to the wrong
person/address. The word is normally used with mail (both email and snail) and text messages. It
can be used with other things as well.
University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small. Henry Kissinger
How do you answer the question, What time of day do you like to go
swimming?
When a person asks you this question, he is not interested in knowing whether you like to go
swimming during weekends or weekdays. He is more interested in the time that you like to go
swimming. He wants to know whether you like to go swimming in the mornings, afternoons or
evenings. So when someone asks you What time of day do you like to go swimming? your
reply could be, In the mornings/evenings.
What is the meaning of designated texter?
People nowadays may be able to live without food, water, friends, etc. They may however have
problems living without their cell phone! An individuals life revolves around this wretched

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instrument. We are so conditioned, that no matter what we are doing talking to someone,
driving, watching a play in a theatre the moment the cell phone rings, we feel compelled to
answer it. These days people dont just use the cell phone to talk to others, they use it to send and
receive messages. In our country, it is not uncommon to see people texting while driving a car or
a motorcycle. A designated texter is someone who sits next to the driver and reads aloud all the
messages that the driver gets on his cell phone during the journey. He also sends messages that
the driver wants him to. He makes sure that the driver doesnt take his eyes off his road.
For some strange reason Abhay is always made the designated texter
How is the word spaghetti pronounced?
The a in the first syllable is like the a in china, and the following ghett is pronounced like
the word get. The final i is like the i in it, bit, and kit, and the stress is on the second
syllable. The word is pronounced spe-GET-i. It comes from the Italian spago meaning thin
string or twine. I guess eating twine or little strings is better than eating little worms: which
is what vermicelli means!
What is the meaning of add insult to injury?
There are times when things dont go according to the way we had planned. We feel bad about it,
and in order to snap out of the terrible mood we are in, we pay a visit to our friends hoping that
they will cheer us up. Sometimes, instead of helping us overcome our depression, they succeed
in getting us even more upset. The idiom add insult to injury means to make a situation that is
already bad, worse.
First of all, he was driving on the wrong side of the road, and then to add insult to injury, he
proceeded to abuse me for driving slowly!
What is the meaning of duh?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this word. The u is like the u in cut and but and
the final h is silent. When someone says something, and you respond by saying duh, you are

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telling the person that what he has just said is obvious. You are being sarcastic. Its your way of
saying, tell me something I dont know. The word, which is considered slang, is frequently
used in informal contexts in American English.
Do you know that Ramesh and Sujatha are planning to get married?
Duh!
Never accept a drink from a urologist. Erma Bombeck
What is the meaning of pencil in?
When we write with a pencil, we know it is something that can be erased; it is not permanent. If
you pencil in an appointment for someone, you are making a temporary appointment for that
individual. It is not definite; the appointment can be changed to a later date.
*The dentist said he would pencil me in for next Thursday.
How is the word gaseous pronounced?
There are different ways of pronouncing this word. Some people pronounce the a like the ay
in may, bay, and gay. Others pronounce it like the a in ant, pants, and apple. The e
is like the i in it, bit, and kit, and the final ou is like the a in china. No matter how you
pronounce the a, the stress is on the first syllable. The word, meaning consisting of gas or
gases, can be pronounced GAY-si-es or GA-si-es.
*The teacher told us that steam is water in its gaseous form.
What do you call someone who goes to someones party without being invited?
Are you planning on doing this anytime soon? When you walk into someones party or any event
without being invited, you become a gatecrasher. Such people are said to crash the party.
*We ran out of food because there were too many gatecrashers.

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What is the difference between call for and call upon?
When you call on or call upon someone, you pay a visit to the person. Unlike drop in on,
when you call on someone, you usually make an appointment. You let the person know in
advance that you are coming. Of the two, call upon is considered to be formal.
*While he was in Delhi, the former Prime Minister called upon the President.
*Is it okay if we call on your neighbours this evening?
When you call for someone or something, you usually shout for the person or thing. This is just
one of the meanings of this phrasal verb.
*Maya stood in front of her house and kept calling for her dog.
Is it okay to say complete novice?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of novice. The o is like the o in hot, pot, and
got, and the i is like i the it, bit, and kit. The final ce sounds like the s in sit, sip,
and sun. The word is pronounced NO-vis with the stress on the first syllable. When you say
that someone is a novice, you mean that the person is a beginner; he has no real experience. It is
common to hear native speakers of English referring to someone as being a complete novice.
Careful users of the language frown upon this.
*When it comes to tennis, Vijaya is a complete novice.
What is the meaning of the expression elephant in the room?
If an elephant were standing in your room, it would be impossible to ignore it. When you say that
a problem is an elephant in the room, you mean it is a very serious problem that everyone is
aware of, but chooses to ignore. People try not to talk about it. Another expression which has the
same meaning is gorilla in the room.
*Corruption. The elephant in the room that no politician is willing to talk about.

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A fool and her money are soon courted. Helen Rowland
Know Your English
How was your trip to Hyderabad?
The Chief Minister seems to have brought in auto rickshaw drivers from Chennai.
What makes you say that?
Many of them are rude like the auto drivers here. And getting them to use the meter is like
pulling teeth.
What do you mean by pulling teeth?
When you say that something was like pulling teeth, you mean that it was very difficult to do.
Getting information from people who work in government offices is like pulling teeth.
Getting my cousin to clean his room is like pulling teeth. How does that sound?
That was a good example.
Do you think the auto rickshaw problem in Hyderabad will be solved?
You must be joking. Politicians in our country are interested in making money and promoting
their children. They are not interested in the problems of the common man.
You have a point there.
Tell me, how did your cousin do in last weeks tournament?
She did quite well, actually. Once again, she lost in the final.
Always a bridesmaid and never a bride, eh?
What are you talking about?

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When you say that someone is always a bridesmaid and never a bride, you mean that the person
never fulfils her ambition.
She is probably always very close to achieving it, but never really succeeds.
Exactly! As a result, the person never becomes the centre of attention.
The person is never the winner; always the runner up.
My cousin is a wonderful actor. But unfortunately, shes always a bridesmaid, and never a
bride.
I didnt know your cousin was an actor. Which film...
That was just an example. By the way, my friends and I are planning to see a movie tomorrow.
Would you like to come along?
Not a bad idea. I havent been to the theatre in a month of Sundays.
A month of Sundays? Does it mean its been a month since you...
When you say you havent done something in a month of Sundays, it means you havent done it
in a long time.
I see. How about this example? I havent seen my cousin in a month of Sundays.
Sounds good.
I havent talked to my friend Vijay in a month of Sundays.
Thats strange.
Why is it strange?
Because a couple of years ago, the two of you were joined at the hip.

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Joined at the hip? What are you talking about?
When two people are joined at the hip, they are inseparable.
Vijay and I were always together. Is that what you mean?
Exactly! Ramesh and Karthik have been joined at the hip since college.
The expression can also be used with things. The two companies have been joined at the hip
ever since the first multinational company entered the market.
Id better go. An uncle of mine is coming over for lunch. I havent seen him in a month of
Sundays.
Have fun.
Many a man who falls in love with a dimple makes the mistake of marrying the whole girl.
Evan Esar
How is the word paean pronounced?
The first syllable rhymes with the words bee, see, and fee. The ea in the second syllable
sounds like the a in china. The word is pronounced PEE.en with the stress on the first
syllable.
A paean was originally a song sung in honour of the Greek god Apollo. Nowadays, the word is
being used to refer to any work film, song, piece of writing, etc which praises someone or
something.
The song is a paean to love and commitment.
What is the difference between apoplexy and apocalypse?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of apoplexy. The a sounds like the a in cat, bat,
and hat, and the following o is like the a in china. Plex rhymes with flex, and the final

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y is like the i in sit and bit. The word is pronounced A-pe-plek-si with the stress on the
first syllable. When someone has a fit of apoplexy, he becomes extremely angry.
In a fit of apoplexy, the CEO threw the paperweight at the plasma TV.
The word can also be used to refer to a stroke caused by a brain haemorrhage. Apoplexy comes
from the Greek apoplexia meaning disable/cripple by a stroke.
The a in the first and third syllable of apocalypse sounds like the a in china. The o is
pronounced like the o in hot, got, and pot; and the final lypse sounds like the word lips.
The word is pronounced e-PO-ke-lips with the stress on the second syllable. When you talk
about the Apocalypse, you are talking about the total destruction of the world.
Some people became rather uncomfortable when the priest talked about the Apocalypse.
The word can also be used in everyday contexts to refer to an event which brings about
destruction and radical change.
The documentary was about what happens after a great nuclear apocalypse.
What is the meaning of straw in the wind?
What would happen if you were to leave a straw in the wind? Itll probably get blown away; but
in the process, it will tell you something. It will give you information about the direction in
which the wind is blowing. When you say that something is a straw in the wind, what you mean
is that it is a sign of things to come; a small hint of what is likely to happen in the future.
*There are straws in the wind which suggest that the two companies will go belly up.
*The constant bickering is a straw in the wind indicating future problems for the newly married
couple.



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What is the meaning of medical tourism?
It is the practice of visiting other countries for medical reasons. Visiting a doctor has become
very expensive these days. People living in the so called developed countries have a similar
problem: some just cannot afford healthcare. When such people are advised to undergo a medical
procedure, many choose to pack their bags and set off to a developing country like India where
they can get the procedure done for a fraction of the cost. These people who visit other countries
for medical reasons are called medical tourists.
Falling in love consists merely in uncorking the imagination and bottling the common
sense. Helen Rowland
May 2009
How is the word homage pronounced?
The o in the first syllable sounds like the o in hot, pot, and got, while the a is like the
i in bit, hit, and sit. The g is pronounced like the j in just, jump, and juice, and the
final e is silent. The word is pronounced HO-mij with the stress on the first syllable. When
you pay homage to someone, you usually show respect to him and say nice things about him.
You have great admiration for the person, and as a result praise him for his achievements.
*We must pay homage to the man and his incredible achievements
Which is correct: None of you have/has answered the question correctly.
Both are correct. The word none is actually from not one. Based on this, people have argued
that when none of precedes a plural noun, the verb that follows it must be singular. Nowadays,
it is okay to use either a singular or a plural verb with none of. In formal contexts, the British
prefer a singular verb. The Americans, on the other hand, mostly use a plural verb after none
of.
*None of my fathers articles have/has been published in that journal.

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What is the meaning of the expression beyond his ken?
The word ken is Scottish in origin, and it is means to know someone or something. Therefore,
when you say that something is beyond your ken, what you mean is that you do not know
anything about it. It is something that is beyond your understanding.
*Please dont talk to me about grammar. It is just beyond my ken.
How do you refer to someone who in his 60s?
You must be thinking of the people in the Prime Ministers Cabinet. They are all pretty old,
arent they? A person who is in his 60s is usually referred to as a sexagenarian. The first
syllable is pronounced like the word sex, and the following a is like the a in china. The g
is like the j in juice and joke, and the e like the i in sit, bit, and pit. The a is like
the ai in fair, hair, and pair. The word is pronounced sex-a-ji-NAI-ri-en with the stress on
the fourth syllable.
*The teenager said she was in love with a sexagenarian.
Is it okay to say, He doesnt want to go to anywhere?
No, it isnt. The word anywhere, like somewhere, is not preceded by prepositions like in,
at, and to. We cannot say, The Registrar is going to somewhere/anywhere. It is also
important to remember that the words there, here, upstairs, and downstairs are never
preceded by to either.
*The children are too tired to go anywhere.
What is the meaning of greased lightning?
We know what grease is. Its a lubricant that we frequently apply to machinery so that it runs
smoothly. When a machine is greased, it runs much faster and smoother. So what would happen
if lightning were to be greased? It would move even faster. When you say that someone moves

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like greased lightning, you mean he moves very fast. This expression, which originated in the
U.S., can also be used to mean powerful.
*Dont let the dented body fool you. This little car is greased lightning.
Nothing is often a good thing to say, often a clever thing to say. Will Durant
Know Your English
Welcome back! How was your trip to Bombay?
Pretty good, actually. It was quite relaxing. No one went off the deep end.
What deep end? What are you talking about?
When someone goes off the deep end, he becomes angry or hysterical.
In other words, the person loses his cool.
Thats right! He loses his temper. My aunt went off the deep end when her daughter came
home well past midnight.
Thats a good enough reason to go off the deep end, I guess. My mother went off the deep end
when she saw the mess the painters had made.
Did your boss go off the deep end when you told him you needed more time to complete the
project?
I havent told him yet.
Thats understandable. Met our old friend Sujatha yesterday. Asked me to meet her at the Taj.
She said that dinner would be on her.
That was nice of her. Did you go to the...

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But how can dinner be on someone? You can have dinner with someone. How can you have
it on someone?
When you have dinner with someone, you are...
You are eating along with that person. I know that!
When you inform someone that dinner is on you, you are telling him that you are treating him.
You are going to...
In other words, youll be paying for the meal. Its your treat.
Exactly! Why dont you come around one oclock tomorrow? Lunch will be on me." Sounds
tempting, but I cant. Have to go to the station tomorrow. Why dont you take your colleague,
Arjun?
No way! Hell end up telling me about the niteflix he had the previous...
Niteflix? Never came across that word before. What does it mean?
Some people, as you know, have very long and complex dreams...
I know quite a few people, actually. Some of the dreams that my friend has are as long as a
feature film.
And thats what a niteflix is. A long, complex dream.
I see. Do you have niteflix?
No, I dont. My father says he has niteflix every time he goes to sleep.
Thats interesting. I wonder if some of our well-known film directors have niteflix?
Why dont you write to them and find out. Anyway, what did Sujatha have to say about her new
job?

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Nothing much, actually. Just said that her new boss doesnt like her at all.
When he hired her, he probably thought she would become his echo chamber. But you know
how...
Echo chamber? What does it mean?
An echo chamber is someone who agrees with everything another person says.
The person probably does this because he/she wants to please the other person.
Exactly! Im told Shankar is his wifes echo chamber.
Why are you going to the station tomorrow?
Have to pick up Veerus father. You remember Veeru, dont you? My neighbour who died as a
very rich man.
One doesnt die as something. One simply dies. Veeru died a rich man.
My uncle too died a very rich man.
Too bad you didnt get any of the money!
The New England Journal of Medicine reports that 9 out of 10 doctors agree that 1 out of 10
doctors is an idiot. J ay Leno
How is the word `bonhomie' pronounced?
There are several ways of pronouncing this word. I will deal with just two of them. One way is to
pronounce the first `o' like the `o' in `pot', `got', and `hot', and the second `o' like the `a' in `china'.
The final `ie' sounds like the `i' in `bit', `kit', and `sit'. The word, in this case, is pronounced `BO-
ne-mi' with the stress on the first syllable. Some people pronounce the first `o' like the `a' in
`bath', `path', and `ask', and the second like the `a' in `china'. They pronounce the final `ie' like
the `ee' in `feel', `peel', and `heel'. The word is pronounced `baa-ne-MEE' with the stress on the

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final syllable. Either way, the `h' remains silent. This word of French origin literally means `good
(bon) man (homme)'. The word is mostly used in formal contexts to mean `happy, good natured
friendliness.'
* The cheerful bonhomie displayed by the rival candidates surprised everyone.
"Politicians and diapers need to be changed for the same reason." - Bumper sticker
Is it okay to say, `Rahul Gandhi denied to speak to the waiting media
persons'?
No, it isn't. The word the author probably has in mind is `declined' and not `denied'. If you
`decline to speak to someone', you refuse to speak to them. In this case, Rahul Gandhi refused to
talk to the people from the media. Also, it is not correct to say `denied to speak': the word `deny'
is seldom followed by `to'. One can `deny speaking to someone', not `deny to speaking to
someone'. When you `deny speaking to someone', you are saying that you didn't speak to the
individual.
* Meera declined our invitation to make a presentation.
"Politicians and diapers need to be changed for the same reason." - Bumper sticker
What is the difference between `complacent' and `complaisant'?
Let's deal with the pronunciation of the two words first. The `o' in the first syllable is like the `a'
in `china'. The same is true of the `e' and `a' in the final syllable of both words. The second
syllable in `complacent' is like the word `place', while the second syllable in `complaisant' is
pronounced like the word `plays'.
The two words are pronounced `kem-PLAY-sent' and `kem-PLAY-zent'. The stress, in both
cases, is on the second syllable.

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Complacent means `self satisfied'; when you become complacent about something, you are so
pleased with yourself and your abilities that you don't feel the need to put in the extra effort
required to make something a success. The word is used to show disapproval.
* After winning two tournaments in a row, he became complacent.
Someone who is `complaisant' is ready to oblige people. His main aim is to please people, and is
willing to do whatever they want him to.
* If you are looking for a secretary who will be complaisant, hire Hema.
"Politicians and diapers need to be changed for the same reason." - Bumper sticker
Does the word `yellular' exist?
You won't find this word listed in any standard dictionary, but it is being used. It is a
combination of `yell' and `cellular'. When someone gets a call on his cell phone, and the
connection is bad, what does the person do? In order to be heard, he usually shouts: as if the
yelling will make the connection any better! This act of shouting in the hope that you will be
audible is called `yellullar'.
* Some idiot on the train went yellular at three in the morning.
"Politicians and diapers need to be changed for the same reason." - Bumper sticker
April 2009
What is the meaning of gobsmacked?
This is a word which is mostly used in informal contexts in British English. It is a combination
of two words: gob and smacked. The word gob is often used in informal contexts to refer to
the mouth. The word smacked, as we know, means to hit someone rather hard. If someone were
to hit you hard on the mouth, how would you react? Your automatic reaction would be to cup

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your hand over the mouth. You would render yourself speechless for a few seconds. The word
gobsmacked is used to mean utterly astonished, astounded; you are left totally speechless.
*When the CEO was arrested, we were, like everyone else, gobsmacked
What is the meaning and origin of get the pink slip?
Not the ideal thing to be writing about when people are scared of losing their jobs. This is an
expression that was coined in the United States. A pink slip is the unwanted letter or document
which you receive from your employer informing you that your services are no longer required.
To put it more bluntly, its your boss way of telling you that youve been fired!
*More than 20 workers were given the pink slip today.
The word can be used as a verb as well.
*They pink slipped nearly 200 people yesterday.
The story goes that in the late 1800s, workers sometimes received, along with their pay cheque, a
letter written on pink stationery. The letter usually informed the receiver that his services were
no longer required. This letter written on pink paper began to be referred to as the pink slip. In
Germany, when a person gets fired, he doesnt get the pink slip, but the blue letter. The
French, on the other hand, refer to such a letter as yellow paper.
How is the word litterateur pronounced?
The i in the first syllable is like the i in it and bit; the vowels in the following two syllables
are pronounced like the a in china. The eu in the final syllable sounds like the ir in shirt,
dirt, and birth. One way of pronouncing the word is lit-e-re-TIR with the stress on the final
syllable. It comes from the Latin litterator meaning critic. A litterateur is a literary person;
someone who is devoted to the study or writing of literature. He is usually a man of letters: a
professional writer.
*The university is planning to honour some of the well known litterateurs

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What is the difference between callous and callus?
Although spelt differently, the two words are pronounced the same way. The a in the first
syllable is pronounced like the a in act, pact, and fact. The ou and u in the second
syllable sound like the a in china. Both words are pronounced KA-les. If someone accuses
you of being callous, what he means is that you are rather cruel; you have no sympathy for
other people.
*It may sound callous. But I dont think you should lend her the money.
If you play a lot of cricket, tennis or shuttle, you will notice that your hands become rather
rough. The skin around the area where your fingers meet the palm becomes extremely hard.
These areas of thickened skin are called calluses.
*Ramus hands and feet were covered with calluses.
It is better for civilization to be going down the drain than to be coming up it. Henry
Allen
How is the word statute pronounced?
The a in the first syllable is like the a in cat, bat, and rat, and the t that follows sounds
like the ch in chat, chop, and chips. The u is pronounced like the oo in cool and
pool, and the final te is like the t in tip, tap, and tin. The word is pronounced STA-
choot with the stress on the first syllable. This is one way of pronouncing the word. A statute
is a law which has been formally approved and written down by a law-making body. The rules
that govern educational institutions are usually referred to as statutes
What is the meaning of pet peeve?
Peeve rhymes with leave and weave, and it means to annoy. When you refer to some
activity or behaviour as being your pet peeve, what you mean is that you dont like the activity
or behaviour at all. You, in fact, hate it. It is something that you complain about quite frequently.
It is also possible to say, pet hate.

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*Students coming late to class. Its Meeras pet peeve.
Is it okay to say disabuse something?
No, it isnt. The expression you have in mind is disabuse someone of something. When you
attempt to disabuse someone of something, you try to tell the person that the thing he believes
in is not true. You are trying to persuade him that he is mistaken.
*My new boss thinks hes doing a great job. Im planning to disabuse him of that notion.
What is the meaning of profundity?
Before dealing with the meaning, lets deal with the pronunciation. The o and the i are like
the a in china. The second syllable sounds like the word fund, and the final y is like the i
in it, pit, and sit. The word is pronounced pre-FUN-de-ti with the stress on the second
syllable.
When you talk about the profundity of a statement, you are implying that the meaning of the
statement runs deep; the person who has made the remark has a clear and deep understanding the
problem.
What is the difference between harbour someone and house someone?
The two nouns, house and harbour can be used as verbs as well. When you house someone
or something, you are providing shelter to the person or thing.
*Its not possible to house all your relatives in this small flat of ours.
Unlike house, the word harbour when used as a verb has a negative connotation. When you
harbour someone, you are performing an illegal act. You are providing shelter to someone who is
wanted by the law. Fugitives and criminals are harboured.
*Harish didnt know that he was harbouring a terrorist.
S. UPENDRAN

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Is it okay to say, He returned back home?
In India, it is common to hear people say, He returned back the book to the library and She
returned back from Mumbai yesterday. The word return means to go/come back. Therefore,
there is no need for you to say return back: the word back is redundant in this case. It is okay
to say come back, turn back, and get back, but not return back.
*Please return the book to the library by this evening.
Society, my dear, is like salt water, good to swim in but hard to swallow. Arthur Stringer
March 2009
What is the difference between invite and invitation?
Most of us tend to use invite as a verb and invitation as a noun. Pawan made sure that I wasnt
invited to the wedding. He tore up the invitation that was being sent to me. When used as a verb,
invite has the stress on the second syllable: in-VITE. Nowadays, there is a tendency among
native speakers of English to use invite as a noun. When used in this manner, it has the same
meaning as invitation. The stress, however, in this case is on the first syllable: IN-vite.
*Harish was disappointed because he didnt get an invite to the party.
The use of invite as a noun is becoming fairly common in informal contexts. Careful users of
the language, however, frown upon this. They prefer the use of invitation.
How is the word zeitgeist pronounced?
There are several ways of pronouncing this word of German origin. The z is like the ts in
cuts, huts, and puts. A simpler way is to pronounce it like the z like the z in zip and
zoo. The ei in the first and second syllable are like the i in fight, might, and tight. The
word is pronounced ZAIT-gaist or TSAIT-gaist with the stress on the first syllable.

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Zeit in German means time and geist means spirit. The word literally means spirit of the
time; the term is normally used to refer to the spirit of the age. Zeitgeist has been defined as the
general set of ideas, beliefs, feelings, etc. which is typical of a particular period in history.
What is the meaning of cast-iron guarantee?
A cast iron is a kind of hard metal which does not bend easily. When you give someone a cast-
iron guarantee about a product, you are telling the person that it can be trusted completely; there
is no way that the product will fail.
*I need a cast-iron guarantee that you wont exceed the budget.
The word guarantee has the stress on the final syllable, and not the first.
Is it okay to say, Hes been depromoted?
No, it isnt. Although depromoted is a possible word, it does not exist; no dictionary lists it.
The word that you have in mind is demoted. When you demote someone, you lower his rank
or position.
*After the trial, my cousin was demoted from colonel to captain.
What is the meaning of its your funeral?
This is an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts. When you tell someone that its
his funeral, what you mean is that the thing he intends to do is rather stupid. In other words, its
your way of warning the person that he has made a wrong decision, and he is the one who is
going to suffer the consequences.
*You want to go for a walk at this time of the night? Its your funeral.



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What is the past tense of slay?
This is a word which is frequently found in newspapers. When you slay someone, you kill them
in a violent manner. Slayed and slew are often used as the past tense of slay.
*The villain slayed the villagers and laughed.
The word has another totally different meaning. Slay can also be used to mean to delight or
amuse immensely.
The stand-up comedians jokes slayed the audience.
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. Aesop
February 2009
Does the word breakfasted exist?
Yes, it does. The word breakfast can be used as a verb, and when used in this manner, it means
to eat breakfast. For example, Ananya prefers to breakfast alone. The children breakfasted on
idlis and puris. The words lunch and snack can also be used as verbs. My wife lunched with
her clients in a five star hotel. While watching the movie, I snacked on potato chips. Strangely
enough, the word dinner is not used as a verb. We dont hear people saying they dinnered
with their friends.
What is the meaning of handsome is as handsome does?
This is an expression that has been around for several hundred years, and it has the same
meaning as pretty is as pretty does. Not very helpful, is it? What the expression literally means
is that it is not the looks of the individual that are important, but the good deeds that he performs:
in other words, good behaviour and chivalrous deeds are much more important than good looks.
*Venu may not be much to look at, but he is always helping those who are in need. Handsome is
as handsome does.

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According to some scholars, the expression was first recorded by the English poet, Geoffrey
Chaucer. In the movie Forrest Gump, the main character comes up with his own version of the
proverb: stupid is as stupid does.
How is the word askance pronounced?
The a in the first syllable is like the a in china, and the a in the second sounds like the a
in ant, pants, and hat. The word is pronounced es-CANS with the stress on the second
syllable. It is also possible to pronounce the second a like the a in park, dark, and stars.
The word is normally used to talk about the kind of look that you give an individual. When you
look askance at someone, you usually look at him with disapproval or distrust. In most cases,
you dont look at the person directly; you choose to glance at him sideways. The word can be
used with things as well.
*Raju looked askance at her with his big eyes.
What is the difference between crisis and crises?
Crises is the plural form of crisis. There is a difference in the way the two words are
pronounced. The final is in crisis is like the is in fist, mist, and gist. The word is
pronounced CRY-sis with the stress on the first syllable. The es in crises rhymes with eeze
in words like breeze, and freeze, and sneeze. The word is pronounced CRY-seez; the
stress remains on the first syllable.
What is the opposite of comedian?
A person who performs tragic roles on stage is usually referred to as a tragedian. The first a is
like the a in china, and the following e is like the ee in fees, bees, and sees. The word
is pronounced tre-JEE-dien with the stress on the second syllable. Dilip Kumar, Sivaji
Ganesan, and Sanjeev Kumar are some of our well-known tragedians. The two words
comedian and tragedian are usually used to refer to male actors. An actress who specialises in
comic/tragic roles is sometimes called comedienne/tragedienne. In the case of these two

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words, the main stress is on the final syllable enne. The words are pronounced ke-mee-di-EN
and tre-jee-di-EN respectively.
A poet who reads his verse in public may have other nasty habits. Robert Heinlein
How is the word guerdon pronounced?
The uer in the first syllable sounds like the ir in birth, shirt, and bird; the following o is
like the a in china. The word is pronounced GER-din with the stress on the first syllable.
This rather old fashioned word can be used as a noun and a verb.
When used as a noun, it means a reward; a guerdon is something that is given to someone in
return for a service or an accomplishment. When used as a verb, it means to reward. In last
years National Spelling Bee contest held in the United States, Sameer Mishra was crowned the
champion when he succeeded in spelling the word guerdon correctly. The headline in one of
the papers read: National Spelling Bee winner takes the guerdon!
What is the difference between infiltrator and intruder?
When you enter someones property without his consent, you become an intruder. This act may
or may not be intentional. You may for example, walk into someones property without being
aware of it. Perhaps you failed to see the Keep Out: Private Property sign.
The burglar who breaks into your house to steal is also an intruder: only in this case, the
intrusion is deliberate. Both intruders are performing an illegal act; they are both breaking the
law.
The intruders were caught by the students and handed over to the police.
An infiltrator always makes use of stealth. He enters an organisation or a country without
others being aware of it. The word has a very negative connotation. An infiltrator is usually very
cunning and invariably plans everything in advance: one cannot become an infiltrator by
accident. In this case, you are breaking the law deliberately.

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The infiltrators were shot while they were attempting to cross the border.
What is the meaning of play to the gallery?
Most political parties in India have been accused of doing this. When you say that someone is
playing to the gallery, you mean that instead of spending time doing things that are important,
hes busy trying to win the approval of those around him. The person, instead of doing his job, is
keen on winning popularity.
If you want the new Director to play to the gallery, then Bala is a bad choice.
This idiom has been around for several hundred years. Originally, the word gallery referred to
the cheapest seats in a theatre. Since people who sat in the gallery were poor and not very
sophisticated, any artist or writer who tried to win their approval was seen as doing something
demeaning. He was trying to win approval by appealing to popular taste.
How is the word adieu pronounced?
The a in the first syllable is like the a in china, and the following dieu sounds like the word
due. The word is pronounced e-DUE with the stress on the second syllable, and it means
good bye. Remember the song So long, farewell from the movie Sound of Music? The word
adieu is used in it quite a few times.
Whats the difference between a boy friend and a husband? About 30 pounds! Cindy
Gardner
What is the difference between annex and annexe?
In British English, the first is a verb and the second, a noun. There are several pairs like this in
English: envelope (noun) and envelop (verb) is one such pair. Some people pronounce the a in
annex like the a in china, and the following nex like the word necks. In this case, the
word is pronounced a-NEX with the stress on the second syllable. As a noun, the a is
pronounced like the a in ant and apple: the word is pronounced A-nex with the stress on

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the first syllable. Americans, however, dont maintain this distinction in spelling. Both words are
usually spelt annex.
An extension or an addition to the main building is called an annexe. A section that is added to
an existing document can also be called an annexe. When you annex someones property, you
take it away from him by force usually without his permission. During times of war, this is
what countries do.
*My friend tells me that during World War II Germany annexed a part of Czechoslovakia.
How is the word burgeon pronounced?
The ur sounds like the ur in fur, purr, and curd. The g is like the j in jam, juice,
and jump, and the final eo is like the a in china. The word is pronounced BER-jen with
the stress on the first syllable. When burgeon is used in relation to plants, it means to put out
leaves; sprout. In everyday context, the word can be used to mean to grow or flourish.
*After winning the first set, the champions confidence began to burgeon
What is the meaning of the expression the end justifies the means?
There are times when in order to achieve something, we have to do certain things that are not
necessarily good. For example, builders cut down trees and destroy beautiful rock formations in
order to construct their buildings. Some would say that in this case, the end justifies the means.
That is, any method that we adopt is okay as long as the intent is good. It doesnt really matter if
we resort to any wrong doing in order to achieve our aim.
If it means chopping down 200 trees in order to build this shopping complex, it doesnt matter.
In my opinion, the end justifies the means.
Is it okay to say I met her yesterday night?
No, it isnt. English allows you to say yesterday morning, yesterday afternoon, and yesterday
evening, but not yesterday night. When it comes to night, it is always last night. Why?

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Well, some scholars argue that we cannot say yesterday night because the night is also part of
today
First, lets deal with the pronunciation. Reck rhymes with peck, deck, and check, and the
o is like the a in china. The stress is on the first syllable. In informal contexts, the word can
be used to mean think or believe.
*My friend reckons that we will have a surprise test tomorrow.
The word can also be used to mean to consider. For example, Ashok is reckoned to be one of
the best teachers in the university. The word has other meanings as well. Well deal with them
later.
Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. P. J .
ORourke
January 2009
What is the meaning of redress?
The e in the first syllable sounds like the i in it, bit, and hit, and the second syllable is
pronounced like the word dress. This formal word can be used as a noun and a verb, and in
both cases, the stress can be put on the second syllable. This is just one of the ways of
pronouncing the word. Sometimes, when we injure someone or treat someone badly, we are
forced to pay them some form of compensation. This money that we pay the individual is called
redress. When used as a verb, the word means to to make up for or compensate. The word
comes from re meaning again and drecier meaning straighten.
*The Chief Minister, as expected, refused to redress the grievances of teachers.
Redressal, a word which is frequently employed in Indian English, does exist. It is not,
however, listed in all dictionaries.

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What is the meaning of webinar?
The word is a combination of web and seminar. A webinar is a seminar that is transmitted
over the web; it involves a lot of interaction between the participants. The term can be used to
refer to a presentation, lecture or workshop that is broadcast over the web.
Im afraid I wont be able to come. Im taking part in a webinar.
How is the word oust pronounced?
The ou is like the ou in out, shout, and bout; the final st is like the st in sting, step,
and stump. When you oust someone, you force the individual to leave a position of power; you
remove the person from the position he/she has occupied.
Theres no way we can oust him now. We must bid our time.
What is the difference between breeze away and breeze through?
When you breeze through an assignment, you manage to do it quickly without too much
difficulty. You find the task rather easy.
I thought Id be able to breeze through the test. I was sadly mistaken.
After breezing through her chores, my mother went out for a walk.
The expression can also be used to mean to travel through a place rapidly. In this case, you
dont make a stop.
It was getting late. The candidate just breezed through several small towns
When you breeze away from some place, you leave it quickly or abruptly. It has) more or less
the same meaning as breeze off.
Namratha breezed away without even thanking the hosts.

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The CEO stopped in mid sentence and just breezed away.
Is it okay to say His resignation has been be sanctioned?
No, it isnt. Sanction is not a word that one associates with resignation. One can sanction
someones leave, budget, project, etc. Resignations are either accepted or rejected.
When you are writing a cheque, which of the following is correct Two
hundred and fifty five or Two hundred fifty five?
Both are correct. It depends on which side of the Atlantic you are from. If you are British, then
you would use and. Americans, I understand, tend to write the amount without the and. Most
Indians tend to follow the British.
If its sent by ship, then its cargo; if its sent by road, its shipment. David Allen
When do we say Yours faithfully and Yours sincerely in a
letter?
What do you normally do when you are writing a letter of complaint to a company and dont
know the name of the person to whom the letter should be addressed? You invariably begin
the correspondence with the salutation Dear Sir. If you are not sure whether you are writing
to a man or a woman, you cover your bases by writing Dear Sir/Madam. When you begin a
letter in this fashion, the standard complimentary ending is Yours faithfully.
Yours sincerely, like Yours faithfully, is mostly used in formal letters. If you know the
name of the person you are writing to, then the standard ending is Yours sincerely. If you
begin a letter in the following manner, Dear Dr. Raman or Dear Mr. Gupta, the usual
formal ending is Yours sincerely. The standard ending in American English is Sincerely
yours. Sometimes, they shorten it to Sincerely.


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How is the word rotund pronounced?
The ro rhymes with so, no, and go, and the following syllable sounds like the words fund
and stunned. The word is pronounced row-TUND with the stress on the second syllable. This
is just one of the ways of pronouncing the word. The word can be used to describe both people
and objects. When you describe someone as being rotund, you mean the person is.you guessed
it.round in shape. In other words, he is rather plump.
*They made an odd couple. She was tall and slim, and he was short and rotund.
Is it okay to say, happen upon someone?
Yes, it is. When you happen upon/on someone, you run into the person. You meet the person
accidentally; there is no planning involved in this case. It is also possible to say happen on
something.
*The millionaire happened on a house he liked. So he bought it.
Whats the difference between gawk at and gaze at?
Both expressions mean to look at someone or something; the difference lies in the way you look
at the object. When you gaze at someone, you look at the person for a long time with an intense
expression on your face: the expression can be one of admiration or surprise. One can also gaze
at someone or something in an absent minded sort of way.
*The students gazed at the ageing actor with admiration.
A gawk is a lout. He is someone who is rather stupid and clumsy; he often behaves rather
rudely. When you gawk at someone, you look at the person with a stupid or rude expression on
your face.
*Dont just stand there gawking. Lend me a hand, will you?


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What is the meaning of the expression catch a few rays?
The expression is mostly used in informal contexts. The word rays refers to sun rays; so when
you say that you would like to catch a few rays, you are saying that you wish lie down or sit
outside in the sun. It is also possible to say catch some rays. People who live in cold places like
to catch some rays every now and then.
*He spent the early morning on the beach catching some rays.
*I think Ill read the paper outside and catch a few rays.
Euphemisms are unpleasant truths wearing diplomatic cologne. Quentin Crisp
What is the meaning and origin of whale of a time?
When you say that you had a whale of a time somewhere, what you mean is that you had a
wonderful or a great time. It is an informal way of saying that you had a blast.
*The children had a whale of a time at the party on Friday.
The whale, as everyone knows, is the largest mammal on this planet. The blue whale can
sometimes grow to over a hundred feet long. Therefore when you say a whale of something,
what you mean is a large or big amount of something.
*If we put in another Rs. 20000, it will make a whale of a difference.
In this context, what you are trying to say is that the money will make a big difference.
How is nouveau riche pronounced?
The ou sounds like the oo in pool, fool, and cool, and the following eau is like the o
in so, no, and go. The i in riche is like the ee in need, seed, and feed; the final
che is pronounced like the sh in ship, sheet, and sheep. The word is pronounced nuu-
voe RIISH with the stress on the second word. Nouveau riche is of French origin, and it
literally means new rich. The expression is mostly used to refer to people who have come into

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money recently, and who like to display their new-found wealth in a crass manner. They lack the
sophistication of those who were born wealthy and have been wealthy over generations. The
expression is mostly used to show disapproval.
*According to my wife, the new club is extremely popular with the citys nouveau riche.
When leave is used to mean vacation, is it okay to say number of
leave/leaves taken?
No, it isnt. When leave is used to mean vacation, it is used as an uncountable noun; you
cannot say leaves. The expression a number of is always followed by a countable noun. For
example, A number of students were present at the meeting, and A number of children took
ill after eating the ice cream. You cannot say, a number of leaves/leave. If you wish to use
number of with leave, then youll have to say, Number of days taken as leave.
*I plan to be on leave all of next week.
How is the word `manoeuvre' pronounced?
The `a' in the first syllable and the `re' in the final syllable are like the `a' in `china'. The `oeu'
sounds like the `oo' in `cool', `pool', and `fool'. The word is pronounced `me- NOO-ve' with the
stress on the second syllable. It can be used both as a noun and a verb. A manoeuvre is a
movement or a set of movements needing a certain amount of skill to be carried out.
These are the manoeuvres you have to do to be part of this dancing troupe. When used as a verb,
the word means to manipulate a situation in order to achieve a particular goal. In other words,
you cleverly plan everything so that you get what you want. The word at times has a negative
connotation.
The students manoeuvred the Vice Chancellor into dropping the charges.



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Why is money referred to as bucks?
There was a time when the term bucks was only used to refer to the American dollar. Nowadays,
the word is used to refer to money in general. Even the Indian rupee, in informal contexts, is
being called a buck.
*Who is making the big bucks in your family?
The invention of paper money is a recent phenomenon. In the old days, when people wanted to
buy something, they usually traded or bartered what they had. When a hunter wanted grain from
a farmer, he usually traded animal skin or dried meat for it. The term buck is actually the short
form of buckskin. A buck, as you know is a male deer; buckskin, therefore, is the skin of this
deer. Hunters, when they did business made use of buckskins. Later on, with the passage of
time, the word buckskin in everyday conversation was shortened to buck. When paper money
was introduced much later, people began to call it buck.
Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell, the name will carry.
Bill Cosby
What is the meaning of `demarche'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of the word. The first syllable `de' is pronounced like the
word `day'. The following `ar' is like the `a' in `path', `ask', and `bath'; the final `che' sounds like
the `sh' in `ship', `sheet', and `shin'.
The word is pronounced `DAY-maash' with the stress on the first syllable. Some people put the
stress on the second. In the world of diplomacy, the word is used to mean a formal appeal or
protest by a diplomat. A demarche is a formal diplomatic representation which one country
makes to another. In this representation, a country states its official position on a particular
subject. The word can also be used to refer to the written statements or protests presented to the
public officials by private citizens.


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What is the difference between `talk to' and `talk with'?
The expression `talk to' has several different meanings. When you talk to someone, you speak to
him. You may spend a short time or a long time speaking to the in dividual.
I'll talk to my wife and let you know what she thinks. The expression can also be used to mean to
scold or lecture someone. In this case, it's more of a monologue than a dialogue.
I think you should give your daughter a good talking to. She's hasn't been doing her assignments.
When you talk with someone, you discuss something with him. The amount of time that you
spend with the individual is usually long: in this case, there is a conversation.
Ananya spent an hour talking with her father about her new bat.
What is the meaning and origin of `baker's dozen'?
Number 13 is believed to be an unlucky number by a lot of people. Many hotels, in fact, do not
have a room which is numbered 13. In some high rise buildings, you may find the 13th floor
missing! When you say that you want a baker's dozen of something, it means you want 13 pieces
of it. Baker's dozen means 13.
How many loaves do we need? I'd say a baker's dozen. This is an idiom which owes its existence
to a practice that was started during medieval England. In 1266, a law was passed in Parliament
which specified exactly how much each loaf of bread must weigh. When a baker sold a loaf that
was less than the specified amount, a heavy penalty was imposed on him. To prevent this from
happening, a baker always added an extra loaf. If you bought twelve loaves of bread, the baker
gave you 13: just to make sure that he wasn't penalised.
"Those who go to college and never get out are called professors." - George Givot



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JANUARY 2008
What is the meaning and origin of at the fall of a hat?
The expression is at the drop of a hat and not at the fall of a hat. When you do something at
the drop of a hat, you do it suddenly, without any real preparation. Whatever you do, you do at
the spur of the moment.
*The Vice-Chancellor kept changing the rules at the drop of a hat.
The expression comes from the world of boxing and racing. Nowadays, the commencement of a
boxing bout is signalled by the ringing of a bell. The same is true of a horse race. In the old days,
people did not use a bell. Instead, they preferred to use a hat. Why a hat? Because everyone wore
one: it was fashionable for both men and women to wear hats. In order to signal the beginning of
a fight, the referee used to remove his hat from his head and then drop it. Once the hat was
dropped, the boxers came out swinging.
How is the word vouchsafe pronounced?
The first syllable vouch rhymes with couch, pouch, and ouch, and the final syllable is
pronounced like the word safe. The word which is mostly used in formal contexts is
pronounced vouch-SAFE with the stress on the second syllable. When you vouchsafe
something to someone, you grant the person something in a rather condescending manner. The
word literally means vouch as safe.
*The eccentric billionaire vouchsafed his driver three bars of gold.
What is the meaning of Hippopotomonstro- sesquippedaliophobia?
Pretty long word, isnt it? Let me tell you it is not the fear of the hippopotamus. We all know
what phobia means: it is the fear of something. Hippopoto comes from hippopotamus, and
monstro comes from of monstrum meaning monster. Sesquippedalio comes from
sesquipedalian meaning someone who loves to use extremely long words.

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Sesquipedalophobia means the fear of long words. And thats what the 15 syllable word
hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia means: the fear of long words. The hippopoto and
monstro have been merely added to make the word longer! The word can be spelt in different
ways.
*Im not like you. I suffer from a mild form of hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.
Which is correct: sons in law or son in laws?
There was a time when only sons in law was considered correct. Nowadays, there is a tendency
to add the plural form to law: hence we have son in laws, mother in laws, sister in laws,
etc. Although both son in laws and sons in law are correct, careful users of the language still
prefer the latter.
Politics is just show business for ugly people. J ay Leno
What is the difference between portent and portend?
One is a noun and the other is a verb; the two words are pronounced differently. POR-tent,
which is a noun, has the stress on the first syllable; while por-TEND, which is a verb, has the
stress on the second. A portent is an omen; it is a sign that something bad is likely to happen in
the future.
*The CEO believes that the last minute cancellation is a portent of the disasters to come.
The verb portend means to serve as a warning.
*If you ask me, Yogeshs unusual silence portends trouble.
What is the meaning of tchotchke? How is it pronounced?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this Yiddish word. The word can be spelt in different
ways and also pronounced differently. The tch at the beginning and end of the first syllable is
pronounced like the ch in cheese, cheat, and cheap. The o is like the o in hot, got,

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and pot, and the final e is like the a in china. The word is pronounced CHOCH-ke with
the stress on the first syllable.
The word is mostly used in American English to show disapproval. Tchotchke refers to the
inexpensive toys or trinkets which are sold on the roadside or in small shops. These items are of
cheap quality and are of little value. Nowadays, the word is being used to refer to the souvenirs
or promotional items which companies hand out at trade shows. These items usually have the
companys name or logo on them.
What is the meaning and origin of the idiom take something with a grain of
salt?
This is an idiom which has been part of the English language since the mid-17th century. When
someone tells you something, and you take it with a grain or pinch of salt, you do not believe
everything he has said: you are sceptical about some of the information that has been given to
you. You have certain reservations.
*Politicians exaggerate. You must take whatever they say with a grain/pinch of salt.
The idiom is a translation of the Latin cum grano salis. According to some scholars, Pliny the
Elder, in his book Naturalis Historia, wrote that Pompey (Julius Caesars son-in-law) had
discovered that his enemy, Mathridates, had found the perfect antidote to poison. Pliny said that
for this antidote to work effectively, it had to be taken with a pinch of salt! Readers however
thought that the reference to salt was a tongue-in-cheek remark: something that was not to be
taken seriously. Another theory which has been put forward is that the idiom comes from the
world of dining: a sprinkling of salt can make something insipid a little more palatable.
What is the meaning of academic bulimia?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of bulimia. The u in the first syllable is like the u in
full, pull, and bull. Some people pronounce the first i like the ea in feat, meat and
seat; others pronounce it like the i in it and bit. Whether you pronounce the word bu-

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LIM-ia or bu-LEEM-ia, the stress is on the second syllable. These are just two of the ways of
pronouncing the word.
Bulimia is a disorder. Some people have a craving for food, and when they eat, they proceed to
stuff themselves. Once they have finished eating, they usually rush to the bathroom and force
themselves to vomit. This act of eating enormous amounts of food and then proceeding to vomit
everything is called bulimia.
Academic bulimia is something that we Indians specialise in. What is it that we do during the
time of exams? We usually mug up the answers to all possible questions, and the following day
we reproduce everything we have memorised; most of the time, with little or no understanding.
This ability that we have to disgorge answers is called academic bulimia.
Dont be fooled by his marks. He doesnt know a thing. What you see on paper is academic
bulimia.
How is the word potpourri pronounced?
The t is silent; the po in the first syllable rhymes with so and no. The ou sounds like the
a in china, and the final i is like the ee in bees, fees and sees. The word is pronounced
po-pe-REE with the main stress on the final syllable. This is just one of the ways of
pronouncing the word. A bowl of potpourri usually consists of an assortment of dry petals and
leaves from different plants and flowers. It is usually placed in a room to give the place a
pleasant smell. The word has acquired a general meaning as well. It can be used to mean
medley or mixed bag: a collection, consisting of unrelated things is also called potpourri.
My favourite authors latest book is a potpourri of essays and short stories.
What is the difference between prescribe and proscribe?
When you prescribe, you are advising someone as to what he must do. The word can also mean
order the use of. You are laying down rules as to what it is that needs to be done. When a

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doctor prescribes medicine, he is telling us how it should be taken. The word prescribe is
related to prescription.
My nephew believes that the doctor may prescribe a course of injections.
When the government proscribes someone from doing something, it is forbidding or banning
the individual from doing it. Proscribe is mostly used in formal contexts.
Some of the prescribed books are written so badly, they should be proscribed.
What is the meaning of be up with the larks?
A lark is a bird which starts singing quite early in the morning. Therefore, when you say that you
were up with the larks, what you mean is that you got up very early in the morning. Australians
say be up with the crows.
Im feeling rather sleepy. I was up with the larks this morning.
Never believe anything until it has been officially denied. Claud Cockburn
What is the meaning and origin of `pull out all the stops'?
This is an idiom which has been part of the English language for several centuries. When you
pull out all the stops, you do everything possible to make something a success.
*The local police pulled out all the stops to find the terrorists.
The expression comes from the world of music. The pipe organ, an instrument which is usually
played in church, has small knobs which are referred to as stops. These knobs or `stops', control
the amount of air flowing through the pipes of the organ. When a stop is pulled out, the volume
increases. The more stops you pull out, the louder the organ gets.



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How is the word `angst' pronounced?
The `an' in the first syllable is like the `an' in `sang', `bang', and `pang'. The `g' is like the `k' in
`kiss' and `kid', and the final `st' is pronounced like the `st' in `stop', `step', and `stink'. The word
consists of only one syllable and is pronounced `ankst'. In German, it means `fear' or `anxiety'. In
English, the word is mostly used to refer to the feeling of unhappiness or insecurity that we get
from time to time.
*Don't worry about it too much. I'm sure it's just teenage angst.
Which is correct: `grumble about' or `grumble at'?
Both are correct. One can `grumble about' someone or something, but one can only `grumble at'
someone. When you grumble about someone or something, you are complaining to a person
about someone or something in a bad-tempered way. You are making it obvious to the listener
that you are rather unhappy about someone or something.
*Janaki is constantly grumbling about something or the other.
When you `grumble at' someone, you are complaining to the individual.
*I'm sick of listening to your complaints. Go grumble at someone else.
Is it ok to say, `I was confident on hitting the shot'?
We Indians are very fond of the word `on'. We often hear people say that they are `angry on'
someone and `confident on' doing something. The word `confident' is not followed by `on'; one
is seldom `confident on' doing something. One is always confident `of' doing something.
*Girija was confident of defeating her inexperienced opponent.



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What is the meaning of `tease' in `tease something out of someone'?
The word `tease' has several different meanings. When you `tease someone', you make fun of the
person. When you attempt to `tease something out of someone', you try to extract information
from that person - you usually succeed in getting what you want.
*Ask Rohini to talk to him. I'm sure she'll be able to tease the information out of him.
The expression can also be used to mean `to lure something out of something by teasing or
tempting'.
*Usha managed to tease the puppy out from under the bed with a slice of bed.
The act of running your fingers or comb through your hair in order to remove the tangled knots is
also called `teasing'.
*Gayathri spent a couple of hours teasing out the knots in her daughter's hair.
"Today's public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is some
evidence they can't read them either." -Gore Vidal
How is the word caveat pronounced?
The ca in the first syllable is like the ca in cat and cab; the at in the final syllable is
pronounced like the word at. The e sounds like the i in it and bit. The word is
pronounced ka-vi-at with the stress on the first syllable. Some people pronounce the a in the
first syllable like the ay in say and may. A caveat is a warning or a caution. The word
comes from the Latin cavere meaning let him beware. Caveat is frequently used in the
context of law to mean a formal notice to suspend action until the party that filed the action can
be heard.
*I think we can go ahead with the plan, but with certain caveats.


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What is the opposite of uxoricide?
When a man kills his wife, it is called uxoricide. The word uxor in Latin means wife and
cide means to kill or cut. The opposite of uxoricide is mariticide; it is derived from the
word maritus meaning married. Mariticide is actually the killing of ones married partner; it
could be the husband or the wife. Nowadays, however, the word is being used to refer to the
murder of the husband by the wife.
*The police have taken the wife into custody. They say its a case of mariticide.
Which is correct: different from or different than?
Both are correct. It just depends on which side of the Atlantic you are from. Something can be
very different from or different than something else. Different from is used in both British
and American English, while different than is restricted to American English.
*The life that these villagers lead is so different from/than ours.
*My daughters new school is very different from/than the old one.
Different to is used in British English, and it has the more or less the same meaning as
different from.
Everywhere I go Im asked if I think the university stifles writers. My opinion is that they
dont stifle enough of them. Flannery OConnor.
How is the word sepulchre pronounced?
The e in the first syllable is like the e in set and pet; the u and the final re sound like the
a in china. The ch is like the k in king and kid. The word is pronounced se-pel-ke
with the stress on the first syllable. In American English, the word is spelt sepulcher. The word
sepulchre is considered literary, and is used to refer to a tomb or a burial chamber.


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February 2008
What is the meaning of the expression `on the fly'?
This is an informal expression that is mostly used in American English. When you do something
`on the fly', you do it very quickly, without spending too much time thinking about it.
This is a serious matter. I don't think you should be taking decisions on the fly. The expression
has another meaning as well. It means the ability to perform a task while you are on the move.
Padma's new cell phone enables her to check her email on the fly.
How is the word `etiquette' pronounced?
The `e' in the first syllable and the `ue' in the third are pronounced like the `e' in `set', `bet', and
`pet'. The `i' is like the `i' in `kit', `hit', and `pit', and the following `q' is like the `k' in `king',
`kiss', and `kill'. The final `e' is silent; the word is pronounced `etiket' with the stress on the first
syllable. This is one way of pronouncing the word.
Every society has its own rules and conventions which determine polite behaviour in a given
social situation. Etiquette refers to the formal rules which govern `socially acceptable behaviour'.
These are the rules we observe in our social and professional life.
There was a time when etiquette was considered important in our country.
What is the meaning of the expression `the proof of the pudding is in the
eating'?
This is an expression that has been around for several centuries. When you tell someone that the
`proof of the pudding is in the eating', what you mean is that in order to determine the value of
something, one needs to test or try it. You are telling the individual not to pass judgment on
something without examining the facts or evidence. You will come to know if the pudding is
good or bad, only after tasting it. The expression is often reduced to `the proof of the pudding',
and it has the same meaning as `don't judge a book by its cover'.

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On paper, your suggestions look great. But you know what they say, the proof of the pudding is
in the eating.
What's the difference between `work for someone' and `work with someone'?
When you `work for' someone, you are his employee; you have been hired by him to do a job.
This doesn't necessarily mean that this individual knows you personally; and chances are you
may not be working along with him. Lots of people work for the Prime Minister; it doesn't mean
that Dr. Manmohan Singh knows everyone personally.
How would you like to work for Ambani? When you `work with' someone, you work along with
the person. He may or may not be your boss. In this case, since the two of you work side by side,
you see him on a regular basis and know him personally.
For my PhD, I would like to work with Prof. Nagalakshmi.
What is the difference between `alumni', and `alumnae'?
The `alumni' of a university are the students who have graduated from it; the word is used to
refer to both male and female students. `Alumnae' are the female graduates of a university or
college. The final `ae' in `alumnae' is pronounced like the `ee' in `fees', `bees', and `trees'.
"I think God invented rain to give dead people something to complain about." - David
Brenner
How is the word aficionado pronounced?
The a in the first syllable and the o in the third are like the a in china; the i in the second
syllable sounds like the i in sit, pit, and hit. The c is like the s in sip, set, and sat
and the i is pronounced like the y in yes and yell. The a in the fourth syllable is like the
a in bath and path, while the final o is like the o in so, no, and go. The word is
pronounced afisyenaado, with the stress on the fourth syllable na. This is one way of
pronouncing the word. When you say that someone is an aficionado of something, what you

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mean is that the person is a great fan of it; he is very interested in a particular subject, and knows
a great deal about it.
*My boss says that his wife is an aficionado of Thai food.
What is the response to How do you do?
It depends on which side of the Atlantic you are from. In British English, the standard response
to How do you do? is How do you do? In India, when someone says namaste, we respond
by saying namaste. The same is the case with How do you do? This is an expression that is
normally used when you are introduced to someone; once you have been introduced, you never
use the expression with that individual again. The British make a distinction between How do
you do? and How are you? The Americans, on the other hand, do not always maintain this
distinction. It is common for Americans to say, Fine, thank you in response to How do you
do? In India, you will be better off doing what the British do.
What is the difference between misogynist and misogamist?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The first syllable in both words is pronounced like the
word miss. The following o sounds like the o in hot, pot, and got, and the g is like the
j in jam and juice. The y in misogynist is like the i in pit and hit, while the a in
misogamist is like the a in china. The final syllable in both words rhymes with list and
gist, and the main stress is on the second syllable so.
A misogynist is a man who hates women. This individual feels that men are superior to women.
A misogamist, on the other hand, is someone who hates marriage. This word is not found in all
dictionaries.
What is the meaning and origin of more sinned against than sinning?
This is an expression made popular by Shakespeare. In movies, we sometimes find the hero
taking the law into his own hands when the legal system fails him. The villain kills his family
members, but the police and the court fail to put the man behind bars. The hero then decides to

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take matters into his own hands, and goes around killing all those close to the villain. By doing
this, he is committing a wrong, but he feels that he has the right to do what he is doing because a
greater wrong has been done to him. He feels that he is the victim. When you say that someone is
more sinned against than sinning, what you mean is that the individual is less guilty than those
who have wronged him.
Its true she shot the politician in cold blood. But when you hear the entire story, youll feel she
was more sinned against than sinning.
By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks
hes wrong. Charles Wadsworth
How is the word extempore pronounced?
The word consists of four syllables and not three. The first syllable ex sounds like the ex in
expect, excite, and expel. The following e is like the e in test, pest, and best; the o
is like the a in china. The final e is like the i in pit, bit and sit. The word is
pronounced extemperi with the stress on the second syllable. When you give a speech
extempore, you give it without really preparing for it. Its an impromptu speech, and its
usually given without the help of any notes.
*You must be out of your mind if you think Im going to speak extempore.
What is the meaning of the expression to separate the sheep from the goats?
This is an expression that comes from the Bible. When you say that you are going to separate the
sheep from the goats, what you mean is that you are going to separate the good from the bad. It is
also possible to say, sort out the sheep from the goats. These two expressions have the same
meaning as to separate the wheat from the chaff.
What is the difference between sojourn and journey?
When you take a journey, you travel from one place to another. The distance may be covered in a
matter of few hours, or it may take several days or months. A journey may or may not involve a

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brief halt or stop somewhere along the way. The original meaning of journey was a days
travel.
*The two drove like crazy and completed the journey in five hours.
As for the word sojourn, first, lets deal with the pronunciation. The o in the first syllable is
like the o in hot, got, and pot. The j that follows is like the j in jam, jack, and job;
the final ourn is like the urn in burn and turn. The stress is on the first syllable so. A
sojourn is a not a journey of any kind. When you sojourn somewhere, you stay in that place for
a short while; the stay is usually temporary.
*Dravid sojourned at his brothers home on his way to Mumbai.
The word is mostly used in formal contexts.
Is it okay to introduce myself in the following manner? I am Mr. Thomas.
When James Bond introduces himself, he says, My name is Bond. James Bond. He doesnt say
My name is Mr. Bond. Mr. James Bond. We often hear Indian men introduce themselves as
Mr. Sharma, Mr. Rao, etc. When you introduce yourself, there is no need for you to include
Mr. before your name. Native speakers of English do not include the word Mr. when they
introduce themselves.
The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on.
Robert Bloch
What is the meaning of modus vivendi?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this Latin expression. The m..o..d rhymes with load,
showed and toad, and the u that follows is like the a in china. The first i in vivendi is
like the i in kit, bit and sit, while the second is like the ee in see, bee, and fee. The
e in ven sounds like the e in set, bet and pet. The main stress is on the second syllable
of vivendi. This is just one of the ways of pronouncing the word.

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A modus vivendi is a practical arrangement which allows two people who have a difference of
opinion about something, to work or live together while waiting for their dispute to be settled.
This arrangement is usually temporary.
In order to complete the project on time, a modus vivendi was achieved between the two
countries.
What is the origin of the word magazine?
The word magazine has several different meanings. A publication containing articles, ads, stories
and photographs that comes out on a regular basis is called a magazine. The part of the gun
which contains the bullets is also called a magazine. How did this word acquire such different
meanings? According to scholars, the word magazine comes from the Arabic makhzan
meaning storehouse. The original magazine was a place where grain and other goods were
stored. I guess this explains why the part of the gun which contains the bullets is called a
magazine it is a storehouse for the ammunition. Did you know that before the 19th century
even ordinary books were called magazines? After all, books are a storehouse of knowledge,
arent they? It was only in the 19th century that the word magazine began to refer to
periodicals.
What is the difference between missive and letter?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The first syllable of miss is pronounced like the word
miss, while the second sounds like the ive in massive and passive. The stress is on the first
syllable. A missive is a longish letter, often official, sent by someone. It is usually sealed and
contains private information. The word is considered rather old fashioned, and is mostly used
in literary contexts; in informal contexts, it is used humorously.
After the meeting, the Ambassador sat down and wrote a five page missive to the President.
The word missive comes from the Latin missus meaning to send; missives are usually sent
to individuals. Letter, on the other hand, is a general term and it can be sent to individuals,
companies, organisations, etc. It may deal with business or private matters.

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What is the meaning of the expression thanks but no thanks?
If someone offers you something, and you respond by saying thanks, but no thanks, what you
mean is I appreciate the offer, but I decline. The expression is one way of refusing or turning
down an invitation; it is always used to convey a rejection.
When Rahul offered to help me with the project, I told him, Thanks, but no thanks.
He was a dreamer, a thinker, a speculative philosopher...., or as his wife would have it, an
idiot. Douglas Adams
Know Your English
Whats the matter with you? Why do you look so sad?
My friend isnt willing to listen to any of my suggestions.
You have suggestions? Is this regarding the surprise party youve planned for Aruna?
Thats right! Ive some interesting...
Well, you know what they say. He who pays the piper calls the tune.
The piper? What are you talking about?
The idiom means that the person who provides the money for something has the right to decide
how things should be done. The man who pays can call the shots.
In other words, since my friend is hosting the party, and he is paying for everything, he has the
right to make all the decisions.
Thats right! Heres an example. I dont agree with Jai at all, but hes funding the project. He
who pays the piper calls the tune.

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How about this example? The owner has the right to decide who will play in the next match. He
who pays the piper calls the tune.
Thats a good example. So, what do you plan on...
Before we change the subject, tell me about the origin of this idiom.
Id be happy to. In the old days, it was the job of the piper to provide music at the various
ceremonies. Normally, he...
He played whatever people wanted him to.
Not always. The kind of music depended on who was paying him.
I see. So, if I were paying him, he would play my kind of music.
Yes, thats right!
That makes sense. Please the guy with the money.
Exactly! Now tell me, are you sad because...
Im pretty upset because Federer lost in the semi finals of the Australian Open.
Oh come on! The rest of the country is happy because our cricket team is doing so well in
Australia. You, on the other hand, are...
You know I prefer tennis than cricket.
To cricket.
What?
You prefer something to something. Not than something.
I see. How about this example? The children prefer ice cream to biscuits.

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They always do, dont they? The stress in prefer is on the second syllable. Not the first.
I see. So its pronounced preFER?
Thats right. My mother prefers music to books.
I prefer his old movies to his new ones.
Who are you talking about?
No one in particular. Tell me, how do you pronounce a..c..a..d..e..m..i..c?
The first a is like the a in ants, pants, and hands; the second is like the a in china.
The e like the e in set, bet, and pet, and the final ic is like...
Its probably like the ick in pick, click, and stick.
Exactly! The stress is on the third syllable dem. The word is pronounced akeDEMik.
Most people I know put the stress on the second syllable.
I know. Do you want to be an academic when you grow up?
You know Im allergic to books. Id prefer to be a tennis player.
Its too late for that now.
I know.
I have opinions of my own strong opinions but I dont always agree with them.
George Bush



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What is the difference between flammable, inflammable and non
flammable?
There is no difference between flammable and inflammable; inflammable is not the opposite
of flammable as some people think. When you say that something is flammable or
inflammable, what you mean is that it is something that can easily catch fire.
*I understand that the chemicals stored in the factory are highly flammable/inflammable.
When you say that something is non flammable, what you mean is that it is something which
doesnt catch fire easily. Another word which has more or less the same meaning is non
inflammable. One might say that these two words are the opposite of flammable and
inflammable.
*If you are planning to walk through fire, wear this. I understand it is non flammable.
What is the meaning and origin of take a leaf out of someones book?
When you take a leaf out of someones book, what you are doing is copying or imitating the
individual. You are using him as a model and are following his example hoping that you will
gain something by this.
*I took a leaf out of Surendrans book and started submitting my assignments on time.
The word leaf here refers to a page from a book. Therefore, when you take a leaf from
someones book, you are copying what the individual has written. The original meaning of this
idiom was therefore to plagiarise. Nowadays, the expression has lost its negative connotation
and is used only in a positive sense: to imitate someone.
What is the meaning of yore?
When it comes to pronunciation, yore and your are pronounced the same way. But there the
similarity ends. While your is used in almost all contexts, yore is considered to be rather old

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fashioned and literary, and is therefore restricted in its use. It is mostly used in certain fixed
expressions like of yore. It means long ago.
*The old women spent their time talking about the days of yore.
*This huge building was used as a stable in days of yore.
What is the difference between immoral and amoral?
When you say that someone is immoral what you mean is that the person does a lot of things
that are not morally acceptable; he does things that are positively wrong. When the word is used
with people, it is always used to show disapproval. Perhaps the individual swindles people, has
extramarital affairs, etc.
*What you are doing would be considered to be immoral by most people.
A person who is amoral does not know the difference between right and wrong, and he doesnt
really care whether what he does is morally right or wrong. He is not concerned with morals; he
is outside the sphere of morality. Unlike the word immoral, amoral is not always used to
show disapproval.
*According to the critic, the hero had an amoral attitude towards murder.
Do you know the difference between a beautiful woman and a charming one? A beauty is a
woman you notice, a charmer is one who notices you. Adlai Stevenson
Know your English
Hi! You look very happy. Whats the reason?
I have every reason to be happy. I finally managed to dispose my old bicycle.
Dispose of.
What?

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You dont dispose something. You dispose of something.
I see. How about this example? My mother wants to dispose of the old furniture.
Sounds good!
When do you plan to dispose of your fathers old car?
Never! I love that car. Im not going to dispose of it.
I dont see why you like that car so much. Tell me, what did you do during the break?
Nothing much, actually. I spent most of it at home puttering around...
Puttering around? You mean you played golf at home?
No! No! The word putter can be used as a verb as well. When you say that you puttered
around, what you mean is that you spent your time doing little things which werent really
important. But the thing...
In other words, you didnt do anything useful.
I guess you could say that. When you putter around, you work in a leisurely fashion. The
important thing is, you really enjoy yourself.
I see. How about this example? I wanted to prepare for the exams during the holidays. But I
ended up puttering around the garden.
Its also possible to say putter about. For example, the children puttered about the garden all
day.
Do you think...
The expression putter about is mostly used in American English. The British, on the other
hand, say potter about. They both mean the same thing.

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I see. My grandmother gets up at 4 A.M, and potters about till 6:00. She has her bath then.
How would you know whether she potters around or not? You usually get up at 7: 00!
Thats what I normally do. But last week, I got up early because of the test match. Some of the
umpiring decisions made me so angry that I nearly broke the TV.
The only thing that people talked about last week was cricket. There were lots of people on TV
baying for Buckners blood.
Baying for Buckners blood? What does it mean?
When you say that someone is baying for something, what you mean is that he is screaming for
or demanding for something angrily. He usually wants someone to be punished.
The baying cricket fans in India wanted Buckner to be removed.
Yes, now that he has been removed, everyone is delighted.
Yes, everyone is crowing about it.
Crowing about it? Does it mean talking about it happily?
Not really. The expression is mostly used to show disapproval. When someone crows about
something, he talks very proudly about something that he has done. He is rather vain about it,
and you find it very annoying.
A politician is always crowing about his/her achievements.
Its also possible to say crow over. For example, some of the Australian newspapers didnt
crow over their teams achievement.
When the media ask him (George W. Bush) a question, he answers, Can I use a lifeline?
Robin Williams


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What is the meaning of jejune?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The e in the first syllable is like the i in bit, fit and
kit, and the following syllable is pronounced like the word June. The stress is on the second
syllable. The word is mostly used in formal contexts to show disapproval. When you say that
someone is jejune, what you mean is that the person is rather childish or unsophisticated. When
used with things, the word means uninteresting.
*Ive been listening to jejune lectures all day.
The word comes from the Latin jejunus meaning fasting or hungry. When it was first used in
English, jejune meant going without food.
What is the difference between collaborate and corroborate?
The word collaborate comes from the Latin collaborare meaning to labour together.
Therefore, when you collaborate with someone, you work with that individual for a purpose
for example, you could collaborate with someone on a project.
*We will be collaborating with an American company to develop the product.
When you corroborate something, you provide proof or evidence that supports what you or
someone else has said. The word is frequently used in legal contexts.
*Some of the research findings seem to corroborate my fathers theory.
Does the word w00t exist?
The internet has given us many new words, and w00t is one them. I understand that the word
originated in competitive online gaming. It was an acronym used by players for we owned the
other team. In other words, you were much better than the other team and you beat them easily.
The word has acquired a general meaning, and is now frequently used in everyday conversation
as an expression of joy and excitement. The 00 is pronounced like the oo in cool, pool,
and school.

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*Believe it or not, the bank has decided to give us the loan wed asked for. W00t!
The word can also be spelt woot, and it was included in the list of Merriam-Websters Words
of the Year for 2007.
Some people are scared of taking injections. Is there a word for it?
Needle phobia is an expression that is commonly used by a lot of people. Doctors, on the other
hand, have another name for this fear. They refer to the extreme and irrational fear of injections
as trypanophobia. The y in the first syllable is like the i in bit, hit, and sit, and the
following syllable is pronounced like the word pan. It is also possible to pronounce the a in
the second syllable like the a in china. The o is like the o in go, so and no, and the
final syllables are pronounced like the word phobia. The main stress is on pho. These are just
two of the ways of pronouncing the word.
Is it okay to say Write me?
Careful users of the language would argue its wrong. They would maintain that it should be
write to me. But the fact of the matter is that native speakers of English do say Write me. It is
used very frequently in American English.
Heres another sign that the economy isnt doing well: plastic surgeries down 12 per cent this
year. Thats what they mean when they say the economy could get ugly. J ay Leno
Know your English
A box of sweets early in the morning. What a nice little surprise!
Happy New Year!
Thank you. The same to you. So, what are you going to do today? What are your plans?
My plans? You mean our plans, dont you? Were supposed to be spending the day together.
Dont you remember?

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Oh, yes! Thats right. I seem...
So, what do you want to do? See a movie, go to a restaurant, visit...
Anything. Whatever floats your boat.
Whatever floats my boat? What are you talking about? You know I dont own a boat.
I know that. When someone says something and you respond by saying, Whatever floats your
boat, what you mean is, Whatever pleases you.
In other words, you are telling the person, Ill do whatever makes you happy.
Thats right! This is just one of the meanings of the expression. Lets see a movie, and then
maybe later, we can go to a restaurant.
Sounds like a good idea. Which movie do you want to go to?
Whatever floats your boat.
How about Billa? I hear its an entertaining movie.
Then Billa, it is. Which show do you...
Ill ring up Arjun and find out if hes interested in coming with us. He wanted to...
Arjun! No way! The guy is cuckoo.
Cuckoo? Isnt cuckoo a bird?
Yes, thats right. But when you say someone is cuckoo, what you mean is that the person is
slightly crazy or silly. The word is mostly used in informal contexts.
I see. How about this example? Being a teacher nowadays can drive a person cuckoo.
It certainly can. If there are 60 or 70 students like you sitting in one class, just imagine...

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Good grief! Even my mother would go cuckoo.
Thats right! How did I get involved in a cuckoo scheme like this?
Which scheme are you talking about?
That was just an example.
I see. In that case, how about this example? Taking care of the twins has made Savithri slightly
cuckoo.
Sounds good! Looking after two babies can be very stressful, I guess. Its to be expected. Its
par for the course.
Par for the course? What are you talking about?
When you say something is par for the course, what you mean is that it is usual and acceptable
for the given situation.
In other words, your experience tells you that what is happening is normal.
Exactly! The expression comes from the world of golf. Heres an example.
The government is planning to increase its budget for education. Thats par for the course.
Good example. Manaswini threw up several times during the long drive.
Given the fact, she gets sick whenever she travels, I guess its par for the course.
Thats a very good example.
Wow! A compliment! And that too from you! I guess the coming year is going to be a great one
after all!
Adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up because theyre
looking for ideas. Paula Poundstone

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March 2008
Know your English
Where were you? Ive been ringing the bell for over five minutes. Were you taking a bath?
Taking a bath so early in the evening? No way! I was in the arms of Morpheus.
You were in the arms of another man? When...
Relax, will you? When you tell someone that you were in the arms of Morpheus, what you
mean is that you were fast asleep.
I see. Who is this Morpheus?
He is the god of dreams in Roman and Greek mythology. So when you are in his arms, you are
in the land of dreams.
Do you want to return to the arms of Morpheus? I can always come back later.
Not really! Ive been in his arms most of the afternoon. Do you know that it is from Morpheus
that we get the word morphine?
Guess that explains why people who are given morphine have the feeling they are in a dream
world. So, how was lunch with your boss?
O.K, I guess.
What do you mean, O.K, I guess. Didnt it turn out to be the dream lunch youd hoped for?
Not really. It turned into a nightmare the moment he asked me to pick up the tab.
Pick up the tab? What tab?
A tab is the bill. When somebody asks you to pick up the tab...

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They want you to pay the bill.
Exactly! Its an informal expression mostly used in American English. Usually, when you go
out with someone, it is the person who invites you who picks up the tab.
Even I know that! And thats the reason, I dont invite anyone. How about this example? Since
the accident took place in the office, the company was willing to pick up the tab.
Sounds good! Whenever I go out with my friend Govind, we take turns picking up the tab.
Sometimes, we go Dutch.
You and Govind go Dutch! Why dont you go Indian?
Not very funny, Im afraid. When you go Dutch with someone, you share the bill. You pay for
what you have eaten, and he pays for what...
For what hes eaten. Understood. Whenever my friends and I go out, we invariably go Dutch.
Thats what most students do. I thought my boss would pick up the tab for todays lunch. The
least he could have done is...
Forget about your silly boss, will you? Did you hear about Harish and Mythili?
Yes, I believe they have called off their wedding. The news of the cancellation hit me right
between the eyes.
Hit you right between the eyes? What are you talking about?
When you say that something hit you right between the eyes, it means, it shocked you. This
weeks article on how corrupt our politicians are hit me right between the eyes.
Corruption and politicians go together. Why should the news hit you between the eyes? How
about this example? The filthy condition of the hospital hit them right between the eyes.
Thats a wonderful example. Are we going to the new ice cream parlour on M.G. Road today?

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Why dont we go after dinner?
Sounds like a good idea.
Will you be picking up the tab?
Nice try. Lets go Dutch.
Women like silent men. They think they are listening. Marcel Archard
What is the meaning of serendipity?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The e in the first syllable sounds like the e in set,
bet, and get, while the e in the second is like the a in china. The i in the third and fourth
syllables and the final y are pronounced like the i in sit, bit, and hit. The word is
pronounced serendipiti, with the stress on the third syllable di.
Sometimes, we make rather fortunate discoveries by sheer accident. This lucky tendency that
some people have to find interesting or valuable things by chance is called serendipity. The
word is considered formal, and is mostly used in literary contexts.
*According to the artist, some of the best effects in his garden have been the result of
serendipity.
Serendip is the old Persian name for Sri Lanka. In the fairy tale, The Three Princes of
Serendip, the main characters make wonderful discoveries by chance. The American writer,
Horace Walpole, coined the word serendipity in 1754 in a letter he wrote to his friend.
How is the word idiosyncrasy pronounced?
The i in the first and second syllables and the y in the final syllable are like the i in pit,
bit, and hit. The o in the second is like the o in so, no, and go. The syn is
pronounced like the word sing, and the a is like the a in china. The word is pronounced

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idiosingkresi with the main stress on syn. There are other ways of pronouncing the word as
well.
Idiosyncrasy is normally used to refer to the strange or unusual habits or characteristics of a
person or thing. This is just one of the meanings of the word.
*He twirls his moustache whenever he gets nervous. This is one of his idiosyncrasies.
*One of the idiosyncrasies of this car is that when you turn on the lights, the AC stops working.
The word comes from the Greek idios meaning peculiar or ones own, and synkrasia
meaning temperament. When borrowed into English, the word was first used in the medical
profession to mean physical constitution of an individual.
Whats the difference between envelope and envelop?
The first is a noun and the second a verb. An envelope is something in which you send a letter.
Nowadays of course, not many people use envelopes because they prefer email.
When used as a noun, the en is pronounced on and the following e is like the a in china.
The o is like the o in so, go, and no, and the final e is silent. The stress in this case is on
the first syllable. The word is pronounced onvelope.
When used as a verb, the word means to surround or cover something completely. The en is
pronounced like the word in, and the following e sounds like the e in set, bet, and get.
The o is like the a in china, and the main stress is on the second syllable. The word is
pronounced invelep.
*The fog had enveloped the airport. The pilot couldnt see a thing.
*The plan seems to be enveloped in secrecy.
He knows nothing; he thinks he knows everything: that clearly points to a political career.
G. B. Shaw

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Know your English
How can the Australian players behave so badly on the field? Cricket is supposed to be a
gentlemans game.
If you ask me, people who believe that cricket is still a gentlemans game are living in la-la
land.
La-la land? What does it mean?
When you say that someone is in la-la land, what you mean is that they are out of touch with
reality. The person has no clue whats going on. For example, I have no idea whats going on
with my cousin Ganesh. He seems to be in la-la land.
Tell me, where does the expression la-la-land come from?
As you probably know, LA is the short form of Los Angeles. People living in this city are
thought to be odd or eccentric. Hence the expression la-la land.
Thats interesting. So, you dont think cricket is a gentlemans game?
Look, you know Im really not into cricket. So, ...
Just answer the question. Do you think that cricket...
Cricket is no longer a game. Its become a business. Look at the people running it.
I dont agree with you. I think cricket is a wonderful game. Its still...
Look, the two of us can argue until the cows come home and we still wont be...
Whose cows? What cows? What are you talking about?
The expression until the cows come home, means for a very long time.

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Is it because the cowherd takes the cows out for grazing early in the morning, and brings them
back only in the evening? Hes out the whole day and ...
Thats right. When the expression was first used, it meant entire day. Now its used to mean
for a very long time.
I see. How about this example? You can keep asking till the cows come home, but there is no
way that you are going to get a new laptop.
Thats a very good example. You are waiting for my boss to come up with a reasonably good
idea? Then Im afraid youll be waiting until the cows come home.
The two parties debated the issue till the cows came home, but for some strange reason they just
couldnt reach an agreement.
Its never easy to reach an agreement. Anyway, other than watching cricket players insult each
other, what else have you been up to?
I saw a film called Taare zameen par. It was pretty...
A couple of my friends saw it, and they said it knocked their socks off.
Knocked their socks off? Does it mean they enjoyed it?
When you say that something knocked your socks off, what you mean is that you found it to be
really exciting or good.
In other words, it pleased you very much.
You were extremely pleased or happy with it. You were just blown away by the experience.
I see. You should see Narenders new car. Itll knock your socks off.
The new restaurant is a very small place. The decor isnt great, but the food will simply knock
your socks off.

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You must try this new brand of ice cream. Itll knock your socks off.
Its also possible to say blow the socks off someone. When the little girl began to sing, she
blew the socks off everyone.
One advantage of talking to yourself is that at least you know that somebody is listening.
Franklin P. J ones
April 2008
Know your English
Hi! You dont look too good. Is anything the matter?
Problems at the office, Im afraid. The workers have been on strike for a week now. They have
been raising Cain and we...
Raising Cain? I have no idea what it means.
It means to protest angrily about something. The person who raises Cain usually behaves in a
disruptive manner. He creates problems for others.
Heres an example. When the parents were informed that the children wouldnt be allowed to
write the exam, they raised Cain.
Thats what many parents do. You should see what...
What are you doing here anyway? Shouldnt you be at home swotting for your exams?
What should I be doing?
Swotting for your exams. The word is spelt s...w...o...t. The o is like the o in lot and pot.
I see. Tell me, what does swot mean?
It means to study very hard. The word is normally used in the context of exams.

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Thats the only time when people like me study hard!
I know! Its true of...
So when you swot, you attempt to learn as much as you can, as quickly as you can about
something. Is that right?
Well, you could say that. Its a word that is mostly used in informal contexts in British English.
Let me give you an example.
Wait! Let me give it a try. Right now, Archana is sitting at home swotting for her Board
exams.
Thats a good example. Its also possible to say swot up on. For example, Sekhar spent several
hours in the library swotting up on his chemistry.
The word swot can also be used with people as well. When you call someone a swot, what
you mean is that he studies very hard. Other than this, he is not interested in anything else.
So by calling a person a swot, you are making it clear that you disapprove of him.
Exactly! Heres an example. Whatever you do, please dont invite that swot Dilip to the party.
In school, Im surrounded by swots.
I seriously doubt that. I wouldnt call any of your friends, swots. Tell me, what are you going to
do once the exams get over?
Im planning to go to Mumbai. What about you? Are you going anywhere?
I dont know. Im terribly busy negotiating with the workers right now. I hope to get some
downtime next week.
Downtime? I dont think Ive heard that expression before. What does it mean?
Its a period of time when you dont do anything. You just...

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You sit back and relax. You basically chill out. Isnt that the expression?
Very good! Thats exactly what you do. Ive been working 15 hours a day for the past month. I
need some downtime.
Lets borrow some DVDs and have some downtime at my place.
No chance of that happening. Your mother would raise Cain if she saw you watching movies.
Youre right! Id better go and start swotting for my exams.
Good luck.
Thanks.
I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me. Fred Allen

What is the meaning of take up the cudgels for someone?
The first syllable of cudgels rhymes with budge, nudge, and grudge, and the following e
is like the a in china. The word is pronounced kajelz with the stress on the first syllable. A
cudgel is a club; it is a short heavy stick that is often used as a weapon. When you take up the
cudgels for someone, what you are doing is coming to the defence of an individual. The
expression can also mean to argue strongly in favour of someone or something. In British and
Australian English, it is also possible to say, to take up the cudgels on behalf of someone.
*The association should take up the cudgels for the two men who have been dismissed.
When you take up the cudgels against someone, you fight against him.
*Its about time that we took up the cudgels against crooked politicians.
Does the word nomophobia exist? What does it mean?

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Yes, it certainly does. A lot of young people have this phobia. What is the thing that most
teenagers and people in their 20s are addicted to? What is the gadget that they love the most?
Something that they cannot do without? Its the cell phone, of course! Many people are overly
dependent on this particular gadget. When they dont receive a signal on it, or when they receive
a message saying that the battery is low or their credit is almost over, they have a panic attack.
This fear they have that they might be out of cell phone range or their cell phone may die on
them is called nomophobia. Nomo is short for no mobile!
Is it OK to say, The students were baffled with the teachers instructions?
No, it isnt. People are usually baffled by something, not with something. When you are
baffled by something, you find it very difficult to understand; it puzzles you.
*According to the reports, the police are baffled by the murder.
How is the word aplomb pronounced?
The a is like the a in china, and the following o sounds like the o in hot, pot, and
cot. The final b is silent, and the main stress is on the second syllable. The word is
pronounced aplom. When you do something with aplomb, you do it in a relaxed manner and
with a great deal of confidence. The word is mostly used in formal contexts.
*The young couple handled the difficult situation with aplomb.
Is there a difference between I plan to re-cover the old sofa and I plan to
recover the old sofa?
Yes, there is. Sometimes, the presence of a hyphen can bring about a change in the meaning of a
word. In the first sentence, re-cover suggests that you are going to cover the sofa again with
something. The old sofa may already have a cover, but chances are you are not happy with it. So,
you intend to put some other cover on it, and make it look good.

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The word recover, on the other hand, suggests that the old sofa is no longer with you. Perhaps
you have lost it or someone has stolen it! Whatever be the case, you are now planning to find it
and bring it home the place where it belongs!
You dont stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.
Michael Pritchard
What is the difference between robber and thief?
Of the two, the thief is more subtle! When a thief takes something from you, you are not usually
aware of it. You dont even notice his presence, and when he disappears with something that
belongs to you, he seldom leaves a trail behind him. He steals without attracting too much
attention to himself, and he is never violent.
*The thief entered the house and walked away with the laptop.
A robber, on the other hand, is someone who comes face to face with his victim and forces him
to part with his valuables. He threatens his victim with grievous injuries, if he doesnt do as he is
told. Unlike a thief, a robber may resort to violence he may kill or injure the person being
robbed.
*The robber tied the man to the tree and ran away with the suitcase.
What is the meaning of paddle ones own canoe?
This is an expression that is mostly used in American English. A canoe is a small boat which
Native Americans made use of. The a in the word is like the a in china, and the final oe is
like the oo in cool, pool, and fool The word is pronounced ke-noo with the stress on the
second syllable.
When you paddle your own canoe, what you are doing is steering your own boat. In other words,
you are charting your own course. The expression paddle your own canoe is used to mean self
reliant or independent.

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*Listen Naresh, you are 25 years old. Its time you started to paddle your own canoe.
What is the past tense of quit?
When the verb is used to mean to leave, it has two past tense forms quit and quitted. For
example, it is possible to say, Jai quit/quitted his job last month. The word quitted is seldom
used in American English, and in British English, it is limited to formal styles of writing. Many
people regard quitted as old fashioned. When the verb is used to mean to stop, then quit and
not quitted is used as the past tense form. We say, Yogesh has quit playing tennis, not,
Yogesh has quitted playing tennis.
How is the word succinct pronounced?
The u in the first syllable is like the a in china, and the first c is like the k in kiss and
keep. The following cinc is pronounced like the word sink and the finalt is like the t in
table and tin. The word is pronounced sek-sinkt with the stress on the second syllable. This
is just one of the ways of pronouncing the word.
This is a word that is mostly used in formal contexts to indicate approval. When someone is
succinct, you mean he speaks clearly and concisely. He says what he wants to say without
wasting too many words; he is to the point.
*The reporters were rather unhappy with the Mayors succinct reply.
What is the meaning of flip out?
When someone flips out, he loses control of himself; he suddenly goes crazy. The expression is
mostly used in informal contexts.
*When Lina heard that she hadnt been promoted, she flipped out.
Another expression which has the same meaning is flip ones wig.

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America believes in education: the average professor earns more money in a year than a
professional athlete earns in a whole week! Evan Esar
How is the word awry pronounced?
The first syllable aw is like the a in china, and the y in the second syllable is like the y in
my and by. The word is pronounced erai with the stress on the second syllable. The word
has several different meanings. When things go awry, they dont go the way that you had
intended them to. Nothing goes according to plan.
The plans went awry because the Chief Guest arrived two hours late.
When something is not in its normal or proper position, it is said to be awry. It is somewhat
crooked.
Abhai looked as if he had been in a fight. His shirt was torn, and his tie was twisted awry.
What is the meaning of the expression to make sheep eyes at someone?
This is an expression that is not heard very often nowadays; it is considered rather old fashioned.
When you make sheep eyes at someone, you make it rather obvious to the individual that you are
attracted to him/her. No one is really sure about the origin of the expression.
Some of the girls in class have been making sheep eyes at the new teacher.
What is the difference between perhaps and maybe?
In terms of meaning, there is no difference between the two; both can be used to mean
something is possible. Of the two, maybe is considered to be informal. It is frequently heard
in speech, but is seldom used in formal styles of writing. Maybe always comes at the beginning
of a clause; perhaps, on the other hand, can come in different positions.
Maybe you should tell them that you dont really like the job.
Perhaps you should tell them that you dont really like the job.

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You should perhaps tell them that you dont really like the job.
Make sure to maintain the distinction between maybe and may be.
What is the meaning of the expression put past someone?
The expression is normally used to show disapproval. When you say that you wouldnt put
something past someone, what you mean is that the individual in question is quite capable of
doing something wrong; at least, something which you dont approve of.
I wouldnt put it past Velu to deny all knowledge of the incident.
Is the following sentence grammatically correct? He has a car, hasnt he?
No, it isnt. It should be He has a car, doesnt he? Take a look at the following sentences. She is
beautiful, isnt she? The students can go home, cant they? They do want to help, dont they? He
has walked three miles, hasnt he? In all the examples, the question tag makes use of a be verb,
or a helping verb like can, do, has, etc.
In the sentence that you have given, has is the main verb; the sentence does not contain a
helping verb. When has is the main verb, you cannot make use of it in the question tag; you
have to make use of some form of the verb do.
For example, you cannot say, He has five children, hasnt he? The question tag should be
doesnt he? He has five children, doesnt he?
The first time I sang in the church choir, two hundred people changed their religion.
Fred Allen
What is the meaning and origin of Tinseltown?
Tinseltown is an uncomplimentary term that has been used to refer to Hollywood for quite
some time now. Tinsel consists of long strips of shiny material which people use to decorate
Christmas trees. It is something that glitters, but is of no value. The word tinsel has been used

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in the English language for several centuries to describe something that is rather showy and
gaudy. When you refer to Hollywood as Tinseltown, what you mean is that although the place
glitters, like the people in it, it does not have any substance. On closer inspection, you realise it is
merely some cheap foil which falls apart at the seams.
What is the difference between biannual and biennial?
Both words are derived from the same root: bi meaning two or twice and annus meaning
year. The two words, however, have very different meanings. An event that takes place
biannually happens twice a year; perhaps, every six months. A biennial event, on the other
hand, takes place once in two years. The stress in both words is on the second syllable.
*The company will be publishing its biannual report next week.
*The editor is planning to bring out the new journal biennially
What is the meaning and origin of throw the hat into the ring?
When you throw or toss your hat into the ring, what you are doing is announcing to the world
that you are ready to compete with other people for something it could be for the post of the
Vice Chancellor, a place in Cabinet, etc.
The expression nowadays is mostly used in relation to politics. When someone throws his hat
in or into the ring, he is informing everyone that he is contesting in the coming elections.
The expression comes from the sport of boxing. In the old days, when wearing a hat was
common practice, when a man threw his hat into the boxing ring, it implied that he was
challenging the boxer; he was willing to fight him.
What is the meaning of vox populi?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this Latin expression. Vox rhymes with pox,
socks, and fox, and the first syllable of populi rhymes with hop and top. The following
u sounds like the u in useful and united, while the final i is like the ee in seed, feed,
and need. It is also possible to pronounce the final i like the y in by and my.

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The word is pronounced vox popyulee with the main stress on the first syllable of populi. The
expression means voice of the people, and it is often reduced to vox pop or vox pops.
The vox pop technique is normally used in radio and television broadcasting. Every day on the
various news channels, we see reporters interviewing people on the street. They ask the common
man to give their opinion about something. What do you think of the budget or Do you like
Dhonis new hairstyle? This method of recording the opinions of people talking informally in
public places is called vox populi or vox pop.
*To make the programme interesting you need vox pop.
When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first thing to be bought and sold
are legislators. P. J . Rourke
May 2008
Know your English
Did you watch the movie on TV last night?
Yes, I did. It was...
What did you think of it? Wasnt it just great?
I wouldnt say that. I thought it was fair to middling.
Fair to middling? What does it mean?
When you say something was fair to middling, what you mean is that it was neither very good
nor very bad. Its an informal way of saying, it was so-so.
So if someone asks me how good my English is, can I say, its fair to middling?
Thats a very good example.

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Tell me, what does middling mean? I know what fair means?
Well, believe it or not, when this expression began to be used, middling meant fair.
So youre basically saying, from fair to fair. Its neither good nor bad. Its somewhere in the
middle.
Very good! Its just OK. Now then, how...
Hey, what happened to the dining table? Did you sell it?
It needed some polishing. So the carpenter has taken it to the terrace.
So, where do you eat?
In the kitchen! A bachelor breakfast is what...
I know you are a bachelor and you have breakfast. But what is bachelor breakfast?
Its when you eat something standing in the kitchen, instead of sitting at the dining table.
Is this expression only used in relation to someones breakfast? Can it be used with...
The expression bachelor breakfast can be used with any meal. The important thing is that the
meal is eaten while you are standing.
I see. When we have a lot of guests at home, I prefer to have an early bachelor breakfast and
leave for college.
Thats a very good idea.
My cousin Sujatha doesnt think so. According to Sujathas opinion, when one eats...
You cannot say, according to Sujathas opinion.
But you can say, according to Sujatha, right?

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Thats right! But if you want to use opinion, then you have to say, in Sujathas opinion. For
example, in Rams opinion, more money should be spent on development.
Or I can say, according to Ram, more money should be spent on development.
Good! In my opinion, you need to get a haircut.
You sound like my mother! Youre supposed to have lunch with your boss today, arent you?
Yes, in another hour or so. How do I look?
Youre wearing faded jeans and an old T-shirt. You cant meet your boss wearing those
clothes!
Why not?
Because youre not dressed to the occasion. Thats why not!
Its dressed for the occasion, and not dressed to.
I see. Youre not dressed for the occasion.
Do you know what dressed for the occasion means?
Of course, I do. When someone is dressed for the occasion, he/she is suitably dressed. The
clothes the person is wearing are appropriate.
Exactly! My boss and I are having lunch in the old Udipi restaurant down the street. Were
discussing the menu for next weeks annual party.
In that case, you are dressed for the occasion.
Thank you.
I wanted to take up music, so my father bought me a blunt instrument. He told me to knock
myself out. Jay London

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How is the word schedule pronounced?
The Americans and the English pronounce this word differently. The English pronounce the first
syllable like the word shed, and in the case of the second, they rhyme it with the words fuel,
duel, and mule. The word is pronounced shed-yule with the stress on the first syllable. The
Americans, on the other hand, pronounce the sch in the first syllable like the sk in skill,
skit, and skip. They pronounce the word skedule.
What is the meaning of po-faced?
This is an informal expression mostly used in British and Australian English. The word po
rhymes with no, so, and go. When you say that someone is po-faced, what you mean is
that the individual looks very serious and rather unfriendly.
The po-faced principal didnt allow the students to write the exam.
What is the meaning of epithet?
Originally, the term meant a word or phrase attached to the name of an individual. Take for
example, Solomon the Wise and Alexander the Great. In both the examples, what comes after
the name is an epithet: the Wise and the Great. Epithets referred to the most important quality
of an individual, and in the old days, they were invariably used after the names of saints. Later,
epithets began to be used as descriptive substitutes for the names or titles of individuals.
We Indians, for example, use the epithet Father of the Nation to refer to Mahatma Gandhi. Not
all epithets, however, are complimentary; most, in fact, are derogatory. Nowadays the term
epithet is used to mean term of abuse.
Harbhajan was accused of hurling racial epithets at Andrew Symonds.
Does the word ta-ta actually exist?

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Yes, it does. Like the word cheerio, it is used mostly in British English in informal contexts to
mean goodbye. Ta-ta is mostly used by children. Americans do not use either ta-ta or
cheerio.
When do you say good evening and good night?
Good evening is a way of saying hello to someone in the evening. Some people start using
this expression at 5 pm, others wait till 6 pm; there seems to be no fixed time as to when you
start wishing someone, Good evening. When you run into someone at eleven oclock in the
night, you can still wish him Good evening. The standard response to Good evening is Good
evening. You normally wish someone Good night when you are taking leave of someone in
the evening not in the morning or afternoon! Its another way of saying goodbye. People
also say Good night before they hit the sack.
What is the difference between lightning and lightening?
A heavy downpour is sometimes accompanied by thunder and lightning it is the flash of
brilliant light that we see in the sky. One cannot hear it, one can only see it; what we hear is
thunder. Lightening comes from the word lighten. When you attempt to lighten
something, you are attempting to make it lighter; in other words, you are trying to reduce its
weight. This is just one of the meanings of the word.
A telescope can magnify a star a thousand times; a good press agent can do even better.
Fred Allen
How is the word alibi pronounced?
The a in the first syllable is like the a in cat, bat, and sat, while the i in the second is
like the i in sit and bit. The final syllable is pronounced like the word by. The word is
pronounced a-li-by with the stress on the first syllable. Alibi is a word mostly used in legal
contexts. In many movies, when the villain is accused of murdering someone, his sleazy lawyer
tries to prove that his client couldnt have possibly committed the crime as he was elsewhere
when the murder was committed. This evidence that people provide is called an alibi.

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*The husband has a cast iron alibi. He was not in the country when the crime took place.
Punctuality is the virtue of the bored. Evelyn Waugh
What is the meaning of rattle someones cage?
This is what children sometimes do at the zoo when they find the animal sound asleep inside the
cage. To wake up the animal and get its attention, the kids often pick up a stick and keep hitting
the cage with it. How does the sleeping animal react to this unwelcome rattling? It usually gets
annoyed or angry. When you rattle someones cage, you are deliberately trying to get the person
annoyed or angry. You are attempting to get the individuals attention.
*Shyamala tried to rattle Harishs cage by asking him questions about his former girl friend.
Punctuality is the virtue of the bored. Evelyn Waugh
Which is correct? Make or take a decision?
You can take a decision or make a decision; both are correct. Which one you decide to use
depends on which side of the Atlantic you are from. Make a decision, I understand, is mainly
used by the Americans, while the English prefer take a decision. In terms of meaning, in most
contexts, there is little or no difference between the two.
Punctuality is the virtue of the bored. Evelyn Waugh
What is the difference between fatal and fateful?
The word fatal is always associated with something negative; its use suggests death or disaster.
If you say that your neighbour had a fatal heart attack last week, it means that he died of a heart
attack last week. Similarly, when you say, Ram struck the robber a fatal blow, what you mean
is that Rams blow killed the robber. A sentence like, Ganeshan took the fatal decision to marry
Rima, suggests that Ganeshans decision had disastrous consequences.

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Unlike the word fatal, fateful need not always be associated with something bad. Fateful
means controlled by fate, and in this case, the result can be either good or bad. You may make
the fateful decision to join the police force: you may have some luck, and quickly become a DIG,
or you may end up getting killed in a shootout on your first day at work!
Know your English
Hi! Come on in. Your mother tells me youve done really well in your exams. Thats great.
Ill know how well Ive done when the results come out. Right now, Im enjoying my break.
Im not touching my books for another two months.
Really? Arent you preparing for any of the entrance exams that...
No, Im not! My friend Parthiv is planning to write the IIT entrance exam, and he is...
Parthiv is trying to get into IIT? Somebody must tell him hes chasing rainbows.
He is chasing rainbows? What do you mean by that?
When you say that someone is chasing rainbows, what you mean is that he is trying to achieve
something that is impossible.
In other words, he is trying to do something which he is not really capable of.
My uncle chased rainbows all his life. He never amounted to anything.
I guess thats what happens when you chase rainbows. Can I use your computer for a couple of
minutes? I need to ...
Sorry. The computer bit the dust last night. I dont know...
Bit the dust? Did it fall off the table or something?
No, it didnt fall off the table. When you say that something bit the dust, what you mean is
that it has stopped working.

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I see. How about this example? I want that old scooter my dad has to bite the dust really soon.
That way, I would...
You want to drive a new scooter, do you?
Yes, I certainly do. There are many things in my house that are ready to bite the dust. So...
The expression bite the dust can be used with people as well. When you say that someone has
bitten the dust, what you mean is that the person is dead.
I see. It has the same meaning as to kick the bucket?
Thats right! Bite the dust is mostly used in informal contexts. Kunthalas grandmother was
nearly 90 when she bit the dust.
The two brothers wanted to sell the property. They were hoping that their father would bite the
dust soon.
Thats a terrible example. Talking about property, how is your friend Yuvraj doing?
Hes doing great! Business is booming and he...
Did he marry the girl he was going out with? What was her name?
Padma. He asked her to marry him, but she got cold feet and...
Cold feet? What are you talking about?
When you get or have cold feet about something, you lose your courage. You end up not doing
what you had planned to do. Originally this idiom was used only in relation to marriage.
I see. Ganesh and Jyothi were planning to get married next month. But Ganesh got cold feet and
called off the wedding.
Thats a good example. The idiom is now being used in other contexts as well not just
weddings. Avinash agreed to sing at the local club. But he got cold feet and cancelled the event.

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Last week I was asked to make a presentation. I thought Id get cold feet, but I didnt.
Thats good to know. Ive got to make a presentation next week. Maybe, you can make it on my
behalf.
Talk about chasing rainbows!
Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer, but we wish we didnt.
Erika J ong
June 2008
What is the meaning of final nail in the coffin?
A coffin as you know is something that people are buried in. In the old days, the lid had to be
nailed in. The act of hammering in the final nail, signified that the body inside the coffin was
ready to be buried. Therefore, when you say that something was the final nail in the coffin, what
you mean is that it is the end of something. It could be an event that causes harm or helps bring
about the downfall of something or someone.
*The report in the newspaper is another nail in the coffin of the corrupt Minister.
What is the plural of aircraft?
Aircraft is an uncountable noun; the plural therefore is aircraft, not aircrafts. The plural of
aeroplane, on the other hand, is aeroplanes. In American English, this word is spelt airplane.
*The Minister said that the government was planning to buy three more aircraft.
*The company was planning to buy two more aeroplanes by the end of the week.
Whats the difference between nonetheless and nevertheless?
This is a question that is frequently asked. In terms of meaning, there is no difference between
the two; both are generally used in formal contexts to mean in spite of.

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*The children had been up all night. Nonetheless, they continued to work on the project.
What is the meaning of back answer?
I think the expression you have in mind is answer back and not back answer. When you
answer back someone in authority, you reply rather rudely to them.
*The teacher was shocked when the student started answering him back.
*The father became extremely angry when his daughter answered him back.
We Indians tend to say back answer instead of answer back; similarly, we say timepass
rather than pass time.
How is the word severed pronounced?
Sever rhymes with the word never, and the final ed is like the d in dip, dish and dab.
The stress is on the first syllable se, and the word is pronounced severd. When you sever
something, you cut it off completely. The word is mostly used in formal contexts.
*The impact of the collision was such that the drivers head was severed.
When you say that you have severed your relationship with someone, what you mean is that you
have ended your relationship with that individual. The ending is usually sudden. It is also
possible to sever relations with things as well.
*I think we should sever diplomatic relations with China.
Some people are scared of the number 13. Is there a word for it?
The word that you have in mind is triskaidekaphobia. In Greek, tris means three, kai
means and, and deka, as you have probably guessed, means ten. There are several ways of
pronouncing this word. The i in the first syllable is like the i in it and bit, and the
following kai rhymes with why and bye. The dek is pronounced like the word deck,
while the e that follows is like the a in china. The word is pronounced triskydeckephobia.

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Public speaking is the art of diluting a two-minute idea with a two-hour vocabulary.
Evan Esar
Know your English
Why didnt you tell me you were going to play a practical joke on Sujatha?
If I had told you, Sujatha would have figured out we were up to something. We all know you
cant keep a straight face.
You mean to say that I have a crooked face?
No, thats not what I mean. When you keep a straight face, you dont allow your emotions to
show. You try your best not to laugh. Even though
Even though the situation you are in may be funny.
Thats right! When my boss fell off his chair, I found it difficult to keep a straight face.
It was hard to keep a straight face when I was talking to Sujatha today.
Thats the reason we didnt tell you about the practical joke.
I guess I understand. Did you manage to see your favourite heros latest movie yesterday?
I certainly did. It was like watching grass grow.
Watching grass grow! What are you talking about?
Have you ever taken time off to watch grass grow?
You think Im crazy? Why would I waste my time watching grass grow? Itll be so boring.
Exactly! When you say that some activity was like watching grass grow, what you mean is that
it was very boring. According to Sujatha, watching people play golf is like watching grass
grow.

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I dont agree with that. If you ask me, watching people fishing is like watching grass grow.
Its supposed to be relaxing. O.K, so you didnt like the movie. But I understand its a big hit.
It certainly is. All the theatres are just packing them in. I understand it
Packing them in? Dont think Ive heard that expression before. What does it mean?
When you say that a theatre or a restaurant is packing them in, what you mean is that the place
is attracting a lot of people. For example
Let me give it a try. The old Udipi restaurant still manages to pack them in.
Any restaurant that serves good food at a reasonable price is likely to pack them in.
I know. There was a time when the zoo used to pack them in. Nowadays, you hardly find
anyone there.
I think people prefer to watch animals on TV nowadays.
You have a point there. I see that you have managed to do some cleaning here.
Yes, I did do some cleaning. Gave the bookshelves a lick and a promise.
A lick and a promise? What are you talking about?
When you say that you gave something a lick and a promise, what you mean is that you did the
job very hurriedly. You didnt.
Since you didnt spend too much time on it, you probably didnt do a good job of it.
Exactly! And what little you did, you did it without enthusiasm. You are hoping to come back
to it later, and complete it.
Thats what most people do, I guess.

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Thats true.
How about this example? Every morning I put on my uniform, give my shoes a lick and a
promise and rush to school.
Sounds good! Ill give the car a lick and a promise before going to the station.
Good luck!
When God sneezed, I didnt know what to say. Henry Youngman
What is the difference between damage and damages?
You are driving your friends new car and as luck would have it, you end up having an accident.
You get out of the car and notice that the headlights are broken and the fender has more or less
come off. You have damaged your friends car; in this case, you have spoilt the looks of the
vehicle. The word damage is mostly used with things. You can harm, break or spoil something.
*During the recent earthquake, thousands of buildings were badly damaged.
While cars, houses, and roads can be damaged, a person, on the other hand, cannot be. You
cannot say, Roshni was damaged in the blast. The word, however, can be used with things that
are seen to be a part of the individual: organs, reputation, etc.
*This will certainly damage the reputation of the Chief Minister.
If your friend is angry with you and drags you to court, then damages is what the judge will
order you to pay for having ruined the new car. In other words, its the money you will pay your
friend as compensation. This word is mostly used in legal contexts.
How is the word tawdry pronounced?
The aw in the first syllable is pronounced like the aw in law, claw and flaw, while the
final y is like the i in bit, hit, and kit. The word is pronounced taw-dri with the stress on
the first syllable.

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When you refer to someones clothes as being tawdry, what you mean is that they look rather
cheap and gaudy; in other words, they are rather tacky. It suggests that the individual has little
or no taste.
You cant expect me to go around wearing this tawdry piece of jewellery.
The word can also be used with stories and events as well. When you say that something was
tawdry what you mean is that it contained rather unpleasant details.
The lawyer wasnt keen on listening to his clients tawdry motives.
Tawdry actually comes from the name of St. Audrey, a queen who ran away from her mean
husband and started her own monastery. Although she had renounced everything, she had one
great weakness: she loved wearing beautiful scarves and necklaces. When the queen died and
was later canonised, the local villagers decided to have a festival in her honour. Beautiful scarves
were among the items sold during this festival. These scarves were called St Audreys lace.
With the passage of time, the name was reduced to tawdrys lace. This was further shortened to
tawdry. Later, the meaning of the word changed as well; it no longer referred to something
beautiful, but something cheap.
What is the meaning and origin of lock horns with?
When you lock horns with someone, you argue or fight with that particular individual in a very
determined way. Deer, when they fight, invariably lock horns.
The two parties locked horns over the recent price hike in petrol.
Is it OK to say, Hardly had we entered the room, than the .....?
No, it isnt. In such sentences, the word hardly is invariably followed by when and not than.
The children had hardly started playing when the power went off.
Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone. Anthony Burgess

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How is the word vignette pronounced?
The g and the final e are silent. The first syllable rhymes with the words win, bin and
sin, and the ett in the second syllable is pronounced like the word yet. The word is
pronounced vin-yet, with the stress on the second syllable. Vignette comes from the Old
French vigne meaning vine. Originally the term was used to refer to the drawings of vines
that one found at the beginning of every chapter of a printed book. Nowadays, the word is used
to refer to anything: it can be a short piece of writing, a photograph or a drawing which captures
the typical characteristics of a person or thing.
*You certainly dont expect a city-bred girl to write a vignette of small-town life.
What is the meaning and origin of sledging?
This is a word that is mostly used in the context of cricket. Nowadays, it is common practice for
fielders to try and disturb the concentration of batsmen. They achieve this by constantly talking
to them or by abusing them. This practice of talking to the batsmen in order to undermine their
confidence or disturb their concentration is called sledging.
There are many people who believe that sledging should be banned.
Ian Chappell believes that the term sledge, a shortened form of sledgehammer, began to be
used in Australia in the early 1960s. (A sledgehammer is a heavy, long-handed instrument which
is mostly used to break stones and drive in wedges and stakes)
In those days, a player using foul language in the presence of a lady was said to have been as
subtle as a sledgehammer in other words, not subtle at all. Such a person was often
nicknamed Sledge because Percy Sledges song, When a man loves a woman was popular at
that time!
What is the meaning of touch?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this word. The ou in the first syllable is like oo in
cool, pool, and fool, while the following ch sounds like the sh in ship and sheep. The

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final e is pronounced like the ay in say and bay. The word is pronounced too-shay with
the stress on the second syllable. This is one way of pronouncing the word.
Touch is a word of French origin, and it is mainly used in the sport of fencing. It comes from
the Old French touchier meaning to hit. When two people are fencing (fighting with swords),
and one of them scores a hit, he immediately shouts touch, meaning that he has scored a point.
Nowadays, the exclamation is used in everyday contexts as well. When you are arguing with
someone and the individual makes a good point against you, you can say touch; by doing so,
you are acknowledging that he has scored a point against you.
*You are saying that if he really loved me, he wouldnt be asking for dowry. Touch!
Is it okay to say, He should avail of this opportunity to learn English?
No, it isnt. An individual doesnt avail of something; he/she avails himself/herself of
something. The sentence should read He should avail himself of this opportunity to learn
English.
The key to being a good manager is keeping the people who hate me away from those who
are still undecided. Casey Stengel
July 2008
What is the meaning of shoestring budget?
What we call shoelace, the Americans call shoestring. As we all know, shoestrings are pretty
inexpensive; one doesnt really have to spend too much money to buy a pair. Therefore, when
you say that something was done on a shoestring budget, what you mean is that it was done
using a very small amount of money; you had very little money to spend.
*My father says well be making our next film on a shoestring budget.
How is the expression Mot juste pronounced?

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The t in mot is silent, and the o sounds like the o in go, so, and no. The j in juste is
like the j in jam and juice, and the following u is like the oo in cool, pool, and fool.
The st is like the st in stop and step, and the final e is silent. The word is pronounced
mow joost with the stress on juste. Mot in French means word and juste means right;
when you say that something is mot juste, what you mean is that the word that you used is
appropriate or exact.
What is the difference between lease and rent?
When you lease something, it always involves a written contract it is a legal agreement. In the
case of property, you draw up a contract which specifies the duration of the stay and the amount
of money you will pay the landlord each month as rent. During this period of lease, the two
parties are bound by the contract; unless both parties agree, the terms of agreement cannot be
changed. The landlord cannot suddenly increase the rent, and the tenant cannot vacate the
property as and when he likes. Should the tenant decide to leave before the lease expires, he may
have to pay the rent for the remaining period or find another individual to take over his lease.
When you rent a property, it doesnt always include a written contract. As a result, both parties
can change the terms of agreement: the landlord can increase the rent whenever he wants to. He
can ask the tenant to vacate the premises giving him a 30-day notice. The tenant too can leave
whenever he wants to.
What is the meaning and origin of the expression bolt from the blue?
When you say that something was a bolt from the blue, what you mean is that it was totally
unexpected; the result was something that surprised you very much.
*The fact that Rahul had failed the exam was a bolt from the blue.
The word bolt refers to the thunderbolt that we often hear during heavy rain, and the blue
refers to the blue sky. On a beautiful day, when there are no clouds, and the sky is blue, we
generally dont expect to hear the sound of thunder. If we do hear one, it comes as a total
surprise.

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We dont bother much about dress and manners in England, because as a nation, we dont
dress well, and weve no manners. G. B. Shaw
What is the meaning and origin of riding roughshod over someone?
When you ride roughshod over someone, you dominate the person quite ruthlessly. You just
walk all over him. You do what you want to, and you dont really care what the other person
thinks. If the circumstances demand it, you use brutal force to get the desired results.
The new boss is a bully and rides roughshod over everyone.
The term roughshod refers to the type of shoe that was often mounted on a horses hoof. The
word shod, as you probably know, is related to the word shoe; in order to ensure that the
horse didnt slip, the shoes were often kept rough. To make sure that the animal had good
traction, what the blacksmith did was to leave the nailheads projecting from the shoes. During
times of war, horses were armed with these projecting nails on their hooves; the nails provided
better grip on slippery ground, and they enabled the horse to injure or kill fallen enemy soldiers.
It was during the 18th century that the idiom began to mean to bully someone.
What is the meaning of fashionably late?
When you arrive at a party fashionably late, what you are doing is making an appearance a few
minutes after the scheduled time. You dont turn up an hour or two after the event has begun,
you are late only by a few minutes. This is your way of telling others that you are a busy or
popular person. Most actors and politicians are fashionably late for events in order to create the
impression that they were busy elsewhere.
As expected, the children arrived fashionably late for the party.
Is it OK to say, She pleaded with her daughter to never go there?
No, it isnt. In such constructions, careful users of the language would place the words never
and not before the infinitive to not after it.

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It is very dangerous. I promise never/not to do it again.
What is the meaning of qualm?
The word rhymes with calm and arm; the qu is like the qu in quit and quick and the l
is silent. It is pronounced kwaam. This is one way of pronouncing the word. When you have
qualms about something, you have misgivings about it; you have this feeling of doubt as to
whether you are doing the right thing or not.
The man had no qualms about stealing from his own parents.
What is the difference between squash and quash?
Quash is a term which is used quite frequently in legal contexts to mean to set aside or
annul. When a judge, for example, quashes a conviction, what he is doing is stating officially
that the earlier decision taken is no longer acceptable or valid.
As expected, the ministers conviction was quashed.
When you quash something, you forcibly suppress it.
The dictator sent his army to quash the rebellion.
When you squash something, you apply so much pressure on it that you make it lose its shape.
The children had fun squashing all the clay models.
Like the word quash, squash can also mean to forcibly suppress something.
If you owe the bank $100, thats your problem. If you owe the bank $100 million, thats the
banks problem. J . P. Getty
Know your English
"Hi, come on in! Is something wrong? Please don't tell me you're going to cry."

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"Cry? Why would I do that?"
"I haven't the faintest idea. If you're not going to cry, then why the sad face?"
"Haven't you heard? The Left has withdrawn its support, and there are..."
"It was expected, wasn't it? Would you say that this decision of the Left came out of left field?"
"Left's decision came out of left field! What are you talking about?"
"When you say that something `came out of left field', what you mean is that it came as a total
surprise. You were not really prepared for it."
"I see. So, when something comes out of left field, it is totally unexpected."
"Exactly! Here's an example. The hailstorm, which lasted more than an hour, came out of left
field." "The two slaps that Surabhi gave Rahul really came out of left field."
"That's a good example. The Principal's decision to start new courses without consulting his
teachers came out of left field."
"My friend Deepa thinks..." "Please, I don't want to talk about her. She is a nut case."
"No, she isn't."
"If you ask me, she's way out in left field."
"What's with you and the word `left' today? Way out in left field? What does it mean? Wait,
wait. Let me guess. My friend Deepa is a nice person. But most people find her odd. Does `way
out in left field' mean odd or crazy?"
"Very good! That's exactly what it means. The word can be used with things as well. For
example, don't pay any attention to the Principal. Most of his ideas are way out in left field."
"You should meet some of my classmates. They are way out in left field."

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"The Minister talked about how we could keep our population under check. The
recommendations he made were way out in left field."
"That's expected, isn't it? When was the last time a politician talked sense?"
"I can't remember. Tell me, why do you look so sad? It can't be because of the Left. There must
be some other reason. Come on, out with it." "You're right. It has nothing to do with politics.
You see, my friend and I have been working on a project. We have to make a presentation next
week. Yesterday my friend rang up and..."
"Let me guess. He wants you to make the presentation on your own. He doesn't want to be
involved."
"Exactly! He says he's going to be out of town and..." "He's left you holding the baby."
"Left me holding the baby? What baby? What are you talking about?"
"When someone leaves you holding the baby, they inconvenience or burden you with additional
responsibility." "The person who is supposed to help you, disappears."
"You are on your own. The other person doesn't want to deal with the problem. And you end up
being responsible for something that you..." "And if things go wrong, you are blamed."
"That's right! Here's an example. When the company went bankrupt, all the partners ran away.
My poor cousin was left holding the baby." "I want everything in writing. I certainly don't wish
to be left holding the baby.
"The whole point is guys aren't thinking much. They are what they just appear to be.
Tragically." - Dave Berry
What is the meaning of laissez-faire attitude?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this French expression. The lai is pronounced like the
word lay, while the sez in the second syllable is pronounced like the word say. Faire
sounds like the word fare. The word is pronounced lay-say fare with the main stress on fare.

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A laissez-faire policy is one based on the idea that the government should not interfere in
business and trade practices of individuals or companies. The expression means let do, and in
this context it means that the government should let people in trade and industry do as what they
want to. Nowadays, the expression has taken on a general meaning as well; it means non-
interference in the affairs of others.
*Im afraid your laissez faire approach is likely to create more problems for the university.
Does the word staycation exist?
Yes, it does. The word was coined recently in the United States, and you dont have to be a
rocket scientist to figure out that it is a combination of two words: stay and vacation. A
staycation is a vacation you spend relaxing at home or a place very close to home.
*What some of our cricket players really want is a staycation.
What is the meaning and origin of the expression toe the line?
This is an expression that has been around for a very long time. When you toe the line, you do
what is expected of you. You follow the rules, and in general you behave in the way that people
in power expect you to. In other words, you conform. The expression toe the mark has more or
less the same meaning.
*The VC has said that hell suspend all those who dont toe the line.
There are many explanations as to the origin of this expression. According to some scholars, the
idiom comes from the world of athletics. The line referred to in the idiom is the starting line of
a race. People taking part in a running race were expected to toe the line; in other words, they
were expected to keep their toes on the line or behind it. Rules required that their toes were on
the mark (line), not over it. This is just one of the explanations.



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Is it okay to introduce oneself in the following manner? My name is Prof. X.
Many teachers in India have the habit of introducing themselves in this manner. A native speaker
of English wouldnt say, My name is Prof. Smith. Remember, professor is the designation of
a person; it is not a part of his name. If you would like people to know that you are a professor,
then youll be better off saying, Im Prof. X, instead of, My name is Prof. X. Does our P.M
say, My name is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh?
What is the meaning of the word presently?
The word has several different meanings depending on the context. When you say that some
event will take place presently, what you mean is that it will take place shortly or soon.
*We were told that the Principal would be with us presently.
In American English, the word is frequently used to mean right now or currently.
Politics is skilled use of blunt objects. Lester B. Pearson
What is the meaning and origin of pull the wool over someones eyes?
This is an idiom which has been around for many centuries, and it is mostly used in informal
contexts. When someone pulls the wool over your eyes, he/she succeeds in deceiving you. The
person does this to ensure that you dont figure out what hes up to.
Raju pulled the wool over the old couples eyes, and ran away with their savings.
Before buying a car, please read this article. Otherwise, the salesperson will pull the wool over
your eyes.
Several centuries ago, it was standard practice in Europe and America for both men and women
to wear wigs irrespective of whether they were bald or not. These loosely fitting hair pieces
were usually made of wool. When thieves wanted to steal something that a wig wearer was
carrying, they sneaked up to the individual and literally pulled the wig (wool) over the victims

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eyes. Temporarily blinded and confused, the victim didnt know what was happening around
him. The thief used this opportunity to run away with what the victim was carrying.
How is the word chutzpah pronounced?
The ch in the first syllable is like the h in hut, hiss, and have, the following u is like the
u in put, pull, and full. The z sounds like the s in sit and sat, and the final a is like
the a in china. The h is silent, and the stress is on the first syllable chut. The word is
pronounced hutspe. Americans sometimes spell this word of Yiddish origin chutzpa.
When you say that someone has chutzpah, what you mean is that the person is not afraid to say
or do things which often embarrass or shock other people. You admire the person because he has
the audacity and the supreme self confidence to do what he wants to. The word is always used to
show approval.
Such was his chutzpah that he asked his new boss if he could take her daughter to a movie.
What is the origin of the word soccer?
According to scholars, soccer is a slang term coined by university students in England to refer
to Association Football. The word comes from the alteration of assoc: the short form of
association. In the beginning, the word was spelt socca, later it became soccer.
What is the meaning of eponymous?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of the word. The e and the y are pronounced like the i
in it, bit, and hit, while the o is like the o in cot, hot, and dot. The final ou is like
the a in china. The word is pronounced iponimes with the stress on the second syllable pon.
Othello, King Lear and Macbeth are some of the well-known tragedies written by
Shakespeare. The title is also the name of the lead character in the play. Similarly, we have
novels like Winnie the Pooh, Robinson Crusoe and Emma; once again, the title is based on
the name of the hero or heroine in the novel. An eponymous character in a book or play is one
whose name also happens to be the title of the book or play.

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My uncle Sammy was an angry man. He printed on his tombstone: What are you looking
at? Margaret Smith
August 2008
What is the difference between impasse and deadlock?
First, let us deal with the pronunciation of the French word impasse. The British tend to
pronounce the i in the first syllable like the a in ant, pants, and apple, and the a in the
second like the a in ask, answer, and car. They pronounce the word ampaas. This is just
one of the ways that the English pronounce the word. Americans, on the other hand, pronounce
the im like the im in him, Tim and Kim, and the following a like the a in cat and
bat. They pronounce the word impass. In both cases, the final e is silent, and the stress is on
the first syllable.
As far as the meaning is concerned, the two can be used interchangeably in most contexts. When
two parties reach an impasse or deadlock, they reach a dead-end. They are in a difficult position
and are unable to reach an agreement about something; they are unable to move forward in their
discussions.
*Peace talks between the two countries ended in deadlock.
How is the word sleuth pronounced? Why are detectives called sleuths?
Sleuth rhymes with truth, booth and Ruth. The word comes from the compound
sleuthhound; it was a dog like a bloodhound which was mainly used for tracking people and
animals. With the passage of time, the word was reduced to sleuth, and like many other words,
it acquired a figurative meaning. It meant to track or pursue someone or something. Since this is
what detectives do, pursue or track people, it is not surprising that the word began to be used to
refer to them. Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes are some of the well-known sleuths in fiction.
The word is considered to be rather old fashioned.


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What is the meaning of tryst?
The y in the word is pronounced like the i in fist, mist, and list. Tryst is considered to
be a literary word which is mostly used in British English. The meeting of two lovers in a quiet
and secluded place is called a tryst. The word nowadays is being used to mean appointment.
Tryst comes from tristre meaning appointed station in hunting.
*According to some people, India has a tryst with destiny.
Is it OK to say, The school has received a great deal of complaints?
o, it isnt. The expression a great deal of is usually followed by uncountable nouns, not
countable ones. It is okay to say, His father left him a great deal of money, or, Her children
spent a great deal of time with the little puppy. With countable nouns, people generally use
large number of or great many.
*The Vice Chancellor received a large number of complaints.
What is the meaning and origin of let your hair down?
When you tell someone to let his hair down, you are telling him to relax and have a good time.
You are asking him to be himself and not worry about what others will think of him.
*Somebody needs to tell the new boss to let his hair down once in a while.
The expression comes from the world of fashion. Centuries ago, women, when they were in
public, had to wear their hair up. The only time when they could literally let their hair down, and
be themselves, was when they were in the privacy of their bed chamber.
Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does, the better.
Andre Gide


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What is the meaning of Adidas? Where does the word come from?
The word doesnt really mean anything. There was time when people believed that Adidas was
an acronym for All Day I Dream About Sport. Of course, some people thought that the s
stood for something else! Neither story is based on fact. The founder of Adidas was a German
named Adolf Dassler; he was nicknamed Adi by his friends. When Dassler started his company
in 1924, he decided to name it after himself. He combined his nickname Adi with the first half
of his surname Dassler and got Adidas! Starting a shoe company seems to have run in the
family. Adolph Dasslers brother, Rudolph, was the founder of the Puma shoe company.
What is the meaning and origin of hitting below the belt?
When you hit someone below the belt, you are being rather cruel or unfair; you are not playing
by the rules of the game. You are using unfair means to get what you want, and in the process
you deliberately hurt the other person.
*Making fun of the poor womans dead husband was definitely hitting below the belt.
The expression comes from the world of boxing. According to the Marquis of Queensbury Rules,
a boxer is allowed to hit his opponent only on the upper body or the head. He is not allowed to
hit below the waist belt.
What is the difference between deadly and deathly?
The word deadly is normally used to suggest that something is fatal. It is something that is
likely to cause the death of someone or something.
*According to this report, the terrorists were carrying deadly weapons.
Deadly can also be used to mean extremely or very.
*The temperature has dropped. Its become deadly cold.

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The word deathly, on the other hand, is mostly used figuratively to mean suggestive of death
or like death. For example, if you say that someone is deathly pale, what you mean is that he
is extremely pale; as pale as someone who is dead.
*After being hit by the car, the poor dog lay deathly still.
When you want to say that something is very dull, the word that you are looking for is deadly
and not deathly.
*You need to have tons of patience to listen to him. The man is a deadly bore.
What is the meaning of invidious?
This is a word that is mostly used in formal contexts. It comes from the Latin invidia meaning
envy or malice. When you refer to a task as being invidious, what you mean is that it is
likely to be rather unpleasant; one that could cause resentment or a lot of unhappiness.
*He was given the invidious task of commenting on his boss work.
The word can also mean offensively unfair or discriminating. An invidious comparison is
one where you are made to compare two things which are very different. The comparison can
sometimes be made difficult because the two objects are either equally good or equally bad.
*As a mother, she resented the invidious comparison between the two children.
Never under any circumstances take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
Dave Barry
Know Your English
"Come in! Come in! How does it feel to be a star?"
"So, what did you think of our play? Did you like it?"
"I quite enjoyed it, actually. It was much better than expected."

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"Thank you! You're not lying, are you?"
"Of course not! I really enjoyed the play. And so did a lot of other people. The guy sitting next to
me let out a couple of belly laughs. I'm sure you heard it."
"What's a belly laugh?" "A loud, hearty laugh is usually called a belly laugh. You laugh so
loudly that sometimes even your belly shakes!"
"I see. My father laughs like that sometimes. Last week, when I told my famous joke, all I got
from my friend was a giggle. What I wanted was a belly laugh."
"You don't always get belly laughs for jokes. Here's another example. I've seldom heard Uma
laugh like that. It was a real belly laugh."
"Did you bring anyone with you to watch the play?" "I certainly did. Ganesh." "Ganesh! He must
have been stepping out every five minutes for a smoke." "He's kicked the habit." "Kicked the
habit? You can kick a person or thing. How can you kick a habit?"
"When you say that someone has `kicked the habit', what you mean is that he has given
something up. He's quit doing something that he used to. He's given it up voluntarily."
"I see. So, what you are saying is that Ganesh has given up smoking." "Precisely. `Kick the habit'
is mostly used in relation to drugs and smoking. But it can..."
"My uncle smokes like a chimney. He's tried to kick the habit several times. But he has never
succeeded."
"A lot of people say it's difficult to kick the habit. Ganesh was lucky. It took him over three years
to kick the habit."
"Good for him. Did he enjoy the play as well?"
"Yes, he did. There were no belly laughs from him, though.

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"Tell me, what can we do to improve? I mean how do we..." "There were several people who
fluffed their lines. Maybe you could..."
"They what?"
"F..l..u..f..f. Rhymes with `stuff' and `puff'. When you fluff something, you make an error or do it
incorrectly or badly. So...."
"So what you're saying is that some of the actors kept making mistakes."
"Exactly! During the recording Anuradha fluffed her lines several times."
"At least I didn't fluff my lines."
"True. Sujatha did very well in the written exam, but she fluffed the interview."
"She told me that interviews make her nervous."
"They make a lot of people nervous. In informal contexts, the word fluff can also be used to
mean `nonsense' or `irrelevant stuff'. The proposal submitted by the Manager is a lot of fluff."
"How about this example? Whenever my Principal gives a talk, there is always a lot of fluff."
"Sounds good. This will make a good essay if you cut out all the fluff in the first two
paragraphs."
"Talking about writing essays, there are a couple that I have to submit the day after tomorrow."
"In that case, you'd better start on them immediately." "I think I will."
"It takes hundreds of nuts to hold a car together, but it takes only one of them to scatter it
all over the highway." - Evan Esar



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Know your English
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be rehearsing for tomorrow's play?"
"That's what we were doing. But unfortunately the CD player stopped working."
"Did you inform the Principal?"
"We went to his office, but he wasn't in his desk."
"A person is usually `at' his desk, not `in' it."
"I see. How about this example? Hari was not at his desk."
"Sounds good. Our Accounts Officer is usually at his desk between 10 and 1:00."
"Is it 10 A.M or P.M?"
"Take a wild guess! Now that the rehearsal has been called off, are you..."
"It hasn't been called off. All we need is a CD player. Could we borrow yours for a day?"
"Mine? It's brand new. I don't..."
"It's only for today. I promise I'll take good care of it."
"Well, okay. I guess you can borrow it. But don't make a practice of it."
"What do you mean? We are staging the play tomorrow. We have to practice."
"That's not what I meant. When you tell someone `not to make a practice of something', what
you mean is that you don't want the individual to do it frequently."
"In other words, you are telling me not to borrow your CD player frequently. You're telling me
not to make a habit of it."

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"Exactly! Seema makes a practice of giving ten percent of her salary to charity."
"You're probably talking about some other Seema. The Seema I know spends all her money, and
makes a practice of borrowing from her parents."
"That's a good example. Some teachers don't mind if their students come late to class. But they
don't want them to make a practice of it."
"Teachers should be grateful that students come to class at all. Many of my friends go to college,
but never attend classes. They make a practice of not attending classes."
"Good example, again. So, how's the play coming along? Did you manage to iron out the
wrinkles?"
"Iron out the wrinkles? Oh you mean the wrinkles in my costume? Yes, I did manage..."
"That's not what I meant at all. The last time we met, you mentioned the problem you had with
the lights in the auditorium. Have you solved the problem?"
"Is that what `iron out the wrinkles' means? To ease or solve a problem?"
"I guess you could say that."
"I see. The problem with the lights was minor. We managed to iron it out pretty quickly. How
does that sound?"
"Excellent. We need to iron out a few wrinkles before we sign the contract."
"I guess you'll be hiring a couple of lawyers to iron out the wrinkles."
"You're right! They're having lunch with my boss tomorrow. I was told that one of them was a
meatatarian."
"A what?"
"A meatatarian."

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"What does it mean?"
"A meatatarian is someone who has a strong preference for meat. He must have meat with every
meal. He doesn't particularly care for fruit and vegetables."
"My friend Anand is a meatatarian."
"The chicken biriyani was so good that Sujatha had three helpings. She is not even a
meatatarian."
"Can this vegetarian borrow your CD player, please?"
"We journalists make it a point to know very little about an extremely wide variety of
topics; that is how we stay objective." - Dave Barry
September 2008
What is the meaning and origin of one swallow does not make a summer?
This is an expression that is normally used to caution someone. When you say that one swallow
does not make a summer, what you mean is that just because something good has happened, it
doesnt mean good things will continue to happen. Chances are things may go bad, instead of
improving. You are requesting the individual to err on the side of caution, and not to get carried
away.
Just because youve won the first round doesnt mean youre going to win the championship.
Remember, one swallow does not make a summer.
The expression comes from the world of Aesops Fairy Tales. In the story, a young man sees a
swallow on a warm winter day. As you know, a swallow is a bird which usually appears during
spring. Thinking that the winter season is over, the young man sells off his woollen coat, and
with the money he has made, he goes to the bar and drinks. Unfortunately, in the days that
follow, the temperature drops. The young man, shivering in the cold, realises that one swallow
does not make a summer.

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What is the meaning of thumb lashing?
We all know what tongue lashing means. It is when someone scolds or criticises us for
something we have done or not done. We have all been subjected to a tongue lashing from our
parents and friends. Tongue lashing has been going on for ages. Thumb lashing, on the other
hand, is something new. Nowadays, thanks to the mobile phone, we are available to people 24/7.
If a person is angry with you, he doesnt have to actually see you or talk to you to give you a
piece of his mind. He can send an angry SMS; this angry message that you get on the cell phone
is called thumb lashing. All that the person makes use of to send you the message is his thumb!
*I got a thumb lashing from my friend for forgetting his birthday.
The introduction of the cell phone has resulted in the coining of new words and expressions. One
of them happens to be thumb me. When you ask someone to thumb you, you are requesting
him/her to send you an SMS. You dont want the person to call you, but thumb you!
*If you manage to get the tickets, thumb me.
What is the difference between peruse and browse?
Browsing is something that we normally do when we are in a bookshop. Before we decide
what to buy, we invariably take a look at the books and magazines available. Sometimes we read
the blurbs, at other times, we sample a paragraph or two in order to decide whether the book is
worth buying. When you browse through a book or magazine, you look at it in a very casual
way; you do not read it carefully.
*He was browsing through the sports section when the phone rang.
*Could you browse through the first draft and give us some feedback?
Perusing, unlike browsing, suggests very careful reading. When you peruse a document, you
go through it very carefully. You examine the document in detail; you read each and every word.
*The CEO perused the ten page document before signing it.

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Calamities are of two kinds: misfortunes to ourselves, and good fortune to others.
Ambrose Bierce
What is the meaning and origin of `eyewash'?
This is an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts. An `eyewash', as you know, is a
liquid that is used to clean the eyes. Figuratively, however, this expression of American origin is
frequently used to mean `nonsense' or `deception'. You may think that what I'm telling you is all
eyewash. Bu it's the truth. The conclusion arrived at by the so called fact finding committee was
just eyewash.
What is the meaning of `rap on the knuckles'?
The word `rap' means to hit sharply, and `knuckles' refer to the joints in one's hands and fingers.
Therefore, when you rap someone on his knuckles, what you are doing is hitting the person
sharply on the back of his hand. Many teachers in our country rap the students on their knuckles.
The idiom means to speak to someone angrily because he has done something wrong or has
failed to do something. The punishment that is given is not very severe; it is usually given to an
individual to serve as a warning.
I got a sharp rap on the knuckles for not finishing the project on time.
The coach rapped the players on the knuckles for turning up late for practice.
Is it okay to say, `He turns to 60 years next week'?
No, it isn't. You usually `turn to someone'. For example, `Chandrika turned to Roy for help.' As
far as age in concerned, you `turn 60' and not `turn to 60 '. In the sentence that you've given,
you'll be better off saying, `He turns 60 next week.'
What is the difference between `reputed' and `reputable'?
We Indians don't really make a distinction between these two words. We tend to use the word
`reputed' when what we mean is `reputable'. Many people mistakenly refer to all the top

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companies in the country as `reputed firms' - when what they mean is `reputable firms'. When
you say that a firm is `reputable', what you mean is that it has a good reputation, and therefore
can be trusted. It is a dependable firm, one that is capable of providing excellent service. In this
case, you are sure of the facts. It is not based on hearsay.
Hema is looking for a job with a reputable firm. When you say that a firm is `reputed', what you
mean is that you have heard other people saying that it is a good firm. You yourself are not very
sure if it is a good company or not. In this case, there is an element of doubt as to whether it is or
not.
The company hired him because of his reputed skill as a trouble shooter.
What does `sotto voce' mean?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The first `o' in `sotto' sounds like the `o' in `hot', `pot', and
`got'. The second `o' and the `o' in `voce' sound like the `o' in `go', `no', and `so'; the `c' is like the
`ch' in `chick', `chips', and `chin'. The `e' is like the `i' in `bit', `kit', and `sit', and the main stress
is on the first syllable of `voce'. The Italian expression is pronounced `so-toe voechi'. `Sotto'
means `under' and `voce' means `voice'; when you say something `sotto voce', you say it under
your breath or as an aside.
"I was always taught to respect my elders, and I 've now reached the age when I don't have
anyone to respect." George Burns
What is the meaning of PowerPoint singalong?
Nowadays, whenever someone gives a talk or makes a presentation, it is usually accompanied by
PowerPoint slides. It is something that the audience expects; a presentation is incomplete without
one. These slides which the speaker shows often contain the main points that he is trying to
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There are occasions, however, when the speaker includes in his slides everything that he is going
to say. As a result, during the presentation, all he does is merely read from the slides; he doesnt
add anything new.
Such a presentation where the speaker reads verbatim from the slides without providing any
comment is called PowerPoint singalong.
The presentation was nothing more than a PowerPoint singalong.
How is the word flummox pronounced?
The first syllable rhymes with the words plum, glum, and slum; the o in the second
syllable sounds like the a in china. The final x is like the cks in sucks, bucks, and
ducks. The word is pronounced flumex with the stress on the first syllable.
This is a word that is mostly used in informal contexts. When you are flummoxed by something,
you are bewildered or confused by it. In fact, you are so confused you dont know what to do.
As expected, the Minister was flummoxed by the questions posed by the reporters.
What is the meaning of risqu? How is the word pronounced?
There are different ways of pronouncing this word of French origin. Some people pronounce the
i in the first syllable like the ea in seat, beat, and meat, and the que in the second like
the name Kay. They pronounce the word rees-kay with the stress on the first syllable.
Americans, I understand, tend to pronounce the i in the first syllable like the i in hit, bit,
and kit. They pronounce the word ris-kay, with the stress on the second syllable.
When you refer to a joke or a story as being risqu, what you mean is that it is slightly off
colour, and therefore, indecent. It is bordering on impropriety. The word comes from the French
risqu meaning risk.
Raju, please remember this. No risqu jokes at the party.

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The new director wanted his young actress to wear risqu clothes.
What is the meaning of percolate?
This is a word which is normally associated with coffee in India! When a liquid percolates, it
passes slowly through a substance. In the case of coffee, boiling water percolates through ground
coffee beans.
The word has a figurative meaning as well. When something like an idea or a rumour percolates,
it begins to grow or spread slowly.
Rumours of their romance have begun to percolate through the office.
Light percolates through those windows early in the morning.
The o in the second syllable sounds like the a in china. The word is pronounced per-ke-
late with the stress on the first syllable.
Hes turned his life around. He used to be depressed and miserable. Now he is miserable and
depressed. David Frost
What is a female mouse called?
Do you remember the opening lines of the song Doe a deer from the movie Sound of Music?
It goes Doe a deer, a female deer. Believe it or not, you can also sing the song by replacing the
word deer with mouse, and you would not be wrong: Doe a mouse, a female mouse.
A female mouse, I understand, is called a doe and the male is called a buck. A baby mouse
can be called a kitten (sounds odd, doesnt it?), pinkie or pup!
Why is the word I always capitalised?
I understand that English is the only language where the pronoun I is always written in the
upper case; in most other languages spoken in Europe, it is written in the lower case. I guess this
goes to show that the English have a big ego! Just kidding! The only explanation that scholars

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have for this is that when the Old English ich, meaning I, was reduced to i, it was thought to
be too small to be considered a real word. Also, printers and scribes were worried that i, when
written separately, would get attached to the word before or after it. Since they didnt want this
to happen, they began to capitalise the word.
What is the meaning and origin of chink in the armour?
This is an expression that has been part of the English language for over 600 years. When you
say that someone has a chink in his armour, what you mean is that the person has a minor fault
which is likely to cause him problems. In other words, the person has a flaw which can be taken
advantage of by other people. The expression can be used with things as well.
*The up and coming star spent hours looking for a chink in the champions armour.
The word chink has nothing to do with a Chinaman. This chink is a rather obscure word
meaning slit or narrow opening. In the old days, as a form of protection, soldiers used to wear
armour. If the armour had a slit, then it became a weak spot, which enemies took advantage of.
What is the meaning of statuesque?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of the word. The a is like the a in cat and bat, while
the following t is like the ch in chat and chap. The u sounds like the u in put and
pull, and the final esque is like the esk in desk. The word is pronounced sta-chu-esk with
the stress on the final syllable esk.
This is a word which is generally used to show approval. When you say that something is
statuesque, what you mean is that it is well proportioned like a statue.
The word is also used to refer to women. When you refer to a woman as being statuesque, what
you mean is that she is attractively tall, graceful, and dignified.
*At the press conference, the statuesque actress said she was planning on quitting films.


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In 8 A.M, what does A.M stand for?
It stands for ante meridiem meaning before noon. Please note that it is ante and not anti.
P.M, on the other hand, stands for post meridiem, meaning post noon. This explains why
midnight is written as 12 A.M.
Good advice is something that a man gives when he is too old to set a bad example.
Francois de la Rochefoucauld
Know your English
Youre late again! Whats the excuse this time?
Im sorry, but I got ...
You could have at least given me a buzz. Ive been waiting for...
Given you a buzz? What are you talking about?
When you give someone a buzz, you give them a call. A telephone call.
I see. I buzzed you several times yesterday.
Yes, but why didnt you buzz me today to let me know youd be late?
The reason I didnt buzz you is because I got a buzz from Sujatha. She and Ramesh had another
one of their fights.
Are you sure? I was told that they smoked the peace pipe a couple of ...
Smoked? Peace pipe? What are you talking about? You know that Sujatha doesnt smoke.
I know that! When two people who dont see eye to eye about something, smoke a peace pipe,
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I see. So when you smoke the peace pipe, you are calling for peace. You want to put a stop to
all the fighting.
I guess you could say that. Bharath is refusing to smoke the peace pipe with that arrogant cousin
of his.
How about this example? We dont wish to smoke the peace pipe with the management.
Sounds good. Tell me, how did...
You tell me. Where does the expression come from?
I understand it is mostly used in American English. When American Indians wanted to...
You mean Native Americans, dont you?
Thats right! American Indians, or Native Americans as they are called now, used to settle
their dispute by burying their weapons: their axes and knives. Once this was done, the two
warring parties used to sit together and smoke from a long decorated pipe.
I suppose this was the peace pipe.
Thats right! Why were Ramesh and Sujatha fighting?
Im not really sure. Have the feeling that Sujatha thinks that Ramesh is trying to imitate his
brother. You know, he always...
Is Ramesh trying to imitate or emulate his brother?
Is there a difference between the two words?
There most certainly is. When you try to emulate someone, you try to be as successful as him.
You are copying the individual because you admire him.
I see. In other words, emulate is always used in a positive sense.

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Exactly! You wish to be as good, if not better than the person you are trying to copy. For
example, some of the kids I know wish to emulate Roger Federer.
What does imitate mean?
When you imitate someone, you are merely copying what he/she does. You are merely aping
the individual. Very often you do this in order to have fun.
I see. So, when you imitate someone, you dont necessarily do it because you admire the
individual.
Thats right. Very often students imitate their teachers or principal.
And some of them do an excellent job. Do you think theres someone out there who is trying to
emulate you?
You never know. There are a lot of crazy people around!
The simple truth is balding African-American men look cool when they shave their heads,
whereas balding white men look like giant thumbs. Dave Barry
October 2008
What is the meaning of unchartered waters?
When you say that a place is unchartered, what you mean is that the area has not been explored.
As it has not been surveyed, you will not find it plotted on any map. It is something that is new
and has never been described.
*We dont know anything about the island. It is uncharted.
When you refer to a situation or an experience as being unchartered waters or unchartered
territory, you mean it is new or unfamiliar. The two expressions are used to mean unknown.
Being in the final of a Grand Slam tournament is unchartered waters for Andy.

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How is the word bade pronounced?
There are two ways of pronouncing this word. One way is to pronounce it like the word bad,
and the other is to make it rhyme with the words made, fade and jade. Bade is the past
tense of bid. When you bade someone goodbye, for example, you are bidding him goodbye.
*Geetha bade Govind goodbye and walked into the airport.
Is it okay to say, He was appointed as Principal?
There is nothing wrong with the sentence; the use of as after appointed is optional. There was
a time, of course, when appointed as was considered unacceptable. Nowadays, even native
speakers of English have begun to use as after appointed. This should make us Indians happy
because weve been saying appointed as for a long time. Careful users of the language,
however, still frown on this.
*Satishs wife has been appointed (as) Deputy Director of Communications.
What is the difference between allude and elude?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of the two words. The a in allude is like the a in
china, and the following syllable rhymes with rude, crude, and Jude. The word is
pronounced a-luude. The e in elude is like the i in it and bit, and the following syllable
sounds like the lude in allude. The word is pronounced i-luude. In both cases, the stress is
on the second syllable.
When you allude to someone or something, you refer to the person or thing in a rather indirect
way. The word is mostly used in formal contexts.
*In his presentation, the speaker alluded to several problems that might result.
When you elude someone, you are clever enough to avoid them or escape from them.
*The fugitive succeeded in eluding the police for several weeks.

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The word can be used with things as well. When something eludes you, you fail to understand
it or remember it.
I met her at last years conference. Her name, however, eludes me.
What is the difference in meaning between I married her and I was married
to her?
Both sentences are grammatically acceptable. The second sentence suggests that you were
married to the girl sometime ago; currently, you are not married to her. In the case of the first
sentence, the meaning is not entirely clear. One is not very sure if the girl continues to be your
wife or not. You may be married to her, you may not be.
If I only had a little humility, Id be perfect. Ted Turner
Know Your English
"What a surprise! You're actually listening to old Hindi songs. What..."
"The songs on this CD are very slow. They make me feel depressed."
"Here, let me play you something peppy."
"Peppy? What are you talking about? What does it mean?"
"What do you think it means?"
"I said the songs were pretty depressing, and you said that you would play something peppy.
Does `peppy' mean `lively'?"
"Wonderful! That's exactly what it means. When you describe a song as being peppy, what you
mean is that it has a lively beat. It makes you feel energetic."
"I see. Can the word be used with people as well?"

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"It certainly can. A person who is `peppy' is lively and full of energy. For example, this year we
should invite someone who is peppy."
"The word peppy, by the way, is mostly used in informal contexts. Now then, do you want to
listen to some peppy Hindi songs?"
"Later. Right now, I'd like you to tell me..."
"Maybe I should use some strong-arm tactics to get you to listen."
"Strong-arm tactics?"
"When you resort to strong arm-tactics, you force someone into doing something."
"How? Do you threaten the person?"
"That's one way of doing it."
"Listen, if you want to reclaim your property, you'll have to resort to strong-arm tactics."
"According to this article, the Chief Minister has been resorting to strong-arm methods."
"That's to be expected, isn't it? Now then, how about..."
"Now then, do I have to use strong-arm methods to get you to listen to some peppy songs?"
"I'm in no mood to listen to old songs right now. Later perhaps. Tell me how is `m..i..n..g..y'
pronounced?"
"The `i' and the `y' are like the `i' in `it' and `bit', and the `g' sounds like the `j' in `jam' and
`juice'."
"The stress is probably on the first syllable."
"Very good! Do you know what the word means?"

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"Haven't a clue."
"It is an informal word which is a combination of `mean' and `stingy'. When you say..."
"When you say that someone is `mingy', what you mean is that he is mean and stingy."
"Exactly! You want to know why your friend didn't lend you the money? It's because he's
mingy."
"How about this example? There's no point in asking him. He's mingy."
"You can't be mingy. The money is going to be used for the upkeep of the old building."
"Upkeep? Does it mean maintenance?"
"That's right! Here's another example. The old man has left a lot of money in his will for the
upkeep of his estate."
"Who is responsible for the upkeep of the local parks?"
"I have no idea. The government is probably being mingy with their funds. It explains why the
parks are in such poor condition." "You have a point there. Now then, how about playing some
peppy songs?" "Thought you'd never ask."
"I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you
realize that what you heard is not what I meant." - Robert McCloskey
What is the meaning and origin of `beat around the bush'?
Sometimes when someone asks us a question, we try and avoid answering it. It's not because we
don't know the answer; the answer is rather embarrassing. Therefore, instead of giving the person
a direct answer, we go about answering his question in a roundabout way. This indirect way of
answering questions is called `beating about/around the bush'. Very often, people beat about the
bush in order to conceal their real intention.

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*For god's sake, stop beating about/around the bush. How much is it going to cost?
*Will you please stop beating around/about the bush? Just answer my question.
The expression comes from the rather cruel sport of `batfowling'. In this sport, people
(`batfowlers') entered the forest during the night and proceeded to kill `fowls' (birds) with the
`bats' or clubs they were carrying. The batfowlers and the servants that they took with them used
to scare birds by beating around the bush in which they were sleeping. The sleepy birds, dazed
and confused by the sudden commotion, would then fly directly to the bright lights that the men
were carrying. Here they were beaten to death. The men who were beating about the bush were
not really interested in the bush; they were interested in the birds that were sleeping there.
Therefore, when someone beats around the bush, he is concealing the thing that he is interested
in; he doesn't come to the point directly.
I have heard people say, `I usually visit my friends at weekends'. Shouldn't it
be `on weekends'?
Both `on weekends' and `at weekends' are correct. I understand `at weekends' is much more
common in British English. `On weekends', on the other hand, is frequently used in American
English.
*My friend Gopa usually gets up late on/at weekends.
What is the difference between `bail' and `parole'?
Bail is the amount of money that an individual who has been accused of a crime pays the court
in order to be released till his trial begins. It is given to people who have been arrested, but
whose case hasn't come to court as yet. The individual asking for bail is usually made to pay a
hefty sum by the judge; this amount is put forward as a guarantee that the accused will be present
at his trial. Not everyone who asks for bail gets it; it is the judge who determines whether
someone should be `released' or `remanded' on bail.
*The judge, as expected, refused to grant bail to the Minister.

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Prisoners are sometimes released on parole. In this case, unlike the person making `bail', the
person has stood trial, has been found guilty, and has been sentenced by the judge. When a
prisoner is released on parole, he is set free before he has completed his sentence. Once released,
he must behave well and must not get into trouble. If he does get into trouble, he may be sent
back to prison. In the case of parole, the individual doesn't pay the court any money.
*The government has been accused of releasing murderers and rapists on parole.
"Television is a device that permits people who haven't anything to do to watch people who
can't do anything." - Fred Allen
November 2008
What is the difference between averse and adverse?
If you are averse to something, you are strongly opposed to it. You disapprove of it, and are
therefore reluctant or disinclined to do it. The word is usually followed by to. In British
English, averse has the stress on the second syllable.
My friend Kalpana is averse to any form of exercise.
Like most politicians, he is not averse to publicity.
Adverse, on the other hand, means having negative or harmful effect on something. When
something adverse happens, something unfavourable takes place. The word is normally used to
refer to external circumstances.
They decided to call off the match due to adverse weather conditions.
The British put the stress on the first syllable, and the Americans put it on the second.
What is the meaning of pigeonhole someone?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of pigeon. The g sounds like the j in jam and
juice; and the final eon is pronounced like the word in.

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The word is pronounced pij-in with the stress on the first syllable. When you pigeonhole
someone or put someone in a pigeonhole, you put him in a particular category without really
considering all his qualities. The opinion you have of the individual remains fixed, and theres
nothing that the person can do to get you to change your mind. Pigeonholing often results in
classifying someone in a rather rigid manner. This expression, mostly used to show disapproval,
can be used with both people and things.
Kunthalas grandson has been unfortunately pigeonholed as a problem child.
Is it okay to say that something was frightfully good?
Yes, it is. Frightfully does not mean frightening. When you say that something is frightfully
good, you mean that it is extremely good or very good. This use of the word frightfully is
mostly heard in British English; it is, however, considered rather old fashioned.
Tapas, you must see the movie. It is frightfully good.
We are frightfully sorry about the commotion we caused last night.
What is the difference between license and licence?
There are several pairs like this in English for instance, advice, advise; practice, practise;
licence, license. The British make a distinction between such pairs. The words advice,
practice, and licence are usually used as nouns. Practise, advise, and license, on the other
hand, are always used as verbs. A licence is what you need to drive a car.
The well known spy, James Bond, has licence to kill. When you grant license to someone, you
give them permission. Many hotels in India are not licensed to sell liquor. People in the army are
licensed to carry guns.
When it comes to spelling, Americans dont make a distinction between such pairs. Both the
noun and the verb are usually spelt with an s: practise, advise, and license.

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A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make
it worth your effort. Herm Albright
How is the word scintillating pronounced?
Many people pronounce the first syllable like the word skin. This, however, is wrong. The c
is silent; therefore, the first syllable is pronounced like the word sin. The i in the second
syllable is like the i in it, bit, and kit, and the lat is pronounced like the word late. The
word is pronounced sin-ti-late-ing with the stress is on the first syllable.
A conversation that is scintillating is witty, interesting and clever. The word comes from the
Latin scintillare meaning to sparkle.
*The conversation during the meal was anything but scintillating.
What is the difference between autopsy and post mortem?
According to most dictionaries, the two words mean the same thing. When a doctor does a post
mortem or an autopsy, he examines the body of a dead person. The body is usually cut open in
order to determine the cause of death. Autopsy seems to be the preferred term in the case of a
homicide.
*We dont know the cause of death. Well have to do an autopsy/a post mortem.
The word autopsy literally means seeing with ones own eyes. Post mortem, meaning after
death, is actually a shortening of post mortem examination. Unlike the word autopsy, post
mortem can be used in general contexts as well. When you conduct a post mortem of an event,
you review it; you usually examine it to determine why the event failed.
*After every match, the coach spends half an hour doing a post mortem.
What is the meaning of the expression grow on someone?

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When we meet someone for the first time, we may not like the person. As we interact with him
more and more, we slowly begin to like him. This is what we mean by the expression grow on
someone. We begin to like someone whom we werent favourably disposed to in the beginning.
The expression can be used with things as well.
*The first time I heard the song, I didnt like it. Now its beginning to grow on me.
The saying, Getting there is half the fun became obsolete with the advent of commercial
airlines. Henry J . Tillman
What is the meaning of putsch?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The u is like the u in put, full, and pull; the final
tsch sounds like the ch in child, cheap, and chips. The word is pronounced puch. A
putsch is a sudden attempt by a group of people to overthrow a government through forceful
means. The word is German in origin, and it means a sudden blow, push.
*The dictator has brought in many changes since the failed putsch.
How is the word bourgeois pronounced?
The our in the first syllable sounds like the aw in claw and flaw. The g is like the s in
measure and treasure; this is followed by the sound w as in wet, week, and west. The
eois in the final syllable is like the a in ask, task, and mask. The word is pronounced
baw-zhwaa with the stress on the first syllable. This is one way of pronouncing the word.
Bourgeois is a word of French origin and it is mostly used to show disapproval. If you describe
someones attitude as being bourgeois, what you mean is that it is rather conventional; it is very
middle class.
*Very soon there is going to be a backlash against the current bourgeois materialism.
What is the meaning of the expression in the thick of things?

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This is an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts. When you say that someone is in
the thick of things, what you mean is that he is deeply involved in something; in other words, he
is taking an active part in it.
*There was a fierce battle going on, and Suresh found himself in the thick of it.
What is the difference in meaning between continually and continuously?
If you work continuously for four hours, you work non-stop for four hours. You dont take a
break in between; you work without any interruption.
*Standing on top of the dune, all she saw was a continuous stretch of sand.
If you say you have been working continually for several hours, it implies youve spent most of
your time working. In this case, you didnt work non-stop; you worked with interruptions.
Maybe you took a five-minute break after every hour of work you put in. These breaks may have
been either voluntary or involuntary. The word continually is used to refer to repeated action.
*Our neighbours new dog continually barked all night.
According to some commentators, this subtle distinction between the two words is no longer
being maintained by many speakers of English.
What is the difference between however and how ever?
However, as one word, is normally used to introduce a statement which contrasts with
something you had said earlier.
*Hema is usually very reserved. At the party, however, she let her hair down.
The word can also be used in sentences to mean to whatever degree.
*However hard you try, you wont be able to defeat him.

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How ever is normally used to show surprise. According to the Oxford Advanced Learners
Dictionary, When ever is used to emphasise how, meaning in what way or manner, it is
written as two separate words."
*How ever did Maya manage to get here so quickly?
Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level. Quentin Crisp
How is the word `malaise' pronounced?
The `a' in the first syllable is like the `a' in `cat', `bat' and `sat'. The second syllable `laise' rhymes
with the words `daze', `gaze', and `maze'. The word is pronounced `ma-laze' with the stress on
the second syllable. This is a word of French origin and it is mostly used in formal contexts.
`Mal' means `bad' and `aise' means `ease'; the word literally means `ill at ease'. Malaise is
normally used to refer to the general feeling of uneasiness that we sometimes have. Very often
we are unable to explain the cause of this mental or physical discomfort. This is just one of the
meanings of the word.
What is the difference between `prevaricate' and `procrastinate'?
Sometimes, we are asked to do things we don't want to. What do we normally do under such
circumstances? We postpone doing them! When you procrastinate, you delay doing something
that you ought to be doing. This Latin word literally means `to put off until tomorrow'.
Stop procrastinating. I need an answer right now. When politicians are asked questions by
reporters, what is it that they do? They try their best to avoid answering them. They do
everything possible to avoid giving a direct and truthful answer.
When a person prevaricates, he avoids telling the truth. The word comes from Latin and literally
means 'walking crookedly'. The `a' in the second syllable of both words is pronounced like the `a'
in `cat' and `bat'.
The press accused the Prime Minister of prevaricating.

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`Procrastinate' and `prevaricate' are mostly used in formal contexts. Both words have the stress
on the second syllable.
Which is correct: `Half of my friends are in America' or `Half my friends are
in America'?
Both sentences are correct. You can use `half' or `half of' before a `noun with a determiner
(article, possessive or demonstrative)'. For example, you can say, `I finished half of my work by
6:00 pm'. You can also say, `I finished half my work by 6:00 pm.'
Half (of) her adult life has been spent in jail.
Before pronouns, however, we use only `half of' and not `half'. For example, `These chocolates
are really good. I've already eaten half of them.' We cannot say, `I've already eaten half them'.
When we talk about measurements or quantity, then we use `half' and not `half of'. There's only
half a bottle of shampoo left.
What is the meaning of `blow away the cobwebs'?
This is an idiom which is mostly used in British and Australian English. Sometimes when we
have stayed indoors for a long time, we feel tired or bored. To overcome these feelings, what is it
that we do? Most of the time, we decide to step outside and get some fresh air. We may go for a
walk, or play some cricket, tennis, etc. This outdoor activity which we take part in to clear our
head is called `blow away the cobwebs'.
A nice little walk on the beach should blow away the cobwebs.
"The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable." - John
Kenneth Galbraith
Correction: Answer to the first question that appeared in this column on October 21: the
word should have been `uncharted' and not `unchartered'. The error is regretted.


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December 2008
What is the meaning and origin of at the fall of a hat?
The expression is at the drop of a hat and not at the fall of a hat. When you do something at
the drop of a hat, you do it suddenly, without any real preparation. Whatever you do, you do at
the spur of the moment.
*The Vice-Chancellor kept changing the rules at the drop of a hat.
The expression comes from the world of boxing and racing. Nowadays, the commencement of a
boxing bout is signalled by the ringing of a bell. The same is true of a horse race. In the old days,
people did not use a bell. Instead, they preferred to use a hat. Why a hat? Because everyone wore
one: it was fashionable for both men and women to wear hats. In order to signal the beginning of
a fight, the referee used to remove his hat from his head and then drop it. Once the hat was
dropped, the boxers came out swinging.
How is the word vouchsafe pronounced?
The first syllable vouch rhymes with couch, pouch, and ouch, and the final syllable is
pronounced like the word safe. The word which is mostly used in formal contexts is
pronounced vouch-SAFE with the stress on the second syllable. When you vouchsafe
something to someone, you grant the person something in a rather condescending manner. The
word literally means vouch as safe.
*The eccentric billionaire vouchsafed his driver three bars of gold.
What is the meaning of Hippopotomonstro- sesquippedaliophobia?
Pretty long word, isnt it? Let me tell you it is not the fear of the hippopotamus. We all know
what phobia means: it is the fear of something. Hippopoto comes from hippopotamus, and
monstro comes from of monstrum meaning monster. Sesquippedalio comes from
sesquipedalian meaning someone who loves to use extremely long words.
Sesquipedalophobia means the fear of long words. And thats what the 15 syllable word

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hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia means: the fear of long words. The hippopoto and
monstro have been merely added to make the word longer! The word can be spelt in different
ways.
*Im not like you. I suffer from a mild form of hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.
Which is correct: sons in law or son in laws?
There was a time when only sons in law was considered correct. Nowadays, there is a tendency
to add the plural form to law: hence we have son in laws, mother in laws, sister in laws,
etc. Although both son in laws and sons in law are correct, careful users of the language still
prefer the latter.
Politics is just show business for ugly people. J ay Leno
What is the difference between portent and portend?
One is a noun and the other is a verb; the two words are pronounced differently. POR-tent,
which is a noun, has the stress on the first syllable; while por-TEND, which is a verb, has the
stress on the second. A portent is an omen; it is a sign that something bad is likely to happen in
the future.
*The CEO believes that the last minute cancellation is a portent of the disasters to come.
The verb portend means to serve as a warning.
*If you ask me, Yogeshs unusual silence portends trouble.
What is the meaning of tchotchke? How is it pronounced?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this Yiddish word. The word can be spelt in different
ways and also pronounced differently. The tch at the beginning and end of the first syllable is
pronounced like the ch in cheese, cheat, and cheap. The o is like the o in hot, got,
and pot, and the final e is like the a in china. The word is pronounced CHOCH-ke with
the stress on the first syllable.

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The word is mostly used in American English to show disapproval. Tchotchke refers to the
inexpensive toys or trinkets which are sold on the roadside or in small shops. These items are of
cheap quality and are of little value. Nowadays, the word is being used to refer to the souvenirs
or promotional items which companies hand out at trade shows. These items usually have the
companys name or logo on them.
What is the meaning and origin of the idiom take something with a grain of salt?
This is an idiom which has been part of the English language since the mid-17th century. When
someone tells you something, and you take it with a grain or pinch of salt, you do not believe
everything he has said: you are sceptical about some of the information that has been given to
you. You have certain reservations.
*Politicians exaggerate. You must take whatever they say with a grain/pinch of salt.
The idiom is a translation of the Latin cum grano salis. According to some scholars, Pliny the
Elder, in his book Naturalis Historia, wrote that Pompey (Julius Caesars son-in-law) had
discovered that his enemy, Mathridates, had found the perfect antidote to poison. Pliny said that
for this antidote to work effectively, it had to be taken with a pinch of salt! Readers however
thought that the reference to salt was a tongue-in-cheek remark: something that was not to be
taken seriously. Another theory which has been put forward is that the idiom comes from the
world of dining: a sprinkling of salt can make something insipid a little more palatable.
What is the meaning of academic bulimia?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of bulimia. The u in the first syllable is like the u in
full, pull, and bull. Some people pronounce the first i like the ea in feat, meat and
seat; others pronounce it like the i in it and bit. Whether you pronounce the word bu-
LIM-ia or bu-LEEM-ia, the stress is on the second syllable. These are just two of the ways of
pronouncing the word.
Bulimia is a disorder. Some people have a craving for food, and when they eat, they proceed to
stuff themselves. Once they have finished eating, they usually rush to the bathroom and force

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themselves to vomit. This act of eating enormous amounts of food and then proceeding to vomit
everything is called bulimia.
Academic bulimia is something that we Indians specialise in. What is it that we do during the
time of exams? We usually mug up the answers to all possible questions, and the following day
we reproduce everything we have memorised; most of the time, with little or no understanding.
This ability that we have to disgorge answers is called academic bulimia.
Dont be fooled by his marks. He doesnt know a thing. What you see on paper is academic
bulimia.
What is the meaning of be up with the larks?
A lark is a bird which starts singing quite early in the morning. Therefore, when you say that you
were up with the larks, what you mean is that you got up very early in the morning. Australians
say be up with the crows.
Im feeling rather sleepy. I was up with the larks this morning.
Never believe anything until it has been officially denied. Claud Cockburn
What is the meaning and origin of `pull out all the stops'?
This is an idiom which has been part of the English language for several centuries. When you
pull out all the stops, you do everything possible to make something a success.
*The local police pulled out all the stops to find the terrorists.
The expression comes from the world of music. The pipe organ, an instrument which is usually
played in church, has small knobs which are referred to as stops. These knobs or `stops', control
the amount of air flowing through the pipes of the organ. When a stop is pulled out, the volume
increases. The more stops you pull out, the louder the organ gets.
Is it ok to say, `I was confident on hitting the shot'?

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We Indians are very fond of the word `on'. We often hear people say that they are `angry on'
someone and `confident on' doing something. The word `confident' is not followed by `on'; one
is seldom `confident on' doing something. One is always confident `of' doing something.
*Girija was confident of defeating her inexperienced opponent.
What is the meaning of `tease' in `tease something out of someone'?
The word `tease' has several different meanings. When you `tease someone', you make fun of the
person. When you attempt to `tease something out of someone', you try to extract information
from that person - you usually succeed in getting what you want.
*Ask Rohini to talk to him. I'm sure she'll be able to tease the information out of him.
The expression can also be used to mean `to lure something out of something by teasing or
tempting'.
*Usha managed to tease the puppy out from under the bed with a slice of bed.
The act of running your fingers or comb through your hair in order to remove the tangled knots is
also called `teasing'.
*Gayathri spent a couple of hours teasing out the knots in her daughter's hair.
"Today's public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is some
evidence they can't read them either." -Gore Vidal
How is the word caveat pronounced?
The ca in the first syllable is like the ca in cat and cab; the at in the final syllable is
pronounced like the word at. The e sounds like the i in it and bit. The word is
pronounced ka-vi-at with the stress on the first syllable. Some people pronounce the a in the
first syllable like the ay in say and may. A caveat is a warning or a caution. The word
comes from the Latin cavere meaning let him beware. Caveat is frequently used in the

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context of law to mean a formal notice to suspend action until the party that filed the action can
be heard.
*I think we can go ahead with the plan, but with certain caveats.
Which is correct: different from or different than?
Both are correct. It just depends on which side of the Atlantic you are from. Something can be
very different from or different than something else. Different from is used in both British
and American English, while different than is restricted to American English.
*The life that these villagers lead is so different from/than ours.
*My daughters new school is very different from/than the old one.
Different to is used in British English, and it has the more or less the same meaning as
different from.
Everywhere I go Im asked if I think the university stifles writers. My opinion is that they
dont stifle enough of them. Flannery OConnor.
How is the word sepulchre pronounced?
The e in the first syllable is like the e in set and pet; the u and the final re sound like the
a in china. The ch is like the k in king and kid. The word is pronounced se-pel-ke
with the stress on the first syllable. In American English, the word is spelt sepulcher. The word
sepulchre is considered literary, and is used to refer to a tomb or a burial chamber.
JANUARY 2007

What is the meaning and origin of the idiom "let the chips fall where they
may"?
This is an expression that is mostly used in American English. When you say `let the chips fall
where they may', what you mean is, do whatever you have to do without worrying too much

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about the consequences of your action. In other words, do the right thing and don't worry about
the fallout. Let things happen naturally; do not make an attempt to try to control everything.
*The minister said that he would speak from the heart, and let the chips fall where they may.
The `chips' has nothing to do with the chips we normally eat. This idiom comes from the world
of logging. When you chop down a tree using an axe, every time you hit the tree, pieces of wood
(chips) scatter. While you are cutting, you do not worry about the various chips flying around;
you don't really care where they land. As a cutter, you remain focussed on the task at hand
which is to chop down the tree.

How is the word `succulent' pronounced?
The `succ' is pronounced like the word `suck'. The sound that follows is like the `y' in `yes' and
`yellow', and the following `u' is like the `u' in `pull', `full', and `bull'. The `e' in the third syllable
is like the `a' in `china', and the main stress is on the first syllable. The word is normally used in
relation to meat, fruit and vegetables. Food that is `succulent' is very juicy and good to eat.
*Shalini placed the succulent fruit on top of the ice cream and served it to the guest.

What is the difference between `noticeable' and `notable'?
When you say that something is `noticeable', what you mean is that it is apparent. In other words,
it is obvious; it can be seen or `noticed' by others.
*There is a noticeable improvement in the champion's backhand.
*What is noticeable is that the two brothers just can't stand each other.
Anything or anyone that is important or interesting is `notable'. The word is normally used with
people who are well known. It can also be used to refer to their impressive accomplishments.
*Winning the Grand Slam twice is one of his notable achievements.
`Notables' is normally used to refer to important or powerful people.
*Many of the local notables decided to stay away from the event.

What is the meaning of `chatterati'?
`Chatterati' is a combination of `chatter' and `literati'. The word `literati', as you probably know,
refers to the educated people who take a great interest in literature. `Chatterati' is a term used by
journalists to refer to people (columnists, talk show hosts, self-proclaimed pundits, etc) who love

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letting the world know what their opinion on something is it doesn't really matter to these
people whether or not they know anything about the subject being discussed! Needless to say,
the word is used to show disapproval.
*What does the chatterati have to say about the new policy?
"Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamppost how it feels about
dogs." Christopher Hampton

What is the meaning and origin of the expression `to curry favour'?
When you `curry favour with someone' you try to gain a person's approval by making use of
flattery. You attempt to win the individual's support by talking to him rather politely, very often
resorting to insincere praise. The expression is normally used to show disapproval.
*Prakash is trying to curry favour with his uncle again.
The `curry' in the expression has nothing to do with the curry we eat. This curry comes from the
world of horse riding. People who take care of horses make use of a `curry-comb' to rub the
animal down. It is from this, that we get the expression `to curry', meaning `to groom a horse'. In
other words, the verb `to curry' means to rub down a horse. The word `favour' in the idiom has
got nothing to do with the favour we know. It is, in fact, a corruption of the French name `Favel'
(also spelt `Fauvel'). Favel is the name of a cunning centaur that appears in a French story
written in the 14th century. A `centaur', as you probably know, is an animal that is half man and
half horse. In the story, people who wanted to be on the good side of the evil Favel, used to
flatter him and also rub him down. In other words, the characters in the story used to `curry
Favel'. In fact, the original expression was `to curry favel'. Since `favel' sounded like `favour',
native speakers of English started saying, `to curry favour'.

Which is correct? `Enter a room' or `Enter into a room'?
When you walk into a room, you `enter' it. You do not `enter into' it. You normally `enter' a
room, building or country.
*As usual, Chandru entered the room with a smile on his face.
*The student wasn't allowed to enter the country without a valid visa.
`Enter into' is normally used in relation to `conversation', `agreement', `discussion', etc. This is
just one of the ways of using the expression.

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*After three days of fighting, the two companies entered into an agreement.
*I hope to enter into a discussion with the leaders of the strike.

What is the difference between `backward' and `backwards'?
In terms of meaning, there is no difference. For example, you can say, `The absent minded
professor had put his shirt on backwards.' It is also possible to use `backward' in the sentence.
The British generally tend to use `backwards', while the Americans use `backward'. It is very
much like the use of the words `toward' and `towards'. Americans prefer `toward', while the
British favour `towards'. When used as an adjective (that is when used before a noun), however,
you can only use `backward'. In the sentences given below, we cannot use `backwards'.
*The children walked out the cave without a backward glance.
*Sandhya took a couple of deep breaths before doing her three backward flips.
"I have never married because I have three pets that answer the same purpose as a husband. I
have a dog that growls all morning, a parrot that swears all afternoon, and a cat that comes
home late at night." Marie Corell

Is it OK to say, `Irregardless of what you say, I plan to marry him'?
`Irregardless' is a word that has caused a great deal of controversy. It has the same meaning as
`regardless'; it is a word that is mostly used in informal contexts in America English. According
to experts, it is a blend of `irrespective' and `regardless'. The word is considered non-standard,
and hence not all dictionaries include it. This is because the word `irregardless' consists of two
negatives; the prefix `ir' means `not', and the suffix `less' means `without'. Avoid using the word.

What is the meaning of `devil-may-care-attitude'?
A person who has a very casual attitude about things in general is said to have a devil-may-care
attitude. This individual is rather carefree, and doesn't get terribly worked up if things don't go
according to plan. He is rather reckless and doesn't really worry about the consequences. The
expression is considered to be rather old fashioned. It is also possible to say, `devil-may-care
manner'.
*When it comes to his studies, Sandeep has a devil-may-care attitude.


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What is the difference between `murder' and `manslaughter'?
In both cases, you perform an illegal act; you end up taking someone's life! When you `murder'
someone, the act of killing the individual is deliberate or intentional. Usually, it is planned, and is
carried out in a cold-blooded manner. It is for this reason that the punishment for murder is very
severe. In the case of manslaughter, the act of killing may or may not be intentional. You could
end up killing someone quite accidentally. If your kill your aunt or uncle because you want their
property, then it is murder. If you run over a pedestrian, it is manslaughter. When you kill
someone in self-defence, it is manslaughter, and not murder.
*The murders in Noida have upset many people in our country.

Is it correct to say, `come to here'?
No, it isn't. You generally say, `Come here', and not `come to here'. There are a number of
common words in English, such as `here', `there', `home', `up', `down', `upstairs', and
`downstairs' which are not preceded by the word `to'.
*The children ran upstairs/downstairs. (Not `ran to upstairs/downstairs')
*The CEO asked us to come here. (Not `come to here')

What is the meaning of the word `affability'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The first `a' is pronounced like the `a' in `cat', `bat', and
`hat'. The `a' in the second syllable is like the `a' in `china'; and the final `bility' is like the `bility'
in `ability', `capability', and `stability'. The main stress is on the third syllable `bi'. A person who
is `affable' is very pleasant and friendly. Such a person is usually very courteous whenever he
talks to someone.
*Many students find the new teacher's affability very irritating.
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some hire P.R. officers." Daniel J .
Boorstin

Know your English
"Hey, why are you taking out your walking shoes? Planning to go somewhere?"
"Planning to go for an early morning walk. Are you game?"

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"Game? Are you asking me if I'm willing to come along?"
"Exactly! If someone is `game' for something, then he is eager and willing to do it. For example,
Sujatha is game for anything that involves a bit of adventure."
Now that you have started exercising again, how about playing table tennis this evening? Are
you game for it?"
"Would love to play, but I can't? I'm taking my bike to the mechanic. It has... "
"To the mechanic? I thought you went last week!"
"That's right! I did go. The guy has done a slipshod job. So, I need to go back and... "
"The guy has done a what? What did you say?"
"S..l..i..p..s..h..o..d. The `o' in the second syllable sounds like the `o' in `hot' and `got'. The main
stress is on the first syllable `slip'. Do you know what slipshod means?"
"It probably means sloppy or careless."
"That's very good! That's exactly what the word means. Anything that is `slipshod' has been done
in a careless way. For example, please don't ask Praveen to write the report. He is a slipshod
writer."
"Let's talk about the slipshod work of your mechanic. How much did you pay him?"
"Two thousand five hundred."
"Two thousand five hundred! Last week, you said two thousand."
"That was the ballpark figure he'd given me. When things... "
"Ballpark figure? What does it mean?"
"When you give someone a `ballpark figure' or a `ballpark estimate', you give them an
approximate figure."
"In other words, you give them a rough estimate?"
"That's right! There must have been 500 people at the party. That's just a ballpark estimate."
"How much do you think it'll cost to go on a cruise? Give me a ballpark figure."
"I haven't the faintest idea. If you were to sell those things you have on the table, you'll have
enough money for a ticket."
"No way! I won't get anything for bric-a-brac."
"Bric-a-brac? What does it mean?"
"The small ornamental objects which people collect, and which are of no value are called bric-a-
brac. For example, Bala clutters his office table with a lot of bric-a-brac."

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"My cousin Ananya's house is filled with bric-a-brac."
"She just loves the Australian cricket team, doesn't she?"
"Yes, that's right! Right now, she's cock-a-hoop about the way Ponting and his men have won
back the Ashes."
"Cock-a-hoop? Does it mean extremely pleased or something like that?"
"Right again! When you're cock-a-hoop about something, you are extremely pleased about what
you have done. Ameya was cock-a-hoop about coming first in class."
"The two brothers were cock-a-hoop about getting a job in a really good company."
"Good example. But remember, the expression is considered old fashioned, and is mostly used in
informal contexts. So, how about the walk? You coming?"
"I'm game."
"Any organisation is like a septic tank. The really big chunks rise to the top." J ohn Imhoff
February 2007
Know Your English
"Where have you been? I've been waiting for over half an hour."
"I'm sorry. I had the misfortune of running into my new neighbour. He... "
"You didn't like him, eh?"
"No, I didn't. I found his manner very off-putting."
"Off-putting? Don't think I've heard the expression before. What does it mean?"
"When you say that someone's behaviour is `off-putting', what you mean is that it is rather
strange or unpleasant."
"Since the behaviour is unpleasant, there is no way you can like the guy!"
"Exactly! Here's an example. The strong language used in the letter was off-putting."
"The behaviour of teenagers nowadays is off-putting."
"You're beginning to sound like my father! Not all of them are bad, you know. Tell me... ."
"First, you tell me. How do you pronounce the word c..u..s..s..e..d?
"Well that depends on the meaning of the..."
"This article talks about a cussed old man."
"In that case, the first syllable `cuss' rhymes with the words `fuss' and `bus'. The `ed' that follows
sounds like the `ed' in `wanted', `hunted', and `slanted'. The main stress is on the first syllable."
"But what does the word mean?"

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"When you refer to an individual as being `cussed', what you mean is that he is very stubborn; he
doesn't readily agree or cooperate with people."
"I see. So a cussed person is someone who doesn't help others?"
"You could say that! That's one of the meanings of the word. `Cussed' is considered rather old
fashioned, and is normally used in informal contexts."
"And it's probably used to show disapproval!"
"Exactly! Here's an example. Gayathri, my cousin's daughter, is so cussed that she always does
the opposite of what her parents tell her to."
"Sounds good. Anyway, what is the article you are reading? Is it interesting?"
"It's an article on places that one can visit during the summer. Tell me, what does the expression
`teeming with' mean?"
"When you say that the river is teeming with fish, what you mean is that the river is full of fish."
"In other words, `teeming with' means in great numbers."
"Yes, that's right! It also means that the people or animals are moving around quite a bit."
"I see. How about this example? I'm told that during summer, most hill stations are usually
teeming with tourists."
"Sounds good. So, tell me, what do you think... ."
"It is also possible to use the expression `teem with' figuratively. For example, Sujatha says her
mind is teeming with ideas."
"That's what Vinay, our school cricket captain, says as well! He believes... "
"Vinay? You mean that chunky boy is the captain of your school team?"
"Chunky? What does it mean? Does it mean `fat'?"
"Not necessarily. When you say that someone is `chunky', what you mean is that the person is
rather short and heavy."
"In other words, he is stocky!"
"Exactly! The person is broad built. For example, according to the coach, some of our superstars
are chunky."
"Remember, the word is normally used in informal contexts."
"I will, oh chunky one!"
"Doing nothing is very hard to do... .you never know when you're finished!" Leslie Nielsen


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What is the meaning of `mealy mouthed'?
We often meet people who are hesitant to say what is on their mind. When something unpleasant
happens, they refuse to speak plainly or openly about the matter. When you say that someone is
`mealy mouthed', what you mean is that the individual is not frank or sincere. He is not brave
enough or honest enough to speak his mind. The term is normally used to show contempt for an
individual.
*Jai is a young, mealy-mouthed politician that people just love to hate.
Food that is dry and powdery is often referred to as being `mealy'. So when you say that
someone is `mealy-mouthed', what you mean is that the person has something dry and powdery
in his mouth. He is therefore unable to speak clearly. According to scholars, the expression
comes from the German `Mehl im Maule behalten', meaning `to carry a meal in the mouth'.

Is it OK to say, `It costs very much money'?
No, it isn't. Normally with verbs like `cost', `eat' and `pay', we generally don't use `very much' -
especially in affirmative sentences. We cannot say, `I ate very much ice cream' or `I had to pay
very much'. We normally use `a lot' with these verbs. For example, we say, `I ate a lot of ice
cream', `I had to pay a lot in taxes', and `The new TV costs a lot'. It is, however, possible to use
`very much' with these verbs in questions.
Did the new TV cost very much?
Did you have to pay very much as rent?
One can also use `cost' and `pay' with `very much' in negative sentences. For example, it is
grammatically acceptable to say, `It doesn't cost very much' and `You don't really have to pay
very much.'

What is the difference between `odorous' and `odious'?
When you say that someone is `odious', you are implying that the person is extremely
unpleasant. The individual deserves our contempt and hatred. The word is normally used in
formal contexts, and can be used with things as well.
*Ritu is certainly the most odious teenager that I've ever met.

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The word `odorous' is related to `odour', meaning `smell'. When you say that something is
`odorous' what you mean is that it has a strong and distinctive smell. The smell can be either
pleasant or unpleasant.
"The word `politics' is derived from the word `poly' meaning `many', and the word `ticks',
meaning `blood sucking parasites'." Larry Hardman

What is the meaning of `wimpy'?
When you call someone a `wimp', you mean that he is a very weak and timid individual; he is
spineless. Other words that have more or less the same meaning are `drip' and `wuss'.
*Don't be such a wimp, Raju. Just go ahead and take the plunge.
*How can you ask someone wimpy like Karthick to be the next President?
The expression `wimp out' is being used nowadays in informal contexts to mean the same thing
as `chicken out'. When you `wimp out' of doing something, you get out of doing it because you
are very scared.
*Sagar said that he would go bungee jumping with me. At the last minute, he wimped out.
*If you're serious about doing it, let me know. I don't want you to wimp out.
According to some scholars, the word `wimpy' comes from the word `whimper'. Others believe
that it comes from the name of a character in a well-known cartoon show, `Popeye'. J.
Wellington Wimpy, affectionately called `Wimpy', is Popeye's friend. Unlike the star of the
show, there's nothing heroic about this roly-poly character. Wimpy is spineless; he never
participates in any of the fights that Popeye is constantly getting himself into. The only thing
Wimpy enjoys doing is eating hamburgers! "I'd gladly pay you tomorrow for a hamburger today"
is his favourite line.

What is the meaning of `subaltern'?
It means `subordinate'. The word was originally a term used in the army to refer to any
commissioned officer below the rank of a captain. In British English, the `a' and the `e' are
pronounced like the `a' in `china', and the main stress is on the first syllable. In American
English, the `u' and the `e' are like the `a' in `china', and the `a' is like the `au' in `aught' and
`caught'. The main stress, in this case, is on the second syllable. Nowadays, the term is used to
refer to the underprivileged or the disadvantaged.

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What is the difference between `impulsive' and `compulsive'?
Some people are compulsive liars. What this means is that these individuals are addicted to
lying; they just cannot stop lying. Lying is an obsession for them. Similarly, a person who is a
compulsive gambler has to gamble; he cannot refrain from gambling. Even when he has run up a
huge debt, he will beg, borrow or steal money and continue to gamble. He will be unable to kick
the habit.
*It was during the honeymoon that he realised that his wife was a compulsive eater.
Something that you do `impulsively', you do spontaneously. When a fast bowler bowls a
bouncer, most batsmen impulsively duck. You may lie impulsively on an occasion; this doesn't
mean that you lie all the time. In other words, you are not a `compulsive liar'. You are not
constantly thinking about lying it just happens. A compulsive smoker or gambler constantly
craves for the things that he is addicted to.
"A woman's mind is cleaner than a man's. She changes it more often." Oliver Herford

Know your English
"Your company seems to be doing quite badly. According to my cousin... "
"Have you come here to cheer me up or make me feel even more depressed?"
"Sorry! How did your boss react when people started selling their shares?"
"He didn't turn a hair."
"Didn't turn a hair, eh? How could he? Your boss is completely bald!"
"He's as bald as a coot, isn't he? When you say,..."
"What is a coot? Is it an animal of some kind?"
"It's a bird. And... "
"When you say that someone is as bald as a coot, what you probably mean is that the person is
completely bald. Am I right?"
"One hundred per cent. My neighbour is as bald as a coot."
"My twenty-five year old cousin is as bald as a coot. We've been telling him to wear a wig."
"Maybe someone should tell Sehwag to wear one as well. Ever since he started losing hair, he's
stopped scoring runs."
"Maybe he's related to Samson! Anyway, what does `didn't turn a hair' mean?"

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"When you give someone bad news and he doesn't show any emotion, you say, `he didn't turn a
hair'."
"When my boss was told that the union members were going on strike, he didn't turn a hair."
"He's a cool customer, isn't he?"
"He certainly is. I wouldn't want his job, though. He has to take a lot quick decisions. I want a
job where I don't have to take any. A job... "
"Then become a Supreme Court Judge. The only time he takes a quick decision is when he has to
decide whether Doordarshan should be given telecast rights for a cricket match."
"You have a point there."
"Turn on the TV, will you? I want to... "
"There's something wrong with it."
"It's not even a year old. It's still in guarantee, isn't it?"
"You don't say that something is `in guarantee', but `under guarantee'. Yes, the TV is still under
guarantee."
"How about this example? I have to remind my father that the air conditioner is still under
guarantee."
"Good example. By the way, the stress in guarantee is on the final syllable. Not on the first. How
is your friend Sunita doing?"
"She's doing great! She's got a job in a call centre and is working alongside of Arun and Sarah."
"She works alongside Arun and Sarah. You don't say `alongside of'. For example, the children
took great delight in working alongside the clowns."
"Senior citizens were seen fighting alongside soldiers."
"We jogged alongside the Olympic champion..."
"I understand how to use `alongside' now. So, please stop. Tell me, are you in the mood for a
movie?"
"A movie, eh? Not a bad idea! Going out might do me a world of good. It might help me
overcome my depression. Can you wait for a while? I'll take a bath, and then... "
"Take your bath? Shouldn't you say, `I'll have my bath'?
"You can either `take a bath' or `have a bath'. Both are acceptable. The British say `have a bath',
while Americans say, `take a bath'."
"OK then, you have your bath. While I'm waiting, I'll write a letter."

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"A letter? To whom?"
"To Sehwag. I'm going to tell him to wear a wig."
"I f you want to make God laugh, tell him your future plans." Woody Allen

March 2007
How is the word `nave' pronounced?
The word consists of two syllables. The `a' is pronounced like the `uy' in `guy' and `buy'; the `i'
that follows sounds like the `ee' in `fees', `bees', and `sees'. The final `e' is silent, and the stress is
on the second syllable `iv'. This is just one of the ways of pronouncing the word. When you say
that someone is `nave', what you mean is that the person is very trusting. He is very
inexperienced, and as a result, he doesn't know very much about the ways of the world. He
willingly believes everything that people tell him.
*Jai is nave enough to believe that politicians are really interested in helping people.

What is the difference between `hat' and `cap'?
Both are used to cover the head of an individual. Caps usually fit tightly around the head, and
they don't have a brim a flat edge that goes all around a hat. A cap is usually made of soft
material, and is equipped with a visor in the front. Hats, on the other hand, are grander than caps.
They vary in shape and are usually worn on formal occasions; caps are never worn to official
functions such as state dinners. Both men and women have been wearing hats for a long time. In
fact, a couple of centuries ago, a married woman had to wear a hat when she went out this
was to let people know that she was married. Single women, on the other hand, were allowed to
go hatless.

What is the meaning of `out of kilter'?
The expression, mostly used in British English, has several different meanings. When you say
that a machine is out of kilter, what you mean is that it is not in proper working order. It is
malfunctioning.
*Our TV has been out of kilter for the past two weeks.

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Other expressions which have more or less the same meaning are `on the blink' and `out of
whack'.
*Our old tape recorders are out of whack. They need to be replaced.
When you say that someone's opinion is `out of kilter', what you mean is that it is different from
those of others.
*The president's views were out of kilter with public opinion.
As for the origin, well, no one is really sure where the expression comes from.

What is the difference between `squirrel something away' and `squirrel out of
something'?
Squirrels spend most of their summer getting ready for the winter. They gather nuts and hide
them away so that they can eat them when food becomes scarce. So, when you say that someone
has `squirreled something away', what you mean is that he has hidden or stored something away
in order to use it later on.
*I'm told that Rajesh has been squirreling away money for several years now.
When you succeed in `squirreling out of something', you manage to escape doing what you were
supposed to do. You get out of a situation you do not wish to be in.
*Babu will do anything he can to squirrel out of going to the dentist.
*Listen to me! You have to do it. Don't you dare try to squirrel out of it.
"Life is like a dogsled team. I f you ain't the lead dog, the scenery never changes." Lewis
Grizzard

What is the meaning and origin of the idiom `dark horse'?
With the World Cup matches under way, this idiom has become very popular among sports
columnists. When Bangladesh defeated New Zealand in a warm-up match, it became the dark
horse of the tournament. In the context of sports, when you say someone is a dark horse, what
you mean is that very little is known about the person's ability. Since people don't know how
well the individual plays, chances are, he may end up surprising his opponents he may even
end up winning the tournament!
*According to my favourite columnist, there are two or three dark horses in the tournament.
*Sanjay is a dark horse for a medal in the 200 metres event.

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The expression comes from the world of horse racing. I understand that when placing a bet on a
horse, punters (people who bet on horses) take into account the animal's lineage and its win-loss
record. If this information is not available, then the bettors have no way of knowing what the
strengths and weaknesses of the animal are. They are kept in the `dark' about the capability of the
animal. Such a horse is known as a `dark horse'. The expression was first used by Disraeli in his
novel, `The Young Duke'.

What is the meaning and origin of `white paper'?
We often read in newspapers that the government has issued a white paper on some matter. A
`white paper' is an official report, in which the government outlines its policy on an issue of
current concern. The report is usually not very bulky, and it is made available to the public. Such
a report began to be called `white paper' because it was bound in paper of that colour. A couple
of weeks ago, a judge said that corrupt individuals must be hanged from lamp posts. Since there
are some people of questionable reputation in Parliament, it would be interesting to see if the
government brings out a white paper regarding this matter.

What is the opposite of `feminist'?
A feminist, in simplistic terms, is someone who advocates equal rights for women. A man who
believes that men should have the same rights as women is called a `hominist'. This is not a new
word. George Bernard Shaw coined it in 1903 in his preface to `Man and Superman'. Another
word that is commonly used now is `masculinist'.

Is it OK to say, `It was a good movie indeed'?
We often hear sentences like this. People who are fond of grammar, however, would frown at
such a sentence. They would argue that the sentence would have been grammatically acceptable
if the word `indeed' had come immediately after the verb `was' - `It was indeed a good movie'.
Similarly, it is OK to say, `The behaviour of the students was indeed bad', but not `The
behaviour of the students was bad indeed.' If you wish to have `indeed' at the end of these
sentences, then you need to put the word `very' in front of the adjective good/bad.
*It was a very good movie indeed.
*The behaviour of the students was very bad indeed.

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"The only `ism' that Hollywood believes in is plagiarism." Dorothy Parker

What is the meaning of `murfing'?
Very often when we surf the Net for information, we end up visiting sites that we don't really
need to. We spend a lot of time moving from one site to another because we find the contents
rather interesting though they may not provide us with the information that we actually need!
This aimless surfing of the Net that we indulge in is called `murfing'.
*Uma spent the afternoon murfing `diabetes', and ended up learning more about dowry deaths.
Today, the word has taken on an additional meaning. `Murfing' is seen as a combination of
`mobile' and `surfing'. With advances in technology, it is now possible to surf the Net on your
mobile phone.

How is the word `brusque' pronounced?
There are different ways of pronouncing this word. The Americans pronounce the `u' like the `u'
in `cut', `hut', and `but', while the British pronounce it like the `oo' in `cool', `fool', and `pool'.
The final `que', in both cases, is pronounced like the `sk' in `mask', `task', and `flask'. When you
say that someone's behaviour is `brusque', what you mean is that the person is rather curt in
other words, rude or rough. The person doesn't say much, but when he speaks, he sounds rude.
*Don't worry! I'm not going to be put off by his brusque replies.
The word `brusque' comes from the Italian `brusco' meaning `sour' or `sharp'. The same word
was also used to refer to a prickly plant (`butcher's broom'). Perhaps it was in this sense that
`brusque' was used when it was borrowed into English someone as disagreeable as the
butcher's broom.

What is the meaning of `nook and cranny'?
The word `nook' rhymes with `hook', `book', and `cook'. Since the 14th century, the word has
been used to refer to a remote corner or secluded spot. The `a' in `cranny' is like the `a' in `apple',
`ant', and `add'. A `cranny' is a crack or an opening of some kind for example, a crack in the
wall can be referred to as a `cranny'. When you say that you have looked for something in every
nook and cranny, what you mean is that you have looked for it everywhere.
*The children looked for the ball in every nook and cranny, but they couldn't find it.

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What is the reply to the question `You didn't' like him, eh?' Should it be `No, I
didn't' or `Yes, I didn't'?
If you would like to agree with the speaker, and say that you did not like the person, then the
standard reply to the question is, `No, I didn't'. You do not say, `Yes, I didn't like him.' If you
wish to indicate agreement with a negative statement, you normally say, `No', and not `Yes'.
*Your sister is not an easy person to work with, is she? No, she isn't.

What is the difference in meaning between `sicken at' and `sicken of'?
Sometimes, the very thought of something makes you sick; you are horrified or repulsed by it.
That's what the expression `sicken at' means.
*The children sickened at the idea of having to clean public toilets.
When you `sicken of' something, you get bored or tired of it. In other words, you get sick of it. It
is also possible to sicken of a person.
*Many students were beginning to sicken of the strike.
"All the things I really like to do are either immoral, illegal, or fattening." Alexander
Woollcott

How is the word `scintilla' pronounced?
The first syllable `scin' is pronounced like the word `sin', and the second is pronounced like the
word `till'. The final `a' is like the `a' in `china', and the main stress is on the second syllable.
Scintilla means `an extremely small amount'.
I wouldn't worry if I were you. There isn't a scintilla of truth in what he is saying.

Which is correct? `I think the team has a good chance of winning the
tournament' or `I think the team have a good chance of winning the
tournament'?
Both are correct. It depends on how you view the team. If you think of the team as consisting of
several individuals, then you use the plural `are'. If, on the other hand, you think of the members

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of the team as forming a single unit, then you use the singular `is'. `Committee', `jury', and
`public' are examples of nouns that can be used with both singular and plural verbs. Here are two
more. The government are hoping to lower the interest rates by next month.
My family wants me to go abroad and do a PhD.

What is the meaning and origin of `make no bones about it'?
When you say that someone makes no bones about something, what you mean is that the person
is very frank about it; he speaks plainly, and does not attempt to hide the truth. For example, if a
person makes no bones about a scandal in his past, he talks about it candidly at times, leaving
the listener embarrassed!
The teachers made no bones about their dissatisfaction with the contents of the article.
Radha made no bones about her dislike for crossword puzzles.
Some scholars believe that the idiom comes from games played with `dice'. During the early
14th century, dice were made from bones; therefore, it comes as no surprise that the slang term
for these small cubes was `bones'. I understand that even today, it is common practice among
gamblers to talk to their dice and blow kisses on them before throwing them on the table. When a
person makes `nobones about it', he rolls the dice without really doing any of these things. In
other words, he doesn't plead with the dice to give him a particular number. This is just one of
the explanations for the origin of the idiom.

What is the difference in meaning between `forbear' and `forebear'?
`Forebear' is a noun, and `forbear' is a verb. It is also possible to spell the noun, `forbear'. When
used as a noun, the word means `ancestor'; the stress, in this case, is on the first syllable. The
word is considered literary.
Thiru has every intention of returning to the land of his forebears.
When used as a verb, `forbear' means `refrain from'. In this case, the stress is on the second
syllable, `bear'. The past tense of `forbear' is `forbore'.
The witness turned hostile and forbore to answer many of the questions.
"I never married because I have three pets at home that answer the same purpose as a
husband - a dog that growls all morning, a parrot that swears all afternoon, and a cat that
comes home late at night." Marie Corelli

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April 2007
What is the meaning of "bury your head in the sand"?
What happens when you `bury' or `hide' your head in the sand? The most obvious thing is that
you won't be able to see anything! If you can't see anything, you will not know what is
happening around you. When a person buries his head in the sand, he tries to run away from his
problems; he refuses to even acknowledge that he has any. Instead of tackling the problem, he
deliberately ignores it. By turning a blind eye to it, he hopes that somehow the danger or trouble
will go away on its own! In other words, he is wishing it away; he doesn't want to deal with it.
*You cannot continue to bury your head in the sand. We need a plan of action.
When an ostrich is in danger and doesn't want to be detected, it stays low and stretches out its
long neck along the ground. People thought the bird was trying to bury its head in the sand - it
wasn't!
How is the word `cynosure' pronounced?
There are several ways of pronouncing this word. Some people pronounce the `cy' like the `si' in
`sit', `sip' and sin', and the following `o' like the `a' in `china'. The `s' sounds like the `z' in `zip'
and `zoo', and the final `ure' like the `ure' in `pure', and `cure'. The stress is on the first syllable.
Others pronounce the `y' in the first syllable like the `y' in `my' and `by', and the `s' in the third
syllable like the `sh' in `should' and `sheep'. A cynosure is the centre of attraction; everyone is
drawn to the person or object. Anything that can serve as a guide is a cynosure. The word is
mostly used in formal contexts.
*The young bride didn't even realise that she was the cynosure of all eyes.
The word `cynosure' comes from the Greek `kynosoura' meaning `dog's tail'. In ancient sailing
charts, the North Star was referred to as `cynosure' because sailors used it as a guide to navigate
the seas.

What is the difference between "She's ill" and "She's been ill"?
When you say that someone is ill, what you are implying is that the individual is not well right
now. At the moment, he is ill; you don't know whether he was ill 15 or 20 minutes ago. The only
thing you can be sure about is the fact that he is ill right now. `Has been ill' suggests that the

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individual has been unwell for some time. As to how long he has been unwell, one can't really
say. The construction suggests that the individual was unwell sometime ago, and still continues
to be unwell.
*The players are in Hyderabad. (Right now, the players are in Hyderabad)
*The players have been in Hyderabad. (They have been in Hyderabad for a while)

When do you use `how ever'?
Don't confuse `how ever' with `however'. `How ever' occurs mostly in questions. The word `ever'
is used to give emphasis to various expressions. It is used to indicate surprise, admiration, anger,
etc.
*How ever did you manage to get the tickets for the movie?
The word `ever' is used to add emphasis to the question. Notice that even without the word
`ever', the questions would be grammatically correct. According to some scholars, `how ever' in
these questions has the same meaning as "how on earth". "How on earth did you get a job as
teacher?"
"A man's face is his autobiography. A woman's face is her work of fiction." Oscar Wilde

Why are street vendors sometimes referred to as `costermongers'?
The word `costermonger' is mainly used in British English to refer to someone who sells fresh
fruit, vegetables and fish on the street. `Monger' means `seller or trader'; `coster', on the other
hand, is actually a corruption of an old English word `costard', meaning `apple'. A
`costardmonger' was someone who sold apples on the street.

What is the meaning of the expression `no ifs and buts'?
Very often when we tell children to do something, their standard reply is, "But can't I do it later?
I want to watch this match on TV!" or something like that. They always try to put things off,
and they provide all kinds of excuses as to why things should be postponed. They will keep
arguing with you till they are blue in the face. When you tell someone that you don't want any
`ifs and buts', what you mean is that you want them to stop arguing and do what they have been
told to. It's your way of telling them to get on with their job. You don't want to hear any more
excuses.

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*I don't want to hear any ifs and buts. You are not wearing that dress to the party.

Which is correct? "The students had a difficulty in getting the books" or "The
students had difficulty in getting the books"?
The second sentence is correct; you do not normally say `had a difficulty'. The word `difficulty'
does not take the indefinite article `a' before it. For example, we say, "The children had difficulty
in understanding the accent." We don't say, "The children had a difficulty in understanding the
accent." It is possible to drop the word `in' in the sentence.
*It rained heavily last night, and we had difficulty (in) finding a taxi.

What is the difference between `obsolete' and `junk'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of `obsolete'. The first syllable rhymes with `sob', `cob'
and `mob'. The second `o' is like the `a' in `china', and the final `lete' rhymes with `neat', `beat',
and `meat'. The main stress is on the final syllable `lete'. When you say that something is
`obsolete', what you mean is that it has gone out of fashion; it is outdated. It is no longer required
or no longer in use because something new and better has taken its place. For example,
computers have made typewriters obsolete; the `tonga', which was quite popular once upon a
time, has become obsolete.
*We don't have spare parts for your computer. The model has become obsolete.
`Junk', unlike the word `obsolete', is mostly used in informal contexts. When you say that
something is `junk', what you mean is that it is worthless. The object is fit to be thrown away.
Something that is new, but is of no value, can also be called `junk'. `Obsolete', on the other hand,
does not carry this meaning. The word merely suggests that the equipment has become outdated
it could be an outdated piece of equipment that still works. A piece of junk, on the other hand,
could be an outdated piece of equipment which may or may not work. Either way, you want to
throw it away. Not everyone throws away an obsolete piece of equipment.
*You've had that scooter for over 20 years now. Get rid of the junk.
"I t's clearly a budget. I t's got a lot of numbers in it." George W. Bush



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What is the meaning of `three dog night'?
According to some scholars, the expression comes from Down Under. Cowboys spend a lot of
their time outdoors looking after animals. During cold winter nights when the temperature dips,
the men often cuddle up with their dogs to keep warm. When it is slightly cold, they need the
body heat of only one animal to keep warm; such a night is referred to as `one dog night'. When
it becomes extremely cold, the men may need three dogs to keep warm. Such an extremely cold
night is referred to as `three dog night'. This practice of embracing dogs for body warmth was
quite common among the Australian Aborigines.
*Take extra blankets. According to the forecast, it's going to be a three dog night.
`Three Dog Night' is also the name of an American rock and roll band. They were quite popular
in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

What is the meaning of `ne plus ultra'?
The expression comes from Latin, and it means, `not further beyond'. The ancient Greeks
believed that this was the expression that was inscribed on the Strait of Gibraltar - then called,
`Pillars of Hercules'. The inscription was meant to warn sailors not to go any further westwards.
If they did, they would be sailing into unknown territory - the uncharted waters of the Atlantic.
Nowadays, `ne plus ultra' is used to mean the highest level of excellence, something that is close
to perfection. The "e" in "ne" is pronounced like the "ay" in "way", "hay", and "ray", while the
"u" in "ultra" sounds like the "u" in "cut", "hut", and "but". Here is an example.
*Bala's career with the organisation reached its ne plus ultra when he was appointed Managing
Director.

What is the meaning of `willy-nilly'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The first syllables of the two words sound like `will' and
`nil' respectively. The final `y' in both cases is pronounced like the `i' in `bit' and `sit'. The main
stress is on `nil'. When you do something `willy-nilly', you do it under compulsion. You do it
whether you like it or not; you don't really have a choice regarding the matter.
*Be careful. Otherwise, you will be dragged, willy-nilly, into the fight.
The expression can also be used to mean doing something in a careless or disorganised manner;
doing it without any prior planning.

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*The students rushed in and threw their bags willy-nilly into the storeroom.
The expression is a contraction of `will ye, nill ye'. `Nill', a word that we no longer use, meant `to
be unwilling'.

How is the word `dichotomy' pronounced?
The first syllable `di' is pronounced like the word `die'; the following `chot' sounds like the word
`cot'. The `o' that follows is like `a' in `china', and the final `y' is like the `i' in `kit' and `bit'. The
main stress is on the second syllable `chot'. When you say that there is a dichotomy between two
things, what you mean is that there is a big difference between them. The two are so different
that they seem to be the complete opposite. The word `dichotomy' is mostly used in formal
contexts.
*What most students don't realise is that there is a dichotomy between theory and practice.
The word comes from the Greek `dikhotomia' meaning, `cut in two'.
"I t's useless to hold a person to anything he says while he's in love, drunk, or running for
office." Shirley Maclaine

Why do pilots shout `Mayday, Mayday' when they are in trouble?
When a pilot is in serious trouble and wishes to let air-traffic control know that he has a problem,
he usually shouts, `Mayday, Mayday, Mayday'. The term is always shouted three times in a row.
The expression `Mayday' has been used as an international distress signal in radio
communications since 1927. `Mayday' has nothing to do with the month of May. The expression
comes from the French `m'aider', which is the shortened form of `venez m'aider', meaning `come
help me'.

What is the meaning of `Red-corner notice'?
What happens when a criminal from India evades arrest and flees to another country? How do
we get the person back so that he can stand trial here? In such cases, the country gets in touch
with Interpol and asks it to issue a Red-corner notice. If the government knows in which country
the criminal is hiding, it asks Interpol to issue the Red-corner notice to that country. A `Red-
corner notice' is an arrest warrant circulated by Interpol on behalf of the government of a

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particular country. It is a request from one country to another to arrest and deport the wanted
individual. In the old days, we had `wanted' posters. Nowadays, we have Red-corner notices.
*Interpol issued a Red-corner notice for the gang leader in 2001.

What is the meaning of `snit'?
When you are extremely agitated or irritated about something, you are said to be in a snit. The
expression `in a snit' can also be used to mean `in an angry mood'. It carries the suggestion that
you are being unreasonably angry or annoyed. `Snit' is mostly used in informal contexts. As for
the origin, no one is really sure where the word comes from.
*The children were in a snit because I refused to let them watch the match.

What is the meaning and origin of the expression, `to be called on the carpet'?
When you are called on the carpet, you are usually questioned by someone in authority. In most
cases, you are rebuked and are held accountable for a mistake or an offence.
*The students were called on the carpet for cheating in the exam.
In the old days, most offices did not have a carpet. Only the most important people in the
organisation were given one. Therefore, when you say that someone was called on the carpet,
what you mean is that a person in a subordinate position was called to the boss' room to face the
music. The person literally stood on the carpet while the boss gave him a piece of his mind.

How is the word `schedule' pronounced?
The word is pronounced differently depending on which side of the Atlantic you are from. The
British pronounce the `sched' like the word `shed'; the following `ule' sounds like the word
`Yule'. The Americans, on the other hand, pronounce the `sch' like the `sk' in `skip' and `skin'.
The `d' that follows sounds like the `j' in `jam' and `jazz'. The final `ule' rhymes with `cool' and
`pool'. In both cases, the stress is on the first syllable.
*Raj was disappointed because nothing went according to schedule.
"The perfect love affair is one which is conducted entirely by post." G. B. Shaw



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Know Your English
"Our Men in Blue are back! They seem to have sneaked into the country very quietly."
"The poor chaps had to. If the fans had to come to know... ."
"Poor chaps? Most people are cursing them, and you say... ."
"Listen! There's no point bad-mouthing our players. It's not going to... ."
"Bad-mouthing? What does it mean? Does it mean to speak ill of someone?"
"That's right! When you bad-mouth someone or something, you say bad things about the person
or thing. For example,
"My neighbour bad-mouths politicians all the time."
"That's something a lot of people enjoy doing! "
"Excellent example! The expression `bad-mouth' can also be used as a noun. A bad-mouth is
someone who speaks ill of others."
"Why do you say that we shouldn't bad-mouth our Men in Blue?"
"I don't see any reason to! After all, they have done their job admirably!"
"Done their job admirably! Are you nuts? They lost in the very first round!"
"I know that! But you forget, they are the Men in Blue. By losing in the first round, they have
succeeded in making the entire country blue! They have done their job!"
"You have a point there! 15 people have succeeded in making a billion people sad. Isn't that what
feeling blue means? Feeling sad or depressed?"
"That's right! And that's what the expression `in a blue funk' also means. For example, Tara has
been in a blue funk ever since she lost her job."
"There's no point in going into a blue funk whenever our team loses. Our overpaid
underachievers seldom win. So, we... ."
"What do you think will happen to the players?"
"Absolutely nothing! They will be in the doghouse for a while. But after some time,..."
"In the doghouse? What does it mean?"
"When you say that a person is in the doghouse, what you mean is that others are annoyed with
him because of something that he has done. For example, when a man forgets his wife's birthday,
he's really in the doghouse."
"The children were in the doghouse because they broke a couple of window panes while playing
cricket."

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"According to some people, the reason we lost is because there was just too much pressure on
our players."
"You know what they say. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."
"I have heard that expression before. But I forget what it means."
"It means if you can't handle a difficult situation, then leave."
"In other words, if the players can't handle the pressure, they should just quit the game."
"Exactly! The students argued that the course was too demanding. The teachers said that if they
couldn't stand the heat, they should get out of the kitchen."
"None of our players will stay out of the kitchen. Too much money involved."
"Another reason they won't be able to stay out of the kitchen is because many of them own
restaurants!"
"The exquisite art of idleness, one of the most important things that any university can
teach." Oscar Wilde

May 2007
How are the words `drought' and `draught' pronounced?
The `gh' in `drought' is silent; the word rhymes with `doubt', `shout', and `pout'. The `gh' in
`draught', on the other hand, is pronounced like the `f' in `fish', `feet', and `foul'. `Draught' is
pronounced like the word `draft'. In American English, `draught' is spelt `draft'. We all know
what `drought' means; it's the period when we have continuous dry weather, and as a result, we
don't have enough water to meet our needs. Drought and famine are very common in some parts
of Africa. A `draught', on the other hand, is the unwanted current of air that comes into a place.
For example, during winter nights, cold air manages to get into the house even when we have all
the doors and windows closed.
*I could feel the cold draught coming through the wooden walls.

What is the meaning of `eleemosynary'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. There are several ways of pronouncing this word. The
simplest way is to pronounce the first `e' like the `e' in `set', `pet', and `let'; the following `ee' like
the `ee' in `feel', `peel', and `heel'. The `o' sounds like the `o' in `hot', `pot', and `dot', and the `y'

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like the `i' in `hit', `pit', and `sit'. The final `a' is like the `a' in `china', and the main stress is on
the third syllable `mos'. Remember, this is just one of the ways of pronouncing the word.
Not all dictionaries include this word. Eleemosynary is mostly used in formal contexts, and it
means relating to charity or the giving of alms.
*We intend to provide eleemosynary assistance to the poor in our neighbourhood.

What is the difference between `damsel' and `spinster'?
A `damsel' is a young, unmarried woman; the word is mostly used in literary contexts, and is
considered rather old fashioned. A much more common word nowadays is `bachelorette'. By the
way, the first syllable of `damsel' is pronounced like the word `dam', and the `s' that follows is
like the `z' in `zoo' and `zip'. The main stress is on the first syllable. A `spinster', unlike a damsel,
is usually middle aged or old. She is someone who has never married and her chances of getting
married are remote. A damsel is single for the time being; she may choose to marry later on.

What is the meaning of `spill the beans'?
This is an expression that is very popular in American English; it is mostly used in informal
contexts. When you `spill the beans', you unintentionally reveal a secret. The expression has
more or less the same meaning as `let the cat out of the bag'.
*As expected, Sashi spilled the beans about Hari's surprise party.

What is the difference between `I'll meet you in the mall' and `I'll meet you at
the mall'?
The first sentence implies that you are going to meet the person inside the building. Where
exactly inside the mall you are going to meet the individual, we don't really know. All that we
know is that the meeting is going to take place inside. When someone informs you that he will
meet `at' the mall, you are not really sure whether it is inside or outside the building. It could be
either.
"I was the best man at the wedding. I f I 'm the best man, why is she marrying him?" J erry
Seinfeld


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How is the word `wind' in the expression `long winded' pronounced?
The `i' in `winded' is like the `i' in `kid', `did' and `bid', and the stress is on the first syllable. The
word is pronounced like the noun `wind', the strong breeze that sometimes blows before the
evening rain. When you say that someone's speech was `long winded', what you mean is that the
person wasted a lot of time getting to the point. The speaker used too many words, and as a result
the speech turned out to be tediously long. The expression `long winded' can also be used to talk
about things that have been written.
*The CEO gave a long-winded speech about the importance of family.

What is the difference between `look over' and `overlook'?
When you overlook something, you ignore it or fail to see it. In other words, it is possible for one
to overlook something or someone accidentally or deliberately. By the way, the main stress in
this word is on `look'.
*The fast bowler had been overlooked again. The selectors were unwilling to give a reason.
The word `overlook' also means to give a view of a place from above. For example,
*Vinita is pretty excited because her room overlooks a beautiful lake.
When you look something or someone over, you very quickly examine the object or person.
*The writer asked a couple of his friends to look over the article.

What is the meaning of `Federer rules'?
When you say that someone rules, what you mean is that he is the best. He is king. This is an
expression that is mostly used in informal contexts.
*When it comes to playing on clay, Nadal rules.

What is the meaning and origin of `doubting Thomas'?
A `doubting Thomas' is a sceptic; the expression is used to describe someone who demands
proof before he believes or accepts anything.
*Balagopal is a real doubting Thomas. He wouldn't believe that the new house was mine till I
showed him the documents.

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When St. Thomas was informed that Christ had risen from the dead, he refused to believe it. He
demanded physical proof of Jesus' resurrection. It was only when he saw Jesus with his own eyes
and touched His wounds did he believe what he had been told. According to scholars, the
expression began to be used in the late 19th century. The earlier expressions that were commonly
used were `wavering Thomas' and `unbelieving Thomas'.

What is the meaning of `win-win situation'?
In a dispute, there are two parties involved. Usually, one side wins and the other loses. In a win-
win situation there are no losers; the result is such that both sides get the impression that they
have won. The two sides are happy with the outcome of the dispute; each side feels it has
emerged victorious.
*It is important that you come up with a win-win situation.
"My dad knew I was going to be a comedian. When I was a baby, he said, `I s this a joke?'"
Ken Dodd

What is the difference between "prophecy" and "prophesy"?
The first word is a noun and the second is a verb. There are other pairs like this in English:
advice (n), advise (v); practice (n), practise (v); device (n), devise (v), etc. The "o" in "prophecy"
is like the "o" in "cot", "hot" and "lot", and the following "ph" is like the "f" in "fish", "feel" and
"fast". The "e" in the second syllable and the final "y" are like the "i" in "bit", "hit" and "sit". In
the case of the verb, the final syllable is pronounced differently. The "y" sounds like "y" in "my"
and "by". In both cases, the main stress is on the first syllable. When an individual prophesises,
he is predicting what is likely to happen in the future.
*Some of the prophecies she made over twenty years ago have come true.
*They have prophesised that the ruling party will lose the elections.

What is the meaning of "supranational"?
"Supra" means "above" or "beyond". When you say that something is supranational, what you
mean is that it goes beyond national boundaries. The United Nations and NATO are supposed to
be supranational organisations. What this means is that these organisations involve more than
one country, and their power or authority extends beyond the borders of individual countries.

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What is the meaning of "to work one's fingers to the bone"?
When you say that you have been working or wearing your fingers to the bone, what you mean is
that you have been working very hard for a long time. You have been putting in such an effort
that you have managed to work the skin and flesh off your fingers. There is no skin or flesh left,
only bones.
*I've been working my fingers to the bone trying to get the room ready for the guests.

How is the word "parsimonious" pronounced?
The "a" in the first syllable is like the "a" in "bath", "path", and "cast"; the "i" in the second and
fourth syllables sound like the "i" in "it", "bit", and "kit". The "o" is pronounced like the "o" in
"go", "no", and "so"; while the final "ou" is like the "a" in "china". The main stress is on the third
syllable "mo". The word is mostly used in formal contexts. When you say that someone is
`parsimonious', what you mean is that the individual is very careful about how he uses the
resources that are at his disposal. It could be money or anything else.
*If we are parsimonious now, we won't have to depend on our children later on.

Where does the expression "stand and deliver" come from?
This was the expression used by highwaymen (robbers) in England in the 17th century. When
these robbers held up stagecoaches, they used to shout "stand and deliver". By "stand" what they
meant was they wanted the coach to "stand still"; in other words, stop. And by "deliver", what
they meant was they wanted the passengers to "deliver" or hand over the valuables to them.
"Not even computers will replace committees, because committees buy computers."
Unknown

Know your English
" H..o..a..r..d and h..o..r..d..e. Are they pronounced differently"
"No, they are not! Both rhyme with `board', `cord', and `ford'."
"But what's the difference in meaning between the two?"
"Hoarding is what some politicians do."

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"You mean hoarding is `human trafficking'?"
"No, that's not what the word means. When you hoard something, you store it away for future
use. This is often done very secretively. The word is usually used to show disapproval."
"In our country, it is common practice among merchants to hoard rice and... ."
"Especially when there is a shortage. Squirrels hoard nuts for the winter, and misers hoard
money."
"Now tell me, what does h..o..r..d..e mean?"
"It's a very large gathering of people. It is usually an excitable crowd, often unpleasant. Like
`hoard', this word is also used to show disapproval."
"How about this example? Hordes of fans went to the stadium to greet Sachin on his birthday."
"What's the matter with you today? Why are you so angry?"
"It's just been a really bad hair day."
"A really bad hair day! But there's nothing wrong with your hair. It looks great!"
"When you tell someone that you've been having a bad hair day, what you mean is that you've
been having a bad day. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with your hair."
"Although it could. Is that what you're saying?"
"That's right! Your hair is in such a mess that the very thought of it ruins your entire day."
"Some people are like that, I guess. Ever since the debacle in the World Cup, it's been one bad
hair day after another for our overpaid underachievers."
"Aren't you glad the World Cup is over?"
"For me, like most Indians, the World Cup came to an end after the first round."
"Let's not talk about our self proclaimed `heroes'. The Aussies were just magnificent, weren't
they?"
"They certainly were. They just waltzed through the tournament."
"Waltzed through the tournament? Are you trying to say they won all matches easily?"
"That's right! When you waltz through something, you get through it very easily."
"Isn't the waltz a dance of some kind?"
"Yes, it is a dance. So, shall we... ."
"I thought as much. How about this example, then? The Indians thought they would waltz
through to the Super Eight."
"Sounds good! "

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"Talking about projects, aren't you supposed to be working on one right now?"
"I finished it over a week ago."
"A week ago! How did you manage that? I thought... .."
"The project turned out to be a waltz."
"A waltz? What do you mean? Does it... ."
"When you say that something is a waltz, what you mean is that it is very easy to do."
"The Indians thought that the game against Bangladesh would be a waltz."
"We thought watering the garden would be a waltz. But it turned out to be real hard work."
"It usually is. You'd better leave. I have to prepare for tomorrow's presentation."
"Oh, don't worry about it. I'm sure you'll waltz through it."
"We learn from experience. A man never wakes up his second baby just to see it smile."
Grace Williams

June 2007
Is it ok to say, I have a head-bath every Saturday?
This is an expression that is commonly heard in India; not many dictionaries include head-bath
the few that do, state that the word is mainly used in South Asia. Native speakers of English
dont use this word, and probably wont understand what you mean by it. When a native speaker
of English talks about taking a bubble bath, what he means is that he is going to get into a
bathtub which is full of water and soap bubbles.So when you tell him that you are going to have
a head-bath, he might get the impression that you are going to get into a tub which is full of
heads! Just kidding! Native speakers wouldnt say I have a head-bath every Saturday; instead,
they would say, I wash my hair every Saturday.

What is the meaning of hasta la vista?
The expression is from Spanish and it means see you later or good bye. Hasta la vista
became quite popular among native speakers of English thanks to Arnold Schwarzeneggers
blockbuster, Terminator 2: Judgement Day. In this sequel, Schwarzenegger, who plays a
cyborg from the future, keeps saying Hasta la vista baby.

What is the meaning of excuse my French?

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Very often, when people get angry, they swear. They use many vulgar words which they
wouldnt normally use. When you say excuse my French, what you mean is that you are sorry
that you have sprinkled your conversation with words which are considered impolite. You are
apologising for swearing in the presence of those who might be offended by it. The expression
pardon my French has the same meaning. Why the French, and not the Germans or Russians?
The answer is fairly simple. The English hated the French; they thought that the French were
vulgar people who swore all the time. Therefore, when an Englishman says, pardon my French,
what he means is that he is going to behave crudely like a Frenchman!

What is the difference between pain and ache?
Both words can be used to refer to any bodily discomfort that an individual may feel. Of the two,
pain is the more general term. The pain that you feel in some part of the body may be intense,
or it may be mild; similarly, its duration could be either long or short. If you hit your thumb with
a hammer, the pain could last for a few seconds, or for several days.
Usually, pain implies something that comes on suddenly. When you bump into the wall, you
feel pain and not ache. The pain that you feel could be local over a small area or it
could be widespread.
Ache, on the other hand, is usually associated with a particular part of the body; we often talk of
a toothache, headache and stomachache. When we get any of these aches, they usually last for
some time. They dont disappear in a matter of minutes.
An ache, therefore, is usually long lasting. Another difference is that the discomfort that one
experiences is not as intense as pain; some dictionaries define ache as dull pain.
The only exercise I get is walking behind the coffins of friends who took exercise.
Peter O Toole

How is the word curmudgeon pronounced?
The u in the first syllable and the eo in the last syllable are pronounced like the a in china.
The second u is like the u in cut, hut, and but, while the dg that follows is pronounced
like the j in jam, jeep, and juice. The main stress is on the second syllable. This is one way
of pronouncing the word.

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Some people pronounce the ur in the first syllable like the ur in burn and burst. When you
call someone a curmudgeon, what you mean is that you are not particularly fond of the
individual because he is bad tempered. The word is considered to be rather old fashioned, and is
usually used with men.
*Rahul decided to resign because he couldnt put up with his new boss, a terrible old
curmudgeon.

What is the difference between ex and former?
Careful users of the language lament the fact that not many people maintain a distinction
between these two words. If you are in the habit changing jobs every two months, you will have
several former bosses, but only one ex-boss. What is the difference between the two?
Some scholars argue that the word ex should be used with the immediate past incumbent.
Your previous boss is your ex-boss, and the ones you had before him are your former bosses.
Vajpayee is the ex-Prime Minister of India. Nehru, V. P. Singh, Indira Gandhi, and Gujral, some
of the others who preceded Vajpayee, are all former Prime Ministers of India.

What is the meaning and origin of for Petes sake?
The expression for Petes sake is mostly used in speech to indicate surprise, anger, or disgust. It
has the same meaning as for heavens sake for goodness sake, for Gods sake, for pitys
sake, etc.
*For Petes sake, dont just stand there like an idiot. Give me a hand.
Nowadays, it is very common to hear people say, god dammit or what the hell when they are
angry or exasperated. In the old days, people were not allowed to take the Lords name in vain;
they were punished if they did so.
In order to avoid swearing, people began to make use of euphemisms mild and less harsh
sounding expressions. According to scholars, for Petes sake is one such euphemism its
often referred to as minced oath. The Pete refers to St. Peter.

What is the meaning of diem?
This is a word that comes from Latin, and it means day. The word is used in English in certain
fixed expressions like carpe diem and per diem.

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Of the two, per diem is much more common in India, especially in Government circles. It
means per day; when employees of the government are sent on official duty to other places,
they are paid a daily allowance. This is called per diem, and it is given to an individual to meet
his daily expenses. Carpe diem means seize the day.
Women will never be successful as men because they have no wives to advise them. Dick
Van Dyke

Know your English
"You're late as usual. What's the excuse this time?"
"Ran into Sarita and Ganesh at the bus stop. They are planning to see Spiderman 3 this evening,
and they wanted to know if I'd like to come along."
"I hope you said no. If you go with those two, you'll end up feeling like a fifth wheel."
"A fifth wheel? What are you talking about?"
"This is an expression mostly used in American English. A fifth wheel is a person or a thing that
is not required."
"In other words, the person is the unwanted extra. He is like the fifth wheel of a car that already
has four good ones, and is therefore unnecessary!"
"For example, the team already has two very good off spinners. I feel like a fifth wheel."
"It is also possible to say, `third wheel'."
"Lavanya is just a third wheel around here. Why don't you send her home?"
"Good example. Is something wrong? You look a little green around the gills."
"What are you talking about? I'm not a fish! I don't have gills!"
"When you say that someone is green around the gills, what you mean is that he/she looks out of
sorts."
"In other words, the person looks sick or unwell."
"That's right! The person feels like throwing up. For example, I'm feeling green around the gills.
I'd better step outside and get some fresh air."
"It's possible to say `blue around the gills' as well. It means the same thing. Ever since eating the
chocolate cake, I've been feeling a little blue around the gills."
"I've been feeling blue around the gills since this morning. That was just an example. There's
nothing wrong with me. I feel just fine."

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"You don't look it, though. Do you... ."
"Guess who came to see me this morning?"
"I'm not in the mood to play games. Just tell me."
"Ram. He says that he is going to start his own business."
"Ram is going to start his own business! Does he have the smarts to do that?"
"Smarts? You mean `smart', don't you?"
"No, I mean `smarts'. The word `smarts' is used in informal contexts to mean `intelligence' or
`expertise."
"Intelligence, eh? Can I say, I've have the smarts to do the job?"
"You certainly can. Here's another example. If I were you, I would talk to Bala. He has the
smarts to figure out what to do next."
"But your friend Ram certainly hasn't got the smarts. The only thing that he is good at doing is
telling fish stories."
"Fish stories! What are you talking about?"
"A fish story is a tall tale. In other words, a great big lie."
"How about this example? Politicians are good at telling fish stories."
"That's a good example. Do you seriously expect me to believe that fish story?"
"Can you tell me why tall tales are called fish stories?"
"Fishermen always have interesting stories to tell about the fish that they didn't catch. In the
stories that they tell, the fish that gets away is always very big. Hence the expression `fish
story'."
"That makes sense."
"You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you
could do while you're down there." George Burns

What is the meaning of `smell blood'?
When someone you are competing against begins to exhibit a weakness, what would you do?
You would make use of the weakness to your advantage. This is what the expression `to smell
blood' means to make use of someone's weakness or problems to your advantage. It is also
possible to say `scent blood'.
*When our main bowler was injured, the opposition began to smell/scent blood.

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When a shark smells blood, it goes into a frenzy. It attempts to find out where the smell is
coming from. It tries to locate its prey making use of its amazing senses, and when it finds the
wounded animal, it attacks. The wounded animal is at a disadvantage, and the shark makes use
of this weakness to kill it.

How is the word `boulevard' pronounced?
The `ou' in the first syllable is like the `oo' in `cool', `pool', and `fool'; the following `e' is like the
`a' in `china'. The final `ar' sounds like the `ar' in `bar', `par', and `tar'. In American English, the
`ou' is pronounced like the `u' in `put', `pull', and `full'. In both cases, the stress is on the first
syllable. The word is used to refer to a street or a road that is lined with trees on both sides. In the
U.S, however, any broad road can be referred to as `boulevard'.

What is the meaning and origin of `damp squib'?
When your favourite film star's movie is released, you go to the theatre with great expectations.
You think that the film is going to be great, and you are going to have a wonderful time.
Sometimes, the film doesn't meet your expectations, and you feel a sense of disappointment; you
feel terribly let down. In such a context, you can say that the movie was a damp squib in other
words, it failed to live up to your expectations.
*For the majority of Indians, the World Cup turned out to be a damp squib.
We all know what damp means it means `wet'. A `squib' is a firecracker. We know from
experience that when a damp firecracker is lit, it will not explode. How do we feel when it
doesn't? Terribly disappointed.

What is the difference between `cool down' and `cool off'?
The two phrasal verbs have more or less the same meaning. When something `cools down' or
`cools off', it becomes cooler than what it was earlier. In other words, the temperature drops a
little bit. During summer, when it cools down, things seem a little more pleasant.
*It was well past midnight before it started to cool off/cool down.
The two expressions can be used with people as well. When you say that someone has cooled
down/cooled off, what you mean is that he has become less angry.
*There's no point talking to you now. Go to your room and cool off.

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How is the word `sic' used?
The word is pronounced like the word `sick' and it means `so, thus'. This Latin word is usually
written within brackets after a quote. By putting the word `sic' within brackets, what you are
telling the reader is that you are aware there is an error in what you have written; this error is not
yours, but the original writer's. You are merely informing the reader that you are being faithful to
the original source.
*The young soldiers were unable to cope up (sic) with the pressure.
"His insomnia was so bad, he couldn't sleep during office hours." Arthur Baer


JULY 2007
Know your English
Hello! Come in! Come in! What are you doing here so early?
Nandini called and said that her computer was acting up. Thought it was a hardware problem.
Hardware problem, eh? Knowing Nandini, its probably a wetware problem.
Wetware problem? What does it mean?
The human brain is sometimes referred to as wetware. The next time you meet Nandini, tell
her that she needs to update her wetware.
You have a point there. She doesnt know anything about computers. In fact, there was nothing
wrong with her computer. As you rightly said, it was a wetware problem. So, how are things
with you?
Things are just great. How about you?
Im glad that somebody is feeling great. I bumped into Chandu at the market. He looked like
You ran into poor Chandu? Did he look like death warmed over?
Look like death warmed over? Doesnt it mean that you want him dead or something like that?
Of course not! When you say that someone looks like death warmed over, what you mean is
that the person looks terrible ill.
I see. How about this example? I saw Girish at the hospital. He looked like death warmed over.
Sounds fine! I havent slept in three days. I feel like death warmed over.
Feel like death warmed over? Does it mean you feel extremely tired?

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Exactly! Its also possible to say like death warmed up. They both have the same meaning.
O.K. Tell me, why does Chandu look like death warmed up?
Im told he lost his shirt. Poor chap, he...
He looks like death warmed up because he lost some silly shirt. Is he crazy?
I dont think you understand. When you say that someone lost his shirt, what you mean is he
lost everything, including his shirt.
In other words, he is penniless. He has no money.
Thats right! He is broke. Chandu lost a lot of money in the stock market.
I see. How about this example? My friend Sandeep lost his shirt on some silly dog race.
Sounds good. Do you think I should lend Chandu some money and ask him to
Go right ahead. Its your funeral.
First, you talk about death, and now funeral. What does this expression mean?
When you tell someone that its his funeral, what you mean is that if he does something, he has
to suffer the consequences.
I see. Go ahead, make the presentation without really preparing for it. Its your funeral.
Im told there are many crocodiles in this part of the river. But if you insist on swimming, I
wont stop you. Its your funeral.
I think I understand the meaning now. Id better go. I promised to meet Dilip at the new
restaurant.
I went there yesterday. Its no great shakes.
Meaning its not very good?
Thats right! According to Ananya the latest Harry Potter book is no great shakes.
That may be true. When it comes to judging restaurants, youre no great shakes.
I installed a skylight in my apartment. The people who live above me are furious. Steven
Wright

What is the meaning of wake up and smell the coffee?
This is an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts. When you tell someone to wake
up and smell the coffee, what you mean is that you want the individual to be more aware of
what is happening around him. It has the same meaning as get with it.
*You dont know what an iPhone is! Wake up and smell the coffee.

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*The company is in serious trouble. Wake up and smell the coffee.

What is the meaning of akimbo?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The a sounds like the a in china; the following
syllable is pronounced like the name Kim. The final bo rhymes with so and no, and the
stress is on the second syllable kim. The word is mainly used to refer to ones arm position.
When you stand with your arms akimbo, you have your hands on your hips and the arms are
spread out with the elbows pointing outwards. It is a posture that generally indicates impatience,
hostility, or contempt.
*The principal stood, arms akimbo, glaring at the students.
*Standing behind the sofa with arms akimbo, Sheel told the painter what to do.

Can we say, He is a faculty at Osmania University?
The word faculty is normally used to refer to all the teachers in a particular department or
university. In this sense, it is like the word staff. Just as you cannot say He is a staff, you
cannot say, He is a faculty. If you wish to refer to a particular individual, then you have to say,
He is a member of the faculty or He is a faculty member.
*Eminent faculty members from Harvard will be present at the conference.
*Id like all of you to meet the new member of our faculty.

What is the difference between look and see?
Both words are used to talk about the different ways we use our eyes. Seeing is a physiological
process, it is something that our eyes do automatically. When you see something, it is not
intentional, but accidental. On your morning walk, you may see a cute little puppy, a man
wearing a pink shirt, and an old motorcycle parked next to your new car. When you went for the
walk, it was not your intention to see all these objects. You saw them because they came in front
of you. You couldnt avoid noticing them.
Looking, on the other hand, is an intentional act. When you look at something, you pay
attention. For example, if you look at a puppy, you observe it carefully. You begin to pay
attention to its colour, size, etc.

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In case youre worried about whats going to become of the younger generation, its going to
grow up and start worrying about the younger generation. Roger Allen

What is the meaning of take pot shots at someone?
In British English, the word pot is used as a verb to mean to shoot small birds and animals
without taking careful aim. The reason you dont need to aim is because there are so many
birds/ animals clustered nearby, that if you shoot in their general direction, you are bound to hit
something. There is no way that you can miss. Hunters took pot shots because they wanted to put
food on the table; their aim was to fill the cooking pot! The opposite of pot shot, I understand,
is fair shot; the kind of shot a gentleman hunter prefers to take. In this case, the hunter decides
which animal he wishes to kill, aims for it, and then shoots. As time went by, the term pot shot
began to be applied to any sort of blow physical as well as verbal that was difficult to avoid.
The expression take pot shots at someone is now used to mean to criticise someone rather
unexpectedly or unfairly.
*During the press conference, several reporters took pot shots at the aging actor.

What is the meaning of last but not least?
The expression has been around since the 16th century. It means finally, but not less
importantly. The expression can be used when you introduce a group of people to a friend.
When you come to the last person in the group, you can say last but not least, this is Suman.
What you mean by this is that though Suman is the final person to be introduced, it doesnt mean
she is less important than those introduced before her; she is as important as the others.

How is the word sang-froid pronounced?
There are several ways of pronouncing this word. Sang is often pronounced like the word
song. The fr is like the fr in from, French, and friend; the sound that follows is like the
w in wet, well, and wish. The vowel is like the a in bath and path. The final d is
silent, and the stress is on froid. The word sounds like song-frwaa.
Sang-froid is a word of French origin and it means cold blood. When a person displays sang-
froid in a crisis, he remains very calm when things around him are falling apart.
*Though the crowd was extremely hostile, the visiting team showed remarkable sang-froid.

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What is the difference between cronyism and nepotism?
Both words are used to show disapproval. If you are accused of nepotism, then you use your
position to promote or help the members of your family; it is favouritism based on kinship. The
word comes from the Latin nepos meaning nephew.
*Prema got the job because of nepotism her father is the CEO of the company!
The word crony (rhymes with pony and Tony) is used to refer to a friend with whom you
spend a lot of time. When you accuse someone of cronyism, what you mean is that the person is
using his official position to help his friends.
*Bush and Cheney have often been accused of cronyism.
People say New Yorkers cant get along. Not true. I saw two New Yorkers, complete
strangers, sharing a cab. One guy took the tires and the radio; the other guy took the
engine. David Letterman

What is the meaning of tour de force?
This is an expression that comes from French, and is mainly used to show emphasis. When you
call someones speech or performance a tour de force, what you mean is that it was
outstanding; it was very well done. It is something that is unlikely to be equalled by others.
*The ageing actors performance as the drunken father is a tour de force.

Is there a sentence that includes all 26 letters of the alphabet?
A sentence which contains all the letters of the alphabet is called a pangram. There are many
pangrams; in fact, if you are in the mood, you can create one of your own. The most famous
pangram is the following: The quick brown fox jumps over the lady dog.
I understand that in the old days when typists wished to check if all the keys were in working
order, they invariably typed this sentence.

What is the meaning and origin of back to square one
When you have been working on a problem for a long time, and you are unable to find a
solution, what is it that you normally do? Since you have not been able to make any progress,

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you go back to the beginning and start all over again. When you tell someone that you are back
to square one, what you mean is that youve returned to the original starting point. In other
words, you are going to begin all over again.
After three days of house hunting, I found one that I really liked. When I went to pay the
advance the next morning, the landlord said that he had decided not to rent the house. So, it was
back to square one.
According to some scholars, this expression was made popular by sports commentators of the
BBC. Since football is a game that is difficult to follow on the radio, what some enterprising
radio commentators did in the early 20th century was to divide the field into eight squares. The
commentators informed the audience of what was happening on the field by telling them which
square the ball was in. On the day of the game, most newspapers and sports magazines carried a
drawing of the playing field with the squares clearly marked and numbered this made it easy
for listeners to follow the action. Square one was where the goalie stood. Others believe that the
idiom has its origins in board games like Snakes and Ladders.

What is the difference between stammer and stutter?
Both words are used to refer to a defect in an individuals speech. We often meet people who
have difficulty speaking; sometimes, they merely repeat the first sound or syllable of a word.
They are unable to produce anything beyond that. Careful users of the language maintain that the
word stutter is used to refer to a person who has a chronic speech defect. Stammering, on the
other hand, is considered temporary. All of us have stammered sometime or the other. Human
beings can stammer or stutter; machines only stutter. Speech therapists in Britain prefer to use
stammer, while those in America and Canada prefer stutter. Aristotle, Aesop, Darwin,
Napoleon, and Marylyn Monroe are some famous people who stuttered.
The tongue is the only instrument that gets sharper with use. Washington I rving

August 2007

Know your English
Looks like some of our judges have been playing a lot of Monopoly lately.

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What makes you say that?
They have been giving influential people a free Get out of jail card!
You have a point there. Tell me, how do you pronounce i..n..d..o..l..e..n..t?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word in. The o and the e that follow sound like the
a in china. The stress is on the first syllable. Do you know what the word means?
I can guess. According to this article, one usually finds indolent people in government offices.
We all know that government offices are usually full of lazy people. People who are unwilling to
work. Does indolent mean lazy or something like that?
Very good! Thats exactly what indolent means. It is a formal word for lazy. For example, the
indolent husband refused to help his wife clear the dishes.
Good example. Did you see.
Did you manage to watch the two movies youd borrowed last week?
I certainly did. The funny thing.
Which one did you like?
Difficult to say. There was very little to choose between them. The two were much of a
muchness.
Much of a muchness? What does the expression mean?
Well, in this case, it means the two movies were very much alike.
I see. So the expression means very similar or almost the same?
Thats right!
How about this example? According to my father, rock music these days is all much of a
muchness.
I didnt know your father listened to rock music.
He listens to it a lot actually. Hes a great fan of the Rolling Stones.
Im sure the youth of today wont agree with your father. They probably feel that rock
music
Tell me, is this word muchness used in any other context?
No, its only used in this expression. Hey, is that a new watch youre wearing?
No, its my old one. I seem to have displaced my new one.
You mean misplaced, dont you?
Whats the difference between misplaced and displaced?

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When you misplace something, you put it in the wrong place, and as a result you are unable to
find it.
But its only temporarily. Later, you do find it. Am I right?
Absolutely! You are unable to find it only for a short while. The word suggests that you have
merely mislaid the object.
I think I understand. My grandmother misplaced her spectacles.
Its very difficult to find books in this library because they are always misplaced.
One can also misplace ones trust. What this
Meaning you trust a person who doesnt deserve to be trusted.
Exactly! Your trust in Mohan is misplaced.
Sailaja is helping her former boss because of her misplaced sense of loyalty.
Our faith in our leaders is misplaced.
Thats true! So tell me, what does displaced mean?
Well talk about it some other time. Right now, I have to do something for
What are you going to do? Play Monopoly?
Were not retreating. Were advancing in another direction. Douglas MacArthu

Know your English
You look absolutely exhausted. Busy preparing for your exams?
Not really. My friends and I have been celebrating Indias series win against England.
Ever since we won the series, I find that many sports writers are using the term Old Blighty
quite frequently. Any idea what it means?
Old Blighty is a slang term for England.
England! But whats the connection? Blighty doesnt sound anything like England or Britain.
Thats true. According to many scholars, the word blighty is actually from Hindi.
From Hindi! Are you sure? I dont think a word like blighty exists in Hindi.
You have a point there. The Hindi word that blighty comes from is vilayati, meaning
foreigner. In some dialects of Hindi, the word is pronounced bilayati.
So bilayati became blighty?

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Exactly! The British soldiers in India began to use the word to refer to their own country. Old
Blighty was used as a term of endearment. The term became popular only during the First
World War.
How?
Homesick British soldiers sitting in the trenches in some foreign country began to refer to
Britain as dear Old Blighty. Many poets and song writers writing during this period used this
expression as well.
Poets and song writers, eh? They must have made the term even more popular.
They certainly did. Soldiers coined the term blighty wound as well.
What kind of wound was that?
It was a serious wound, one that forced a soldier to leave the front line in order to recuperate.
But it did not leave him a cripple.
In other words, the wound was serious enough to get the soldier sent back home to England!
Exactly! It was the sort of wound that could send the soldier back to Old Blighty. Sometimes,
the soldiers inflicted the wound on themselves!
Interesting! So tell me, what have you been up to?
Nothing much actually. Have been keeping my eyes peeled for a two bedroom apartment.
Keeping your eyes peeled? What does it mean?
When you keep your eyes peeled for someone or something, you remain alert or watchful. You
are on the look out for the person or thing.
In other words, it has the same meaning as keep your eyes open?
Yes, more or less. Heres an example. If you are planning to cut across the field, please keep
your eyes peeled for stray dogs. They can be pretty vicious.
Tell me, are you getting the raise youd asked for?
Not sure as yet. I met my boss yesterday, and he just hummed and hawed.
Hummed and hawed? Never heard that expression before.
When you hum and haw, you talk about something for some time, but you fail to arrive at a
decision.
In other words, you dont speak your mind and fail to arrive at a decision.
When you ask Rajesh for something, he hums and haws for several hours before taking a
decision.

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Thats true. Id better go. Dont want to be late for the one-day match.
Love is an ideal thing; marriage is a real thing. A confusion of the real with the ideal never
goes unpunished. Goethe

How is the word ombudsman pronounced?
The o is like the o in hot, got, and not, and the following u sounds like the u in put,
pull, and full. The s is pronounced like the z in zoo, zip, and zap, and the final a is
like the a in china. The stress is on the first syllable om.
An ombudsman is someone who investigates complaints made by people against the
government or any public organisation. He is an independent official who represents the
common man in his fight against the government
*All complaints must be made in writing to the banking ombudsman by three this afternoon.
The word is Swedish in origin and it means representative or agent. I understand that the
word was borrowed into English in the 1960s. The word is being slowly replaced by
ombudsperson.

What is the difference between High Commissioner and Ambassador?
The functions these two individuals perform are the same; there is no difference. I understand
that both are of the same rank as well. Britains diplomatic missions in various parts of the world
are either called High Commission or Embassy.
The former term is used to refer to Britains diplomatic missions in Commonwealth countries.
For example, the diplomatic mission in Delhi is called the High Commission, and the senior
diplomat in charge of it is the High Commissioner.
Since the United States and Russia were never a part of the Commonwealth, Britains diplomatic
missions in these countries are called Embassies, and not High Commissions. The person in
charge of one is called Ambassador.

What is the meaning of humour me?
Sometimes, young children come and tell us tall tales. They narrate events which couldnt have
happened. A child may tell us that there was a tiger in the garden and that he drove it away with
a stick. When children tell us such stories, as adults, it is our job to believe them. Why do we

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pretend to believe them? Simple. We want to keep the children happy; we want to humour
them. When you tell someone humour me, what you want the person to do is to agree with
what you are saying or doing. What you may be saying or doing may be completely
unreasonable, but you want the person to agree with you just to keep you happy.
*The husband thought it best to humour his wife.
*I hold the purse strings. So youd better humour me.

How is the word nuptial pronounced?
The u in the first syllable sounds like the u in cup, pup, and cub; the t is pronounced
like the sh in sheep, ship and show. The ia that follows sounds like the a in china, and
the stress is on the first syllable. The word sounds like nupshell. It is considered rather old
fashioned, and is mainly used jocularly to refer to things related to a persons wedding
ceremony.
*I had to laugh when the old woman referred to her bedroom as her nuptial chamber.
Seeing a murder on television can help work off ones antagonisms. And if you havent any
antagonisms, the commercials will give you some. Alfred Hitchcock

What is the meaning of chequebook diplomacy?
This is an expression that was coined during Gulf War I, when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.
In order to liberate the country, George Bush, the current Presidents father, invited other
nations to join him in his effort to overthrow Saddam.
Many countries sent troops, but there were some whose constitution did not permit them to send
troops abroad. Japan and Germany, two of the closest allies of the U.S, were two such countries.
Since they couldnt commit troops to the coalition, these two rich nations did the next best thing
they gave a lot of money for the war effort! This is how chequebook diplomacy came into
being.
Nowadays, the expression is used to describe any international policy in which a country dangles
money, in the form of economic aid and investment, to win diplomatic favour. Another
expression that has more or less the same meaning is dollar diplomacy.
*China denies using chequebook diplomacy in Africa.


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What is the meaning and origin of blurb?
When we pick up any book, the first thing we normally look at is the back cover. It usually
contains the publishers/reviewers short, but raving description of the book. This description,
which is always full of praise for both the author and the book, is called a blurb.
*According to the blurb, this is the best novel written by the author.
Although the idea of a blurb had been in existence for a long time, the word itself was coined
only in the 20th century. I understand that it was the brainchild of Gelett Burgess, the well-
known author of The Purple Cow. When his new book, Are You Bromide? was launched,
Burgess persuaded his publishers to do away with the usual sugary write-up. Instead, he made
them paste the picture of a girl whom he named Miss. Belinda Blurb. The back cover said, YES,
this is a BLURB; it contained quotes from Ms. Blurb. As a result, anything that was printed on
the back cover began to be called a blurb. Nowadays, we have blurbs on DVD and VCD covers
as well.

What is the difference between infant and toddler?
The word infant comes from the Latin infans meaning unable to speak. So technically an
infant is a child that has not learned to speak as yet. For many native speakers, infant is a
formal word for baby; some scholars argue it is an impersonal or a medical term for baby.
A newborn baby or a very young child can be called an infant. In American English, the word is
normally used to refer to a baby, especially a very young one. In British English, children as old
as 7 are called infants.
In England, children between the ages of 4 and 7 go to Infant Schools. According to British
law, anyone under the age of 18 is an infant!
There is less confusion about the word toddler. He is someone who toddles. In other words,
he is someone who is just beginning to walk; he takes small, unsteady steps.
Dont knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldnt start a conversation if it didnt
change once in a while. Kin Hubbard




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September 2007

What is the meaning of pig out?
The pig is an animal that is not associated with anything good. When you call someone a pig,
you mean one of two things: he eats a lot and is therefore extremely fat, or he is very dirty. The
expression to pig out is normally used in informal contexts to mean, to eat or drink too much.
*On Sundays, the students from the hostel go to the city and pig out on pizzas and burgers.

How is the word infructuous pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word in, and the second rhymes with truck. The
following tu is like the tu in Tuesday, and the final ous is like the ous in gorgeous,
stupendous, and fabulous. The stress is on the second syllable fruc. Infructuous means
unprofitable or ineffective.
*Harish made an infructuous appeal to the union members to call off the strike.
Newspapers in India use this word frequently. Native speakers of English, however, seldom use
it; in fact, not all dictionaries list it.

Can the word ward be used to refer to ones children?
In India, many people do refer to their children as their wards. Native speakers of English,
however, wouldnt do this. They would consider ward to be a legal term; a word that is
normally used to refer to a person, especially a child, who is under the legal protection of a
guardian or a court of law.
The Collins Cobuild English Dictionary defines a ward as a child who is placed under the care of
a guardian because his parents are dead or because he is believed to be in need of protection.
Teachers in India sometimes refer to their students as their wards. This would be considered to
be rather old fashioned by native speakers.

What is the meaning of vomitorium?
If an auditorium is a place where the audience sits, a vomitorium should be a room where
people vomit. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The word comes from the world of theatre. A

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vomitorium was the passageway that people used to get to their seats in an amphitheatre. These
passages were situated below or behind an individuals seat, and they enabled the members of
the audience to enter and exit the theatre very quickly. I understand that the vomitoria in the
Colosseum in Rome were so well designed that it was possible for 50,000 people to enter or exit
the place in 15 minutes. The word vomitorium comes from the Latin vomitus, meaning to
vomit. What is the connection? When you vomit, the contents of your stomach are thrown out.
The vomitorium disgorged or forced out the contents of the theatre the people inside!

What is the meaning and origin of pay through ones nose?
When you pay through your nose for something, you pay a heavy price for it. In other words,
you pay too much for it. This informal expression has the same meaning as cost an arm and a
leg.
*Never go to that restaurant. You have to pay through your nose for most things.
According to scholars, this idiom has been around for over ten centuries. I understand that when
the Danes ruled Ireland, they imposed heavy taxes on the locals. If an Irishman failed to pay the
tax, he had his nose cut off. In other words, if he didnt pay, he had to literally pay through his
nose.
Just got back from a pleasure trip: I took my mother in law to the airport. Henry
Youngman

Know Your English
"Where were you yesterday? I rang the bell for more than five minutes."
"I went to see a man about a dog."
"Dog! You don't like dogs. We all know that!"
"That's true. I'm not a dog lover. So tell me, ."
"No, you tell me. Why did you see a man about a dog? Are you planning to get one?"
"To see a man about a dog is an idiom which is used in informal contexts. You normally use it
when you don't want to tell someone where it is that you are actually going."
"So if you want to keep your destination a secret and don't want to reveal the purpose of your
visit, you say `see a man about a dog'."
"Very good. I don't know where Arvind went. He said that he had to see a man about a dog."

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"Prabhu had been moody all day. He suddenly got up and said that he had to see a man about a
dog."
"This informal expression has another meaning as well. When you say that you are going to see a
man about a dog, it means that you are going to use the bathroom. It's an indirect way of saying
that you wish to use the toilet."
"I see. It's like the expression that ladies often use, `powder my nose'."
"Precisely. When ladies say they wish to powder their nose, what they mean is that they wish to
make use of the bathroom."
"I've heard many heroines use this expression in movies. How about this example? Order a dosa
for me. In the meanwhile, I have to see a man about a dog."
"Good example. I saw your friend Ramesh today. He was all spiffed up. Any particular reason?"
"Spiffed up? What does it mean?"
"It has the same meaning as `spruced up'. When you spiff something up, you try to make it look
attractive. The expression can be used with people as well."
"I see. Whenever my mother comes to know we are having guests, she really spiffs up the
house."
"A lot of women do that. I was talking to Balu yesterday. He suggested a number of ways that I
could spiff up my presentation."
"Yes, he's really good at spiffing things up, isn't he?"
"He certainly is. So tell me, why has Ramesh spiffed up his wardrobe? Has he found a job?"
"No, the poor guy is still looking for one."
"Maybe he shouldn't turn down the offers he gets. He should lower his sights."
"Lower his sights? Meaning, Ramesh shouldn't aim as high as he is doing now. He should set his
goals or aims lower?"
"Exactly! If you lower your sights, you expect less from a given situation. With the job market
becoming tight, many people have started to lower their sights."
"My cousin Harish was hoping to become an engineer. He, however, had to lower his sights
when he failed to get good marks in his twelfth class exams."
"The poor chap must be heartbroken. So what does he plan on becoming now?"
"A politician!"
"A politician! He has really lowered his sights."

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"Yes, he certainly has. Hey, where are you off to?"
"I need to spiff up and then see a man about a dog."
"I f you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have anything to laugh at when you grow
old." - Ed Howe

What is the meaning of lagniappe?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The a in the first and second syllable are pronounced
like the a in cat, bat, and fat. The g and the final e are silent, and the i sounds like the
y in yes, yellow, and young. The word is pronounced lan-yap with the stress on the
second syllable. I understand that lagniappe comes from the Spanish la napa meaning the
gift. The word was originally used to refer to a gift or something extra that a friendly
shopkeeper added to a customers purchase. As time went on, the word acquired a broader
meaning. It began to be used to refer to any unexpected gift or benefit. Lagniappe is not included
in many dictionaries, and its use is mostly confined to what are known as the Gulf states in the
United States Mississippi, Louisiana, etc.
*Since we had bought so many items, the shopkeeper included a DVD player as lagniappe.
The well-known author Mark Twain wrote about this word in his book Life on the Mississippi.

What is the meaning of too clever by half?
This is an expression that is used to refer to someone who thinks very highly of himself. When
you say that someone is too clever by half, what you mean is that the individual is very annoying
because he imagines himself to be much smarter than he actually is. You are implying that he is
much too clever for his own good, and this might get him into trouble one day. The expression is
mostly used ironically. It is also possible to say too smart by half.
*You should meet the characters in my class. Some of them are too clever by half.

What is the difference between alternate and alternative?
If you play tennis on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, then you are said to play the
game on alternate days. In other words, you dont play every day, but on every other day. The
stress is on the first syllable al.
*Wouldnt it be nice if we had school/college only on alternate days?

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The word can also be used to mean one after another; when things alternate they take place in
turns.
*It was a movie that made you laugh and cry alternately.
The word alternative means one or the other; it is normally used to refer to a situation when a
choice has to be made. The stress in this case is on the second syllable.
*Theres something wrong with the car. Our alternative is to take a bus.
Careful users of the language sometimes argue that this word should be used only when there is
choice between two things. This however, is no longer true. You can have several alternatives.

What is the meaning of wake in the following expression: in the wake of
something?
The idiom means coming after something or as a consequence of something. The wake has
nothing to do with waking up from sleep. In this case, the word refers to the turbulence left by
something moving through the water. In other words, the waves or path that a moving ship or
boat leaves behind in the water is a wake.
*The tsunami left a trail of destruction in its wake.
Many a man who falls in love with a dimple makes the mistake of marrying the whole
girl. Evan Esar

Know Your English
What are you doing here so early?
Just came to check on you. How are you feeling today?
Much better, thank you.
Enjoying your forced break?
Enjoying my break? Are you kidding me? Im going stir crazy.
Ive heard of people going crazy. But what does going stir crazy mean?
Well, my fever has forced me to stay at home. I havent stepped out even once in the past five
days.
And you feel angry because the fever has forced you to stay inside.
Exactly! I feel angry and upset because I have been confined to the house. This forced
confinement is making me very restless.

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You probably feel very anxious. I think I understand what stir crazy means now. How about
this example? I promised my sister that I would take care of her kids while she was on tour. But
after a week, I was going stir crazy.
I can well imagine. I would go stir crazy too. Im told that people who live in really cold places
get stir crazy during the winter season.
Very good example. Now then, how about
Tell me, where did this expression stir crazy come from?
It was a slang term used in prison.
Prison? But whats the connection? I dont
I understand the slang word for prison is stir. Stir crazy was the expression used by inmates to
refer to prisoners who had become mentally unbalanced because of their confinement.
Being cooped up in prison for a long time had driven them crazy.
Exactly! Later, the expression was used to refer to any kind of confinement. Not just prison.
That makes sense. Last week you said that you would tell me what displace means. Can you
tell me now?
Why not? I have nothing better to do. When you displace something, you usually take its place.
Most of the time this replacement is done forcibly. For example, a growing number of employees
in the old factory have been displaced by computers.
According to this report, moderates are likely to be displaced by extremists.
We need some change, I guess. Theres no way that technology will displace teachers in
schools and colleges.
Teachers are always worried about things like that.
I know. Displace has another meaning as well. When a group of people are displaced, they are
forced to move from the place where they are living. The proposed dam will displace thousands
of villagers.
I am joining an organisation that helps people who have been displaced.
Thats a good idea. In that case, why dont you help Nitya with her work?
Nitya? No way! I dont think she has all her marbles.
Marbles? What are you talking about? Why should she
When you say that someone has all her marbles, you mean that she is mentally sound.
I see. My neighbour is nearly 90 years old, but she hasnt lost her marbles.

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If you are forced to stay in your apartment for another week, Im sure you will lose yours!
When a thing has been said and well, have no scruple. Take it and copy it. Anatole
France

October 2007

How is the word `behove' pronounced?
There are two ways of spelling this word. The British spell it "behove", while the Americans
spell it "behoove". No matter how you spell the word, it is pronounced the same way. The first
"e" is like the "I" in "bit", "kit", and "sit"; the following "o" is like the "o" in "go", "so", and "no".
The final "e" is silent and the stress is on the second syllable. The word sounds like "behove",
and it is mostly used in rather formal contexts. "Behove" means "appropriate" or "necessary". If
it behoves you to do something, it is necessary for you to do it. Here are a few examples.
Remember, you are under oath. It behoves you to tell the truth.

What is the meaning of "steal a march on"?
When you steal a march on someone, you do something before the other person, and as a result
you gain the advantage. Very often, your competitor isn't even aware of what you are up to. You
accomplish your task secretly, without being noticed.
We stole a march on our rivals by launching the product a month before they did. The expression
comes from the world of medieval warfare. I understand that the word "march" refers to the
distance that an army could cover in a single day.
The word "steal" means to do something without the other person being aware of it. In the old
days, in order to catch their enemy off guard, generals used to march their army during the night.
By doing this, they very often succeeded in surprising their enemy. They literally "stole a march"
on them.

Can the word "alma mater" be used to refer to one's school?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The first "a" in "alma" is like the "a" in "cat", "bat" and
"sat", while the second is like the "a" in "china". The "a" in "mater" is like the "a" in "bath" and

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"path", and the final "er" is like the "a" in "china". The main stress is on the first syllable of
"mater". This is just one way of pronouncing the word.
Alma mater means "bountiful mother" and it can be used to refer to the school, college or
university that you graduated from. Sometimes, schools and colleges have their own songs; these
official songs can also be called "alma mater".

What is the difference between "call on" and "call at"?
When you "call on" someone, you pay them a short visit. It is also possible to say "call upon",
but this is considered to be rather formal. The students called on the ailing Principal on
Wednesday afternoon.
When a teacher "calls on" a student in class, she wants him to answer the question. I don't
understand why she has to call on me all the time.
The expression "call at" is normally used in relation to a place. You usually call at some place.
When you call at some place, you visit the individual at his place - it could be the office, home,
etc.
I called at his office on my way to the airport. The expression "call at" can also be used to mean
"stop at".
According to the brochure, our ship will call at five ports.
"I haven't reported my missing credit card to the police because whoever stole it is spending less
than my wife." - Ilie Nastase

Know Your English
Whats the matter with you? You look terrible.
I just finished watching the fifth ODI between India and Australia.
I read somewhere that the Men in Blue were ready to rumble in todays match. Did they?
What does the expression ready to rumble mean?
In informal contexts, the word rumble is used to mean to fight. When you say that you are
ready to rumble, you mean you are ready to fight.
I see. How about this example? The rival gangs were rumbling in the college canteen.
Sounds good. So tell me, did our players rumble with the Aussies? Did the likes of Uthappa and
company fight fire with fire?

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Fight fire with fire! Thats a joke. Our guys were pathetic. They wouldnt have been able to
start a fire even if you had given them a can of kerosene and a matchbox.
The Aussies, on the other hand, came out with guns blazing, did they?
What are you talking about? You know players arent allowed to carry guns on the field.
No, thats not what I meant. When you say that someone came out with guns blazing, what you
mean is that he came out with a lot of force and energy. He simply...
Well, in that case, the Aussies certainly came out with their guns blazing. The match was more
or less over in the first hour of play.
Lets hope that the Indians come out with their guns blazing in the next two games.
For that to happen, the so called young guns in the team should put their money where their
mouth is.
What do you mean by that?
When you tell someone to put his money where his mouth is, what you want him to do is to
back his words with action.
In other words, dont just talk, perform.
Thats right! In this context, perform with the bat and ball.
How about this example? I think you should stop complaining about how corrupt our politicians
are. Put your money where your mouth is and contest in the coming elections.
Thats a very good example.
I saw your friend Abhay having breakfast in a restaurant this morning. I thought you said he
never eats out.
Thats strange. It probably means that the domestic engineer is out of town.
The domestic engineer is out of town? What are you talking about?
His wife, Deepa, the domestic engineer is probably out of town.
But Deepa is not an engineer. She is a homemaker.
Thats right! Another term for a homemaker is domestic engineer. Sounds much more
important than homemaker, doesnt it?
It certainly does. So tell me, is a domestic engineer a woman who looks after the house and
A domestic engineer could be a man or a woman. He or she stays at home and makes sure that
things run smoothly.
I see. Do you plan on becoming a domestic engineer after marriage?

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No, I plan to join the film industry. I want to try my hand at comedy.
Well, in that case, take some lessons from Sreesanth. He can tell you a thing or two about how
to make funny faces!
Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.
Doug Larson

What is the meaning and origin of foot the bill?
If you take someone to a restaurant and tell him that you are going to foot the bill, what you
mean is that you are going to pay the bill.
Im willing to come along if you promise to foot the bill.
The foot in the expression has nothing to do with our feet. In the 15th century, when a waiter
asked you to foot the bill, what he wanted you to do was to add up the figures and make sure
that the total at the bottom or the foot of the bill was correct. The expression foot up, which is
no longer in use, was used to mean to count or add up. It was only in the 19th century that the
expression foot the bill began to mean what it does today.

What does a proctor in a university do?
The word is a shortened form of procurator and its meaning varies depending on which side of
the Atlantic you are from. In the U.S, the term is used to refer to someone who administers tests
he is what we in India call an invigilator. His job is to hand out the tests, inform students
when to begin and stop, and ensure that there is no cheating. In England, a proctor is someone
who is appointed by the university and his job is to ensure that students at the undergraduate
level maintain discipline and behave in a manner that does not bring the university into disrepute.
He handles formal complaints by and against students, looks into accusations of cheating,
ragging (hazing, as they call it), etc. In addition to this, he is present at all university functions.

What is the difference between disbar and debar?
When you are debarred from doing something, you are officially prohibited from doing it it
could be the law that prevents you from doing it or some rule. The word, which is mostly used in
formal contexts, can also be used to mean shut out or exclude.
For some strange reason, Teja was not debarred from joining the teaching profession.

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The word disbar, on the other hand, is mostly used in a legal context. When you disbar a
lawyer, you expel him from the Bar. The individual has done something illegal or against the
ethics of the profession, and as a result he is deprived of his right to practise.
The CEO was unhappy because both his lawyers had been disbarred.

What is the meaning of mala fide?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The first a sounds like the ay in may, bay, and
hay, while the second is like the a in china. The i is pronounced like the y in my and
by and the final e is like the i in fit, kit, and pit. The word sounds like mayle faidi,
and the main stress is on fi. This is just one of the ways of pronouncing the word.
The expression comes from Latin; mal means bad and fide means faith. Mala fide means
in bad faith. A mala fide action is one that is performed with dishonest intent; a person purposely
attempts to cheat or deceive you. The opposite of mala fide is bona fide meaning in good
faith.
Do you know what it means to come home at night to a woman wholl give you a little love, a
little affection, a little tenderness? It means youre in the wrong house, thats what it means.
HENNY YOUNGMAN
What is the meaning and origin of pull chestnuts out of the fire?
When you pull chestnuts out of the fire, you end up doing someone elses dirty work. The other
person is in such a tight spot that you feel compelled to help him, often putting yourself in
danger. Another expression that has more or less the same meaning is cats paw.
As expected, Druvs rich parents pulled chestnuts out of the fire for him once again.
The expression has its origins in a fable. In the story, a cat and a monkey are sitting around a fire
watching their master roast chestnuts. The monkey wants to eat the nuts, but he doesnt want to
pull them out of the fire because doing so would burn his hands. While the master is away, the
cunning monkey convinces the poor cat to do his dirty work for him. The cat scoops out the nuts
one by one and in the process burns his paw. The selfish monkey eats all the nuts leaving nothing
for the silly cat.




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What is the meaning of hunker down?
This expression, mostly used in informal contexts, has several different meanings. When you
hunker down, you sit on your heels; you squat.
The scouts hunkered down around the campfire and drank hot soup.
The expression can also be used to mean to take shelter. The blizzard compelled us to hunker
down in a cave for a couple of days.
During a strike, if one of the two parties hunkers down, it very stubbornly sticks to a position.
The party remains adamant and refuses to make any compromise.
As the management hunkered down, unity among the union members began to crumble.

Which is correct? Dravid is a friend of Indra or Dravid is a friend of
Indras?
The answer is Dravid is a friend of Indras. You are claiming that Dravid is Indras friend.
Although some people say Dravid is a friend of Indra, grammarians would argue that it is
wrong. When you say Dravid is a friend of Indras, what you mean is that Indra has several
friends, and Dravid is one of them. Take a look at these examples. She is Rahuls wife and She
is a wife of Rahuls. The first sentence suggests that Rahul has one wife, and the second
suggests that he has more than one!
The children standing over there are classmates of Ananyas.

What is the difference between theism and deism?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The e in both words is pronounced like the ee in
feel, peel, and heel. The final ism is like the ism in prism, materialism, and
cronyism. The stress in both cases is on the first syllable. Theism comes from the Greek
theos, and deism comes from the Latin deus. Both words mean god. There are two
different views about the creation of the world and Gods role in it. Deism is the belief that God
created the world, and once He completed the task, He decided to call it a day! Theism, on the
other hand, is the belief that God not only created the world, but also continues to play an active
role in the running of it. In other words, He intervenes in the life of human beings; He is not a
mere observer. This is just one of the differences.

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Ethics are so annoying. I avoid them on principle. Darby Conley

November 2007
How is the word shoal pronounced?
The sh is like the sh in shop and ship, and the following oa is like the oa in boat and
coat. Shoal rhymes with pole, coal, and hole. The word is normally used with reference
to fish. A shoal of fish is a large group of fish swimming together. It is also possible to say
school of fish.
*Scuba diving was a wonderful experience. We swam among shoals of fish.

Can a woman be called handsome?
Yes, the word can be used with women as well. When you call a woman handsome, you are not
making fun of her; you are, in fact, paying her a compliment. What you mean is that she is very
attractive. Unlike a woman who is pretty, a handsome one is not built along very delicate lines.
She is somewhat big built and her features are usually large and there is something about her
which suggests strength of character. She has a strong dignified appearance. The word is only
used with women and not with young girls.
*Revathi is an extremely handsome woman with a very sharp mind.
The word can also be used to refer to objects, such as gardens and buildings. For example, when
you say that a building is handsome, what you mean is that it is large and attractive in an
impressive sort of way.
When you stand or turn something on its head, you turn everything upside down. You treat an
argument in a totally different way; you make an idea or belief the opposite of what it was
before. The attempt here is to get people to think differently.
*The speaker took the accepted view that sons were better than daughters and stood the
argument on its head.
What is the difference between peep and peek?
In certain contexts, both words have the same meaning. When you peek at something or peep
at something you take a look at it very quickly; this is often done secretly and quietly. It is also
possible to peek/peep at someone.

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*I would like to have a peep/peek at the new play that she is writing.
The word peep is also used in certain informal expressions. For example, if you say that you
dont want to hear a peep out of someone, what you mean is that you dont want the individual
to say anything or make any noise.
*We became rather worried because we hadnt heard a peep from them.

Which of the following two sentences is correct? He threw the ball at the
wicket keeper or He threw the ball to the wicket keeper.
In terms of grammar, both sentences are acceptable; the two, however, have very different
meanings. The first sentence suggests that the fielder threw the ball in order to hit the keeper. In
other words, his aim was to hurt the keeper. When you throw something at someone, you do so
angrily; your intent is to hit the individual.
*The students threw stones at the ministers car and broke all the windows.
The second sentence suggests that the aim of the fielder was to get the ball to the keeper. He
wasnt aiming to hit the keeper, but to get the ball to him.
No matter how rich you become, how famous or powerful, when you die the size of your
funeral will still pretty much depend on the weather. Michael Pritchard

What is the difference between `while' and `whilst'?
The `w..h..i..l' in `whilst' is pronounced like the word `while', and the ?nal `st' sounds like the `st'
in `stupid' and `stump'. As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference between `while'
and `whilst'. According to some scholars, `while' is a much older word than `whilst'. The word
`whilst' is not used in American English; in British English, however, it is mostly used in formal
contexts. It is considered literary
and somewhat old fashioned by many people. What is the meaning of `cowed into'?

What is the meaning of `cowed into'?
The word `cow' can be used both as a noun and a verb. When used as a verb, the word means to
frighten someone into doing something that you want them to. You achieve this by using threats
or violence. *Prema needed the job, so she was cowed into doing things she didn't want to.

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Is there a difference between `grant me leave for Friday' and `grant me leave
on Friday'?
There is a big difference between the two. When you say "grant me leave for Friday", what you
mean is that you would like to have Friday off. In other words, you would like your boss to tell
you that you needn't come to work on Friday. The second sentence, "grant me leave on Friday" is
rather ambiguous. It could mean that you want your boss to inform you on Friday that you have
been granted leave. You don't want him to tell you today itself as to whether you have been
given leave or not. You want him to give you the good news on Friday.

What is the meaning of `mutatis mutandis'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `u' in both words is pronounced like the `oo' in `cool',
`pool', and `fool', and the ?nal `i' is like the `i' in `hip', `dip', and `ship'. The `a' in the second
syllable of `mutatis' is like the `a' in `ask', `path', and `task'; while the `a' in `mutandis' is like the
`a' in `ant', `pants', and `stand'. The main stress is on the second syllable of `mutandis'. This is
just one of the ways of pronouncing the word.
`Mutatis mutandis' is a Latin expression frequently used in economics and law. Its literal
meaning is "things being changed that have to be changed". This can be interpreted to mean "the
necessary changes having been made". For example, if you were to say, "The same agreement
will, mutatis mutandis, be given to each manager in the organisation," what you mean is that the
agreement that will be given to each manager will be more or less the same. The only change
will be the name - each agreement will contain the name of a different manager.

How is the word `phlegmatic' pronounced?
The `ph' in the ?rst syllable sounds like the `f' in `?sh', `feel' and `full'; the `l..e..g' that follows
sounds like the word `leg'. The following syllable is pronounced like the word `mat', and the ?nal
`ic' is like the `ic' in `picnic' and `fantastic'. The main stress is on the second syllable `mat'; the
word sounds like `?egmatic'.

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The word is normally used to talk about an individual's temperament. When you say that
someone is phlegmatic, what you mean is that person remains cool under pressure. He remains
unemotional.
*As expected, the champion remained phlegmatic throughout the tense ?fth set.
"Opinions are like feet. Everybody's got a couple, and they usually stink." - Jim Slattery

What is the meaning of finale?
The word finale consists of three syllables. The i in the first syllable and the e in the final
syllable are like the i in hit, bit and kit; the a is like the a in path and bath. The
stress is on the second syllable na. The word is pronounced finaali. The last item in a stage
show can be referred to as a finale; so can the final movement of a musical composition.
*The fireworks were the grand finale of the ten-day event.

Is it OK to say discuss about something?
Although we often hear people say, I would like to discuss about the problem, it is not
grammatically acceptable. You usually discuss something, you do not discuss about
something. The word discuss is not followed by about.
*We will not discuss what happened at the meeting.
The word discussion, on the other hand, can be followed by about.
*There will be no discussion about what happened at the meeting.

What is the origin of denim?
When you hear the word denim, you immediately think of jeans. This sturdy cloth that both
young and old wear nowadays was originally made in the town of Nimes in France. I
understand the name is pronounced like the word neem. The tough cloth material when it was
introduced was not called denim but serge; it was often referred to as serge de Nimes,
meaning serge of Nimes. With the passage of time, the name of the cloth was shortened to
denim. Sailors from Genoa, a seaport in Italy, made pants from denim. Since the trousers
lasted for a very long time, they were affectionately called Genoese. The name was later
shortened to geans, from which we get the word jeans.


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What is the meaning of crony capitalism?
Crony capitalism is a pejorative term used to refer to the corrupt business dealings carried out
by government officials in a capitalist economy; it refers to the success in business based on a
close relationship between businessmen and government officials. The word crony means
friend; it is generally used to show disapproval. If you were to refer to Prakash as Dilips
crony, the implication is that you do not approve of Prakash. What is it that politicians normally
do when they become ministers? They help their family members and friends make money by
awarding them government contracts, legal permits, special tax breaks, etc. This favouritism that
they show towards family members and friends is called crony capitalism
What is the meaning of square peg in a round hole?
If you are working for an organisation, and you say that you feel like a square peg in a round
hole, what you mean is that you feel like a total misfit. You and the others around you sense that
you dont belong there. The expression can also be used to refer to someone who is unsuited for
the type of job that he/she is actually doing.
*Ive always felt like a square peg in a round hole in this university. I think its about time I
resigned.
Our educational system disqualifies most people for honest work. Peter Drucker

What is the meaning and origin of `smoke and mirrors'?
When you say that something is `smoke and mirrors' what you mean is that it is a lie; it is a
distortion of the truth. It is a trick employed by someone to deceive or confuse people. By
drawing attention away from the truth, an attempt is made to make people believe that the
situation is better than it actually is. When you say that a politician's argument is `smoke and
mirrors', what you mean is that it lacks substance.
*Smoke and mirrors made the stock market look healthier than what it really was.
The expression comes from the world of magic. When a magician performs his tricks on stage,
he often makes use of smoke and mirrors to make the impossible appear possible; he uses smoke
to divert the audience's attention.



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Can the word `etc.' be used with people?
The Latin expression `et cetera', which is normally abbreviated to `etc.', means `and other things'
and `so on'. As writers or speakers, we use it when we don't wish to include everything on a list.
For the drawing competition on Sunday, students are expected to bring their own pencil, paper,
etc.' In such cases, we expect the reader/ listener to understand that the list is incomplete and that
he should supply the missing information on his own. It is very common nowadays to hear
people include `etc.' after the names of people as well: `I ran into Ram, Geetha, Thiru, etc. at the
club yesterday.' Books on English usage suggest that such sentences are unacceptable. According
to scholars, since `et cetera' ends with an `a', the word is neuter in gender; therefore, it can only
be used with things and not with people. The Latin expression `et al.', meaning `and others',
should be used after the names of people.
*We are expecting Sharukh et al. to be present at the meeting.

How is the word `acerbic' pronounced?
The `a' in the ?rst syllable is like the `a' in `amount' and account'; the `cer' sounds like the word
`sir'. The ?nal `ic' is like the `ick' in `stick', `chick', and `kick', and the main stress is on the
second syllable. The word is pronounced `asirbick'. It comes from the Latin acerbus' meaning
`harsh'. When you say that someone's comments were `acerbic', what you mean is that they were
cruel, stinging or bitter tasting.
*Ram's acerbic wit has made him many enemies.
*Despite the acerbic reviews, Usha's latest book has become a bestseller.

What is the meaning of `urban legend'?
These are very often widely circulated stories that are passed on from one person to another.
Often, these are very frightening stories which are supposed to have really happened; whether
they did or not, urban legends are meant to be believed. The stories have been told and retold so
many times that they have become a part of popular mythology. A very popular urban legend in
the U.S is that there are alligators living in sewers. Another one is that there is always a killer
hiding in the back seat of a car.
"My husband and I are either going to buy a dog or have a child. We can't decide whether to ruin
our carpet or ruin our lives." - Rita Rudner

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December 2007

Is there a difference between Only Sujatha passed in English and Sujatha
only passed in English.
The first sentence means that Sujatha was the only person to pass in English; all the other
students in her class failed the exam. It doesnt say anything about how well or how badly
Sujatha did in her other subjects.
The second sentence suggests that the only subject Sujatha managed to clear is English. She
failed in all other subjects. In this case, we are not comparing Sujatha with her classmates. We do
not know how well her classmates performed in the English exam

What is the meaning of not to put too fine a point on it?
This is an expression that you normally use when you wish to speak your mind, and you are not
really worried about how the others around you will react. It is a polite way of saying, Excuse
me for being blunt, but this is what I think.
Your dissertation, not to put too fine a point on it, should be thrown into the dustbin.
Our college teams performance, not to put too fine a point on it, was terrible.

Whats the difference between take care of and take care?
You usually take care of something or someone. In this case, you look after a person or thing.
Its your duty to take care of your old parents.
When you tell someone to take care, what you mean is that you want the person to be careful.
Tell the children to take care when they cross the busy road.
Nowadays, lots of people use the expression take care to mean goodbye. It is mostly used in
informal contexts.
Look at the time! Ive got to get going. You take care.

How is the word malfeasance pronounced?
The a in the first syllable is like the a in cat, bat and sat, the ea is like the ee in bees,
sees and cheese. The s sounds like the z in zoo and zip, and the a that follows is like

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the a in china. The final ce is like the s in sip and sit. The word is pronounced mal-fee-
zens, with the stress on the second syllable.
Malfeasance is a legal term and it is mostly used in formal contexts to refer to the dishonest and
illegal behaviour of public officials.
Several cases of malfeasance by the higher ups within the party were never investigated.

What is the difference between among and amid?
The two are not synonymous; among is considered less formal of the two. Books on English
usage maintain that the word among should be used when it is followed by plural countable
nouns or by a word indicating a separable group of people or things: congregation, crowd, etc.
The priest walked among his congregation, shaking hands with a few.
Amid, on the other hand, is mainly used with uncountable nouns. It suggests that you are
surrounded by something that is usually inseparable.
The three robbers escaped amid the confusion that followed the fire.
The person who writes for fools is always sure of a large audience. Arthur Schopenhauer

What is the difference between climate and weather?
Take a look outside the window. Is it bright and sunny or is it raining? Is it a hot day or a cold
one? If you are referring to the conditions as they exist right now, then you are talking about the
weather. The weather is something that is happening outside right now; it is what we experience
every day. On the various news channels, meteorologists give us a weather forecast; they do not
provide us with a climate forecast. The term weather is normally used to refer to conditions at
a certain time or over a short period of time. Whats the weather like today? Whats the weather
like in Hyderabad during the summer? Climate, on the other hand, refers to the average weather
in a particular place over a long period of time usually 30 years or more. Scientists are now
talking about the climate change that has taken place. In some places in India, the average
temperature is much higher than what it was 40 or 50 years ago.

How is the name Beowulf pronounced?
The first syllable be sounds like the word bay, and the following o is like the o in go,
so, and no. The final syllable is pronounced like the word wolf, and the main stress is on the

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first syllable. The word is pronounced bay-o-wolf. This is just one way of pronouncing the
name. Beowulf is the name of a well-known hero in an old English epic poem.

What is the meaning of honorificabilitudinitatibus?
According to scholars, this is the longest word used by Shakespeare in any of his plays. The
word is used by Costard in Act V of Loves Labours Lost. The word means state of being
able to achieve honours. People who believe that it was Francis Bacon who wrote all of
Shakespeares plays argue that the word honorificabilitudinitatibus is an anagram for Hi ludi,
F. Baconis nati, tuiti orbi. It means, These plays, F. Bacons offspring, are preserved for the
world.

What is the meaning of mind-blowing?
This is an expression that has been around since the 1960s. During this period, people sometimes
took drugs which produced hallucinatory effects; these drugs were called mind-blowing drugs.
With the passage of time, any experience which affected the mind or emotions of an individual
began to be called mind-blowing. Nowadays, the expression is used to mean overwhelming,
shocking, or astonishing.
*Trekking through the forest all alone was a mind-blowing experience.
Is it ok to say, Woman conductors, irrespective of their gender, are treated
badly by officials?
No, it isnt. First of all, you have already mentioned the gender right at the beginning of the
sentence. Therefore the second part of the sentence, irrespective of their gender, doesnt really
make any sense. Also, it is not woman conductors but women conductors. The sentence
should read, Women conductors are treated badly by officials. If you would like to retain
irrespective of their gender, then you will have to say, Conductors, irrespective of their gender,
are treated badly.
In school, youre taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, youre given a test that teaches
you a lesson. Tom Bodett



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What is the meaning and origin of hats off to someone?
This is an expression that has been around since the 19th century, and it is normally used when
you wish to show your admiration for someone. In the old days when wearing hats was common,
men showed their respect for someone either by taking their hats off or by tipping their hats.
*Hats off to him it takes a lot of courage to try and learn music at the age of 60.
I once wanted to become an atheist, but I gave up they have no holidays. Henry
Youngman

What is the meaning of in camera?
The expression comes from Latin and it means in chambers. Nowadays, the expression is
mainly used in the field of law to mean in private. I understand that for some cases, the public
is not allowed to enter the courtroom. The hearing takes place in camera; in other words, it
takes place in the judges chambers. This is often done in order to protect the witness, especially
if he/she happens to be a child.

How is the word dour pronounced?
The word rhymes with sure, poor, and cure. It is normally used to refer to a persons
appearance or his manner. When you say that an individual is dour what you mean is that he
appears very serious and rather unhappy. He looks rather severe, gloomy and unfriendly.
*Surprisingly, the normally dour Harish became the life of the party.

What is the meaning of white knuckler?
This is an expression that is used by the travel industry in the U.S to refer to short commuter
flights between small cities or towns. The aircraft used on such routes are usually very small.
Very often the flights are rough, forcing the passengers to hold on to their seats as tightly as
possible. In the process, the knuckles turn white! Hence the term white knuckler.
*The short flight turned out to be a white knuckler.
The term is now being used to refer to any scary or tense situation.
*It was white knuckle time for all those sitting in the waiting room of the hospital.


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Is it okay to say, I hope you would come to the party?
No, it isnt. It should be will and not would. I hope you will come to the party. You hope
that someone will do something, and not would do something. Similarly, you hope that
something will happen, and not would happen.
*I hope you will consider my proposal very seriously.

What is the meaning of pretty penny?
The expression is mostly used in informal contexts in American English. When you say that
something cost someone a pretty penny, what you mean is that it cost the individual a
considerable sum of money. In other words, it was very expensive.
*That new car of his must have cost him a pretty penny.
Pretty in this context has nothing to do with looks; it means considerable. A penny is a one
cent coin, and in the expression, it is used to represent money. So when you say pretty penny
you mean considerable money. The expression cost a pretty penny was first used in 1768, and
at that time you could buy a lot of things with a penny.

December 2006
What is the meaning and origin of `beck and call'?
When you are at someone's `beck and call', you do whatever he wants you to. In order to please
the individual, you remain slavishly attentive to all his needs; the person's wish is your
command.The young prince was at his wife's beck and call.
There are a few reporters we know who are at the minister's beck and call.
The word `beck' is actually the shortened form of `beckon'. A `beck' is usually a silent signal that
you give someone in order to draw his attention. The signal could be a simple nod of the head or
the motioning of one's finger. Who are the people who pay a great deal of attention to an
individual's head and hand movement? Servants, of course! In the old days, servants were at their
master's beck and call. A master could get a servant to do his bidding in two different ways he
could either `call' the servant or `beckon' him.

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Which is correct? `Sunita has gone off Rajender' or `Sunita has gone off with
Rajender'?
In terms of grammar, there is nothing wrong with the two sentences; their meanings, however,
are very different. The first sentence means that Sunita no longer likes Rajender. When you `go
off someone', you stop liking him/her. It is also possible to `go off something' as well. The
expression `go off someone/something' is mostly used in British English in informal contexts.
*Ganesh started to go off the idea of building a new house.
The second sentence, `Sunita has gone off with Rajender', suggests that Sunita has accompanied
Rajender to some place. When you `go off with someone', you run away with the person leaving
your family behind.
*The rumour is that Sridhar has gone off with Geetha.
What is the meaning of `Orkut'?
I don't know what the word means. All I know is that Orkut is the online community provided by
Google which enables people not only to keep in touch with their old friends but also make new
ones. The network is named after its Turkish creator, a Google software engineer, Orkut
Buyukkoten.
Does the word `cybrarian' exist?
Yes, the word `cybrarian' does exist; it's been around for more than a decade. The word is a
combination of `cyber' and `librarian'. A `cybrarian' is someone who makes use of the Internet as
a resource tool. His job is to be in the know as to what is available on the web; he finds, collects,
and manages whatever material is available on the Net.
*Yukti constantly surfs the Net because it's part of her job. She's the new cybrarian.


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What is the meaning of `aptonym'?
Sometimes, an individual's name correctly describes his occupation. This correspondence
between the name and occupation is an aptonym. John Constable (policeman), Marie House (real
estate agent), Ray Strike (union leader), and John Cutter (butcher) are examples of aptonyms.
"The difference between a bad artist and a good one is the bad artist seems to copy a great
deal; the good one really does." William Blake
Know Your English
"Who was that on the phone?"
"It was Sujatha's cousin Rajesh. He said he'd call you back in 15 minutes."
"It must be about his CV. I promised to look at it before he sent it off to... "
"You know, he sounds a lot like a girl. In fact, I thought... "
"Yes, he is rather effeminate."
"Effeminate? Does it mean a man who sounds like a girl?"
"When you refer to a man as being effeminate, what you mean is that he is unmanly."
"In other words, an effeminate person behaves, looks, and sounds like a woman rather than a
man."
"That's right! The word is normally used with men. It is used to show disapproval. Here's an
example. The students made fun of the principal's effeminate walk."
"Tarun's effeminate manner raised eyebrows among the members of the club."
"That's a good example. Now then, shall we... "

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"Let's not worry about who is effeminate and who is not. Did you manage to see the film
yesterday?"
"Unfortunately, I did. It helped me to... "
"What do you mean `unfortunately'? It was a great movie. Everyone is raving... "
"What did you say? Could you please run that by me again?"
"Run that by you again? What are you talking about?"
"When you tell someone to run something by you again, you want him to repeat what he said."
"I see. So if I'm in a noisy room and I don't hear what someone has said, can I say, `Could you
run that by me again'?"
"You certainly can. It is also possible to say `run that by me one more time'. What did you have
to say about the movie? Could you run that by me one more time?"
"I said it was a great movie. All my friends loved it."
"It was a sleepfest. I didn't... "
"A sleepfest? What does it mean? I don't think I've heard the expression before."
"When you say that something was a sleepfest, what you mean is that it put you to sleep."
"In other words, it was so boring that you fell asleep for a long time."
"Exactly! Here's an example. The students said that Indra's lecture on Shakespeare was a real
sleepfest."
"What did Rajesh think of the movie? Did he like it?"
"He didn't even bother to come. Said that he'd rather stay at home and read."

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"Read? Not many people do that nowadays."
"I know. Anyway, don't utter the word `read' in Rajesh's presence. You'll get him on his favourite
hobby-horse. You'll never... "
"Hobby-horse? What does it mean?"
"A hobby-horse is a subject or an idea that you have very strong feelings about. You love talking
about it at great length whenever you get an opportunity to."
"How about this example? Corruption is a favourite hobby-horse of my father's."
"That's a good example. Here's another one. Deepak is usually a great person to be with. But
once he gets on his hobby-horse, he can be downright boring."
"That's true. I hate it when he talks about... "
"Could you get the phone, please?"
"You answer it. It must be Rajesh."
"Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for
an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity." Albert Einstein
Is there such a word as `auto dentist'?
Yes, the word does exist; it has been around for a few years now. You may be surprised to know
that the word `dentist' in this case does not refer to the doctor who looks after people's teeth! As
you walk along the road and look at the various parked cars, scooters and motorcycles, what is it
that strikes you? What is it that the vehicles have in common? Most of them have `dents'; there
are very few cars in India that do not have dents. An `auto dentist' is someone who repairs the
dents and other minor damages in cars. Auto means `car' and `dentist' means `one who repairs
dents'.
How is the word `honcho' pronounced, and what does it mean?

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The first `o' is pronounced like the `o' in `hot', `pot', and `dot'; the second sounds like the `o' in
`so', `go', and `no'. The `ch' is like the `ch' in `chips', `cheap', and `chew'. The main stress is on
the first syllable `hon'. The word is considered slang, and is mostly used in American English in
informal contexts. It can be used both as a noun and a verb. Anyone who is the boss or the leader
can be referred to as a `honcho'. The word is of Japanese origin and can be used with both men
and women.
Meera, the top honcho in the accounts department, listened patiently to our problem.
When used as a verb, `honcho' means to manage or direct something.
Did Revathi tell you who is likely to honcho the project?
Amrit is honchoing preparations for the forthcoming seminar.
Is it okay to say, "It took Mohan six months to recover from his fatal
accident"?
No, it isn't. The word `fatal' usually has a negative connotation. An accident or an illness that is
described as `fatal', usually results in the death of an individual. As you probably know, it is
difficult for a person to recover from death!
The ailing chief minister suffered a fatal heart attack around midnight.
Several policemen were fatally wounded during the encounter with the militants.
The word `fatal' can also be used to mean `undesirable' or `causing disaster'.
The captain made the fatal mistake of asking Agarkar to bowl the final over.
Sahu's injury proved fatal to our plans of winning the trophy.
"Women are like cell phones. They like to be held and talked to, but push the wrong button,
and you'll be disconnected." Unknown

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Know Your English
"Come on in! Would you like some sweets?"
"Sweets? What's the occasion? Did you get a promotion?"
"No, the sweets are from my Bengali neighbour. He threw a party because Ganguly is back in the
team."
"Lots of people are talking about Dada. Weren't you surprised that he was selected?"
"Not at all. Haven't you been listening to the so-called experts? He's been touted as the ideal
partner for Sachin. Of course, not everyone."
"Touted? What does it mean?"
"When you tout someone as something, you deliberately praise the individual in order to
convince people that he is important or good. For example, Sekhar is being touted as the next
boxing champion."
"The word `tout' can also mean to sell something. For example, now that Ganguly is back in the
team, many multinationals will use him to tout their products."
" Let's talk about something a little more interesting. Like your recent trip, for example. Did you
manage to see all the monuments you'd planned to?"
"Yes, I did see most of them. But I was rather disappointed. You see... "
"Were they not as beautiful as you had expected them to be?"
"Unfortunately, many of them were in a state of disrepair."
"State of disrepair? What does it mean?"
"When you say that something is in a `state of disrepair', what you mean is that it's in very bad
condition. It's in a state of neglect. Repairs need to be carried out."

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"I see. We haven't had anybody living in the old house opposite ours for quite some time. It's in a
state of disrepair."
"Good example. It's also possible to say, `fall into disrepair'. The old library building fell into
disrepair after it was closed."
" By the way, does one `sit in a chair' or `sit on a chair'?"
"It depends on the type of chair, I guess! Why do you want to know?"
"Because I've had another one of my silly bets with Sujatha. I told her that it's always `in'."
"As I said, you can either sit in a chair or on it. I read somewhere that you normally `sit in' a
chair that has arms."
"And `sit on' is used with chairs which don't have arms! Is that what you're saying?"
"That's what I've heard. Did you manage to see the new.."
"Talking about managing, how is your new accountant?"
"He seems to be doing a good job. My boss just loves him. He says that the man has the ability to
think on his feet."
"He can't think when he's sitting down, eh?"
"Please, don't try to be funny. You know you were never good at it. When you say that someone
can think on his feet, what ..."
"I know what the expression means. When someone thinks on his feet, he reacts very quickly to
a situation. You mean that he is mentally alert."
"Especially in a situation when things are happening very quickly."
"The reason why Priya is being sent to represent the company is because my boss feels she has
the ability to think on her feet."

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"That's a good example. Ganpat prides himself on his ability to think on his feet."
"Well, tell him to take some pride in his house as well. It's in a state of disrepair."
"Never pass up an opportunity to keep your mouth shut." Paul Miller
November 2006
What is the meaning of `Eeyorish'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `ee' is like the `ee' in `feel', `peel', and `heel'; the
following `o' sounds like the `o' in `hot', `cot', and `dot'. Eeyore is the name of one of the
characters in A. A. Milne's children's classic, `Winnie the Pooh'. Eeyore is a donkey; he is very
pessimistic, and makes cynical comments about a lot of things. He is seldom happy. Therefore,
when you say that someone is `Eeyorish', what you mean is that the person is gloomy or
depressed.
*What's wrong with Malini? Why is she so Eeyorish this morning?
What is the meaning and origin of `Garrison finish'?
Early this year, our one-day team pulled off a couple of sensational victories. When we thought
that the match had been lost, someone or the other did something incredible and helped the team
win the match. This come-from-behind victory is called `Garrison finish'.
*It was a Garrison finish. Our team scored three goals in the last two minutes.
The expression comes from the world of horse racing. Edward H. Garrison, nicknamed
`Snapper', was a famous American jockey who raced in the late 19th century. He was famous for
his spectacular come-from-behind victories. Whenever he participated in a race, Garrison always
began by staying at the back of the pack. He made his move (he speeded up his horse) only
during the last stretch of the race. Since he always won his races by staying back till the last
minute, a come-from-behind victory began to be called `Garrison finish'.

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What is the difference between `break a sweat' and `break into a sweat'?
When you do something `without breaking a sweat', you do it without any difficulty. You find
the task so easy that you don't have to exert yourself at all; you perform the task very easily or
quickly. There is no need for you to sweat.
*Rahul answered all the questions without breaking a sweat.
Another expression that has more or less the same meaning is `no sweat'.
*Listen, I'll carry the two large suitcases. No sweat at all.
When you `break into a sweat', you actually start sweating. And when is it that we begin to
sweat? When we exert ourselves or when we are extremely nervous or frightened about
something.
*The children broke into a sweat when they heard strange noises coming from the bedroom.
*Uma broke into a sweat when she saw the policeman walking towards her.
What is the difference between `I read your article' and `I did read your
article'?
The first sentence is a statement. It could be the reply to the question, `Did you read my article?'
The second sentence is what you would tell someone if they didn't believe that you had actually
read the article. The `did' is used to add emphasis; you are saying that you have indeed read the
article. You are not lying.
"I love mankind; it's the people I can't stand." Charles Schulz
Know your English
"Did you take part in the 10 km run on Friday?"
"I certainly did. You should have seen me. I had my game face on, and the... ."

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"You had your game face on? What are you talking about?"
"When Dravid and Tendulkar bat, they look very serious most of the time. They don't joke
around. This serious look that a sportsman has while he is on the field is referred to as his `game
face'."
"You mean the look of determination and concentration is called `game face'?"
"I guess you could say that! Here's an example. Don't be fooled by his jokes. Once he's got his
game face on and steps onto the field, Chethan is a completely different person."
"You should see me when I have my game face on. I'm... ."
"Can we talk about something else, please?"
"Sure! Let's talk about the marathon. Did you manage to run the distance easily?"
"Not really! Had a tough time, but I managed."
"It's quite an achievement, actually. I'm impressed. So, how did you celebrate your
achievement?"
"Celebrate! There was no celebration. I hotfooted it home. I felt so... ."
"You hotfooted it home? Does it mean you went home immediately?"
"When you hotfoot it to some place, you get there quickly. You do not delay."
"I see. In other words, when you `hotfoot it', you run."
"You run or walk quickly. Here's an example. When the car broke down, the CEO and his wife
were forced to hotfoot it to the airport."
"I got up late yesterday. So I had to hotfoot it to school."
"Good example. The expression `hotfoot it' is mostly used in informal contexts."

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" Tell me, what did you do once you got back home?"
"All I know is that I was dead to the world for the next fifteen hours or so."
"Dead to the world? What do you mean? Do you mean you were unconscious or something?"
"When you say that someone is dead to the world, what you mean is that the person is sound
asleep, and you're finding it rather difficult to wake him up."
"I see. How about this example? After doing all the karate exercises, Tapas was dead to the
world."
"Sounds good. Sujatha was dead to the world. We were just unable to wake her up."
"How did Sujatha's mother react when she was unable to wake her up? She must have ... ."
"Don't think she told Sujatha anything. In the evening, she came to our place and bellyached
about how lazy her daughter had become."
"She bellyached about how lazy her daughter had become! Does it mean she complained about
how lazy her daughter had become?"
"Very good. When you `bellyache', you complain in a whining manner."
"In other words, you sound as if you are moaning."
"Exactly! For example,,... ."
"Wait! Let me try. Whenever I run into Pankaj, he bellyaches about all the work he has to do."
"Good example. Do you know what you call a person who is constantly complaining?"
"A bellyacher?
"Excellent! That's exactly what he is called. "

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"Some of your friends tell me that you bellyache about a lot of things."
"Me, a bellyacher? Not a chance! How dare you... ."
"Hey, easy does it. Let's not get into a fight. I'd better hotfoot it down to the supermarket before
it closes."
"Lawyers are like rhinoceroses: thick skinned, short sighted, and always ready to charge."
David Mellor
What is the meaning and origin of `cakewalk'?
When you say that the victory was a `cakewalk', what you mean is that it was very easily
achieved. You didn't have to put in too much of an effort; you won without really having to work
hard.
*Given your experience, getting the job should be a cakewalk
*The first couple of rounds of the tournament should be a cakewalk.
The `cakewalk' was a form of entertainment among African Americans. Well-dressed couples
that took part in this competition were made to walk around a cake. The pair that performed this
task most gracefully was awarded a prize. In most cases, the prize was the cake itself; the winner
used to `take the cake'. Later, the word `cakewalk' was used to refer to a popular form of dance.
What is the difference between `magazine' and `journal'?
When first used, the word `journal' referred to a daily publication which gave an account of the
events that happened the previous day. It was like a newspaper. Nowadays, the word is used to
refer to any publication that is brought out at regular intervals. For example, a journal can be a
monthly, quarterly, etc. The articles contained in a journal are usually scholarly, serious in
nature, and deal with a specialised area. For example, we have the Journal of Linguistics, Journal
of Writing, etc. A `magazine', on the other hand, doesn't limit itself to one area; it deals with
various subjects politics, entertainment and sports. Since the articles are meant for the general

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public, they are much shorter and are usually accompanied by photographs. `Outlook',
`Frontline', and `Sportstar', are all magazines, not journals; and like the journal, they too are
brought out at regular intervals.
How is the word `exorcism' pronounced?
The `ex' is pronounced like the letter `x', and the following `o' is like the `ou' in `ought', `sought'
and `fought'. The final `ism' sounds like the `ism' in `prism'. The main stress is on the first
syllable. When you `exorcise' a ghost or an evil spirit, what you do is to drive it away by making
use of magic or prayers. This act of driving away an evil spirit is called `exorcism'.
*The witch doctor tried to exorcise the evil spirit from the library.
What is the meaning and origin of `on cloud nine'?
When you say that you are on cloud nine, what you mean is that you are extremely happy; you
feel as if you are on top of the world.
*The entire team was on cloud nine after winning the championship.
No one is really sure where the expression comes from. Some believe that the original expression
was `on cloud seven', very similar to the expression `seventh heaven'. Others believe that nine
was chosen because it is considered a mystical number. According to weathermen, `cloud nine'
refers to the `cumulonimbus' or the thunderstorm cloud. This cloud often rises to forty thousand
feet; and when you are `on' such a cloud, you are literally on top of the world!
"I'm not messy. I'm organizationally challenged!" Garfield
What is the meaning and origin of `ding-dong battle'?
Remember the nursery rhyme we learnt in school? `Ding-dong bell, pussy's in the well.' Well the
expression `ding-dong' refers to the sound that a bell makes; the back and forth motion of the
knocker hitting a bell. When you say that two participants were involved in a ding-dong battle,
what you mean is that they were involved in a long drawn out battle. The fight was intense and

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there were times when each participant seemed to have the upper hand in turns. In a ding-dong
battle, it is often very difficult to predict who will emerge the winner; sometimes, the result is
inconclusive. Another expression which has more or less the same meaning is `see-saw battle'.
When you sit on the see-saw, you are up one moment, and down the other.
*The fans were hoping for a ding-dong battle. They were disappointed when the Aussies
thrashed the Indians.
Which is correct? `Deter to do' or `deter from doing' something?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of `deter'. The first `e' is like the `i' in `bid', `bit' and `sit',
and the second is like the `ir' in `shirt', `bird' and `dirt'. The stress is on the second syllable `ter'.
The word `deter' is usually followed by `from' and not `to'. When you deter someone from doing
something, you discourage him from doing it. You achieve this by making the individual realise
how difficult the task may be, or by highlighting the unpleasant consequences of performing the
task. You do everything to ensure that the person no longer wishes to continue to do what he was
doing.
*Nothing you say will deter the students from joining the protestors.
Is it okay to say, `Some of the animals have become extinguished'?
The word that you probably have in mind is `extinct', not `extinguished'. When something
becomes extinct, it ceases to exist; you don't find it anywhere on the planet. Any living organism
can become extinct. Dinosaurs, for example, have become extinct.
*There are reasons to believe that the tiger will soon become extinct.
*Some of the animals in the rainforests are on the verge of extinction.
The word `extinguish', on the other hand, is usually used along with the word `fire'. When you
extinguish a fire or a flame, you put it out.
*The firemen battled for three hours before they extinguished the fire.

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What is the meaning of `eater's coma'?
This is a type of coma that we have all experienced some time or the other. How do we normally
feel after a particularly heavy meal? Most of the time, we feel pretty sluggish; we don't feel like
doing anything. After some time, we begin to feel rather sleepy. This lazy and sleepy feeling that
we have after a heavy meal is called `eater's coma'.
*If I eat everything that is on the table, I'll lapse into an eater's coma.
October 2006
What is the meaning of `Bangalored'?
The Americans invented this word, and they have been using it quite frequently. As you know,
many multinationals, in order to save money, are outsourcing their work to cities in India. When
an American says that he has been `Bangalored', what he means is that he has lost his job
because his company has decided to move its operations to a city in India not necessarily
Bangalore.
* According to the article, another 10,000 people will be Bangalored by the end of the year.
It is not often that the name of a city is used as a verb. As a proud Hyderbadi, you may wonder
why the Americans chose the city of Bangalore. You must remember that during the early stages
of outsourcing, most of the companies were moving to this city Bangalore was then perceived
as the Silicon Valley of India. The Americans' fear of losing jobs to the city of Bangalore gave
rise to another word `Bangalorephobia'.
What is the difference between `The theatre is closed' and `The theatre has
been closed'?
The first sentence suggests that the theatre is not open at the moment; it is locked for the time
being. Chances are, it will open a little later. It has not been closed permanently. The second
sentence, on the other hand, seems to suggest that someone has forcibly closed down the theatre.

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Perhaps the municipal authorities were unhappy with the safety features, and decided to shut the
place down. In this case, the closure is either permanent or for a lengthy period of time.
What is the meaning and origin of `let your hair down'?
Some people are very reserved when they are in the company of others. When you tell a person
to let his hair down, what you mean is that you want him to relax and start enjoying himself. You
want him to speak his mind.
* It was only after the completion of his last exam that Chetan let his hair down.
In the old days, women had to put their hair up in a bun during the daytime. The only time when
they could literally let their hair down and be themselves was when they were ready to go to bed.
How is the expression `sotto voce' pronounced?
The first `o' in `sotto' is like the `o' in `hot', `got', and `pot'; the second is like the `o' in `go', `so',
and `no'. The `o' in `voce' is pronounced like the second `o' in `sotto'. The `c' that follows is like
the `sh' in `sheep', `should', and `ship'; the final `e' is like the `i' in `bit', `pit', and `hit'. The main
stress is on the first syllable of `voce'. The word comes from Italian; `sotto' means `under' and
`voce' means `voice'. When you say something `sotto voce', you say it in a soft voice. Whatever
you say is spoken in a low volume; you speak softly out of the corner of your mouth, so that you
are not overheard by anyone. The word is considered literary, and is mostly used in formal
contexts.
* During the principal's speech, several students made snide remarks sotto voce.
"She was what we used to call a suicide blonde dyed by her own hand." Saul Bellow
What is the meaning of `geek'?
This is a word mostly used in informal contexts, and it has several different meanings. One of the
meanings of `geek' is a boring individual who walks around wearing rather unfashionable
clothes. This person has little or no social skills.

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*You must be nuts to ask a geek like Govind tips about fashion.
*I don't want you to invite that geek Harish to our party.
An individual who is an expert, or is very knowledgeable in his limited area of interest (for
example, computers) can also be called a geek. He is someone whose focus of interest is rather
narrow, but he knows everything about the subject.
*If it is a computer geek you require, you'd better hire Dravid. He's excellent.
*I want to learn everything on my own. I don't want some geek telling me everything.
I understand the word comes from the Dutch `geck' which means `fool'. It is in this sense that
Shakespeare used the word in some of his plays. In the 1920s, the Americans used the word
`geek' to refer to an individual in a carnival who performed bizarre acts. The original `geek' was
someone who entertained his audience by biting off a live chicken's/snake's head! With the
passage of time, the word began to be used to refer to anyone who was socially inept; whose
interests were very different from those of others.
What is the difference between `inform of' and `inform on'?
When someone is `informed of' something, he is formally told about the facts; the information is
passed on to him.
*Please be here at 2:00 o'clock tomorrow. I will inform you of my decision then.
*We were informed of the change in plans last night.
When you `inform on' someone, you give information about the individual to the authorities. In
other words, you tattle on the person. The people in power may use the information you provide
against the person. Here are a few examples.
*If you continue to come late like this, I'm afraid that I'll have to inform on you.
*It was his own friends who informed the police on him.

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How is the word `braggadocio' pronounced? What does it mean?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word `brag'; the `a' in the second is like `a' in `china'.
The `o' in the third and final syllable sounds like the `o' in `no', `so', and `go'. The `ci' is like the
`shi' in `ship' and `shin'. The main stress is on the third syllable `do'.
Braggadocio is a literary word and is mostly used in formal contexts. A `braggadocio', as the
word suggests, is someone who brags about himself quite a bit. He is vain and therefore talks
about his achievements in a rather proud manner. Most of the time, it is only empty boasting.
The word comes from the name of a boastful character (Braggadocchio) in Edmund Spenser's
poem `Faerie Queene'.
*Tarun came across as a braggadocio that deliberately tried to make others uncomfortable.
*According to reporters, the Chairman's braggadocio at the meeting was a sign of weakness, not
strength.
"A statesman is a politician who places himself at the service of the nation. A politician is a
statesman who places the nation at his service." Georges Pompidou
Know your English
"How is the course that you've been asked to attend? Are you enjoying it?"
"Not really. It's turning out to be a Mickey Mouse course, I'm afraid."
"A Mickey Mouse course? What does it mean? Does it mean useless or something like that?"
"If you refer to a course as being a Mickey Mouse course, what you mean is that it's a very
simple course. It's not at all challenging, and you end up learning absolutely nothing."
"According to Sujatha most colleges offer only Mickey Mouse courses."
"You met Sujatha? Did you tell her about your plan to... ."

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"Yes, I did. She said that the plan was pretty idiotic. My friend who was with me was shocked to
hear her say that. To tell you the truth, so was I. There are times when I can't stand Sujatha. She's
just too blunt."
"There's nothing wrong in calling a spade a spade."
"There's nothing wrong in calling a spade a spade? What are you talking about?"
"When you call a spade a spade, you tell the truth about the matter. Even if it means being
unpleasant."
"In other words, you tell it like it is. You are very direct, no matter how unpleasant or
embarrassing... ."
"That's right! You speak plainly and frankly. My uncle always calls a spade a spade. When I was
young, whenever he found me saying or doing something stupid, he didn't hesitate to call me an
idiot."
" Tell me, is w... a... r... y pronounced the same way as w... e... a...r...y?"
"No, the two words are pronounced differently. The first syllable `w..a..r' in `w..a..r..y is
pronounced like the word `where'."
"And the final `y' is like the `i' in `it', `bit', and `sit', I suppose?"
"You're right! In fact, that's how the final `y' in w... e... a...r...y is pronounced as well. The `ea' in
the first syllable of the word sounds like the `ea' in `dear', `near', and `fear'. In both `weary' and
`wary', the stress is on the first syllable."
"I see. But what is the difference in meaning between the two?"
"When you say that someone looks `weary', what you mean is that the person looks exhausted.
For example, after swimming non-stop for seven hours, the young boy looked pale and weary."

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"When you say that you have become weary of something, what you mean is that you have
become tired of it."
"In other words, you have lost your enthusiasm for it."
" Many people have become weary of the war in Iraq."
" Tell me, how... ."
"What does `wary' mean?"
"When you are wary of something, you are unsure of it, and therefore you are cautious of it."
"Is it because you think it could be dangerous?"
"It could be dangerous or it may cause problems for you. The word can be used with people as
well. For example, most parents teach their children to be wary of strangers."
" It's also possible to `keep a wary eye' on someone or something."
"What does it mean?"
"When you keep a wary eye on someone, you watch them very carefully to see what they are up
to."
"The shareholders kept a wary eye on the developing story."
"I don't think I'll be able to keep a wary eye on anyone right now. I'm feeling sleepy."
"Being a philosopher, I have a problem for every solution." Robert Zend
Know your English
"What's wrong? You don't look happy at all about something."
"It's the two new people in the Accounts Department. My boss... ."

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"Oh yeah! You told me that you were hiring some new people. Young ones."
"We asked for young people. But my boss decided to hire some tired retreads."
"Retread? What are you talking about?"
"When you refer to someone as a retread, what you mean is that he's burnt out. He has nothing to
offer."
"In other words, he's very old."
"Not necessarily. He's a burnout. Nowadays, a lot of people burn out when they are relatively
young."
"That's true. It happens in the corporate world quite a bit. So a retread is like a retread tyre?"
"I guess you could say that. He's been made over and is unlikely to last for a long time."
"How about this example? When the government does decide to hire new teachers, I hope they
get young people. Not a whole bunch of retreads."
"That's a good example." " It's important to remember that the word is mostly used in informal
contexts. And you never tell someone that he is a retread to his face."
"Most people working for any government agency are either retreads or clock-watchers."
"Clock-watchers? Haven't heard that expression before."
"A clock-watcher is someone... ."
"Hey, the meaning is fairly obvious. A clock-watcher is probably an employee who keeps
looking at the clock instead of doing his work."
"It needn't be an employee. It could be anyone. A student could be a clock-watcher as well. "
"My father says that there are five clock-watchers in his department."

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"You stop being a clock-watcher when you are working on a crossword puzzle, though. You've
been sitting with that one for two hours now. Why don't you give up?"
"I can't. I have only one left. Why don't you help me? I'm sure that... ."
"You know that I'm not a cruciverbalist. In fact, ... ."
"You're not a what?"
"A cruciverbalist. Someone who is skilled at doing crossword puzzles. You can... ."
"Skilled, eh? Well, in that case, I'm not a cruciverbalist. You know that I'm not very good at
solving crossword puzzles."
"But you don't have to be. A cruciverbalist can also be someone who just enjoys doing crossword
puzzles. He doesn't have to be good at it. You love torturing yourself, don't you?"
"That I do. Crossword puzzles are a great deal of fun."
"Well, help me with this one. This is the only clue that I haven't found an answer to. It's a six-
letter word which means `understand'. Starts with the letter `c'."
"It's probably capish. Spelt c..a..p..i..s..h. It's a word mostly used in informal contexts."
"You're right! It is ca.., ca.. How do you pronounce the word?"
"The `a' is like the `a' in `china'; the following `i' is like the `ee' in `fees', `bees', and `knees'. The
final `sh' is like the `sh' in `ship', `sheet', and `sheep'. The main stress is on the second syllable.
"What no wife of a writer can ever understand is that a writer is working when he's staring out of
the window." Burton Rascoe
How is the word `emaciated' pronounced?
The `e' in the first syllable and the `i' in the third syllable are pronounced like the `i' in `sit', `bit',
and `kit'. The `ma' sounds like the word `may'; the `c' that follows is like the `sh' in `ship', `shin',

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and `show'. The `ated' at the end rhymes with `hated', waited', and `fated'. The stress is on the
second syllable `ma'. This is one way of pronouncing the word. Someone who is `emaciated' is
very weak and thin.
*The emaciated child was unable to walk for more than a minute.
What is the meaning of "run with the hare and hunt with the hounds"?
Very often when two people have an argument, they go to a third person and ask him to be a
judge. If the person is timid and is afraid to take a decision, he will end up saying that both
parties are in the right. He will support both sides of the argument because he doesn't want to
hurt the feelings of his friends; sometimes, he does this with an ulterior motive in mind. This
desire to be on friendly terms with both warring factions by supporting their arguments is what
we mean by the expression, "running with the hare and hunting with the hounds." The individual
is trying to be both the rabbit (hare) and the dog (hound). He wants to be the hunted as well the
hunter; and this is just not possible. This idiom is considered rather old fashioned.
*Latha is a very clever person. She runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds.
Is there a difference in meaning between "amuse" and "bemuse"?
Yes, there is a difference a big difference. The two words are not synonymous, as some
people believe. When something "amuses" an individual, it makes him laugh or smile. He finds it
funny or entertaining.
*The principal found the comments made by the students very amusing.
"Bemuse", unlike amuse, has nothing to do with making people laugh. When you are "bemused"
by something, you are bewildered by it. It leaves you confused or puzzled. For example,
*When the stranger walked into the classroom, the children looked at her with a bemused
expression.


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What is the meaning of "lost in the shuffle"?
This is an expression that comes from the world of card games and is mostly used in American
English. When you shuffle a pack of cards, you mix them up; you don't know where a particular
card is. When a plan or an idea gets lost in the shuffle, it doesn't get the attention that it deserves.
The expression can be used with reference to people as well.
*In refugee camps, orphans often get lost in the shuffle and are left without food for days.
Which of the following is correct? "He is busy at weekends" or "He is busy on
weekends"?
Both are acceptable. "At weekends" is commonly used in British English; the Americans, on the
other hand, tend to use "on weekends." Use whichever expression you feel comfortable with.
*I informed my new boss that I do not do any office related work at weekends.
*My friends and I are planning to go sailing on the weekend.
"Good resolutions are simply cheques that men draw on a bank where they have no account."
Oscar Wilde
September 2006
What is the meaning and origin of `you're nuts'?
When somebody tells you that you are nuts, what they mean is that you are crazy. The
expression is mostly used in informal contexts.
* Naresh wants to invest all his savings in the stock market. The guy is nuts, I tell you.
* I wouldn't go out with that guy if I were you. My friends tell me he's nuts.
During the middle of the 19th century, the word `nut' began to be used to refer to an individual's
head. This was because some people thought that there was a similarity between the shape of a

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nut and the shape of a human head! Another similarity they found was that the nut, like the
human head, was hard and the most important thing in both cases was contained inside and
not outside! Whatever be the case, the head began to be referred to as a `nut'. Around this time,
the expression `off one's head' was frequently used to mean `out of one's mind; crazy'. As time
went by, the word `head' was replaced by `nut' in the expression, and very soon the word `nut'
acquired the meaning `crazy'. Anyone who was crazy was called `nuts', and the hospital for
people who had mental illness began to be called a `nut house'.
How is the word `Renaissance' pronounced?
The `e' in the first syllable is like the `i' in `bit', `sit', and `hit'; the `ai' is like the `ay' in `day',
`bay', and `say'. The `a' is pronounced like the `o' in `lot', `got', and `hot', and the final `ce' is like
the `ce' in `dance', `France', and `chance'. The `ss' sounds like the `s' in `sit', and the main stress is
on the second syllable `nai'. This is one way of pronouncing the word. The period between the
14th and 16th centuries is usually referred to as the `Renaissance'. The word means `rebirth', and
during this period, people in Europe began to take an active interest in art, literature, and science.
Renaissance is now used to talk about a rebirth of interest in some activity. For example, if you
say that letter writing is experiencing a renaissance, what you mean is that people are taking an
interest in it; letter writing is becoming popular again. Someone who shows a great a deal of
interest in the arts and sciences and has a wide range of interests in other things is called a
`Renaissance man'. He/she is someone who does a lot of different things very well.
* Ramanan is a writer, director, painter, and musician a real Renaissance man.
What is the difference between `He cooked a good meal' and `He cooked up a
good meal'?
The result is the same in both cases you end up eating a good meal! `Cook up' suggests that
the various dishes were prepared rather quickly, and at short notice. The expression is considered
to be informal and has the same meaning as `rustle up'.
* My grandmother managed to cook up a decent meal for the guests who arrived unannounced.

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* My appointment has been cancelled. Think you'll be able to rustle up something for lunch?
Which is correct? `My wife knows well that I can't sing' or `My wife knows
that I can't sing well'?
Both sentences are grammatically acceptable, but they don't have the same meaning. The first
sentence suggests that your wife knows that you cannot sing. There is no doubt in her mind that
you are not a singer. The second sentence suggests that your wife knows that you can sing but
not very well. In this case, you are a singer, but not a good one.
* You know well that I don't play tennis. (You know that I don't play tennis at all.)
* You know that I don't play tennis well. (I can play tennis, but I am not very good at it.)
"The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children
more awful than your own." Unknown
Know Your English
"For someone who is supposed to be going on vacation, you don't look very happy."
"Who said that I was going anywhere?"
"You told me last week that you would ask your boss if you could...."
"I asked my boss if I could take the week off, and he cut me dead."
"Cut you dead, eh? Well, if he did that, how come you are sitting here talking to me?"
"Not very funny, I'm afraid. When someone cuts you dead, he or she just ignores you. The
person may see you, but chooses not to acknowledge your presence."
"In other words, the person will look right through you. He will pretend you don't exist."
"Exactly! For example, I tried to greet our friend Sujatha this morning, but she cut me dead."

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"She had every reason to. I understand that you had some nasty things to say about her latest
story. How about this example? Raja is acting crazy these days. This morning he cut my father
dead."
"That doesn't sound like Raja. I was told by his....."
"The Manager was about to speak when the CEO cut her dead."
"Sounds good. Let me tell you what I told Sujatha. I said...."
"I'm not interested in what you told her. But tell me, what's wrong with Raja? He used to be such
a fun person to be with. Now he seems worried all the time."
"Some of his classmates tell me that he's become a cyberchondriac."
"Cyberchondriac? Don't think I've come across that word before."
"Do you know what `hypochondriac' means?"
"I think I do. Isn't a hypochondriac someone who constantly worries about his health? Although
there may be nothing really wrong with him, he always imagines that there is something
seriously wrong."
"That's right! A hypochondriac is obsessed about his health. He has imaginary ailments."
"Such people give doctors a tough time. Luckily, we don't have a hypochondriac in our family."
"We have several in ours. You are welcome to one."
"No thanks. Coming back to the point, who is a cyberchondriac?"
"Well, he is someone who gets all his medical information from the Internet and...."
"He reads about the various diseases going around, and imagines that he has them too."
"I am told that my boss' wife is a cyberchondriac."

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"Maybe that's the reason your boss is in a bad mood all the time."
"That could explain why he cut me dead this morning."
"You need a little cheering up. How about a movie?"
"Sorry, I can't. A colleague of mine is immigrating to New Zealand. So the boys in the office are
throwing him a farewell party."
"Tell me, what's the difference between `emigrate' and `immigrate'?"
"Well, in both cases the person is leaving the country he was born in, and...."
"I know that. He is moving to another country on a permanent basis. He plans to settle down
there."
"That's right! The word `emigrate' is normally used to refer to the movement from a place. When
the person leaves his country of origin, he is emigrating. For example, my colleague is leaving
India ...."
"He is emigrating from India to New Zealand."
"The person who `immigrates', moves to another country. In this case, you are talking about the
movement in terms of the country the person is going to settle in."
"Exactly! During the Second World War, lots of Germans immigrated to the United States."
"I f I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?" Abraham Lincoln
What is the meaning of `sweep under the carpet'?
When you sweep or brush something under the carpet, you attempt to hide something
embarrassing from others. Instead of dealing with your problem, you try to keep it a secret. It is
also possible to say `sweep something under the mat/rug'.
*The Government has managed to sweep the cola controversy under the carpet.

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*The actor tried to sweep the embarrassing incident under the rug.
Where does this expression come from? What is it that lazy people normally do when they are
asked to clean a carpeted room? They sweep around the carpet, and instead of bending down to
collect the dust, they quietly sweep it under the carpet!
How is the word `faux pas' pronounced?
The `au' in the first word is pronounced like the `oa' in `coat', `boat', and `goat'; the following `x'
is silent. The `a' in `pa' is like `a' in `cart', `part', and `dart'; the `s' is silent. The main stress is on
`pas'. Faux pas comes from French, and it literally means `false step'. When you commit a faux
pas you commit a social blunder. You violate certain accepted, though unwritten, social rule and
in the process you end up doing something that is socially embarrassing. These unwritten rules
vary from culture to culture. For example, in India, it would be considered a faux pas to walk
into someone's kitchen or puja room with one's shoes on.
*The speaker apologised to the audience for his faux pas.
The word `faux', which means false, is used quite frequently in the world of fashion and interior
design. For example, people talk about `faux fur' and `faux leather' to mean `false fur' and `false
leather'. When someone says that he's bought a `fauxlex', what he means is that he has bought a
`fake Rolex'!
What is the meaning of `apropos', and how is the word used?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `a' sounds like the `a' in `act', cat', and `hat'; the
following `o' is like the `a' in `china'. The final `o' is pronounced like the `oa' in `coat', `boat', and
`goat'; the `s' is silent. The stress is on the final syllable. The expression `apropos of' is usually
used to introduce a new subject, but one which is connected to what you were talking about
earlier.
*I received a call from Priyanka last night apropos of which, did you send her the paintings?
When you say that something is `apropos', you mean that it is suitable for the situation.

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*The Vice Chancellor's remarks were very apropos.
What is the meaning of `git'?
When you call another person a `git', what you mean is that you dislike him because you find
him annoying. The `g' is like the `g' in `get' and `guess', and the following `it' is pronounced like
the word `it'. `Git' is used in British English in informal contexts to refer to a man.
*How could you have fallen in love with a git like him?
*Tell the git standing over there to stop whistling.
The word is also used to mean `get'.
Is `pair of' followed by a singular or plural verb?
You normally use `a pair of' when you are talking about two things which are of the same size
and which are used together - for example, shoes, gloves, etc. When used in this manner, it can
be followed by a singular or a plural verb.
*The pair of gloves I liked was not for sale.
*The man put on a pair of black shoes that were in the veranda.
"Everyone who is incapable of learning has taken to teaching." Oscar Wilde
August 2006
Know your English
"Is something the matter? You look very depressed."
"I feel depressed too. My best friend is leaving for Delhi tomorrow. His father has been
transferred."

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"These things happen. Listen, your quarterly exams start next week. If you want to do well in
them, you'd better snap out of it soon."
"Snap out of what?"
"Your depression, of course. When you tell someone to snap out of something, what you mean is
that you want them to get over it."
"So in my case, you're telling me to overcome my sense of depression."
"When we lost the World Cup, many of my friends were very disappointed. It took them a while
to snap out of it."
"I remember how disappointed I was. Hey, are you going somewhere? You seem to be all
packed."
"Going to Thiruvananthapuram tomorrow. Remember the project I was telling you about? The
one... "
"The client liked your ideas? Congrats."
"I didn't say that. They want me to come over... ."
"To sign the contract! What else could they want? You've clinched the deal!"
"You know what they say. It's not over till the fat lady sings."
"Fat lady? What fat lady? What are you talking about?"
"It's an expression mostly used in American English. When you say that something is not over
till the fat lady sings, what you mean is that you can't be sure of the result till the very end."
"Though you may seem as if you are losing, you might end up winning. In other words, don't
give up!"
"Yes, something like that."

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"We need to get 150 runs in 10 overs. As they say, it's not over till the fat lady sings."
"Good example. "
"Are you flying or taking the train?"
"Since the company is paying, I'm flying. I should be back in a couple of days."
"You will get done in two days? That's pretty fast. So, when... ."
"In this context, a `couple' doesn't have to mean two days. It could be more. If you say that you'll
be gone a couple of days, what you mean is that you will be gone for a few days."
"So when you say that a couple of shops were open, it can mean that more than two shops were
open?"
"That's right. The word `couple' is often used to mean two or more."
"In other words, a few shops were open, but not many."
"Exactly!"
"Where will you be staying in Thiruvananthapuram? Will you staying with your friend, Bala?"
"No, I haven't touched base with him in a while. So, I don't think... ."
"Touched base with him? Does it mean keep in touch with him?"
"Very good. That's exactly what it means."
"How about this example? Do you want me to touch base with you while you are in
Thiruvananthapuram?"
"No thanks. I think I want to be left in peace. I will touch base with you when I return."
"So if you are not staying with Bala, where will you be staying?"

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"The company that's invited me is putting me up in a really top-drawer hotel."
"Top-drawer hotel! Does it mean top quality or something like that?"
"Exactly. My cousin is on the lookout for a teacher who is top-drawer."
" How about this example? The college that my cousin's children go to is top-drawer. You should
see the place... ."
"I'm sure it's a great place. Listen, my flight leaves early tomorrow. Need to get my sleep."
"O.K. Have a safe flight."
"Thanks."
"A rule of thumb in the matter of medical advice is to take everything any doctor says with a
grain of aspirin." Goodman Ace
What is the killing of one's brother called?
The killing of one's brother is referred to as `fratricide'. The `a' is pronounced like the `a' in
`pact', `fact', and `tact'; the following `i' is like the `i' in `sit', `bit', and `hit'. The final `cide' is
pronounced like the word `side', and the stress is on the first syllable. This is one way of
pronouncing the word. `Frater' in Latin means `brother' and `cida' means `killer'. There are many
words in English ending with the suffix `cide'. For example, the killing of one's father is
`patricide'. `Matricide' is the killing of one's mother, and when a parent kills his/her child, it's
called `filicide'. If you kill another human being it's `homicide', and when you kill yourself, it's
`suicide'.
What is the meaning of `raise the bar'?
The expression comes from the world of athletics. In high jump and pole-vault, when you clear a
particular height, the horizontal bar is raised to a new level to see if you can jump even higher.

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Every time you clear the hurdle, the bar is raised, and you are set a new challenge. When you
raise the bar for something, you raise the level; in other words, you set a higher standard.
*The students went on strike because the Principal raised the bar for admission.
*The CEO had to lower the bar in order to give his son the job.
Why do we say `five star hotel' and not `five stars hotel'?
This is because `star' is functioning as an adjective, and not as a noun. You can say that you saw
`Five stars shining in the sky.' But when a noun like hotel follows the word `star', you say, `I had
dinner in a three star hotel'. You do not say, `three stars hotel'. Similarly, you say, `I want five
rupees'. But when the word `rupees' is followed by the noun `coin' or `note', you say, `I need a
five rupee coin/note'. You do not say, `five rupees note'. Joggers talk about a `twenty-mile
marathon', and not a `twenty miles marathon'.
How is the word `embarrass' pronounced?
The first syllable is like the `im' in `him', `slim', and `Kim'; the following `a', which has the main
stress, is pronounced like the `a' in `cat', `bat', and `hat'. The final `a' is like the `a' in `china'.
When you do something that you are ashamed of, you say that you are embarrassed by what you
did. The word can also be used to mean nervous or uncomfortable.
*Shantha gave an embarrassed smile when she spilt orange juice on her friend's new carpet.
*The questions that the psychiatrist asked embarrassed Jai's daughter.
What is the difference between a `story' and a `tale'?
Of the two, `story' is the more general word. A story can be real or fictitious, and it can be
written or oral. You can talk about a story that you read in the newspaper, or a story that your
grandmother told you as a child. The newspaper story could be true, but the one that your
grandmother told you could be made up. A story can be in the form of poetry or prose and it
usually, not always, deals with a series of incidents in an individual's life.

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*Listen, give me the facts. I don't want to hear the story of your life.
*After seeing the film, he went around telling the story to everyone.
Unlike a story, a `tale' is usually fictitious; the word carries with it a sense of exaggeration.
Tales, in general, deal with exciting, but imaginary events that took place in ancient times and in
far off lands. For example, we talk about the tales of King Arthur and the Round Table.
"Make crime pay. Become a lawyer." Will Rogers
Know Your English
"I want you to return the Rs. 50 that you borrowed from me a couple of weeks ago."
"Can I give it to you next month? You see, I don't...."
"Sorry, I want the money by tomorrow. I want my pound of flesh."
"Your pound of flesh? What are you talking about?"
"When someone demands their pound of flesh, they want something that they are entitled to.
They want it even though it might create problems for the person it is demanded from."
"In other words, you are forcing the person to pay you back even though you may not need the
money that you are asking for?"
"That's right! You ask for what is due to you, even though you know it's going to create
problems for the other person. For example, the family's distress had absolutely no effect on the
greedy moneylender. He was determined to get his pound of flesh."
"Do you know where the expression comes from?"
"Doesn't it come from Shakespeare's, `The Merchant of Venice'?"
"Very good. Something funny happened today. The accountant asked my boss for a raise."

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"Your accountant? You mean the new guy? He joined your firm only last month, didn't he?"
"Yes, he's been with us for just three weeks. So it was rather surprising when...."
"Surprising? It's crazy. How did your boss react?"
"He was dumbfounded. He just...."
"I don't think it's nice to call your boss, stupid. You should...."
"I didn't call my boss `dumb'. I said that he was `dumbfounded'. Any idea what the word
means?"
"Does it mean `surprised' or something like that?"
"Very good. When you're dumbfounded by something, you're extremely surprised or shocked by
it. You're more or less rendered speechless. For example, the newly appointed teacher stared
dumbfounded as the children screamed at one other."
"Tell me, why did your new accountant ask for a raise? It seems rather foolish."
"You know what they say! Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
"What does that mean?"
"It means inexperienced or ignorant people often do things without really thinking things
through. They end up doing things which informed or experienced people would avoid."
"Rajeev was keen on becoming the President of the Club. Now he feels he shouldn't have
contested. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Tell me, what did your boss do? Did he have
a good laugh and tell the accountant that he should wait?"
"My boss is a nice guy, but he doesn't suffer fools gladly."
"Don't think I have come across that expression before."

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"When you say that someone doesn't suffer fools gladly, what you mean is that the individual
doesn't tolerate stupidity."
"The lady who teaches us English is a wonderful teacher. But she doesn't suffer fools gladly."
"My uncle is a fair man, but he doesn't suffer fools gladly."
"I don't think anyone does. Anyway, what did your boss tell the accountant?"
"We don't know what exactly he said, but he gave him an earful."
"An earful of what?"
"When you say that you got an earful from someone, you mean that the person spoke to you
angrily for a long time. The teacher gave the students an earful for not doing their homework."
"When I came home late last week, my mother gave me an earful."
"And if you don't return the Rs. 50 by tomorrow, you will get an earful from me."
"You want your pound of flesh, don't you? You're worse than Shylock."
Sign at a cemetery: "Persons are prohibited from picking flowers from any but their own
graves."
What is the difference between `advisor' and `adviser'?
There is no difference in meaning between the two words. Both are used to refer to someone
(usually an expert) whose job it is to advise other people. For example, film stars often consult
financial advisers to find out what to do with their money. When they get into trouble, the stars
consult a legal adviser. Most dictionaries that we get in India, list `adviser' as the first choice, and
`advisor' as the second. This is because in British English the word is spelt `a..d..v..i..s..e..r';
`a..d..v..i..s..o..r' is the way Americans spell the word. While surfing the net, one encounters
`advisor' much more frequently than `adviser'.

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What is the meaning of `cross the bridge when you come to it'?
This idiom is used to tell someone not to worry about things that may or may not happen in the
future. Very often, when we come up with what we think is a good proposal, the prophets of
doom in the office give us a detailed account of the things that could possibly go wrong. They
take great delight in telling us why the project will fail, and they come up with all kinds of
imaginary problems. In such a context, if you tell your detractors that you will cross the bridge
when you come to it, what you mean is that you will deal with the various problems as and when
they arise. You are not going to worry about them unnecessarily right now.
*What if we run out of funding? We'll cross the bridge when we come to it.
*Mohan seemed unconcerned. He said that he would cross the bridge when he came to it.
Which is correct? `A small percentage of the students is worked up about the
fee hike' or `A small percentage of the students are worked up about the fee
hike'.
People who are fond of grammar would argue that when the word `percentage' is preceded by the
definite article `the', then the verb is usually singular. It doesn't really matter if the noun
preceding the verb is singular or plural.
*The percentage of students from Delhi is relatively small.
Although the noun (`students') is plural, the verb that follows (`is') is singular.
*The percentage of people willing to participate keeps decreasing every year.
When you talk about `a percentage', on the other hand, it can be followed by a singular or plural
verb. It depends on the noun which follows `percentage'.
*A very small percentage of the students are from Delhi.
*I'm told that a small percentage of Padma's income goes to charity.

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What is the origin of the word `nightmare'?
Dreams can be pleasant or unpleasant. Nightmares, on the other hand, are always unpleasant. A
frightening dream is usually called a nightmare. When you've had a nightmare, you wake up
gasping for breath. The `mare' in `nightmare' has nothing to do with a female horse. The word
comes from Old English `mare' meaning `incubus'. An incubus, people believed, was an evil
spirit which sat on a person's chest while he slept hence, the feeling of suffocation.
"Children are unpredictable. You never know what inconsistency they're going to catch you in
next." Franklin P. J ones
July 2006
Know Your English
"How do you pronounce o..k..e..y and d..o..k..e..y?"
"The `o' in the two words is pronounced like the `o' in `go', `no', and `so'."
"The following syllable is pronounced like the word `key', I suppose?"
"You're absolutely right! The stress is on the first syllable of the two words. `Okey dokey' is a
very informal way of saying O.K."
"So when someone says, `Please give me Rs. 50', can I respond by saying, `Okey dokey'?"
"You certainly can. But remember not to use the expression in formal contexts."
"Okey dokey, I'll remember that! Now then, can you lend me Rs. 100?"
"You're joking, right? You know that I don't... ."
"Joking? Of course, not! I'm being serious. You see, I need the money to buy... ."
"Forget it! I'm not lending you any money."

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"Forget it? You're not supposed to say `forget it'. You are supposed to say, `Okey dokey'."
"Sorry. If it's money you want, ask Geetha. She has money coming out of her ears."
"Money coming out of her ears? How is that possible?"
"When you say that someone has something coming out of his ears, what you mean is that the
person has lots of it. For example, if it is tax forms you want, ask Devidas. He's got forms
coming out of his ears."
"If you want pictures of Brett Lee, ask Ananya. She's got them coming out of her ears."
"She's a big Brett Lee fan, isn't she? If it's an Asterix comic that you want, ask Bala. He's got
them coming out of his ears."
"I'm not interested in anything coming out of a person's ears. Well, since you're not willing to
help me with money, can you help me with this problem in physics, at least?"
"Me? Help you with physics? You must be kidding! Why don't you ask Sujatha?"
"I did! But she said you knew a lot more about the subject than she did."
"Ms. Know-it-all said that? I don't believe it!"
"Ms. Know-it-all? Is that the expression that is used to refer to someone who knows everything?"
"It's an expression used to talk about someone who thinks he knows everything."
"I know the type. He tries to impress people with his knowledge. Ends up annoying them."
"That's right! He is the sort... ."
"So when you refer to someone as a `know-it-all', you are not really complimenting the person?"
"Not at all! You are, in fact, showing your disapproval. For example, I don't wish to speak to that
know-it-all."

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"Saraswathi, the know-it-all in our family, told us to invest our funds in the stock market."
"That doesn't sound like very good advice. It's also possible to say, `know-all'. They both have
the same meaning. For example, nobody really likes Chandra because she is such a know-all."
"Our class is full of know-alls."
"You know who can help you with your physics problem? Mukund."
"Mukund! He hardly opens his mouth. Gives the impression that he doesn't know anything."
"Still waters run deep, my friend."
"What are you talking about?"
"It means that a quiet person may not be what he pretends to be. Just because someone remains
quiet, doesn't mean he has no knowledge of the subject matter. He... "
"He could be very knowledgeable or very passionate about the subject."
"Exactly! The quiet person may be thinking important or deep thoughts. Surabhi has been very
quiet of late. You know what they say, still waters run deep."
"It's true that still waters run deep. But I don't think it applies in Janaki's case. She doesn't say
much because she's half asleep most of the time."
"That's a nasty thing to say."
"I know! I'll see if Mukund is at home. See you tomorrow."
"Okey dokey!"
"Do Lipton employees take coffee breaks?" Steven Wright


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What is the meaning of `stuck up'?
This is an informal way of calling someone `snooty' or `snobbish'. A person who is `stuck-up'
thinks he is more important than others, and as a result, is often very unfriendly towards them.
*What's got into Hamsa? Why is she so stuck-up?
*When I met the star, I was pleasantly surprised. He wasn't at all stuck-up.
What is the meaning of `hornet's nest'?
A hornet is a large insect which has a relatively large sting. When you refer to a problem as
being a hornet's nest, what you mean is that it is one that causes people to become angry. When
you `stir up a hornet's nest', you are asking for trouble; you say or do something controversial
which results in a lot of commotion.
*The teacher's article in the local paper stirred up a hornet's nest.
*The Minister's remarks about the striking students stirred up a hornet's nest.
How is word `cuisine' pronounced? (Durga, Chennai)
The first syllable `cui' is pronounced like the `qui' in `quit', `quiz', and `quick'. The `s' that
follows is like the `z' in `zip' and `zoo'; and the final `ine' is like the `een' in `seen', `teen', and
`keen'. The main stress is on the second syllable. The word comes from French and is mostly
used to talk about a particular style of cooking - the way in which an item is prepared. When you
refer to the cuisine of a restaurant, you are talking about the different varieties of food served
there.
*The new restaurant on M.G Road offers excellent traditional Thai cuisine.
Can the word `doctor' be used as a verb?
Yes, it can. When someone `doctors' something, he makes some changes in it in order to deceive
people. For example, companies, in order to show a huge profit, sometimes change the figures in

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their accounts. They do this in the hope that their share prices will go up. This practice of
changing figures dishonestly is called doctoring.
*These reports suggest that it was the Professor who doctored the figures.
*According to the film star, her ex-husband doctored the photographs.
When someone doctors your drink or food, they spice it up with a little bit of poison!
*The police suspect that it was the partner who doctored the drink.
*The dog's food had been doctored.
What is the meaning and origin of `Utopian'?
The word `utopia' comes from the Greek `ou' and `topos' meaning `nowhere'; in other words, it is
a place that doesn't exist. Utopia is an imaginary island created by Sir Thomas More in his book
written in 1516. The happy inhabitants of this make-believe island enjoyed near perfect living
conditions; they had the perfect social and political systems. Nowadays, when you say that a
person is `utopian', what you mean is that he always aims for something that is impossible to
achieve. When you dismiss someone's plan as being `utopian', you are ridiculing it because you
believe that it is unrealistic. Utopian has acquired a negative meaning.
*Padma, like her father, was pursuing a utopian dream of world peace.
*The singer was truly utopian. He believed that countries could exist without borders.
Samuel Butler wrote a novel in 1872 called `Erehwon' in which he made fun of utopian concepts.
`Erehwon' is actually `nowhere' spelt backwards!
"The vanity of teaching doth oft tempt a man to forget that he is a blockhead." George
Saville


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When we say it's spiting, we mean it is raining very lightly
"Hi! Come on in. I'll be almost ready. Do I need to take my umbrella?"
"What for? It's only spitting."
"Spitting? Who is spitting? What are you talking about?"
"I am talking about the rain, of course! When you say it's spitting, what you mean is that it is
raining very lightly."
"I see. Can I say, we managed to complete our game because it was only spitting?"
"You certainly can! Here's another example. When it started spitting just before the women's
singles final, the organisers became somewhat worried."
"Did you watch the game between France and Italy? It was really exciting, wasn't it?"
"Many thought it was a barnburner. But personally, I...."
"Barnburner? What does it mean?"
"When you say that an event was a barnburner, what you mean is that it was excellent or very
exciting."
"In other words, something that is a barnburner arouses a great deal of interest."
"Exactly! I thought that the match between Federer and Nadal would be a barnburner. I was
thoroughly disappointed."
"When India and Pakistan play an ODI, it's always a barnburner."
"Good example."
"Why were you disappointed with the World Cup final? Many of the commentators said it was a
barnburner."

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"Frankly, I think it was just lip gloss. I think they were...."
"Lip gloss? Isn't that something that women put on to make their lips shiny?"
"Yes, that's right. When somebody tells you something, and you dismiss it as being lip gloss,
what you mean is that the person is exaggerating. For example, don't believe anything that the
Registrar said during the meeting. His words are just lip gloss."
"Can the term be used to mean to lie or exaggerate?"
"Yes, it certainly can!"
"Then, how about this example? According to Dharmendra, everything Gayathri says is just lip
gloss. The woman is a born liar."
"Sounds good to me. By the way, `lip gloss' like the expression `barnburner' is mostly used in
informal contexts. So be careful about how you use it."
"And you should be careful too! You shouldn't put a curse on other people."
"Me? Put a curse on someone? What are you talking about?"
"Last week you got angry with my Principal and said something...."
"Oh, I remember that! I said I hope the man breaks his leg, or something like that."
"That's right! Well, believe it or not, he slipped in the bathroom yesterday, and broke his leg."
"What are you trying to do? Send me on a guilt trip of some kind? If you are...."
"Send you on a guilt trip? Are you...."
"When you send someone on...."
"I think I know what the expression means. When you send someone on a guilt trip, you try to
make the person feel very guilty about something. Am I right?"

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"One hundred per cent. For example, my parents always try to send me on a guilt trip for not
calling them often enough."
"It is also possible to say, `lay/put a guilt trip on someone'. For example, Madhu put the guilt trip
on all of us for not helping her during her time of need. So, who is going to be the acting
Principal?"
"According to rumours, it's going to be some senior faculty."
"Don't say `senior faculty'. You can either say, `a senior faculty member' or `a senior member of
the faculty'. But not, `senior faculty'."
"I see. Shall we take a walk in the spitting rain?"
"I t's a wise husband who will buy his wife such fine china that she won't trust him to wash the
dishes." Unknown
What is the meaning and origin of `top brass'?
Many reporters just love this expression; they use it all the time. Any time the top people of an
organisation are present during a press conference, the reporter says/writes that it was attended
by the `top brass'. The expression is considered to be informal, and is mostly used in British
English.
*The minister has said that there will be a reshuffle of the army's top brass.
The expression `top brass' was first used in the Army. `Brass' referred to the gold braid found on
the hats of military officers it indicated the individual's rank. The word `brass' is actually a
shortened form of `brass hat', and this was the term used by enlisted men in the late 19th century
to refer to their commanding officers. It was during World War II that `brass hat' became `top
brass'. As time went by, the expression began to be used in non-military contexts; important
individuals of an organisation began to be called `top brass'. The term `the brass' can also be used
to refer to such people.

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Is it OK to say, `I am crazy after English'?
No, it is not. You are usually `crazy about' something, and not `crazy after' something. When you
are crazy about something, you like it very much. You go after it because you are very interested
in it. It is also possible to say, `mad about' something.
*Most students in my class are mad about cricket.
How is the word `schism' pronounced?
There are different ways of pronouncing the word. Some people pronounce the `sch' like the
`sch' in `school', `scholar', and `scheme'. Others pronounce it like the `s' in `sit', `sip' and `sat'.
The `i' is like the `i' in `bit', `hit' and `sit', and the following `s' is like the `z' in `zip', `zoo', and
`zero'. The sound that follows the `s' is like the `a' in `china', and the final `m' is like the `m' in
`monkey' and `money'. The main stress is on the first syllable.
Schism is a word mostly used in formal contexts. In India, we often see political parties splitting
into two. This breaking up of a party or organisation due to differences in beliefs is referred to as
`schism'. The word was originally used to refer to a split within the church.
*This report says that differing views caused a schism among the members.
Why do we say `hue and cry'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of `hue'. The `hu' is like the `hu' in `human' and `huge', and
the vowel that follows is like `oo' in `cool', `pool', and `school'. When a politician is caught with
his hands in the cookie jar, people raise a hue and cry about corruption. In other words, they
complain about it rather noisily; sometimes, there is a public protest. This outcry or noisy protest
is referred to as `hue and cry'.
*There was a hue and cry when the Government decided to increase taxes.
Dictionaries define `hue' as colour. What does colour have to do with noise? Nothing. The `hue'
in the expression is from the French `huer' meaning, `to shout after'. `Hue and cry' is a legal term

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used in the 13th century to refer to a group of people running after a thief. What do people do
when they run after a thief? They shout and create all kinds of noise to attract attention!
What is the meaning of `mull over'?
When you `mull over' a problem or plan, you think about it for a long time before arriving at a
decision.
*Shashi has been mulling over the problem for several weeks now.
"I told my mother-in-law that my house was her house, and she said, `Get the hell off my
property'." Joan Rivers
Know your English
Have a sense of humour, remember? I am afraid you'll have to pay up."
"Maybe I should talk to Sujatha and try to... ."
"Why would you want to get involved in a conversation with her? You know she has a bad case
of verbal diarrhoea."
"Verbal diarrhoea? Does it mean talking too much? Unable to shut up?"
"Exactly. A person who has verbal diarrhoea talks continuously. Talks non-stop. Siddhu has
verbal diarrhea."
"If you ask me, many of our politicians have a serious case of verbal diarrhoea."
"That's a good example. So, what are you going to do?"
"About Sujatha, you mean? I am not really sure. I think I will argue with her... ."
"Listen, no matter how much you argue, at some point you will have to throw in the towel.
You... ."

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"Throw in the towel? What are you talking about?"
"When you thrown in the towel, you decide to stop doing what you have been attempting to. You
decide not to pursue the matter. You just give up."
"In other words, you quit doing what you were doing."
"Exactly! Although Nadal lost the first two sets, he didn't throw in the towel."
"How about this example? Amru has been working on the problem for two days now. He refuses
to throw in the towel."
"It is also possible to say, `throw in the sponge'. When things didn't go according to plan, she
threw in the sponge."
"Tell me, where does the idiom `throw in the towel' come from?"
"It comes from the world of boxing. You see during a fight, the boxer's trainer/manager stays
with him. In between rounds, he gives the fighter water, tells him what his opponent is doing,
wipes the sweat and blood off the boxer's face, and... ."
"And he uses a sponge or a towel to do this!"
"That's right! If he feels that his fighter is taking too much punishment, he may decide to call the
fight off."
"This is to prevent any serious injury, I suppose."
"Yes. In order to stop the fight, what the trainer/manager does is to throw the towel or sponge
into the ring. This is a signal to the referee that he wants the fight to be stopped."
"I see. So he actually throws a towel into the ring. Interesting. Do you think you can lend me Rs.
50?"
"If God wanted us to be brave, why did he give us legs?" Marvin Kitman

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June 2006
How is the word `poignant' pronounced?
The `oi' is like the `oy' in `boy', `toy', and `joy'; the following `g' is silent. The first syllable
`poign' therefore rhymes with the word `coin'. The sound following the `n' is like the `y' in `yes',
`yell', and `yellow'. The `a' that follows is like the `a' in `china', and the main stress is on the first
syllable. When you say that something is `poignant', what you mean is that it affects you very
deeply and makes you feel rather sad.
Please change the channel. I am not in the mood to watch a poignant love story.
Why is television called the `idiot box'?
It is not the box which is the idiot, but the people watching it. Have you ever observed people
watching their favourite programme? Their eyes remain glued to the television set, and on most
occasions they have no clue what is going on around them. When you ask them questions, they
either tell you to keep quiet, or don't take the trouble to answer you. The only time they come
alive is during the commercial break; otherwise, they remain passive. They keep staring at the
`box' as if they were a bunch of idiots; the TV turns them into one. By the way, did you know
that the words `idiot' and `idiom' are related? Both come from the Greek `idios', meaning
`peculiar'. Why is an idiom peculiar? Because the meaning of an idiom is not the sum of the
meaning of all the words of the idiom. For example, whenever it rains heavily, we say, `It's
raining cats and dogs'. It doesn't mean that cats and dogs are actually falling from the sky.
What is the meaning of `buy someone off'?
When a policeman stops us for a traffic violation, what is it that we normally do? We try to talk
our way out of paying the fine. Sometimes we plead with the officer, at other times, we try to
bribe him so that we don't have to pay the full penalty. This act of bribing someone so that he
turns a blind eye to the wrong that we have done is referred to as `buying someone off'.
The businessman succeeded in buying off some of the income tax officials.

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What's the difference between "How are you?" and "How do you do?"
In British English, `How do you do?' is normally used when you are introduced to someone for
the first time. It is a way of greeting someone, and the standard response to this expression is,
`How do you do?' You normally use this expression only once with a person. The next time you
meet him, you can say, `How are you?' This expression is used with people you already know.
Unlike `How do you do', `How are you' is intended to find out how the individual is doing
both emotionally and physically. `How do you do?' does not carry this meaning. Did you know
that the word `hi' is actually from `how are you'? When `how are you' is said very fast, it sounds
like `hiya'. So instead of saying, `how are you', people started saying, `hiya'. Later on, `hiya' was
reduced to `hi'. Therefore when you meet someone and say, `Hi, how are you?', what you are
actually saying is, `How are you? How are you?'.
What is the difference between `shovel down' and `shovel into'?
When you `shovel something down', you take a huge bite of something and gulp it down very
quickly. It is an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts.
Listen, you don't have to shovel your sandwich down. We have plenty of time.
When you `shovel something into something', you make use of a shovel to put something into
something else.
The old gardener spent a lot of time shovelling gravel into the wheelbarrow.
"When you steal from one author, it's plagiarism; when you steal from many, it's research."
Wilson Mizner
Know Your English
"Hi! Haven't seen you for ten days. Where have you been?"
"Like everybody else, I've been busy watching the World Cup matches. Since I stay up all night
and watch the games, I have a long nap after I return back from school."

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"You don't have to say `return back'. Just `return' will do. For example, the Vice Chancellor will
return from Nagpur on Thursday."
"That's a good one. Tell me, how do you manage to stay awake in school? Don't you... ."
"I fall asleep every now and then. So do my classmates. And yesterday, one of my teachers fell
asleep too! That was pretty funny!"
"The same thing is happening in my office. You should just see the place. Things are in limbo."
"In limbo? What does it mean?"
"It means that things are in an uncertain state. It can also mean that things are in a state of
neglect. For example, unless the Supreme Court gives its verdict, the various projects will
continue to be in limbo."
" How about this example? The Manager kept Lavanya's promotion in limbo for months."
"Sounds good. Listen, have you bought the MP3 player that you were saving up for?"
"Not yet. Devi was saying that the price might go down even further next week."
"Don't wait too long. Bottom fishing may get you into trouble."
"Bottom fishing? Haven't heard that expression before."
"It's a term used in the stock market. When you go bottom fishing, you look for shares whose
prices have dropped very low because of a crash in the market."
" The term has acquired a broader meaning. When you go bottom fishing, you try to buy
something at the cheapest possible price. And in the process are willing to settle for products of
poor quality."
"I have a cousin who thinks that bottom fishing will always get you something of value."

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"Not always, I am afraid. Personally, I don't think bottom fishing is always wise. There is a
reason why the seller is willing to sell something at such a low price."
"You have a point there."
"Of course, I do! My cousin who plays the stock market does a lot of bottom fishing."
"Your cousin? Which one? The one who lost a lot of money recently?"
"Yes, that's right! It seems to make no difference to him. Whenever he loses money, he sponges
from his parents."
"Sponges from his parents? What does it mean?"
"When you sponge something from someone, you beg or borrow something from them. For
example, my cousin sponged a thousand rupees from my parents."
"My cousin has been sponging food from her relatives for a year now."
"That's a good example."
"Why don't you tell your cousin's parents not to let their son sponge off them?"
"Unfortunately, my uncle doesn't trust people. He feels that the person advising him is trying to
lead him down the garden path."
"Which garden are you talking about?"
"When you lead someone down the garden path, you are cheating or deceiving the individual.
This is an informal expression commonly used in American English."
"Latha told Pradeep that she loved him. What the fool didn't realise was that she was leading him
down the garden path. She needed help with her project. How does that sound?"
"Good. It is also possible to say, `up the garden path'. The mechanic led us up the garden path
about the cost the repairs turned out to be really expensive."

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"This is either a forgery or a damn clever original!" Frank Sullivan
How is the word `loquacious' pronounced?
The `o' in the first syllable and the `iou' in the final syllable are pronounced like the `a' in `china'.
The `qu' sounds like the `qu' in `quit', `quiz' and `queen'. The `a' that follows is like the `a' in
`way', `say', and `bay', and the `c' is like the `sh' in `sheep', `ship', and `sheet'. The stress is on the
second syllable. When you say that someone is `loquacious', what you mean is that the individual
talks a lot. The word is mostly used in formal contexts.
*The normally loquacious Malar chose to remain silent at the meeting.
Is it OK to use `ranker' to mean `top rank in an examination'?
This is a word one frequently encounters in the months of May and June in India. A student who
does well in an entrance exam and gets a decent rank is immediately labelled a `ranker'. Proud
parents distribute sweets claiming that their child is a `ranker', and tutorial institutions take out
ads claiming that they had X number of `rankers' in this year's exam. This use of the word
`ranker' to mean `top in the examination' is Indian. Native speakers of English do not use the
word in this manner. Dictionaries define the word "ranker" as a commissioned officer who has
been promoted from the enlisted status. It has nothing to do with performing well in an exam.
What is the meaning of `out of the box'?
When you think out of the box, you think creatively, you think in an unconventional manner.
The expression derives from the famous puzzle created by a British mathematician, Henry Ernest
Dudeney. In this puzzle there are nine dots arranged in three rows; each row containing three
dots. The challenge is to connect all nine dots making use of four straight lines, without taking
the pencil off paper.
*Sanjay has always been an out of the box sort of guy.


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What is the meaning and origin of `hit the sack'?
When you say that you are going to `hit the sack', you are saying in a rather informal way that
you are going to bed. What does a sack have to do with a bed? During World War II, American
soldiers started referring to their sleeping bags as `sacks'. `Hit the sack' replaced the earlier
expression `hit the hay'. Why hay? In the old days, people who couldn't afford a bed used to
sleep on a sack stuffed with hay. Before they lay down to sleep, they used to keep hitting the
sack till the straw/hay was evenly spread. Hence the expression `hit the hay'.
*I've had a tiring day. I think I am going to hit the sack early today.
*You don't seriously expect me to hit the hay so early, do you?
What is the difference between `password' and `buzzword'?
A `buzzword' can either be a word or a phrase that has suddenly become very popular in a
particular field. Reporters from the various news media pick up on it and constantly use it in their
stories. As a result, the ordinary public becomes familiar with it as well. In recent years,
`biotechnology' has been the buzzword in medicine. `Empowerment', `paradigm shift' and
`synergy' are the other examples of buzzwords.
A `password', on the other hand, is usually a secret word or phrase that you are expected to know
in order to enter restricted places. It tells the other person who you are. For example, if you want
to check your email, you have to type in your user mail id and your password. If you forget the
password, you will be denied access. Unlike buzzwords, passwords are not usually new, and are
not used frequently by one and all. They are usually kept a secret.
"Originality is the art of concealing your source." Franklin P. J ones
Know Your English
"What's wrong? You look really depressed."
"With the stock market going south, I have every right to be."

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"What are you talking about? How can a market go south?"
"When you say that something has `gone south', what you mean is that it has gone down in value
or quality. For example, when share prices went south, investors panicked."
"How about this example? Sania lost in the first round of the French Open. Her famous forehand
seems to have gone south."
"That's a good one. Tell me, did your friends lose a lot of money because of the crash?"
"No, they sold off many of their stocks a week before the market went south. They must have got
wind of the crash. That's probably why they sold off their shares."
"Got wind of? What does it mean?"
"You come to know about something which others are trying to keep a secret. For example, Jai
got wind of the fact that I was taking Sarita to a movie."
"I am sure he didn't like it one bit. How about this one? My father wanted to throw a surprise
party for my sister. He made sure no one got wind of it."
"Good. Tell me, how did your friends get wind of the fact that the market was going to crash?"
"No clue. Wish they had told me though. I would have sold off some of the shares at least."
"Where does the idiom `get wind of' come from? Any idea?"
"Animals smell the wind to figure out which other animals are nearby."
"The wind carries the scent of the other animals. Is that what you're saying?"
"That's right! How is the bike that your uncle gave you on your birthday?"
"It's okay. But I sure wish that he had got another colour. This one is ... ."
"You know what they say. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

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"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth? What does that mean?"
"It means that when someone gives you a gift, don't go about finding fault with it. Accept it for
what it's worth."
"I see. My friend is leaving for the U.S for six months. She said that I could stay in her flat for
free. Though there are several things wrong with the flat, I've decided not to look a gift horse in
the mouth."
"Excellent example. Tell me, what is the connection between a gift horse and its mouth? I
mean... ."
"People can tell how old a horse is by looking at its teeth. The longer the teeth, the older the
horse is. So,... ."
"When someone gifts you a horse, don't open its mouth to find out how young or old it is. If it is
old, don't complain about it. After all, the horse is a gift."
"Exactly! Accept the gift for what it's worth."
"According to me, people should never complain about... ."
"How many times have I told you about according to... ."
"I don't know why, but I always keep forgetting. You cannot say, `according to me'. It's always
according to someone else. According to my uncle I am brilliant."
"Has your uncle actually said that to you?"
"No, but I understand that he told my cousin... ."
"Then it's just hearsay."
"Hearsay? What does it mean?"
"Things that one has heard from other people. They may or may not be true."

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"It's like a rumour, then?"
"Kind of! A lot of things reported in this article are based on hearsay."
"In our factory, we make lipstick. In our advertising, we sell hope." Charles Revson
May 2006
What is the meaning and origin of `busman's holiday'?
If you get a day off and you end up spending it doing what you normally do on any working day,
then you call it a `busman's holiday'. Instead of going out and enjoying yourself, you spend the
day as if it were any other working day doing office work. By the way, the `a' in `man' is
pronounced like the `a' in `china'.
The expression comes from the time when buses in London were pulled by horses. Every driver
was given his own team of horses, and man and animal worked together every day. As it usually
happens in such circumstances, a close relationship developed between the driver and his team.
Whenever the driver went on leave, a substitute was hired to `drive' the bus. Very often the
regular driver would sit in his bus all day as a passenger just to make sure that his horses were
being properly treated by the substitute. Since the driver ended up doing what he normally did on
any working day, these rides began to be called `busman's holiday'.
*I thought I would make it a busman's holiday and finish writing the report.
How is the word `leitmotiv' pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word `light'; the following `o' is like the `o' in `so', `no',
and `go'. The `i' sounds like the `ee' in `breeze', `freeze', and `sneeze'. The final `v' is like the `f'
in `fish', `feel', and `full', and the stress is on the first syllable. `Leitmotiv' is a German word
meaning `leading motive' or `leading theme'. The word, which comes from the world of music,
can also be spelt `leitmotif'. In some movies, for example, whenever a particular character
appears on the screen, he is always accompanied by the same piece of music. In the old days,
whenever a wicked person made his or her appearance, you always had the snake charmer's

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music playing in the background; it was the director's way of telling the audience that the
character was evil. This is an example of leitmotif. Nowadays the term is used to refer to any
dominant theme that appears repeatedly in something book, movie and talk.
*The title of his latest movie could serve as the leitmotif for the actor's life.
What is the meaning of `to stonewall'?
The word is normally used to show disapproval. When you accuse someone of `stonewalling'
what you mean is that the individual is being obstructive, uncooperative or evasive. The person
is delaying taking a decision about something or refusing to answer your questions because there
is something he wishes to hide.
*The principal stonewalled when the reporter asked him about the scandal on campus.
Since walls made of stones were difficult to break through, the word `stonewall' began to be used
to refer to anything that presented a formidable obstacle.
The term is also used in cricket. When a batsman `stonewalls', he spends a lot of time at the
crease without really attempting to score runs.
Is there a difference between `re-count' and `recount'?
Yes, there is. The inclusion of the hyphen brings about a change in the meaning of the word. The
word `re-count' means `to count again' or `a further count'. Here are a few examples.
*Both candidates demanded a re-count.
It must be mentioned here that not everyone uses the hyphen nowadays. The `e' in the first
syllable is pronounced like the `ee' in `seed', `feed', and `need'.
The word `recount', on the other hand, means to narrate. In this case, the `e' is like the `i' in `sit',
`bit', and `hit', and the stress is on `count'.
*The students recounted their adventures in the Himalayas.

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"Childhood is that wonderful time of life when all you need to do to lose weight is take a
bath." Richard Zena
Down to the wire'
"Did you watch the exciting game last night?"
"It went down to the wire, didn't it?"
"Wire? I am talking about the first ODI between India and... ."
"I am talking about the cricket match as well. When you say that the game went down to the
wire, what you mean is, it was not possible to predict the outcome till the very end."
"When something goes down to the wire, it is full of suspense. Is that what you're saying?"
"That's right! The expression is usually used to mean `at the very last minute' or `at the very end'.
For example, the two teams are good. I have a feeling that the game will go down to the wire."
"How about this example? Remember the assignment that I had to submit last week? I really
went down to the wire on that one."
"Meaning that you submitted it at the very last minute. Sounds good."
"Tell me, where does the expression come from?"
"It comes from the world of horse racing. You see in the old days, it was common practice to
stretch a metal wire across the finishing line. And... ."
"The first horse that crossed the wire was declared the winner!"
"Exactly! So when you say `down to the wire', what you actually mean is `up to the finishing
line'. The race was exciting right up to the finishing line."
"That makes sense. Tell me, have you decided whether you are going to buy that beautiful flat
you saw last week?"

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"I have decided not to."
"But why? You liked the flat so much. Why have... ."
"The builder wants me to pay 60 per cent of the amount immediately. I don't have that kind of
money right now. I told him that I would be able to pay the advance in dribs and drabs, but he...
."
"Dribs and drabs? What does that mean?"
"What do you think it means?"
"It probably means in small amounts. You told the builder that you couldn't pay 60 per cent of
the money at one go. But you would be willing to pay him in small amounts over a period of
time."
"Exactly! For example. Not all the students were allowed to enter the museum at the same time.
The children were let into the main hall in dribs and drabs."
"How about this example? The striking miners returned to work in dribs and drabs."
"Sounds good. "
"But tell me, where does the word `dribs' come from?"
"It's the short form of `driblet', which in the 17th Century meant `a drop' or `tiny quantity'. Some
believe it comes from `dribble' meaning `trickle'. Do you know what trickle means?"
"Of course, I do! It means to flow out very slowly and in small quantity."
"Well done! The word `drab' was used in the early 1800s to refer to a small sum of money."
"A small amount of money trickling down at irregular intervals. Hence, dribs and drabs."
"It can be a small amount of something or a small number of something."

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"Tell me, how do you pronounce l..a..t..i..n..o?"
"Well, the `a' in the first syllable is like the `a' in `cat', `bat' and `hat', and the following `i' is like
the `ee' in `fees', `bees', and `knees'."
"And I guess the final `no' is pronounced like the word `no'."
"Exactly! The main stress is on the ... ."
"It must be on the first syllable."
"Sorry, no. It's on the second syllable `ti'. Do you know what `Latino' means?"
"I have no idea."
"A `Latino' is someone from Latin America who has settled down in the U.S. It's a term mostly
used in American English."
"My wife is suffering from sickness and as I am her only husband at home, I may be granted
leave." Unknown
What is the meaning and origin of `Monday morning blues'?
Monday is not a day that many people look forward to. In fact, most people get up feeling rather
depressed on this day. Reason? They know they have to work for another five or six days before
they get some time off. The `blues' referred to in the idiom has nothing to do with the colour.
According to some scholars, it refers to the type of music made popular by African Americans.
The `blues music' deals with rather sad themes, and as a result leaves the listener feeling sad.
This is the reason why the expressions `to have the blues' and `feeling blue' mean feeling sad or
depressed.
How is the word `esoteric' pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the letter `s' and the following `o' is like the `a' in `china'.
The `e' is like the `e' in `set', `pet', and `bet', and the final `ric' is like the `ric' in `electric',

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`eccentric', and `metric'. The main stress is on the third syllable `ter'. This is how the Americans
pronounce the word. The British, on the other hand, pronounce the `e' in the first syllable like the
`ee' in `bee', `fees', and `geese', and the following `o' like the `o' in `so', `go' and `no'.. Any idea
what the word means? When you say that something is `esoteric', what you are implying is that it
can be understood and appreciated by only a few people. The word is usually used in formal
contexts.
Venkat takes interest in esoteric subjects.
What is the meaning of `cul de sac'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `u' in `cul' is like the `u' in `cut', `but', and `hut'; the
`e' in `de' is like the `i' in `it', `bit', and `hit'. The final word is pronounced like the word `sack'.
The main stress is on the first syllable. A cul de sac is a short road which is blocked off at one
end. In other words, it's a dead end.
*Rahul lives in a beautiful house in a quiet cul de sac.
What is the difference between `Only Ram can play tennis' and `Ram can only
play tennis'?
The first sentence means that no person other than Ram can play tennis. You may have many
friends who play games, but none of them, except Ram, can play tennis. They may play other
games, but not tennis. The second sentence, on the other hand, means that tennis is the only
game that Ram can play. He cannot play any other game. Your other friends may play cricket,
table tennis, badminton, etc, but Ram cannot play any of these. Here are a few more examples.
*Only Geetha likes the Physics teacher. (No other student likes the teacher.)
*Geetha likes only the Physics teacher. (She doesn't like any other teacher.)



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What is the difference between `psych out' and `psych someone out'?
Both are expressions used in informal contexts. When you `psych out' you become terribly
excited about something. You get so excited that in the process you sometimes lose your ability
to think clearly.
*When my brother saw the new car I had bought, he psyched out.
When you `psyche someone out' you get them very excited and make them lose control of their
mental ability.
*Watching their children spending money recklessly psyched out the parents.
The expression can also be used to mean `to figure someone out'. When you `psyche someone
out' you begin to understand how his mind works.
*After having been married for twenty years, I still haven't psyched out my wife.
"The trouble with children is that they are not returnable." Quentin Crisp
Is it `confidant' or `confidante'? Which is the correct spelling?
Both are correct. A `confidant' is someone you confide in. You trust this person implicitly and
you tell him everything that is going on in your life. In other words, you pour your heart out to
him. A `confidante', on the other hand, is a woman whom you tell your problems to. There are a
few words in English where the addition of the letter `e' changes the gender: blond (man) and
blonde (woman) is one such example.
*Shruthi was her uncle's only confidante.
Both words are pronounced the same way. The first two syllables are pronounced like the first
two syllables of `confidence'. The `a' in `dant' is like the `a' in `pants', `ants', and `apple'. While
some people put the stress on the first syllable, others put it on the final syllable.

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"There are a few things more satisfying than seeing your children have teenagers of their
own." Doug Larson
How is the word `content' pronounced?
It can be pronounced in two different ways, and the pronunciation depends on how the word is
used. If you use the word as a noun, then the stress is on the first syllable. For example, if you
are talking about the `contents' of a suitcase or a book, then the `o' is pronounced like the `o' in
`con', `continent' and `confidence'. The second syllable is pronounced like the word `tent'; the
stress is on the first syllable. If, on the other hand, you use the word either as an adjective or a
verb, then the stress is on the second syllable. For example, if you are talking about how happy
or content you are with life, then the `o' in the first syllable is like the `a' in `china'. The
following syllable is pronounced like the word `tent'.
*There was no content (CONtent) in any of the presentations the students made.
*The students were content (conTENT) to sleep in the veranda.
*Mariam contented (conTENTed) herself eating peanuts and drinking milk.
"There are a few things more satisfying than seeing your children have teenagers of their
own." Doug Larson
Which is correct? `Waiting in the wings' or `waiting on the wings'?
The correct expression is `waiting in the wings'. The `wings' in this idiom has nothing to do with
the wings of a bird. The idiom comes from the world of theatre. The word `wings' refers to the
sides of the stage, which are usually hidden from the audience by the curtain. Actors normally
wait here before they walk onto the stage. When you say that someone is waiting in the wings,
what you mean is that the person is ready to perform; all he needs is an opportunity.
*We must give him an opportunity. He's been waiting in the wings for too long.

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"There are a few things more satisfying than seeing your children have teenagers of their
own." Doug Larson
What is the difference between `lonely' and `alone'?
If you are sitting all alone in the dining hall, there is no else with you in the room. You are the
only person present, the sole occupant. Loneliness, on the other hand, is a state of mind. When
you say that you feel lonely, what it implies is that you feel unhappy because you don't have any
friends or anyone to talk to; you feel isolated. When you are in the company of people you are
not alone, but you can be lonely. You might feel that you don't really belong with the group of
people. Since you have nothing in common with them, you cannot relate to them. When people
go abroad, they might be in the midst of a lot of people, but they still feel very lonely. On the
other hand, people may be all alone, but they may not feel lonely.
*Thinking of his life back home made him feel extremely lonely.
"There are a few things more satisfying than seeing your children have teenagers of their
own." Doug Larson
Know your English
"When you meet someone at eleven o'clock in the night, how do you greet him? Do you say,
`Good evening' or `Good night'?"
"You normally say...."
"Sujatha says it's `Good evening' and I say ...."
"She is right. You say, `Good evening'. You see...."
"But I'm seeing this person late in the night."
"That's true. But what you should remember is that `Good evening' is another way of saying,
`hello'. Good night is not used to greet people. When you say `Good night' to someone..."

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"You are saying `Good bye'. Is that the point you're making?"
"Exactly! Which is why when you walk into a restaurant late in the evening, the waiter wishes
you `Good evening', and when you leave, he says, `Good night'."
"I lose to Sujatha again! Hey, did you ask your boss for a raise?"
"Yes, I did. The Scrooge said, `No way'."
"What did you call him?"
"S..c..r..o..o..g..e. The `scroo' is pronounced like the word `screw', and the final `ge' sounds like
the `j' in `jam', `jump', and ...."
"Job!"
"You're bang on! Do you know what the word means?"
"Well, whenever we talk about your boss, you usually say how tight fisted he is. So a Scrooge
must be someone who hates spending money. He must be a miser. Just like Uncle Scrooge in the
Donald Duck comics!"
"Excellent. Scrooge is actually a character in Charles Dickens's `A Christmas Carol'. When I was
growing up, I thought my uncle was a bit of a Scrooge. But he was very generous compared to
my boss."
"If you ask me, Sujatha is a real Scrooge. But tell me, why is your boss refusing to give you a
raise? It's long overdue, isn't it?"
"I don't know. Maybe he just wants me to jump through hoops for him."
"Jump through what?"
"Hoops. When you jump through hoops, you do everything that the other person wants you to."
"In other words, you bend over backwards to please the individual."

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"Exactly! Here's an example. I don't get along with Radha. She wants all her friends to jump
through hoops for her. Something that I am not willing to do."
" You can also say, `jump through a hoop'. For example, I am not willing to jump through a hoop
for you."
"I don't expect a Scrooge like you to...."
"Me? A Scrooge! I've lent you more than 500 rupees. Fork it over."
"Fork it over! What are you talking about?"
"When you ask someone to fork something over, you want him to hand it over to you. The
expression is used in informal contexts and is usually used with money."
"You borrowed money from me last week. Fork it over. How does it sound?"
"Good. Now about that money you borrowed...."
"Do you think the bank will fork over more money to help us...."
"I don't think so. Tell me, how was the movie that you were planning to see yesterday?"
"I didn't go. You see, it was so hot yesterday that I decided to stay indoor and watch TV instead."
"You decided to stay indoors not indoor."
"How do you use `indoor' then?"
"Table tennis is an indoor game."
"There are many hotels which have an indoor swimming pool."
"Good example. Most gyms are indoors. Now coming back to the five hundred rupees! When are
you going to fork it over?"

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"My! My! Just look at the time. It's getting late! Good night Scrooge!"
"Children really brighten up a household. They never turn the lights off." Ralph Bus
April 2006
"How do you pronounce s..p..i..e..l?"
"The `s' sounds like the `sh' in `shoot', `should', and `ship', and the following `piel' is pronounced
like the word `peel'."
"I see. Is it OK to pronounce the `sp' like the `sp' in `spool', `spill', and `sport'?"
"Yes, that's another way of pronouncing the word."
"Tell me, what does `spiel' mean?"
"A spiel is a well rehearsed speech that a person gives very often... ."
"You mean it's something like what salespersons do? They have a well prepared speech, and they
give it whenever a customer asks them a question or... ."
"It's not just salesmen who give spiels. Lots of other people do too."
"Politicians do it all the time!"'
"Exactly! Spiels are usually given in order to persuade people. Prabhakar gave us a spiel on why
we should invest in his company."
"When my boss started his spiel on how difficult things were when he started the company, most
of us groaned."
"He gives that spiel whenever someone asks for a raise, doesn't he?"
"You're bang on! You see... ."

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"Bang on? Does it mean `exactly right' or something like that?"
"Very good. That's exactly what it means. Achala's criticism of her friend's essay was bang on."
"For a change, many of your boss' predictions about the stock market were bang on. Did your
company make a lot of money?"
"Financially, our company is in fantabulous shape. Yet,... "
"Fantabulous! Never heard that word before."
"It's a combination of `fantastic' and `fabulous'. The word means `great' or `excellent'. For
example, our captain scored a fantabulous century in the last match."
"How about this example? The movie was fantabulous."
"Sounds good. The word is normally used in informal contexts."
"If the company is doing really well, why is your boss unwilling to give you a raise?"
"Why don't you go ask the worrywart?"
"The who?"
"The worrywart. A worrywart is someone who worries excessively. He worries even when there
is no reason to. When I went to the library, I ran into that worrywart, Harish."
"I hate meeting worrywarts. Ten minutes after being with one, you end up feeling depressed."
"That's true. Just imagine how I feel after spending half an hour with you."
"I may make you feel depressed every now and then, but I am certainly not a worrywart."
"You have a point there. I was just trying to needle you."
"Needle me? Does it mean that you were trying to irritate me?"

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"Yes, that's right. When you needle someone, you are trying to annoy or irritate him/her by
making unkind remarks. Raju enjoys needling his neighbour about her accent."
"How about this example? The students succeeded in needling the new teacher."
"Sounds good. Maybe I should keep needling my boss till he gives me a raise."
"I seriously doubt if you will get one by needling him. Anyway, how is work? Enjoying it?"
"Spinning my wheels. That's all."
"Spinning your wheels? What are you talking about?"
"When you say that all you're doing is spinning your wheels, what you mean is that you are
wasting your time. I think I need to find another job. Something more challenging. I feel that I
am just spinning my wheels here."
"Lots of students spend their three years in college spinning their wheels."
"Everyone has a purpose in life. Perhaps yours is watching television." David Letterman
What is the meaning of `metrosexual'?
The term is used to refer to men living in cities ("metros") who consider themselves to be
`sensitive' and `romantic'. These people are always immaculately dressed and spend a lot of time
in front of the mirror to make sure that they are looking their best. Unlike the ordinary `guy', a
metrosexual is not afraid of showing his feminine side; he may come to office with his
fingernails painted. He is usually fairly well to do, loves to shop and spends a lot of time and
money on clothes. A metrosexual may or may not be gay. Mark Simpson coined the word in
1994.
What is the meaning of `gun-shy'?
The word `shy' is often added to nouns like `camera', `gun' and `publicity' to mean that that an
individual is not particularly fond of that thing. For example, a person who is `camera-shy' does

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not like standing before cameras; he/she doesn't like getting his/her picture taken. Similarly, a
person who is `publicity-shy' will do anything to avoid publicity. He doesn't want his name
mentioned in the media. A person who is `gun-shy' is afraid of guns and tries to keep away from
them. Guns and the noise they make, make him nervous. Nowadays, the expression `gun-shy' has
taken on a wider meaning. When you say that someone is `gun-shy', what you mean is that the
individual is very timid and afraid to take risks.
*After their last bridge collapsed, the company is gun-shy to build any new ones.
How is the word `bourgeois' pronounced?
The `our' is like the `ure' in `pure', `sure' and `cure'; the `g' sounds like the `s' in `pleasure',
`measure' and `leisure'. The sound that follows is like the `w' in `what', `why' and `wait'. The
final vowels sound like the `ar' in `bar', `par' and `car'. The `s' is silent and the stress is on the
first syllable. This is just one of the ways of pronouncing the word. The French pronounce the
word rather differently. `Bourgeois' is often used disapprovingly to refer to the middle class
people who are only interested in material possessions.
*Karthick has become rather bourgeois since he returned from the States.
What is the meaning of `the boot is on the other foot'?
In many of our movies, in the beginning, the hero is shown as a very weak individual. The villain
constantly beats him up. But in the course of the movie, the situation slowly begins to change;
and by the end, the roles are reversed. It's the hero who is in a dominant position, and the villain
in a weak one. When you say that the boot is on the other foot, you mean that the situation is the
opposite of what it was earlier. In other words, the tables have turned. Americans tend to say,
`the shoe is on the other foot'.
*The Americans are realising that they can't get other countries to do what they want them to.
The boot is on the other foot now.


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What is the difference between `shout at' and `shout to'?
When you become angry with someone, you sometimes end up `shouting at' them. You say
whatever it is you want to say in a loud and angry voice. In this case, you are being aggressive.
*The coach shouted at the players when they turned up late for practice.
When you `shout to' someone, you are calling out to the person. The person is probably far away
and therefore you use a loud voice to get his attention.
*Jai shouted to us to come and join him on the boat.
"You know your children are growing up when they stop asking you where they came from
and refuse to tell you where they're going." P.J . O'Rourke
What is the meaning of `what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander'?
Some parents treat their sons and daughters differently; they do not have the same set of rules for
the two. For example, they may allow their sons to go out with their friends on Friday evenings,
but may not allow their daughters to do so. As far as they are concerned, it is not okay for girls to
go out. Such parents do not believe that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. In
other words, they don't think that what is appropriate for one person, is appropriate for another.
It's also possible to say, `what's good for the goose is good for the gander'. The expression has
been around for several centuries, and is considered rather old fashioned.
*If you're going to punish me for watching too much television, then you should punish Geetha,
too. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
Is it okay to refer to a girl as being `homely'?
If she is not much to look at, then you can call her `homely'. When you refer to a girl as being
homely, what you are suggesting is that she is rather plain or ugly. The word can be used with
animals as well.

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*Her daughters are very intelligent, but rather homely.
When you refer to a chair as being `homely', what you mean is that it is not elegant to look at,
but comfortable to sit on.
What is the difference between `semblance' and `resemblance'?
When you say that two objects or people `resemble' each other, you are saying that they look a
lot like each other. Resemblance between two objects suggests that there is a likeness between
them. In this case, the similarity is there to be seen.
*There is a marked resemblance between you and your cousin, Sridhar.
`Semblance' is a word that is normally used in formal contexts. If you say that there was a
semblance of order at the meeting, what you are suggesting is that outwardly, things appeared to
be in order. This appearance of everything being under control, however, is false. `Semblance' is
generally used to suggest a contrast between outward appearance and inner reality. When
someone puts on a semblance of cheerfulness at a party, he is only pretending to be cheerful. It is
only a show; he is faking it.
*After the riots, it took a week for some semblance of order to return.
`Semblance' can also be used to suggest a likeness between two objects.
*The clouds took on the semblance of a small elephant.
What is the meaning of `nuts and bolts'?
When someone talks about the nuts and bolts of a job, he gives a brief summary of what the job
entails. In other words, he gives you the basic information about the job. When you say that
someone knows the nuts and bolts of a subject, he knows the basic things about the subject.
*They tell me that Mohan is familiar with the nuts and bolts of television scripting.

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What's the difference between `I am giving an exam' and `I'm
taking an exam'?
When you say that you are `taking' an exam, it means that you are going to be writing one. In
other words, you are going to be a candidate, an examinee. When you say that you are going to
be `giving' an exam, it means that you are going to give someone else an exam; you are the
examiner. You are probably a teacher and you are going to give your students an exam. In India,
this distinction is not always maintained.
"The best way to keep children at home is to make the home atmosphere pleasant - and let the
air out of their tires." Dorothy Parker
What is the difference between `slap on the back' and `slap on the wrist'?
As a child, whenever you did something wrong, you invariably got punished for it. Sometimes
the punishment wasn't as severe as you had expected it to be; in fact, it turned out to be pretty
mild. When you get slapped on the wrist for doing something wrong, you receive punishment
which is not as severe as it might have been.
People who drive without a license shouldn't get off with a slap on the wrist. They should be put
in jail.
*The children got a slap on the wrist for not doing their homework.
The expression `get your wrist slapped' has the same meaning as `slap on the wrist'.
*We got our wrists slapped for not drinking the milk.
You normally hit someone on the back when you are proud of what he/she has done. The idiom
`slap on the back' is used to show approval. It has the same meaning as `pat on the back'.
*We should give Rahul a slap on the back for helping us organise the cultural programme.


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What is the meaning of `to make waves'?
When you make waves, you are bringing about changes in a situation; changes that not all people
are happy with. The changes usually cause problems, and leave many people rather unhappy.
*Anand is a good choice. He is diffident and is unlikely to make waves.
Why do we say, `the U.N', but not `the UNESCO'?
When you use the abbreviated form of a well-known organisation and you pronounce each letter
separately, then you use `the'. In the case of `U.N', for example, you pronounce the `u' as well as
the `n' separately. Other famous organisations which have to be preceded by `the' are `BBC',
`CBI', `FBI' and `EC". In the case of UNESCO, the letters are not pronounced individually. You
put them together and say it as a word. When the abbreviated form of an organisation is
pronounced as a word, then you need not put `the' before it. In the case of `OPEC', `UNICEF',
and `NATO', there is no need for the definite article `the'.
How is the word `demise' pronounced?
The first syllable is like the word `dim' and the second is pronounced like the word `eyes'. The
stress is on the second syllable. The death of someone or something is referred to as the demise
of the person or thing. The word is normally used in formal contexts.
*If we don't get enough support, it'll result in the demise of the bill.
Which of the following sentences is correct? `The majority of the applicants is
not qualified' or `The majority of the applicants are not qualified'?
The second sentence is grammatically correct. `Majority of' is invariably followed by a plural
noun. For example, we say, `majority of students', `majority of young mothers' and `majority of
cases'. Since the noun in all the examples is plural, the verb that follows must also be plural.
*The majority of students are unwilling to take part in the strike.

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When `the majority' is not followed by `of', then the verb that follows can be either singular or
plural. For example,
*The majority is of the opinion that we must go on strike.
*The majority feel threatened by the possible changes.
"The phrase `working mother' is redundant." J ane Sellman
March 2006
What is the meaning of `cook the books'?
This is an expression mainly used in informal contexts. When you say that an accountant has
cooked the company's books, what you mean is that he has changed the figures in the ledger in
order to cheat or deceive people. Companies, which are in the red, often resort to this, in order to
show that they are in good financial position. When you cook the books, you falsify the
accounts. The Chairman said, "Cook the books. I want it done before the annual shareholder's
meeting."
*Vijay was asked to resign because he refused to cook the books.
Which is correct? `How are the team?' or `How is the team?'
I understand that in British English both are acceptable. If you wish to think of the team as a
single unit, then you use the singular `is'. On the other hand, if you think of the team as
consisting of distinct individuals, then you use the plural verb `are'. There are many nouns in
English which can be followed by either the singular verb or the plural verb: government, family,
team, firm, and people. These are just a few.
*The family is/are of the opinion that you should stop teaching.
text ignored
*The Government wants/want to sell off some of the public sector units.

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What is the meaning of `demonology'?
Demonology is an orthodox branch of theology and it started off as the study of the devil,
witches, and other spirits thought to be evil. Nowadays, the term is being used to refer to the
people or groups of people we hate. As human beings we like a certain group of people and hate
others. For example, as far as the communists are concerned, all capitalists are evil because they
are only interested in exploiting the working class. College students, on the other hand, view the
administration with suspicion. This list of enemies that each of us has can also be referred to as
demonology. For example, you can say, the journal's demonology expanded to include
politicians, government officials, and communists.
Which is correct? `Once for all' or `once and for all'?
The dictionaries list only `once and for all'. The expression is used to mean `now and for the last
time'. When you do something once and for all, you finish doing it so that you don't have to
worry about it again.
*After she completes the project, Seetha plans to return to France once and for all.
What is the meaning of `join the majority'?
When you join the majority, you die. It is also possible to say, `join the great majority', `go over
to the great majority' and `death joins us to the great majority'. Other idioms which have more or
less the same meaning are, `give up the ghost', `go the way of all flesh', and `kick the bucket'.
What is the difference between a `medical shop' and a `chemist'?
In both shops, you can buy medicine manufactured by well-known pharmaceutical companies.
At the chemist's however, it is possible for you to have your medicine prepared. The shop
usually has someone who is well trained or qualified to prepare whatever it is you need.
"Advertising is legalized lying." H. G. Wells


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How is the word `dilettante' pronounced?
The `i' in the first syllable and the `e' in the final syllable are like the `i' in `pit', `bit' and `sit'. The
vowel in the second syllable sounds like the `a' in `china'. The following `a' is like the `a' in `ant',
`apple', and `sat', and the main stress is on `tant'. This is one way of pronouncing the word.
`Dilettante' is mostly used in formal contexts and it is used to refer to a person who shows
interest in the arts; his knowledge of the subject matter, however, is usually minimal. He is an
amateur and very often shows interest in a subject because he wishes to look fashionable. The
word is usually used to show disapproval.
*Dilip is a bit of a dilettante as far as Hindustani music is concerned.
What is the meaning of `wherewithal'?
If you say that you have the wherewithal to buy a house, what you are saying is that you have the
means to do it. In other words, you have the money to buy one. In most cases, the word is used to
refer to funds. The stress is on the first syllable.
*The wherewithal was sent to our factory in Hyderabad to produce spurious drugs.
Why is South America called `Latin America'?
The majority of people who live in this region speak either Spanish or Portuguese. Both these
languages, unlike English, have descended from Latin. Hence South America is called `Latin
America', and the people who live there are called `Latinos' or Latin Americans.
What is the meaning and origin of `rule of thumb'?
The idiom has been around for over three centuries. When we wish to measure the length or
width of an object and we don't have a tape or ruler at hand, we sometimes make use of our
thumb to do it. This way of calculating the length/breadth of something, will not give us the
exact measurement, only an approximate one. So when you say that you are doing something by

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rule of thumb, you mean that what you are doing is based on experience or instinct, and not on
exact calculation.
*A good rule of thumb is to make three chapathis per guest.
What is the meaning of `nous'?
`Nous' rhymes with `house', `mouse', and `louse'. The word is used in British English to mean
`intelligence' or `common sense'. It is usually used to show approval.
*The children had the nous not to turn on the lights when they smelt gas.
What is the difference between `afflict' and `inflict'?
Very often people deliberately go out of their way to cause pain or problems to others. When
they do this, they are inflicting pain on them; they are doing things that they hope will make
others experience something unpleasant.
*The General wanted his troops to inflict pain on the prisoners.
When you are afflicted with pain or illness, you suffer; the pain affects you badly, and it causes
severe problems. You may suffer either physically or mentally.
*Many countries in Africa are afflicted by civil war.
What is the difference between `dispatch' and `despatch'?
As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference. The preferred spelling nowadays
seems to be `dispatch'.
"Some kids want to know why the teachers get paid when it's the kids who do all the work."
Milton Berle

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Which is correct "My house is opposite to the railway station" or "My house
is opposite the railway station"?
You normally say that the house is opposite the railway station, and not `opposite to'. When you
use the word `opposite' in this manner, you are suggesting that there is something separating the
two objects. In this case, it could be that the railway station and your house are separated by a
road or a street. Opposite implies that the two buildings are on different sides of the road/street.
Similarly, when you say, "Divya's room is opposite Puja's", what you are suggesting is that the
two rooms are facing each other; there is a corridor between them.
*The nearest supermarket is opposite the hospital.
*The people who live opposite Anand's house are slightly crazy.
What is the meaning of `dies non'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `di' is pronounced like the word `die' and the
following `es' is like the word `ease'. The second word, which has the main stress, is pronounced
like the word `non'. `Dies non' is the shortened form of the Latin expression `dies non juridicus'.
`Dies' means `day', `non' means `not' and `juridicus' means `judicial'. As you have probably
guessed by now, this expression is mostly used in legal contexts to mean a day on which the
court doesn't work; a non-judicial day. Sundays, for example, are non-judicial days. Those who
have filed a case in court know that it takes years for it to appear. As far as these people are
concerned, the judiciary seldom works! Most days are `dies non juridicus'!
Cricket commentators talk about `the rub of the green... ' What does it mean?
This is an expression that is mostly used in the context of sports. In the first test match, for
example, England had the rub of the green on the fourth day. The Indians fielded poorly and
dropped a few catches. Even some of the umpiring decisions went England's way. The visitor's
seemed to have all the luck. When you say that someone has the rub of the green, what you are
implying is that everything is going their way they have dame luck on their side.

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*Ananya hasn't had the rub of the green in the last few tournaments.
What is the difference between `ample' and `enough'?
The word `enough' suggests sufficient or adequate. For example, when you say that you had
enough chairs for the guests, it means that you had sufficient number of chairs for people to sit
on. The chairs met your requirements; they were adequate. When you say that you had ample
money to go on the trip, it suggests you had more than enough money. Ample is larger in degree
and quantity when compared to `enough'. If you have ample evidence to put a guilty man away,
you have more than adequate or sufficient evidence to put him away for good. In other words,
you have plenty of evidence.
What is the meaning of `mouse journalism'?
The war in Iraq has given rise to a new sort of journalism mouse journalism. This is a term
coined by Robert Fisk, a correspondent of the Independent. He said that the situation in Iraq is so
dangerous for journalists, that mouse journalism is the best way for correspondents to stay alive.
In this sort of journalism, the reporter goes to the scene of the event, gathers news as quickly as
possible (usually about ten minutes), and leaves before "men with guns arrive."
`Dear God, Thank you for the baby brother, but what I prayed for was a puppy.' A child.
Know Your English
"You can't be serious. What does Rama plan to do?"
"If worse comes to the worse, she plans on quitting her job."
"That's sad. I didn't know things were that bad. By the way, it's not `worse comes to the worse'.
The standard expression is, `if the worst comes to the worst'."
"I see. If the worst comes to the worst, you could always borrow money from me."

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"From you? Fat chance of that happening! If the worst comes to the worst, the couple will have
to postpone their wedding."
"We could always sell our house and move to another city, if the worst comes to the worst."
"Americans tend to say, `if worst comes to worst'. For example, if worst comes to worst, we'll
have to replace the captain."
"If worst comes to worst, we'll have to cancel our trip to Arunachal Pradesh."
"Good example. What's that colourful thing next to you?"
"It's my new cap. I bought it yesterday."
"Put it on for me, will you? Put on your thinking cap."
"Not very funny. You know there are days... ."
"Do you know what `put on your thinking cap' means?"
"Of course, I know what it means! When someone tells you to put on your thinking cap, what
they want you to do is to start thinking seriously about some problem."
"Exactly! They want you to come up with a solution. Sujatha put her thinking cap on and came
up with an answer."
"Tell me, where did the expression come from?"
"I understand that in the old days a judge used to put on a cap before he sentenced someone."
"And this cap was called a thinking cap?"
"That's right."
"Tell me, how do you pronounce a..l..b..e..i..t?"

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"That's a word I haven't come across in a while. The first syllable is like the word `all', and the
second is pronounced like the word `bee'. As for the final syllable, it's... ."
"It's probably pronounced like the word `it', right?"
"Exactly! The main stress is on the second syllable. Any idea what the word means?"
"The character in this book says, `The Government was making progress, albeit, slowly.' My
guess is, it means `although'."
"Very good! That's exactly what it means. It's mostly used in formal contexts."
"I guessed as much. How about this example? Renu tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to jog 20 miles."
"Sounds good. But if I were you, I would avoid the word. It's considered rather old fashioned.
Your teacher might frown on it."
"No way! Haven't you heard? Our teachers are on strike. Isn't that great?"
"For you, maybe. But why are they on strike?"
"I think they want more money. The good news is that all the faculties are on strike. And they
will be on strike for at least a week."
"You mean the faculty is on strike, don't you?"
"I am talking about all the teachers from our college. So shouldn't it be faculties?"
"No, the entire teaching staff is usually referred to as `faculty'. Not faculties."
"I see. The faculty agreed to work on a Sunday. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good. Here's another example. Our faculty will be on strike all of next week."
"Let's forget about `faculty' for the time being. Tell me, what does `faculties' mean? The word
exists, doesn't it?"

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"Of course, it does. The word `faculties' is used to refer to the power of the mind or body."
"In other words, you are talking about an individual's physical and mental abilities."
"That's right. Here's an example. The man is nearly 95 years old. You can't possibly expect him
to be in possession of all of his faculties."
"The man was drunk. He definitely wasn't in control of his faculties."
"Are you in control of your faculties?"
"We're going to have the best educated American people in the world." George W. Bush
February 2006
What is the meaning of `step up to the plate'?
This is an expression that comes from the world of baseball. The `plate' refers to `home plate';
the base a batter stands next to, as he gets ready to receive his first pitch. When a batter steps up
to the plate, he is ready to deal with whatever the pitcher may decide to throw at him. In other
words, he is ready for the challenges in store.
*I don't think there is anyone among you who would willingly step up to the plate.
*When it came to crunch time, Sujatha really stepped up to the plate.
What is the difference between `sparse' and `scarce'?
When you say that something is `sparse' what you mean is that there is very little of it and what
little there is, is unevenly distributed. For example, when you talk about sparse vegetation, you
are saying that the vegetation is thin, not thick, and this thin vegetation is distributed over a
relatively large area. There is vegetation in some places, but not in all.
*Thanks to the sparse traffic, we managed to cover the distance in two hours.

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*Why he wastes so much time on his sparse hair is beyond me.
`Scarce', on the other hand, suggests that the shortage of the commodity is temporary. It is not
permanent. Scarcity can be man made as well. For example, usually in our country, the day
before the budget, petrol becomes scarce.
*I understand that during the Second World War, chocolates became scarce.
What is the meaning of `sting operation'?
Whenever we turn on the TV these days, we hear that some news channel has carried out a `sting
operation' on an unsuspecting politician. The word `sting' has many different meanings. A well
thought out scheme or plan used to trap criminals is called a sting. Using hidden cameras, news
channels have succeeded in getting some of our not-so-beloved politicians to talk about how they
use their official cars to carry drugs and how much they charge to raise question in Parliament.
*The CBI came up with a well-planned sting and managed to nab many of the drug peddlers.
The word `sting' also means to `cheat' or `swindle' something that our politicians excel in
doing. Isn't it only fair that after having cheated us, they get stung in return? You know what
they say, what goes around, comes around!
How is the word `hoi polloi' pronounced?
The `oi' in the two words is pronounced like the `oi' in `oil', `boil', and `toil'. The `o' in the first
syllable of `polloi' is like the `a' in `china'. Both `hoi' and `loi' are stressed. In Greek `hoi' means
`the' and `polloi' means `many'. The term is normally used to refer to the common people the
working class. We are not thinking of the rich, or the highly educated class when we talk about
the hoi polloi. Some people find this term offensive. Since the word `hoi' means `the', people
who have studied Greek argue that we shouldn't say `the hoi polloi'. But `the hoi polloi' has
become firmly established in English.
*The entry fee was kept very high to keep the hoi polloi out.

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Is it okay to say, "Every day they have wada and dosa during the midday?"
We know when we say `midday', we mean 12 o'clock in the afternoon. Since we are referring to
a specific time in the afternoon, we should use `at' and not `during'. We should say, "They have
wada and dosai" at midday. If you would like to use `during', then use `middle' rather than
`midday'.
*The clerk told us that the forms would be distributed at midday.
*You'd better take a cap. It gets really hot during the middle of the day.
"Please excuse Ronald from P.T for a few days. Yesterday he fell out of a tree and misplaced
his hip." Note from a mother
Know Your English
"Guess what? We have a new science teacher in school."
"Yes, I heard about your Johnnie-come-lately. How is he?"
"Johnnie-come-lately! What are you talking about? His name is not John."
"I know that. A Johnnie-come-lately is someone who is new to a situation or position. It's an
expression used mostly in informal contexts. For example, we have a Johnnie-come-lately in the
finance department. He has no idea what the company does."
"Well, our Johnnie-come-lately is a very nice man. And he seems to know how to handle
students. He's very different from our principal."
"One less person for you to complain about, I guess."
"That's true. I'm sure you're relieved. Hey, I heard that you finally went to see the hit movie
yesterday. What did you think of it? It was very moving, wasn't it?"
"Yes, it was a moving experience. It made me move out of my seat and... . out of the theatre."

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"You must be joking."
"I'm not. I walked out after half an hour."
"You mean to say that you didn't like the movie? I thought it was great."
"You thought it was great. I thought it was syrupy."
"Syrupy? What is that supposed to mean?"
"When you say that something is syrupy, what you mean is that it is too sweet. It is rather
sentimental. In other words, you dislike it."
"The word is mostly used to show disapproval then?"
"That's right. For example, girls generally go gaga over syrupy love stories."
"No, they don't. Not nowadays, anyway. How about this example? I hate it when they make
books into movies. The movie always turns out to be syrupy."
"You have a point there. You know what they say. The book is always better than the movie."
"The lyrics of this song are rather syrupy."
"That's another good example. Now before we go any further, let's ... ."
"Wait, wait. There's one thing that I've been meaning to ask you. What's the difference between
`farther' and `further'?"
"In some cases there is no difference."
"Are you sure?"
"Well, if you are thinking about distance, the two words can be used synonymously."

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"So, in a sentence like, `We need to drive ten miles further to reach our destination', we can use
`farther' as well?"
"Yes, that's right. Here's another example. The injured man walked a little further/farther along
the path before he found someone who could help him."
"They tell me that Vijayawada is further/farther away than Hyderabad."
"What are you talking about? I just ... ."
"It was just an example. That's all. So are you saying there is no difference between farther and
further? None at all?"
"Of course, there is a difference. The word `further' can be used to mean `in addition' or `more'.
`Farther' cannot be used in this way."
"If you wish to have further discussions, please meet me in my office."
"That's a good example. In such a context, you cannot use `farther'. The floods caused further
damage to the old bridge."
"I don't think we should discuss this matter any further."
"Hey, that's a nice shirt. Where did you get it?"
"Thanks. Cost me two hundred and fifty."
"Two hundred and fifty rupees! That's a rip-off!"
"Rip-off? You mean the shirt is torn somewhere?"
"No, no! I mean to say that you were cheated. Rip-off is a term used in informal contexts to
mean `deceive' or `cheat'.
"If you are not careful, you'll get ripped off."

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"I once wanted to become an atheist, but I gave up they have no holidays." - Henry
Youngman
Know Your English
"What are you reading?"
"An article about the Minister's press conference. How do you pronounce s..t..y..m..i..e?"
"The first syllable rhymes with `my' and `by'. The `ie' in the second syllable is like the `i' in `bin',
`fin', and `tin'. The main stress is on the first syllable."
"So it's pronounced STYmie?"
"That's right. Any idea what the word means?"
"Well, in this article the reporter says that the Minister was stymied by the question."
"So what do you think it means? Guess."
"The Minister was unable to answer the question. He was stumped by it. He was put in an
awkward or difficult situation."
"Very good. It means all those things. When you are stymied, you are put in an awkward
position and you find it difficult to continue to do what you are doing. It's a word that is mostly
used in informal contexts."
"I see. Can I say... ."
"Do you know where the word `stymie' comes from?"
"Haven't a clue."
"It's a term that is used in golf. When you are stymied, you really don't know what to do because
your opponent's ball is between yours and the hole."

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"In other words, it is blocking your shot?"
"That's right."
"It's a pretty awkward position to be in, I guess. How about this example? The students' plans to
have a rock concert were stymied when the principal refused allow outsiders into the campus."
"Why do you always have to make the principal the villain in your examples?"
"Well, someone has to be the villain. So, why not the principal?"
"Raju was stymied when Satish refused to help him when he had money problems."
"Why should he have been stymied? After all, when Satish had problems, Raju never helped
him. You cannot expect someone... ."
"You take everything too seriously. You need to lighten up."
"Lighten up? Do you mean to say that I am putting on weight?"
"No, no! It has nothing to do with weight. When you tell someone to lighten up, you are asking
them to relax."
"In other words, you are telling them to take it easy. To calm down."
"Exactly! You don't have to shout at her so much. All she did was ask you an innocent question.
You need to lighten up."
"I'll tell you who needs to lighten up. Promod!"
"You have a point there! He gets upset about everything doesn't he? But who is going to tell him
to lighten up? Everyone is scared of him."
"Well, that's true. What was it that stymied the Minister? Has someone found evidence that his
colleagues have been lining their pockets?"

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"Lining their pockets? Hey, I have come across that expression before. Doesn't it mean to make
money in an illegal manner or something like that?"
"Exactly!"
"Politicians taking money is not considered news in India. We expect them to. The problem is
many of our politicians are more interested in lining their pockets than in serving the people."
"You can't really blame them for wanting to line their pockets. After all, they spend lots of
money trying to become a minister."
"That's true. And as soon as they become public servants, they begin to treat the public like
servants!"
"You have a point there! I just read somewhere that some of the top executives in a well known
company were more interested in lining their pockets than in looking after the welfare of their
employees."
"Nothing new in that. Happens all the time."
"You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance."
Franklin P. J ones
Know Your English
"So, what did you think of the new restaurant?"
"The food was just great. Loved their paper masala dosa."
"It was huge, wasn't it? My friend and I couldn't eat the whole thing."
"My friend Vinod, on the other hand, had no problem at all. He made short work of it."
"Short work of a masala dosa? What do you mean by that?"

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"When you make short work of something, you deal with it very quickly. It's an expression that
is mostly used in informal contexts"
"How about this example? We made short work of the problems that the physics teacher had
given us."
"You making short work of a problem in physics! That's very hard to believe."
"In that case, how about this example? I made short work of the biscuits that my mother baked
on my birthday."
"It sounds more like you. You are a bit of a cookie monster!"
"Not very funny."
"It is also possible to make short work of someone. The challenger made short work of the
former champion."
"By the way, how was your meeting with the principal?"
"Not very good, I'm afraid. He was in a bad mood and he wouldn't let us say our opinions."
"You cannot say that. It is not..."
"Of course, I can say it. You don't know my principal..."
"What I am trying to tell you is, `say our opinion' is wrong. You can `give your opinion',
`express your opinion', and `state your opinion'. But you cannot `say your opinion'."
"I see. The teacher refused to give her opinion on the matter."
"The author expresses his opinion about the cricket team in this article."
"Do I really have to give my opinion? I don't feel like doing so."
"Tell me, why didn't the principal allow the students to talk?"

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"He was angry that we entered his room without permission."
"You should have waited. What was..."
"Waited? We waited for half an hour before entering his room."
"The principal must have sensed that you people were angry about something. That's the reason
why he was letting you cool your heels."
"Cool our heels? What are you talking about?"
"When you let someone cool his heels, you make him wait for some time."
""But by making people wait, you only succeed in increasing their anger. While he was having
dinner, he made his clients cool their heels in the lobby of the hotel."
"That's not a nice thing to do. Whenever my secretary gets angry about something, I never ask
her to come and see me immediately. I let her cool her heels for a while before talking to her
about it."
"Government officials make it a habit of making people cool their heels."
"That's probably because many of the people who work in government offices think they are the
cat's whiskers."
"Cat's whiskers? What does it mean?"
"When you say that you are the cat's whiskers, what you are suggesting is that you are better than
those around you. You are the most outstanding."
"In other words, the others are beneath you."
"I guess you could say that. For example..."
"Let me try. Cinderella probably thought that she was the cat's whiskers in her new dress."

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"Many of our film stars think that they are the cat's whiskers."
"That's probably because everyone keeps running after them. Not even in government offices are
they made to cool their heels."
"Sad, but true."
"However far your travels take you, you will never find the girl who smiles out at you from the
travel brochure." Unknown
January 2006
Know your English
"Hey, come on in! How are things?"
"Not very good, I'm afraid. My neighbour has been complaining to my dad about the noise we
make when we play cricket."
"I don't think your dad should take him very seriously. Your neighbour gripes about the kids in
your building all the time."
"Gripes about kids? Don't think I've heard that expression before. What does it mean?"
"When you `gripe about something to someone' you complain constantly in an annoying sort of
way. For example, Geetha is always griping to me about the lack of civic sense in our country."
"So if my friend complains constantly, can I say, `Don't gripe to me about it. Tell the principal
how you feel about the matter."
"That's a good example. If Saurav hadn't griped about the coach to the media, he would have
remained the captain of the Indian team."
"You have a point there. Talking about captains, has your boss told you where the annual
conference will be this year?"

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"No, our usual Friday meeting went on longer than expected. Most people were too tired to
decide on a place. The matter was left up in the air for..."
"Left up in the air? What does it mean?"
"When you leave some matter up in the air, you leave it undecided."
"I see. How about this example? My father can't take decisions very quickly. He leaves matters
up in the air for months. It drives my mother crazy."
"That's a good example. My boss, on the other hand, likes people to take quick decisions.
Employees are discouraged from leaving something hanging in the air."
"Hanging in the air? I thought you said... "
"It has the same meaning as `leave something up in the air'."
"I see. Take a decision now. I don't want you to leave it hanging in the air."
"Good example."
"O.K. Tell me, is it also possible to leave someone up in the air?"
"Yes, it is. When you leave someone up in the air, you leave the person waiting for a decision.
You don't tell him whether it's a `yes' or a `no'. For example, what do you mean you haven't
taken a decision about my promotion? How long do you plan to leave me up in the air like this?"
"The Vice Chancellor said that he hadn't taken a decision about the demands. He left the students
up in the air."
"That's a good example. Don't do this to me, please. Don't leave me up in the air like this."
"That's the kind of treatment we get in most government offices. Whenever we go to the
municipal office, for example, we are usually left hanging. Most of the time you won't find
anyone at the table."

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"That's true. If we had those kind of people in our office, my boss would ask them to either shape
up or ship out."
"Shape up or ship out? Does it mean behave yourself or just leave?"
"That's right. When you tell someone to shape up or ship out, you are warning them that if they
don't behave themselves, you will ask them to leave. In other words, you want them to meet your
expectations. Here's an example. Nandini, you're constantly handing in your assignments late.
Shape up or ship out."
"This is the third time this month that our new driver has been involved in an accident. Tell him
that he either shapes up or ships out."
"I am sorry to say that your performance hasn't been up to the mark. Either you shape up or ship
out."
"You sound like my principal. He is such a... "
"Stop griping to me about your principal."
"Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you
are doing, but no one else does." Stewart Henderson Britt
Which is correct? `Blind in one eye' or `blind to one eye'?
When an individual has no vision in one eye, you say that he is blind in one eye. A person can be
'blind to something', but not 'blind to one eye'. When you say that someone is 'blind to something'
what you mean is that he is unable or unwilling to accept the truth. The person does not see what
is obvious to most other people.
*For some reason, Thiru is completely blind to his Principal's faults.



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What is the meaning and origin of `touch wood'?
When after making a remark, you say `touch wood', you are hoping that the good fortune that
you have had so far continues. The expression has the same meaning as `knock on wood'.
*Our wicket keeper hasn't dropped a single catch all summer. Touch wood.
*The second hand scooter I bought recently hasn't given me any trouble. Knock on wood.
There are several explanations as to the origin of this expression. According to some scholars, it
comes from an old superstitious belief that knocking on a tree (wood) helped to drive away evil
spirits. Another explanation is that `touch wood' was the name of a tag game that children
played. The aim of the game was to run after your opponents and catch them. But if an individual
was touching a tree (wood), then he was safe; he couldn't be `captured'.
What is the difference between `He is my best friend' and `He is a close
friend'?
It is possible for you to have several `close' friends. When you say, `He is my best friend', it
suggests that he is the individual who is the closest to you; it's this person with whom your share
your most intimate thoughts.
What is the meaning of `et al'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `et' is like the `et' in `set', `bet', and `pet'; the `a' in `al'
is like the `a' in `ant', `apple', and `hat'. The main stress is on `al'. `Et al' comes from Latin and it
is the abbreviated form of `et alia' meaning other people or other things. The expression is used
after a name or a list of names to indicate that others are also involved. It is normally used to
refer to books and articles written by more than one person.
*For your next class, I would like you to read the article written by Balagopal et al.


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How is the word `hegemony' pronounced?
The `e' in the first syllable and the `y' in the final syllable are like `i' in `hit', `bit', and `pit'. The
`gem' in the second is pronounced like the word `gem'. The `o' is like the `a' in `china' and the
main stress is on the second syllable. This is one way of pronouncing the word. `Hegemony' is a
formal word and is used to refer to a situation in which one group has more control or power
than others.
What's the difference between `see through someone' and `look through
someone'?
When you look through someone, you see the person, but pretend not to. As far as you are
concerned he is not there, he doesn't exist. When you see through someone, you are able to
figure out what the individual is up to. In other words, you understand what he is planning to do;
what his intentions are even though the individual is trying his best to hide them.
*Harish was able to see through Narender's scheme right from the beginning.
Is it OK to say, `He was given an yellow card'?
No, it is not. Players are shown `a' yellow card, and not `an' yellow one. Many words beginning
with the letter `y' are preceded by 'a'. For example, you say, `a young man', `a yard', and `a year'.
"One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is
terribly important." Bertrand Russell
Know Your English
"What's the matter with you? You don't look too happy."
"It's our friend Sujatha again. I said `Hi' and she didn't even bother to respond."
"She looked right through you, eh?"

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"Looked through me? How can she do that? She's not Superman, you know!"
"In her case, Superwoman! When you look through someone, you ignore the person completely.
You pretend as if he or she doesn't exist. It could be that you are thinking about something else
and fail to notice the person in front of you."
"I see. The last time I saw my cable operator, he looked right through me."
"That's because you constantly complain about how poor the transmission is. When I attend
weddings, some of my cousins look through me."
"I can understand that. Who would want a cousin like you? But why should Sujatha look through
me?"
"Oh, don't worry about it. Ever since she won the first prize for her short story, she's been acting
a bit strange. Someone must tell her to get off her high horse."
"Get off her high horse? Does it mean to stop acting proud?"
"Something like that. When you tell someone to get off his high horse, you are asking him to
stop behaving or talking as if he were better than other people."
"I see. So can I tell Sujatha, `Listen, we've been friends for a long time. Get off your high horse
and talk to me'?"
"You certainly can. But I seriously doubt... ."
"Tell me, what is the connection between a horse and being proud?"
"In the old days a person's status was determined by the size of the horse he rode. Tall horses
were ridden by royalty and noblemen. So are you going to tell Sujatha to get off her high horse?"
"No, I am very scared of her. Aren't you?"
"No, I am not! And frankly, I don't give a hoot whether she talks to me or not."

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"Not give a hoot! I think I've heard that expression before. Doesn't it mean not care one bit or
something like that?"
"Wow, you're in excellent form today! When you don't give a hoot about something, you don't
care about it at all. I don't give a hoot whether the star is sent to jail or not."
"The teacher doesn't give a hoot whether we come to class or not."
"That's not being a very responsible teacher! Here's another example. My friend Ganpat gives a
hoot whether our team does well or not in the tournament."
"Your friend Ganpat is pretty strange. How is his new business doing?"
"Not very well, I am afraid. Straight arrows like Ganpat never make good businessmen."
"A straight arrow? What does it mean?"
"When you refer to someone as being a straight arrow what you mean is that he is an honest
person. Someone who follows all the laws."
"If you want to run a business, you can't be a straight arrow."
"Exactly! Your friend Raja is not a straight arrow. I just don't trust him."
"What are you talking about? He is... ."
"Relax, I was just giving an example. The expression `straight shooter' has the same meaning as
`straight arrow'. Both are normally used in informal contexts."
"I see. How about this example? We need to elect a straight shooter to office this time. This
person needs to help us and not himself."
"Straight shooters don't make good politicians."
"Sad, but true. Most political parties avoid straight arrows."

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"Most politicians look right through them."
"I 'd much rather be a woman than a man. Women can cry, they can wear cute clothes, and
they are the first to be rescued off sinking ships." Gilda Radner
KNOW YOUR ENGLISH
"Why did you have to go? Your boss wasn't ordering you to."
"What you don't understand is that sometimes my boss' request is tantamount to a command."
"Tantamount? Don't think I have heard that word before. What does it mean?"
"When you say that one thing is `tantamount' to another, you mean that the two are equivalent.
They are ... "
"So what you are saying is that your boss' request is equivalent to a command!"
"Yes, that's right! There is no difference between the two."
"How about this example? The superstar's statement was tantamount to saying that actors and
politicians are above the law."
"In India they are, aren't they?"
"Yes, they are. Met Sujatha on my way here, and as usual we had a fight."
"What was it about?"
"It was about the word `timings'. She said that it doesn't exist. I told her she was crazy."
"She may be crazy, but she is right. You see... ."
"What are you talking about? We talk about `Office timings' all the time."

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"True. But it's an Indianism. Native speakers would say, `working hours' or `office hours'.
Anyway, what else did you and Sujatha talk about?"
"About how dangerous train travel has become these days."
"I guess the Railway Minister wants to make train travel as exciting as living in Bihar. You never
know what is going to happen next."
"That's exactly what Sujatha and I were discussing about. You see, when ... ."
"You cannot say `discuss about'. You can `talk about something', but you `discuss something'.
You do not `discuss about something'."
"I see. Can we discuss this matter tomorrow? How does it sound?"
"Sounds great! Here's another example. I am afraid you are all too tired to discuss the matter
now. Let's wait till tomorrow. Tell me, why were the two of you talking about travelling by
train?"
"Because Sujatha is going to Patna next week. Official work, she said."
"Take a train to Patna! She should sleep on it. You see, it ... ."
"Sleep on it? Sleep on what? What are you talking about?"
"When you tell someone to sleep on something, what you want him to do is to give the matter
some thought before taking a decision."
"I see. How about this example? I don't want you to give an answer right now. Sleep on it, and
let me know tomorrow."
"Good example. Chandu proposed to Malathi. She didn't give an answer immediately. She said
that she would like to sleep on it."

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"I think I understand how the expression `sleep on' is used. Tell me, we have `sleep on'. Do we
have the expression `sleep in' as well?"
"Yes, we do! The expression has several different meanings. When you `sleep in' you oversleep.
For example, we have all slept in one time or the other."
"My father missed the early morning flight because he slept in."
"We were late for the appointment because the CEO slept in."
"Well, if the CEO slept in, then I guess he can't blame anybody else. Anyway, what is the other
meaning of `sleep in'?"
"The expression can also be used to mean to get up late on purpose. For example, we completed
our project at 3: 00 a.m on Friday. The members of the team decided to sleep in on Saturday."
"Meaning that they will be getting up very late on Saturday?"
"That's right! They may decide to spend most of the day sleeping."
"That's what I would like to do. I would like to sleep in all weekend. Unfortunately, my parents
think I should study."
"A hair in the head is worth two in the brush." Don Herold
What is the meaning of `Beltway politics'?
In American English the word `beltway' is used to refer to a road which goes around a city or
town what we in India call a `ring road'. The `beltway' referred to in your question is the road
that goes around Washington D. C., the capital of the United States. Beltway politics is normally
used to talk about the dirty politics that goes on in Washington.



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What is the meaning and origin of `get someone's goat'?
When you get someone's goat, you succeed in annoying the individual or in making him rather
angry.
*Sometimes, Raja comes to work in jeans and a T-shirt. That really gets my goat.
*Mohan's constant whining gets my goat.
This idiom comes from the world of horse racing. I understand that horses are highly
temperamental creatures. In order to keep their prized possession calm and relaxed, trainers often
kept a goat as a stable companion for the horse. Goats do not get flustered very easily, and their
presence in the stable had a calming influence on the horse. Since the goat was a constant
companion, the horse became rather attached to the animal. In order to ensure that a particular
horse didn't perform well in a big race, stable boys working for rival owners sometimes stole the
goat the night before the big event. The absence of the goat made the horse moody, and as a
result it didn't perform well in the race. So when you say that someone has got your goat, you are
comparing yourself to the horse, and not the goat.
What is the difference between `nevertheless' and `however'?
As far as the meaning is concerned, there is not much of a difference. The two can be used
interchangeably in many contexts; `nevertheless' is considered to be more formal than `however'.
Both words are used when you wish to emphasise that the second point you are making contrasts
with the first.
*He was very ugly to look at. However/nevertheless most girls wanted to marry him.
*It was pouring; nevertheless/however our teacher made us walk all the way to the farmhouse.
What is the origin of `quiz'?
According to one theory, this word was coined and popularised overnight. The story goes that a
theatre manager in Dublin by the name of James Daly took a bet with his friend that he could

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coin a new word and have everyone in the city using it or talking about it within twenty-four
hours. Daly hired street children, gave them a stick of chalk each, and told them to write the
word `quiz' (which didn't exist then) on any surface they could find. The children spent the night
writing the word on walls and on roads. When the people of Dublin woke up the next morning,
they found the word written everywhere. People began to talk about it and they all wanted to
know what it meant. Of course, not everyone believes this to be the true origin of the word.
Is it OK to say, `Yesterday night'?
We find a lot of Indians saying, `I met him yesterday night.' Native speakers of English would
probably frown upon this. It's okay to say, `yesterday morning/afternoon', but not `yesterday
night'. You normally say, `last night'. For example, I met Dravid at the party last night.
What is the difference between `sell' and `sell out'?
`Sell' is the opposite of `buy'. When you sell, you give something that you own in return for
money. For example, you have individuals selling vegetables, audiotapes, and real estate. When
you `sell out' something, you succeed in selling everything.
*All the chairs and tables have been sold out.
*Do you believe this? The tickets have been sold out.
The expression `sell out' has other meanings as well. When you `sell someone out' you betray the
individual.
*I think some of our politicians are selling our country out.
*I certainly don't wish to sell you out.
`Okay, so God made man first. But doesn't everyone make a rough draft before they make a
masterpiece?' Courtney Huston


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December 2005
What is the meaning of `catch as catch can'?
Sometimes in order to achieve something or complete a task, you resort to any method available
to you. You are not too worried about whether what you are doing is ethical or not; you are intent
on achieving your goal. As a result, you end up doing things in an unplanned and an
unsystematic manner. This is what `catch as catch can' means. The idiom has more or less the
same meaning as `no holds barred'.
*When his former partner complained that he was taking away his clients, Rahul told him that in
business it was a case of catch as catch can.
Are you a fan of WWF wrestling? If you are, then you will understand what the word `catch'
refers to. In freestyle wrestling, there are no restrictions on how you can hold your opponent.
You can `catch' or hold him/her in any way you can.
Why is 26 December called `Boxing Day'?
The word `boxing' has nothing to do with the sport; it has to do with boxes in which you put
things. During the Christmas season a lot of people attend church and while they are there, they
donate money and other goodies to the poor. The money and gifts are put in a box, and this is
called a Christmas box. The boxes are opened by a priest the day after Christmas, and he in turn
distributes the contents to the needy. This is why 26 December is called Boxing Day. For most
cricket fans in India, `Boxing Day' is always associated with the first day of a test match in
Australia.
What is the meaning of `period' in the following sentence? `He is an intelligent
man. Period.'
Very often people use the word `period' after they have made a statement or stated an opinion.
What they mean by this is that they are very sure about what they have said, and do not wish to

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discuss the matter. Your sentence suggests that the speaker is very certain that the person is very
intelligent, and the matter needn't be discussed any further.
*There is no way that I am going to help Shashi. Period.
What is the meaning of `kowtow'? How is it pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word `cow' and the second rhymes with `cow', `how',
and `now'. When you `kowtow' to someone, you are very eager to please the individual in power.
You do whatever he asks you to do. The word is used to show disapproval.
*Poor Indu. All that kowtowing didn't help her get the promotion.
*One thing that I don't want you to do is to kowtow to those in power.
What it the difference between `curriculum vitae' and `resume'?
Curriculum Vitae comes from Latin, and it means `course of life'; a CV therefore provides a
concise autobiography of an individual. Since it is meant to provide a detailed account of an
individual's achievements, a C.V. tends to be lengthier (2-8 pages) than the normally crisp
resume (usually, not more than two pages). According to some people, the term CV should be
used only in the context of academics; in all other cases, resume should be used. This distinction
is seldom maintained, and there is a tendency to use the two words interchangeably nowadays.
The main aim of writing a CV or a resume is to get the person reading it to call you for an
interview.
Outside marriage halls, we see signs that say, `Bride marries Bridegroom'.
Some read, `Bridegroom marries Bride'. Which is correct?
How does it matter? Either way it leads to unhappiness! Here's my question. Why do you need
this sign? Who else is the bride going to marry? She has to marry the groom; she can't possibly
marry the `best man'!
`Well, if crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fire, what do freedom fighters fight?'

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George Carlin
What is the meaning and origin of `above board'?
When you say that a particular deal was above board, what you are implying is that there was no
hanky panky involved. In other words, it was honest and legal. The kind of deal that you don't
generally associate with our politicians.
If a politician is involved in a deal, you can be pretty sure that it is not above board.
Raju is straight as they come. All his dealings are above board.
There are several explanations for the origin of this idiom. According to one, the `board' refers to
a table. Therefore when you say that a deal was `above board', what you mean is that it was done
in an open manner the hands of the participants involved in the deal were out in the open.
There was no underhand dealing involved. Another explanation has to do with the smuggling of
goods on ships. In the old days, people who smuggled things always kept them hidden below
deck. The legal cargo would be placed in plain sight on the deck. In other words, anything that
was placed on the deck was considered `above board'!
What is the meaning of `parochial'? How is the word pronounced?
The `a' is like the `a' in `china', and the following `o' sounds like the `o' in `go', `so' and `no'. The
`ch' is like the `k' in `king', `kiss', and `kit', and the final `ial' is like the `ial' in `matrimonial' and
`ceremonial'.. The main stress is on the second syllable. Did you watch the one-day match
between India and South Africa played in Kolkata? People in the crowd were booing the Indian
players because the so-called `Prince of Kolkata' had been left out of the Indian team. The crowd
was parochial in its outlook. When you say that someone is parochial, what you mean is that he
is very narrow minded. In the one-day match, the spectators gave the impression that they were
more interested in the fortunes of their `dada', rather than that of the Indian team. The word has a
negative connotation.
Kim has a very parochial attitude. I don't want him as a team member.

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Many of the political parties are very parochial in their outlook.
Is it OK to say, `The President Abdul Kalam visited Chennai last week'?
If you want to include an individual's name with titles like `Queen', `King', `Prime Minister' and
`President', then you normally don't use the definite article `the'. For example, we do not say,
`The Queen Elizabeth drank coffee'. We can either say, `The Queen drank coffee' or `Queen
Elizabeth drank coffee'. Your sentence is therefore wrong. You can either say, `The President
visited Chennai last week' or `President Abdul Kalam visited Chennai last week.'
Why do we call the place where the police work a `station'?
A `station' is a place where some service is organised and provided. This is one of the meanings
of the word. Since policemen and firemen provide service for the common man, the place where
they work is called a `station'.
How is the word `fragile' pronounced?
The Americans and British pronounce this word very differently. The British pronounce the `i'
like the `y' in `my' and `by'. The Americans, on the other hand, pronounce it like the `a' in
`china'. In both cases, the final `e' is silent, and the main stress is on the first syllable.
"Never learn to do anything: I f you don't learn, you'll always find someone else who'll do it
for you." Mark Twain
What is the meaning and origin of `to eat out of one's hand'?
When you have someone `eating out of your hand', you succeed in getting him to do whatever
you want. The individual becomes very submissive.
*Within no time, the former film star had all the office employees eating out of her hand.
*As a young man, he dreamed that he would have his wife eating out of his hand.

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The expression comes from the world of animal training. You know that a wild animal has been
tamed when you succeed in getting it to eat something off your hands, without getting bitten.
What is the meaning of `tryst'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. There are two ways of pronouncing this word. Some
people pronounce the `y' is like the `i' in `sit', `bit', and `fit', while others pronounce it like the `y'
in `my' and `by'. The meeting of two lovers at an appointed time is called a `tryst'; the word is
considered literary. There is a tendency nowadays to use the word to mean `appointment'.
*Rahul, if you don't hurry you'll be late for the tryst. Never keep a girl waiting.
*"Ladies and gentleman, we have a tryst with destiny", said the speaker.
How is the word `idiosyncrasy' pronounced?
The first `i' and the final `y' are pronounced like the `i' in `knit', `kit', and `kiss'; the `dio' is like
the `dio' in `radio'. The `sync' is pronounced like the word `sink', and the following `a' sounds
like the `a' in `china'. The main stress is on the fourth syllable `sync'. The word can be spelt
`idiosyncracy' or `idiosyncrasy' and it is normally used to refer to an individual's peculiarities or
habits. The word can be used with objects as well.
*One of his idiosyncrasies was to smell his socks before putting them on.
What is the difference between `defence' and `defense'?
We know that when it comes to spelling, there is some difference between American and British
English. This pair is another example. The British spell it `defence' and the Americans spell it
`defense'. Donald Rumsfeld, for example, is the `Secretary of Defense'. There are many pairs of
words in English which are spelt both with a `c' and an `s'. For example, advice, advise and
practice, practise. In the two examples, the noun form of the word is spelt with a `c' and the verb
form is spelt with an `s'.

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I don't find `bitter gourd' in the dictionary. Does the vegetable have another
name?
I understand that the vegetable is also called `balsam apple' and `balsam pear'.
What is the meaning of `da bomb'?
This is a slang expression of recent origin and is normally used to talk about a person or a thing.
When you refer to an individual as being `da bomb' or `the bomb' what you mean is that he/she is
outstanding. The expression is mostly used in American English.
*You should see the movie. I tell you, it is da bomb.
*You are taking a course with Jai? I am told when it comes to teaching, he is da bomb.
"There are three ways to get something done: 1) Do it yourself; 2) Hire someone to do it for
you; 3) Forbid your kids to do it." Unknown
What is the meaning of `go the whole hog'?
This is an expression mostly used in informal contexts. When you `go the whole hog', you do
something thoroughly; you do not compromise in any way. It has the same meaning as `go all the
way'. Americans tend to say `go whole hog'.
*When the mechanic told me how much it would cost to repair the old car, I decided to go whole
hog and buy a new one instead.
*Gayathri went the whole hog and bought matching slippers and earrings to go with her new
dress.
According to one theory, the `hog' in the idiom doesn't refer to a pig, but to money. In the 18th
Century, the word `hog' was a slang term for `shilling'. So when you went the whole hog, you
spent the entire shilling at once. The expression became popular in the United States when

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Andrew Jackson ran for President in 1828. This gave rise to the expression `whole hogger' to
mean someone who would see a matter through, come what may!
How is the word `obsequious' pronounced?
The `o' is like the `a' in `china' and the following `se' is pronounced like `see'. The `qui' is like the
`qui' in `quit', `quiz', and `quid', and the final `ous' sounds like the `ous' in `dangerous', `furious',
and `curious'. The main stress is on the second syllable `se'. The word has a negative
connotation. When you are `obsequious' to someone, you do whatever he tells you to do in the
hope that you will be suitably rewarded for doing all the work. In other words, you suck up to the
person.
*I think it's about time that you stopped being so obsequious to your boss.
*The obsequious mechanic walked in wearing a fake smile on his face.
The word comes from the Latin root `sequi' meaning `to follow'. Other words which are derived
from this root are `consequence' (something which follows), `sequel', and `non sequitur'.
What is the difference between `ambience' and `ambiance'?
The French spell it `ambiance', while most people in the U.S. spell it `ambience'. As far as the
meaning is concerned, there is no difference between the two words. The `a' in `ambience' is like
the `a' in `cat', act', and `bat', while the following `i' is like the `i' in `pit', `bit', and `fit'. The `e' in
the third syllable sounds like the `a' in `china' and the final `e' is silent. The main stress is on the
first syllable. This is one way of pronouncing the word. `Ambience/ambiance' is normally used
to refer to the atmosphere of a place.
*The ambiance/ambience in the new restaurant was fantastic.
*The ambience of their new apartment is anything but cosy.


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What is the origin of `nit picking'?
Monkeys and gorillas do this all the time. Among human beings, mothers perform this duty once
in a while. Any idea what a nit is? Most of us have come home with this unwanted visitor on a
few occasions. Nits are the eggs of lice or any other parasitic insects. When our head becomes
infested with lice, what is it that our mothers do? They run a special comb through our hair and
then peer intently at the comb. Whenever they spot a louse, they proceed to squash the insect;
they pick them off one by one. Getting rid of these small, but irritating insects from one's head
can be an overwhelming task. Every inch of the head has to be carefully examined and you spend
a lot of time looking for them. The original meaning of nitpicking was therefore looking for lice
and their eggs. With the passage of time, however, the expression acquired another meaning. It
began to be used to refer to someone who looks at the trivial details and finds faults with them.
*There was a lot of nitpicking going on as to what type of bouquet should be given to the chief
guest.
*Let's stop with the nitpicking. Tell me what you think of the plan.
`There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. I t's called
marriage.' J ames Holt McGavran
November 2005
What is the difference between `fatal' and `fateful'?
Sometimes it is reported in newspapers that a man involved in a fatal accident was admitted to
the local hospital. You wonder why because anything that is fatal always results in the death of
an individual.
*Dilip's decision to walk across the frozen lake proved fatal.
The sentence suggests that Dilip drowned in the lake. `Fatal' can be used with abstract things as
well. For example, one can say, "The sloppy manner in which Akshay did the project proved

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fatal to his career." "The article in the tabloids about the star's wild parties proved fatal to his
marriage." In both these sentences, the word is used to mean disastrous or destructive.
Fateful is related to fate. When you talk about a fateful day, you mean that it was a day that
changed your future or your destiny the outcome is usually bad.
*Ganguly will always remember the fateful day he went to the press to complain about his new
coach.
What is the meaning of `face in the crowd'?
When there are a lot of people around you and there is nothing about you which makes you stand
out, then you say that you are just a face in the crowd. You go unnoticed by most individuals. It
is what happens to most of us when we go to the stadium to watch a one-day international; we
become a face in the crowd.
*Narender hates attending big parties. He doesn't like being a face in the crowd.
What is the meaning and origin of `pleased as Punch'?
This idiom, which Ravi Shastri uses quite frequently while commentating, has been around for
over 400 years. Someone who is pleased as Punch is extremely happy; he/she is elated.
*Devidas was pleased as Punch when he got his promotion.
The `Punch' in the idiom has nothing to do with the drink or the blow that villains seem to
receive from our film heroes. It refers to a character in a 17th Century puppet show called `Punch
and Judy'. The main character, Punch, was a very content person who sang cheerfully all the
time. Hence the expression, pleased as Punch.
What is the meaning of `sine qua non'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `i' in `sine' is like the `i' in `sit', `pit', and `hit', while
the following `e' is pronounced like the `ay' in `pay', `bay', and `day'. The `qu' is like the `qu' in

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`quart', `quiz', and `quick'; the following `a' sounds like the `a' in `ask', `flask', and `task'. The
final word, which has the main stress, is pronounced like `known'. If you say that something is
`sine qua non' what you mean is that it is absolutely necessary. The expression like most Latin
expressions is mainly used in formal contexts.
*Perseverance is the sine qua non for all aspiring actors.
*Thick woollen jackets are a sine qua non for the trek.
Is it OK to say, `On the lights, please!'
This is an expression which is commonly heard in India. We ask people to `on the lights', `on the
TV', `on the tap' and `on the heater'. Native speakers of English will not ask you to `on' any of
these things. Instead they will ask you to `switch' or `turn something on'. For example:
*Could you turn on the TV, please!
*Would you like me to turn on/switch on the fan?
By the way, you do not say, `switch on/turn on the tap'. It's always `open/close the tap'.
How is the word `beau' pronounced?
It's pronounced like the word `bow' the weapon you use to shoot arrows with. When a woman
refers to a man as her `beau', what she means is that the man is her boyfriend or her lover. The
word is considered old fashioned.
*The fashion model made a grand entrance hand-in-hand with her latest beau.
`Weather forecast for tonight: dark.' George Cavlin
What is the difference between `anyway' and `anyways'?
As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference between the two words. `Anyways' is
mostly used in American English and is considered non-standard. If you use it in informal

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contexts in your speech, you could probably get away with it. The word will not be accepted in
writing. The word `anyhow' has the same meaning as `anyway'.
*Ashwini says that she doesn't want to get married. Not now, anyway/anyhow.
How is the word `ennui' pronounced?
The first syllable `en' is pronounced like the word `on'; the following `ui' is like the `we' in
`weep', `weed', and `week'. The main stress is on the first syllable. The word is considered
literary, and is mostly used in formal contexts to mean `feeling of boredom'.
*Since returning home, Ram has experienced a profound sense of ennui.
What is the meaning and origin of `wearing one's heart on one's sleeve'?
This is an idiom that has been around for several centuries. When you wear your heart on your
sleeve, you make your feelings clear to everyone; in other words, you don't hide your emotions.
If you are in love with someone, you make it known to everyone that you are crazy about this
person.
*It's difficult to know what Asha is thinking. She doesn't wear her heart on her sleeve.
During the Middle Ages, when knights fought each other, they would dedicate their performance
to a woman of the court usually someone they were in love with or cared for. To let everyone
know who they were in love with, the knights used to pin onto their sleeves a hanky or a scarf
belonging to the woman.
What is the difference between `speak English' and `speak in English'?
When you ask someone to `speak in English', what you want him to do is to use the English
language. Perhaps he is speaking in a language that you don't understand, and therefore you want
him to talk to you in English. This is the language that you want him to use on this particular
occasion. When you say that he `speaks English', what you mean is that the individual knows

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and has the ability to use the language. In India, for example, many of us can speak two or more
languages, and depending on the context we choose to speak in a particular language.
*The CEO speaks five languages. At the press conference, he spoke in English.
What does `pari passu' mean?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `a' in `pari' is like `a' in `ask', `task', and `answer'; the
following `i' is pronounced like the `ee' in `fee', `bee', and `knee'. The `a' in `passu' is like the `a'
in `act', `fact' and `bat'; and the following `u' is like the `oo' in `cool', `pool', and `fool'. The main
stress is on the first syllable of `passu'. This is a Latin expression which literally means `with
equal footing'. When you say that two things are `pari passu', you mean that they are travelling at
the same pace, and hence are side by side. The expression is also used to mean, `without
partiality'.
*According to this report, inflation and interest rates increased pari passu last year.
Which is correct? `He's a teacher of English' or `He's an English teacher'?
Grammatically both are correct, but their meanings are somewhat different. When you say that
someone is a teacher of English what you mean is that the subject the individual teaches is
English. The sentence, `He is an English teacher' is rather ambiguous. It could mean that the man
teaches English. It could also mean that the teacher is English in other words, the teacher is an
Englishman.
When somebody says `Sorry', we usually respond by saying `Never mind'. Are
there any other alternatives?
Yes, there are. It's very common to hear people say, `It's all right', `It's OK', `No problem', `No
big deal', and `Don't worry about it'. These are just a few of the alternatives.
"Always go to other people's funerals. Otherwise they won't come to yours." Yogi Berra


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What is the difference between `extempore' and `impromptu'?
Most people use the two words interchangeably to mean `spontaneously'. Careful users of the
language, however, maintain a distinction between the two. The word `extempore' is normally
associated with public speaking. When you give a speech extempore, you give it with no notes.
There is no memorisation involved either. You stand before the audience and talk, but this
doesn't mean that you haven't given the subject matter any thought. You may have been given
your topic a month in advance, and you come so well prepared that you choose to speak without
notes. The word `impromptu' is normally used with musical performances. In this case, the
performer does not play a piece that he has rehearsed; instead, he creates the music as he goes
along. When the word is used in relation to public speaking, it suggests that there is no planning
or premeditation involved. An impromptu speech is one when you are asked to speak all of a
sudden, without any prior warning. In this case, you have little or no time to prepare; you make
up your speech as you go along. Many people do not maintain this subtle distinction between the
two words nowadays.
What is the meaning of `sexing up a document'?
Though this expression has been around for some time, it became popular when Dr. Kelly
accused the Blair Government of having "sexed up" its report on Iraq's Weapons of Mass
Destruction. When you `sex up' a document you make changes in it so that the content is much
more interesting or exciting to read. In other words, things are hyped up or spiced up. The
expression has a negative connotation.
* My boss wants me to sex up the document for the media.
How is the word `disparage' pronounced?
The `i' in the first syllable and the `a' in the final syllable are like the `i' in `his', `miss', and `fish';
the following `a' is like the `a' in `act', `pact', and `fact'. The final `ge' is like the `j' in `jam',
`juice', and `jute'. The main stress is on the second syllable. When you `disparage' someone, you
ridicule him; you speak of the individual in a manner that makes it plain to the listener that you
don't think very highly of him. The word is mostly used in formal contexts.

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* I would like to submit my resignation now. I have no wish to be disparaged by the Board.
* Please refrain from making disparaging comments about my favourite teacher.
Some men grow their hair long in order to cover their bald spots. Is there a
word for this?
Yes, there is `combover'. It's called a combover because what these men usually do is to allow
the hair on one side of their head to grow long and then they proceed to comb it over the top of
their head to hide their baldness. The billionaire Donald Trump, the man you see in the series
"The Apprentice", has a combover.
What is the meaning of `stay the course'?
When President Bush talks about the situation in Iraq, one of the sentences that he repeats very
often is, "We must stay the course". When you stay the course, you continue to do what you have
been doing all along. No matter how difficult or time consuming the task may be, you keep at it
till you complete it. You stand firm in pursuing your goal. So what the American President is
saying that the U.S. must stay in Iraq till there is some semblance of peace in the country.
*Listen Rajesh! Giving up smoking is not going to be easy. You must stay the course.
*The diet my wife has put me on is killing me. But I need to lose weight. So I have decided to
stay the course.
According to some scholars, the `course' refers to the racetrack. In this case, it's the horse that
stands firm to reach the finish line hopefully in a winning position!
"How can he already have a headache? I just got here!" Dennis the Menace
What is the difference between `learned' and `learnt'?
There are many verbs like this: dreamed, dreamt; spoiled, spoilt; kneeled, knelt, etc. When used
as a verb, both `learnt' and `learned' have the same meaning. You can say:

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* I have learned/learnt a lot from Ganesh this semester.
* Our new bowler has learned/learnt to bowl the `doosra'.
According to some scholars, `learned' is more common in American English, while `learnt' is
used frequently in British English. When `learned' is used as a verb, it is monosyllabic. In fact,
some people pronounce it like the word `learnt'. Others pronounce the final `ed' like the `d' in
`dip', `deep', and `do'. When the word `learned' is used as an adjective to mean `scholarly', it is
pronounced as a word with two syllables. The final `ed' is pronounced like the `ed' in `wanted',
`grounded', and `hated'.
* As expected, the learned professor bored the poor students to death.
Which is correct `Petrol station' or `petrol bunk'?
The term `petrol bunk' is mostly used by Indians. Native speakers of English do not use it. An
Englishman would take his car to the `petrol pump' or the `petrol station' to get it filled. An
American, on the other hand, would take his vehicle to the `gas station' in order to `fill her up'.
What is the meaning of `inter alia'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of `alia'. The `a' in the first syllable is like the `ay' in `pay',
`say', and `day'. The `ia' is like the `ea' in `dear', `fear' and `near'; the stress is on the first `a'.
`Inter alia' is a Latin expression which is mostly used in formal contexts to mean `among other
things'. Like most Latin expressions, it is considered pedantic, and therefore is best avoided.
* Raju is a collector who has, inter alia, 2000 rare stamps, 500 cricket cards and 5000 rare coins.
It is advisable not to use this expression when you are talking about people. For example, do not
say, `At the party, there were, inter alia, Shalini, Geetha, and Sampath.' In such a sentence, use
`among other people' instead.


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Is it okay to say, `Heartfelt congratulations!'?
I asked several people about this, and all of them said, `No'. But according to the Oxford
Collocations Dictionary, it is all right to say, `heartfelt congratulations'. You should remember,
however, the word `heartfelt' meaning `sincere' is used when we are deeply stirred or moved by
something. It is usually associated with emotions linked with sadness. One can talk about
`heartfelt sympathies', `heartfelt condolences', etc. But it is also possible to say, `heartfelt thanks'
and `heartfelt joy'. `Hearty', on the other hand, suggests high spiritedness, vigour and energy.
You can talk about `hearty laughter', `hearty appetite', etc. You cannot say `hearty condolences'.
What is the meaning of `eating someone's lunch'?
This is an expression which is used in management. When a company `eats the lunch' of another
company, it aggressively markets its products and succeeds in making inroads into the other
company's market share.
What is the meaning and origin of `taking the wind out of one's sails'?
When you take the wind out of someone's sails, you succeed in denting his confidence. You
achieve this by doing or saying something that the individual does not expect.
* Usha was really angry with her husband. But when he came home with flowers and a saree, it
took the wind out of her sails.
You have to remember that in the old days, ships depended on the wind to get from one place to
another. If you were to rob a ship that is sailing next to you of the wind, what would happen?
The wind would be taken out of its sails and as a result, the ship would stall.
`When I was a boy, the Dead Sea was only sick.' George Burns



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October 2005
What is the difference between `among' and `amongst'?
As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference between the two words, and very often
the two are used interchangeably. When you are among/amongst a group of people, you are
surrounded by them. Some people argue that `amongst' is rather old fashioned and should not be
used. Careful users of the language maintain that `amongst', when used, should come at the
beginning of sentences. When it occurs in the middle, it should be used before words beginning
with vowels.
What is the difference between `too' and `very'?
If someone were to say to you, `You are very short', he is merely stating a fact. He is telling you
that you are rather short. Perhaps you are only five feet tall. He is not comparing you with
anyone or anything. If he says, `You are too short', it suggests that you are shorter than necessary
for something. Perhaps what the person is trying to tell you is that you are too short to play
basketball. You may be five feet ten inches, but you are not tall enough to play basketball. You
do not have the adequate height to play the game. The word `too' carries with it the meaning
`more than enough', `more than wanted' and `more than necessary'. After an interview, if you
were to say, `The questions were very difficult', what you mean is that the questions were
extremely hard, but perhaps you did manage to answer them. On the other hand, if you were to
say, `The questions were too difficult', what you mean is that the questions were so difficult that
you couldn't answer them.
*Though it was very hot, the kids played cricket all day long.
*It was too hot to play cricket. The kids stayed home and watched TV.
*Your daughter is very intelligent. She will do well in the exam.
*Your son is too intelligent for this class. I think he needs to be moved up.

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What are the Siamese twins of the English language?
Expressions like `to and fro', `safe and sound', `take it or leave it', and `rhyme or reason' are some
of the Siamese twins of the English language. They are usually expressions joined together by
`and' or `or'. Like the twins, the two words in these expressions are inseparable; their order is
fixed and they have only one meaning. You cannot say, `sound and safe' or `leave it or take it'.
What is the origin of the word `duffer'?
We use the word `duffer' nowadays to refer to someone who is stupid or someone who is very
bad at doing something. The word is considered to be rather old fashioned.
*Reema told me that Ganesh was a duffer at football.
*Please, not Sita! I don't want that duffer in my team.
When the word was first used, it had nothing to do with people who had little or no intelligence.
In fact, the original duffer was someone who sold spurious goods. He was a cheat, a no good
peddler of very low morals. With the passage of time, however, the meaning `no good' shifted
from the seller to the nave buyer. He was `no good' because he was stupid enough to be easily
tricked into buying something questionable. In the late 19th Century, the word began to be used
to refer to someone who was really bad at golf!
How is the word `soliloquy' pronounced?
The `o' in the first and third syllable is pronounced like the `a' in `china'. The `i' is like the `i' in
`pit', `kit', and `hit', and the final `quy' is like the `qui' in `quit', `quiz', and `quick'. The main
stress is on the second syllable. The tragedies of Shakespeare are famous for their soliloquies. A
soliloquy is when a character in a play talks to himself or herself and in the process talks directly
to the audience. In this case, the lines are meant for the audience and not for any of the other
characters in the play.
"Oh no! I overslept! I 'm late for my nap." Garfield

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How is the word `niche' pronounced?
The word consists of only one syllable and it rhymes with `pitch', `ditch', and `stitch'. This is how
some people pronounce the word. Others, however, pronounce the `i' like the `ee' in `see', `bee',
and `fee', and the following `che' like the `sh' in `sheep', `she' and `sheet'. The word has many
different meanings, and one of them is finding a job or activity that is perfect for you.
*Ganeshan is extremely unhappy because he has been unable to find a niche for himself.
What is the meaning of `heartsink patient'?
This is not a patient with a heart problem; in fact, he is one who creates problems for the poor
doctor. We have all met individuals who constantly complain about their health. They may not
have any problem at all, but every time they see us, they buttonhole us and give us a long lecture
about their imaginary ailments. These individuals not only bore us, but also their unfortunate
doctors; they visit the poor man repeatedly and complain persistently about their unidentifiable
ailments. Whenever the doctor sees one such patient walking into his office, how do you think he
feels? Pretty depressed, right? His heart sinks on seeing him. Hence the expression, `heartsink
patient'.
What is the meaning and origin of `like a cat on a hot tin roof'?
How do you think a cat is likely to react when it lands on a tin roof that is pretty hot? It's going to
be pretty jumpy, right? The poor animal will probably jump from one spot to another, trying to
find a cool place to stand. When you say that an individual is like a cat on a hot tin roof, what
you mean is that he looks very nervous; he is unable to sit or stand still in one place.
*You should have seen Surendran before the interview. He was like a cat on a hot tin roof.
*What's wrong with Hema? She is like a cat on a hot tin roof.



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Is it OK to say, `None of them have... '?
People who love their grammar would argue that the sentence is wrong. They would want `none'
to be followed by the singular verb `has'. In informal contexts, however, there is a tendency,
even among native speakers of English, to use the plural `have'. In American English, it is very
common for people to say, `None of the movies were a hit' and `None of the guys were good
looking'.
What is the difference between `avocation' and `vocation'?
Some people refer to their job as their `vocation'. What they mean by this is that they have found
the job that they are particularly suited for. They believe it is their calling, and they take it up
because they wish to help other people.
*I am told that his vocation is banking.
An `avocation' is a hobby. It is an activity that you enjoy doing, but it's not the thing that puts
bread on the table. The word is considered formal.
*Shailaja told me that her avocation is painting.
*You'd better decide whether you want to make golf your vocation or avocation.
What is the meaning of `pink press'?
When Hitler came to power in Germany, he set up a special division in the dreaded Gestapo; its
job was to investigate suspected gays. If you were thought to be gay, your name was put on the
infamous `pink list', and then you were sent off to a concentration camp. In most western
countries, the colour pink is associated with people who are gay. So the `pink press' refers to
newspapers and magazines which deal with themes and stories that gay people would be
interested in.


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Is it OK to say, `Boarding and lodging'?
In India it is because most hotels inform us that they have both `boarding and lodging'. Native
speakers of English talk about `board and lodging'.
`When I was born, I was so surprised I couldn't talk for a year and a half.' Gracie Allen
What is the meaning and origin of `keep your powder dry'?
The powder in the idiom refers to gunpowder and not talcum powder not the `gunpowder' that
we eat with our idlis either! This is the real thing. In the old days, gunpowder and a steel ball had
to be pushed down the barrel of a gun, before it could be fired. The powder had to remain dry for
the gun to fire. If it got wet, the gun couldn't be fired. People carrying guns took precautions to
keep the powder dry. When you tell someone to keep his powder dry, you are asking him to
remain calm and be ready for action. Sir Oliver Cromwell is believed to have coined this
expression. Before crossing a river to attack his enemy, he told his troops: "Put your trust in God,
but be sure to keep your powder dry."
*The soldiers were asked to keep their powder dry and await orders.
*Don't panic, you understand? All I am asking you to do is to keep your powder dry.
What is the difference between `traveller' and `passenger'?
A traveller is someone who goes from one place to another. This could be from one city to
another or from one country to another. An individual moving about the city in which he lives
cannot be called a traveller. A traveller can get from one place to another by different means
an aeroplane, a ship, a car, a bullock cart, a horse, etc. The traveller may even choose to walk
from one place to another all alone; after all, that's how a lot of people travelled in the old days.
A passenger, on the other hand, is someone who is never alone; he always travels in the company
of others. Furthermore, a passenger never walks; he is always in something that is manmade
car, plane, train, ship, cart, etc. Two people sitting on a horse cannot be called passengers; they
are both riders. But two people sitting in a coach being pulled by horses can be called

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`passengers'. When you say that someone is the passenger, what it implies is that the individual
is not the driver. You can be a passenger in your hometown.
An unmarried man is called a `bachelor'. What is an unmarried woman
called?
A woman who is young and still single is called a `bachelorette'. In fact, there was a reality show
in the United States by that name. You will not find this word in most dictionaries. The word
`spinster' is used to refer to a middle aged or an old woman who has never married. Unlike
`spinster', `bachelorette' does not have a negative connotation.
How is the word `pizza' pronounced?
The `i' in the first syllable is like the `ee' in `feel', `peel', and `kneel'. The `zz' is pronounced like
the `ts' in `beats', `sheets', and `meets', and the final `a' is like the `a' in `china'. The main stress is
on the first syllable.
Does one `propose to' or `propose' a girl?
You usually `propose' something. For example, I propose that we cancel tomorrow's meeting.
Dravid proposed that the fees be hiked. When you ask a girl to marry you, you propose `to' her.
It's about time you proposed to Shyamala. Poor Vimal, he proposed to three girls last semester,
and all of them turned him down.
What is the difference between `wake up at 7' and `wake up by 7'?
When you wake up `at' seven, you get out of bed at exactly seven o'clock. Not before or after
seven, but exactly at seven. When you wake up `by' seven o'clock, you get out of bed at seven or
a few minutes before seven.
*I told my mother that I would be home by 6:00 o'clock.
*Ganesh said he'd be back home by 7: 00 o'clock. He returned at 10: 00 o'clock

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"I speak twelve languages. English is the bestest."- Stefan Bergman
Know Your English
"Hi! Come on in. You look a mess. What happened?"
"It's my scooter. I was... ."
"The poor thing finally gave out, eh?"
"Gave out? It didn't give anything out! What are you ... ."
"When you say that something `gave out', what you mean is that it has become old and has
stopped working."
"I see. In other words, you are saying it has worn out."
"Correct. That's one of the meanings, anyway. For example, my neighbour's car finally gave out
when he was taking his wife to the hospital."
"I am sure the wife wasn't very happy about it. Can I say, your sandals look as though they are
ready to give out?"
"That's a good one! My motorcycle will probably give out in another six months."
"You've had that bike for nearly twenty years. It's about time you got yourself a new one."
"I am planning on getting a preloved one."
"A preloved motorcycle? What does it mean?"
"Nowadays the word `preloved' is being used instead of `second hand'."
"Really? Revathi said that she would never buy a preloved car."
"Good example! I bought some preloved books last week."

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" I think you should get yourself a new bike. Not a preloved one."
"We'll talk about it later. You wash up first. You look a mess."
"I am a mess? Just look at your house. What have you been up to?"
"I combed for a document all morning. But unfortunately, I couldn't... ."
"What are you talking about? How can anyone comb a document?"
"I didn't comb a document. I combed for one. When you say that you combed for something, it
means that you searched everywhere hoping to find it."
"I see. How about this example? The film star combed the entire house for the missing diamond
necklace that her husband had given her."
"That's an excellent example. It is also possible to comb for an individual. The police combed the
neighbourhood for the escaped convicts."
"Everyone combed the temple for the missing children."
"Why would anyone do that?"
"That was just an example. What is this document that you were looking for?"
"It's something that the queer fish Ravindran gave me."
"Queer fish? Does it mean someone strange?"
"Very good! That's exactly what it means. When you refer to someone as being a queer fish,
what you mean is that he/she is strange. The person tends to be aloof."
"In other words, a queer fish is a bit of a loner?"
"That's right. If I were you, I would stay away from Prema. She is a queer fish."

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"A lot of people say that your friend Jai is a queer fish. What do you think?"
"No way! Jai is not a queer fish. He is shy, that's all."
"Remember the speech he made on Independence Day? It was ... ."
"Who can forget that? The poor guy was laughed down by everyone in the audience."
"Laughed down? What does it mean?"
"When you laugh someone down, you cause someone to quit something he is doing. You force
him to give up ... ."
"You do it by laughing at the individual. In other words, you ridicule the poor guy."
"Yes, that's right. Hari gave up the idea of becoming a singer after his audience laughed him
down."
"How about this example? The little children laughed down the magician's act."
"The performance was that bad, eh? Teja gave up the idea of becoming an actor when her
performance was laughed down by her own family members."
"Ouch! That must have hurt."
"My husband was so ugly, he used to stand outside the doctor's office and make people sick."
J ackie Mabley
What is the difference between "He died" and "He was killed"?
Both refer to the fact that the individual has stopped living. It's the manner in which this event
happened that differentiates the meaning of the two words. `Killed' suggests that the death was
not due to natural causes. For example, when you say, `The minister was killed in her sleep', it
suggests the person was murdered while she was asleep. Someone did something that resulted in

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the minister's death - maybe the person stabbed/shot/smothered the minister while she was
sleeping. `Kill' suggests that the death was caused by some external agency it was not natural.
When you say that someone `died', what you are implying is that the individual's death was due
to natural causes - there was no hanky-panky involved. No one was the cause of his/her death.
`Died' is not as strong as `killed'.
How is the word `nincompoop' pronounced?
The `in' in the first syllable is like the `ing' in `ring', `sing', and `bring'; the following `o' is like
the `a' in `china'. The `oo' in the final syllable is pronounced like the `oo' in `cool', `pool', and
`fool', and the stress is on the first syllable. The word is mostly used in informal contexts to refer
to a foolish person. Some scholars think that the word comes from the Latin `non compos mentis'
meaning `not of sound mind'.
*Who is the nincompoop who forgot to put the butter back in the fridge?
*Tell that nincompoop that I want three and not two plates of dosas.
What is the meaning of the word `schmuck'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `sch' is like the `sh' in `she', `sheep' and `ship', and
the `muck' rhymes with `luck', `duck', and `suck'. This slang word is of Yiddish rigin and is used
to refer to a man who arouses disgust in you; you find this individual repulsive. This is just one
of the meanings of the word. It's a rude term of address, and therefore you should use this word
with caution.
*I can't believe that she is going to marry a schmuck like him.
*Who is the schmuck standing there in pink pants?



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How does one address a divorced woman?
How you address her is going to depend on the woman. If she chooses to retain her married
name, then you address her `Mrs.' so and so. If on the other hand, she chooses to go back to her
maiden name, then you call her `Ms.' so and so. If you are unsure, use one of the titles and she
will correct you if you are in the wrong.
What is the meaning and origin of `chimera'?
This is a formal word and it is used to refer to a crazy or a wild idea; something that is extremely
unlikely to come true. The `ch' is like the `k' in `king', `key', and `kiss', and the following `i' is
like the `ie' in `tie', `pie', and `die'. The `e' is like `ea' in `fear', `dear' and `ear'; the final `a' is like
the `a' in `china'. The main stress is on the second syllable. This is one of the ways of
pronouncing the word.
*The idea that cricket is a gentleman's game is just a chimera.
*Expecting honesty from our politicians continues to be as much a chimera as ever.
The original `chimera' was a fire-breathing monster with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a
snake's tail. Now do you understand why the word means a fanciful or crazy idea?
Is it okay to say, `You can contact him in 25435439 (telephone no)'?
No, it isn't. You usually contact someone `at' a number. "If it's an emergency, you can contact me
at 22009988". "I tried to contact him at 22009988, but the line was busy."
"Opinions are like feet. Everybody's got a couple, and they usually stink." Jim Slattery
September 2005
Know your English
`Hi! Haven't seen you in a while. Were you out of town?'

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`No, I have been here all along.'
`Really? Oh, I remember now. You said something about a new project. How is it coming
along?' `Spinning its wheels.'
`Wheels? What are you talking about? I asked you about the project. Not about your car.'
`I was talking about the project. You know that I don't have a car. When you say something has
been spinning its wheels, what you mean is that it has remained in the same position. Neither
moving forward nor back.'
`In other words, it's stationary. I guess it's like pedalling a bicycle while it is on its stand. The
wheel keeps turning, but you go nowhere. You remain where you are.'
`Exactly! Here's an example. You know that the main roads are being widened. But since it's a
government project, you can expect it to spin its wheels for six months at least.'
`It'll probably be spinning its wheels till the end of winter at least.'
`The expression can be used with people as well. When you say that someone has been spinning
his wheels, what you mean is that he has been wasting his time.'
`How about this example? Some of our employees have been spinning their wheels all morning.'
`That's what government employees do all the time. My friend and I had a lot of things planned
for the weekend. But we ended up spinning our wheels.'
`Pradeep thinks that it's good to... .'
`Pradeep? Are you referring to the eye candy that Sujatha likes so much?'
`Eye candy? Is the expression used to refer to a handsome man?'

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`The expression is used to talk about anything that is pleasing to the eye. It could be a beautiful
woman, a handsome man, or a beautiful object. For example, many people think that Madhuri is
just eye candy. What they don't realise is that she is one smart cookie.'
`I agree with you there. If I were you, I would buy the basic model. I don't think it's worth paying
five thousand rupees extra for eye candy.'
`That's a very good example. Now, here's another... .'
`We have eye candy, do we have `ear candy' as well?'
`Yes, we do. You can use it to refer to anything you enjoy listening to. It could be your favourite
kind of music. It can also be used to refer to a voice or an accent.'
`I see. My father thinks that Richard Burton's voice is ear candy.'
`I agree with him completely. How about this example? The songs by the Beatles are ear candy.'
`Sounds good. Of late, I have fallen in love with Jamaican English. It's ear candy.'
`Really? I enjoy listening to Michael Holding.'
`Oh yeah, he is a crackerjack commentator.'
`Crackerjack commentator! Does crackerjack mean `excellent' by any chance?'
`Exactly! When you say that someone is `crackerjack' what you mean is that he is very
industrious and very good at what he does. The word is considered slang. Here's an example. His
students say that Sanjay is a crackerjack teacher. But I heard that he is looking for a job that will
pay him a better salary.'
`I understand that Medini is a crackerjack batswoman. Her parents, however, don't want her to
take up cricket as a profession.'
`I think Prem will make a crackerjack accountant.'

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`He'll probably do a better job than the guy you have right now. Your present accountant is not
only rude, but an eye sore. Prem, on the other hand, is eye candy.'
`And unlike the present one, he wont be spinning his wheels.'
`I am not so sure about that.'
`I have trouble reconciling my net income with my gross habits.' - Errol Flynn
What is the meaning and origin of "wool-gathering"?
When someone says that you have been wool-gathering, what he means is that you haven't been
concentrating on your work; you have been daydreaming.
*The professor's talk was really boring. I found myself wool-gathering.
*Divya, your exams start the day after tomorrow. Stop wool-gathering.
This is an expression that has been around for several centuries. As for its origin, it comes from
the world of sheep farming. In the old days, when farmers allowed their sheep to graze, they
always sent a couple of women or children along with the animals. When sheep grazed,
sometimes tufts of wool got caught in the bushes and on the branches of trees. It was the job of
the women/children to gather the wool and hand it over to the farmer. The original `wool
gatherers' were actually gathering wool! Since the job of wool gathering didn't require much
concentration, it was possible for the individual to let his mind wander in other words, he
could afford to daydream! Hence, the activity of `wool-gathering' became associated with
daydreaming!
What is the difference between "impel" and "compel"?
When you compel someone to do something, you force him to do it. The individual has no
choice about the matter. Whether he likes it or not, he has to do it.
*Ravindran's parents compelled him to take English literature.

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*The children were compelled to return by five o'clock.
When you are "impelled" to do something, you feel that you have to do it. In this case, the desire
to take action comes from within. No one is forcing you to do it.
*The detective felt impelled to investigate further.
*Looking at him, I felt impelled to offer him more money.
What is the meaning of "reminisce"? How is the word pronounced?
The "e" in the first syllable sounds like the "e" in "set", "bet" and "met". The "i" in the second
and third syllable is pronounced like the "i" in "hit", "sit", and "knit". The final "sce" is like the
"s" in "sit", "sip", and "sat", and the main stress is on the third syllable. When you reminisce you
dwell on your past; your focus is on the good times you had. You talk or write about them with
great pleasure. The word is generally used in formal contexts.
*When the two friends met, they reminisced about their college days.
*Sarita says that she doesn't like to reminisce because it makes her feel old.
What is the meaning of "himbo"?
The word "himbo" was coined in the 1980s; it is a combination of two words "him" and
"bimbo". The word "bimbo" has been around for a long time and it is normally used to refer to a
beautiful woman who has little or no intelligence. A "himbo" is the opposite of a "bimbo". It
refers to a good-looking guy who has little or nothing upstairs. Other than his looks, this
individual has no quality worth mentioning. By the way, did you know that the word "bimbo"
was originally used to refer to men?
*How could Savitri leave Bala for a himbo like Kapil?
*They are the ideal couple. He's a himbo and she's a bimbo.


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Is it okay to say, "The words she uses are unintelligible for me?"
No, it isn't. Something is intelligible or unintelligible "to" and not "for" someone. When you say
that something is unintelligible, what you mean is that it is incomprehensible; it is difficult to
understand. The word has nothing to do with intelligence.
*The teacher used a lot of jargon which was unintelligible to the students.
*What Chandu said was intelligible to the audience.
"Coffee in England always tastes like a chemistry experiment." Agatha Christie
How is the word "carte blanche" pronounced?
The first word is pronounced like the word "cart"; the "a" in "blanche" is like the "o" in "lot",
"got", and "pot". The final "che" is pronounced like the "sh" in "ship", "sheep", and "sheet".
When you give someone "carte blanche" you are giving the individual the authority or
unrestricted freedom to do whatever he thinks is right. It has the same meaning as "blank check".
*Lavanya was given carte blanche with the remodelling of the house.
*The captain was not given carte blanche to choose the players he wanted.
"Carte blanche" comes from French and it literally means, "white card". The term was first used
in the military. When two armies fought and one of them surrendered unconditionally, the
commander of the losing army was made to sign on a blank sheet of paper. The commander of
the victorious army would then proceed to write whatever he wanted; he dictated his own terms.
By signing the blank paper, the losing commander was giving the victorious army the freedom to
dictate the terms of surrender.
What is the difference between "graceful" and "gracious"?
The word "graceful" is normally used to refer to a person's movement; the individual moves in a
way that is attractive to watch.

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*The young dancer moved gracefully across the stage.
*For someone who was terribly overweight, Eshwar was surprisingly graceful.
The word can also be used to talk about an object which is pleasing to looking at.
*He had a graceful little cottage in the countryside.
"Gracious", on the other hand, refers to people who are pleasant and polite. It is considered
formal.
*Janaki is the gracious lady you met last week.
Should "lest" be followed by "would" or "should"?
"Lest" is considered a formal word and is normally used with "should". When you do something
lest something bad should happen, you do it to prevent the bad thing from happening. The word
means "for fear that" or "in order that". Here are a few examples.
*Hamsa was afraid to say anything lest her boss should scream at her.
*Uma refused to run away lest the police should think that she had committed the crime.
What is the meaning of the word "doozy"?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The "oo" in the first syllable is like the "oo" in "cool",
"fool", and "pool" and the "y" is like the "i" in "pit", "hit", and "fit". The word can also be spelt
"doosie"; the pronunciation is the same as "doozy". When you refer to something as being a
"doozy" what you mean is that it is extraordinarily good or bad.
*The annual day programme was a real doozy this year.
*You should see Vikram's black eye. It's a real doozy.

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"I f your baby is `beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on
demand, an angel all the time,' you're the grandma." Theresa Bloomingdale
What is the difference between "wedding" and "marriage"?
Both words are used to refer to acts religious or civil by which a man and a woman
become husband and wife. Of the two, "marriage" is more common. It can be used to refer to the
actual ceremony that takes place or the spiritual union entered upon by the two individuals.
*The two have had a long and happy marriage.
*I am sorry to say that I can't be present at your marriage.
"Wedding" is used to refer to the ceremony and the festivities which follow it. Unlike
"marriage", it cannot be used to talk about the relationship between the married couple. A
"wedding" may last only an hour, but you can remain married for 40 years.
*Vinita's wedding is today. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it.
*Please don't invite too many people to the wedding.
How is the word "puerile" pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word "pure" and the second rhymes with the words
"file", "pile" and "mile". The main stress is on the first syllable. The word has a negative
connotation. If you refer to someone as being "puerile", you mean that the individual is being
silly or childish. The word can also be used to talk about an individual's action.
*The newspapers said that the plot of the new movie was puerile.
*The participants didn't laugh at my joke. They said it was puerile.



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What is the meaning of "Big Apple"?
The term "Big Apple" has been used to refer to the city of New York since the 1920s. There are
many theories as to how the city got this name. Here is one. It is believed that African American
stable boys working in the racetracks of New Orleans were the first to refer to New York as "Big
Apple". Many of the important horse races were held in New York and it was the dream of most
jockeys and boys working in stables to get there. If you managed to make it to New York city,
you had arrived; you had made it "big". A sports reporter, John Fitzgerald, liked the term so
much that he called his popular racing column, "Around the Big Apple". In his introduction to
the column on 18 February, 1924, he wrote, "The Big Apple. The dream of every lad that ever
threw a leg over a thoroughbred and the goal of all horsemen. There's only one Big Apple. That's
New York."
Is it okay to say, "Sandhya always prefers to pay by cash"?
Whenever you buy something, you usually pay "in cash" and not "by cash". For example,
*Since Mala paid in cash, she got a big discount.
*Sorry, we don't accept cheques. You need to pay in cash.
It is also possible to say, "to pay cash".
*Since Mala paid cash, she got a big discount.
The expression "pay by" is normally used with credit cards and cheques.
*If you don't mind, I'd prefer that you pay by credit card.
*Sorry, you can't pay by cheque. You'll have to pay cash.
"I don't worry about terrorism. I was married for two years." Sam Kinison


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August 2005
What is the difference between "sometime", "sometimes" and "some time"?
The word "sometimes" has the stress on the first syllable, and is used to mean "occasionally" or
"once in a while".
*The boys sometimes go to their favourite restaurant for masala dosas.
*Sometimes, the students sit in the canteen and do their homework.
In the case of "some time", both words are stressed. It means "a lot of time".
*I am afraid it will take us some time to find a replacement for this part.
Like the word "sometimes", "sometime" has the stress on the first syllable, and is often used to
mean "one day". It refers to an unspecified period of time in the future or the past.
*I told Sadanand that I would meet him sometime next week.
The word can also be used with people. When you refer to someone as a "sometime CEO", what
you mean is that the individual held the position of a CEO in the past. He is not a CEO now.
*Divya, the sometime Director of Cultural Academy visited me last week.
Is there a substitute for "him/her" which is commonly used in formal texts?
Yes, there is. There is a tendency nowadays among native speakers to replace "him/her" with the
plural pronouns "they", "their", and `them".
*If anyone is interested in going, they can get in touch with Bala.
*If anyone calls, tell them I am not in town.

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Grammar pundits would argue that both these sentences are wrong because "anyone" is singular
and therefore should be followed by "him/her" it should not be followed by the plural "they"
or "them". Native speakers of English feel that the use of "him/her" makes the construction look
clumsy and therefore should be avoided.
What is the meaning of "Billingsgate"?
Billingsgate was the name of a fish market in London. I believe it was very close to London
Bridge. During its time, the place was well known for two things - the smell of fish and the
abusive language used by the people doing business there. Believe it or not, the people using the
filthy language were mostly women! The fishwives who conducted business in Billingsgate were
famous not only for their salted fish, but also their salty language! It is for this reason that
Billingsgate means "abusive or foul language".
*The workers hurled more billingsgate at their boss after his speech.
What is the meaning of "dumbsize"?
This word was coined in the 1990s. We all know what "downsize" means. When a company
downsizes, it reduces the number of workers. When too many people have been let go and the
remaining staff finds it difficult to carry out the work, it is called "dumbsizing". In other words,
the management was "dumb" to get rid of too many people!
What is the meaning of the expression "to see which way the cat jumps"?
Some people refuse to take risks. They wait to see what is going to happen before they pass an
opinion or take a decision about something. This refusal to commit oneself to a course of action
until one is sure of what is going to happen is called "to see which way the cat jumps". Another
expression which has more or less the same meaning is "to see which way the wind blows".
*The couple waited to see which way the cat jumped before they started investing in the
company.

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How is the word "pigeon" pronounced?
The "g" is like the "j" in "jam", "juice" and "jeep", and the following "eo" is like the "i" in "sit",
"pit", and "hit". The main stress is on the first syllable.
"Raising kids is part joy and part guerrilla warfare." Ed Asner
What is the difference between "I just love that movie" and "I love that
movie"?
In terms of meaning, the first sentence is much stronger than the second. The word "just" is used
to emphasise the fact that you "love" the movie very much. It's another way of saying, "I
simply/really love that movie". "Just" is often used in speech to mean "there is no other word for
it".
*The young heroine in the new movie was just beautiful.
Why are the hottest days of the year called "dog days"?
The hottest days in Europe mostly occur in the month of July. According to an old superstition,
this was also the period when dogs had a tendency to go mad. The expression "dog days" is a
translation of the Latin "caniculares dies" and it has been around since the times of the ancient
Romans. But contrary to popular belief, "dog days" has nothing to do with dogs on earth; it has
more to do with the dog in the sky! In this case, it refers to Sirius, the Dog Star. During the
height of summer, the Dog Star, Sirius, rises along with the Sun. The ancient Romans believed
that this star added to the heat of the Sun, and in the process caused the weather to become
unbearably hot.
What is the difference between "adhesive" and "cohesive"?
An adhesive is any substance that is used to stick two objects together. Glue, for example, is an
adhesive. When you say that something is cohesive, what you mean is that it consists of
numerous parts which fit together perfectly.

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*After several months of training, the team finally became a cohesive unit.
How is the word "chutzpah" pronounced? What does it mean?
The "ch" is like the "h" in "hat", "have", and "hand"; the following "u" is like the "u" in "pull",
"full", and "bull". The "z" is pronounced like the "s" in "sit", "sip", and "so", and the final "ah" is
like the "a" in "china". The main stress is on the first syllable "chutz". This word comes from
Yiddish, and is normally used to suggest admiration. When you say that someone has "chutzpah"
what you mean is that you admire the individual because he is arrogantly self confident; he is not
afraid to do or say what he wants to. It is also possible to spell the word "hutzpah".
*Keshav had the chutzpah to tell his boss to stop interfering in his work.
Is it OK to say, "staffs"?
If you are using the word to refer to people who work in the same organisation, then, you
generally use "staff" and not "staffs". The word "staff" can be followed by a singular or a plural
verb.
*The staff have decided not to accept the offer made by the government.
*I understand that the staff is terribly worried about the on-going strike.
An individual who works for an organisation is referred to as "member of staff".
*Atul expects every member of staff to be present at the meeting.
The word "staffs" is being used both in British and American English to refer to more than one
group of people individuals working for different organisations.
*The minister and his staff were present at the meeting.
*The two ministers and their staffs were present at the meeting.
"The pistol of a flower is its only protection against insects." A student

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"How was your trip to Hyderabad?"
"Hyderabad! They should rename the city `Manholebad'. They leave the manholes open during
the monsoon season."
"Yes, I read about that. Tell me, is something bothering you? Why is it you look so angry?
"I don't know if I should talk about it. You will probably think... ."
"Come on! Spit it out!"
"Spit it out? There's nothing to spit out. I have nothing in my mouth."
"You know that's not what I meant. When you tell someone, `spit it out', what you want the
person to do is talk. You want the person to tell you what is on his mind."
"I see. It's another way of saying, `tell me' or `say it'."
"Exactly! The expression is mostly used in informal contexts."
"How does this sound? What's your problem? Don't just stand there looking angry. Spit it out."
"Sounds great! Here's another example. Come on Satish, you don't need to be shy. Spit it out."
"Why is it that you don't want to marry me? Tell me the truth. Spit it out."
"What kind of an example is that? Anyway, tell me what is bothering you. Don't just sit there
looking sad. It's driving me bonkers."
"Driving me bonkers! Does it mean the same thing as `driving me crazy'?"
"Yes, it does. Someone who is `bonkers' acts in a silly or crazy fashion. The new rule that has
been introduced in the club is driving everyone bonkers."
"Sulochana's kids are hyperactive. Whenever they visit us, they drive my mom bonkers."

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"Venu was bonkers to ask for such a big raise."
"How about this example? The children went bonkers when they saw the cake and the ice
cream."
"That's a good example. It is also possible to say, `nuts'. It has the same meaning as `bonkers'."
"The way people drive in our city. It drives me nuts."
"Hey, this city is full of nuts. It's not surprising they drive you bonkers!"
"I wish they'd... ."
"Is that the reason you are in a blue funk? Because this city... .."
"Blue funk? What are you talking about?"
"When you say that someone is in a blue funk, what you mean is that he or she is looking sad or
depressed."
"I see. Does it mean the same thing as `feeling blue'?"
"I guess you could say that. Here's an example. Listen to me Suman, you'd better start working
on your project. Don't be in a blue funk. I assure you, things will get better."
"When India lost in the World Cup final, I was in a blue funk for nearly two months."
"That's a good example. Why are you in a blue funk now? Is it because the Sri Lankans tanked
us again? Or is it... ."
"Tanked us again? Does `tanked' mean `defeated'?"
"Yes, that's right. In informal contexts `tanked' is used to mean `defeated'. It's one of the
meanings of the word. When a team tanks you, they score more than you. For example, the
moment I walked onto the field, I knew that our team would get tanked today."

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"Did you think that Sri Lanka would tank India in the final?"
"Listen, the West Indies, without their star players, almost tanked us. So, it didn't really surprise
me that ... ."
"That we lost to Sri Lanka in the final. I thought under a new coach, we would do much better."
"You were nuts to think that. But hey, cheer up. We play Zimbabwe next. I am sure our overpaid
underachievers will tank them."
"If they don't, the entire nation will be in a blue funk."
"I haven't committed a crime. What I did was fail to comply with the law." David Dinkins
What is the difference between "chew at" and "chew out"?
What do puppies do when they get hold of an old shoe or slipper? They keep chewing at it.
Babies, when they are teething, keep chewing at things. When you chew at something, you gnaw
at it. In other words, you keep biting the object for a long period of time.
*The little animal kept chewing at the leather jeans all night.
*While the parents were busy watching TV, the baby was chewing at the belt.
"Chew out", unlike "chew at" is mostly used in informal contexts because it is considered slang.
When you "chew someone out" what you are doing is scolding him.
*I told Usha that I'd be late, and as expected she chewed me out.
*Vinita gave the new students a good chewing-out.
What is the meaning and origin of "Catch 22"?
Sometimes it so happens that the two candidates contesting for the same parliamentary seat are
both crooks. No matter whom you vote for, it isn't going to matter; either way, you are going to

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elect an individual of questionable integrity. Though it seems that you have a choice, you really
don't have one. A Catch 22 situation is a no win situation. No matter what you do, you end up on
the losing side.
*The companies didn't want to hire Velu because he didn't have any experience. But he wasn't
going to get any experience unless someone hired him. It was a real Catch 22 situation.
The expression comes from the title of a novel written by Joseph Heller in 1961. Many people
consider this work of fiction set during the Second World War a classic. In the story, the only
way that air force pilots could get out of doing combat duty was by pleading insanity. In order to
be discharged these individuals had to claim that they were insane. But the catch was that only a
sane person would know that going on bombing missions was dangerous. Therefore when an
individual pleaded insanity, he was doing what any sane person would! Asking to be certified
was the act of a perfectly sane man! Since he was acting rationally, he wasn't insane. Result? No
discharge.
How is the word "aisle" pronounced?
The "ai" is pronounced like the word "I"; the "s" and the "e" that follow are silent. In other
words, "aisle" is pronounced the same way as "I'll" and "isle".
When a serial ends, can we say, "to be concluded"?
When the words "to be concluded" appear at the end of your favourite show, what it implies is
that there is more to come this is not the end of the series. There is one or more than one
episode to follow.
Is it OK to say, "We must invest money on industry"?
No, it isn't. One usually "invests in" something, not "on". For example,
*The government should invest a lot more money in education.
*We would like you to invest in our hotel.

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What is the meaning of "graveyard shift"?
This is an expression mainly used in American English. When you say that you are working the
graveyard shift in a factory, what you mean is that you are working the late night shift you
usually work from midnight to eight in the morning.
*We have to cancel our plans. I am working the graveyard shift next week.
This expression became popular in the U.S. during World War II. It was a time when many
factories worked 24 hours a day. The people who worked the graveyard shift worked at a time
when everyone else was fast asleep; when everything in town was very quiet and as still as a
graveyard!
"My doctor gave me six months to live, but when I couldn't pay the bill, he gave me six
months more." Walter Matthau
Know Your English
"I keep telling Anand that he shouldn't be doing those things, but he just won't listen... ."
"Given his circumstances, it's understandable. Ever since he lost his job, the poor guy hasn't been
playing with a full deck."
"Playing with a full deck? I don't believe this. Here I am trying to tell you that Anand is going
slightly crazy, and you are talking about playing cards!"
"Relax, we are talking about the same thing! When you say that someone is not playing with a
full deck, what you mean is that he is not mentally sound."
"Really? I haven't come across the expression before."
"It's considered slang, and is mostly used in informal contexts. Here's an example. After talking
to Kunthala, I was fairly convinced that she wasn't playing with a full deck."
"Are you playing with a full deck? Sometimes, I wonder."

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"I do too! Anyway, what makes you think Anand is going crazy?"
"He is constantly creating problems wherever he goes. He gets people fighting. He tells one
person one thing and the exact opposite to someone else."
"He is playing both ends against the middle, is he?"
"What are you talking about?"
"When you play both ends against the middle, you do or say something which causes two
individuals or parties to quarrel. In other words, you are doing the same thing that Anand is. Atul
is the consummate politician. He will tell you one thing and the exact opposite to someone else.
He plays both ends against the middle."
"If Anand continues to play both ends against the middle the way he has, he is not going to have
any friends left."
"He doesn't have too many friends, does he?"
"No, he doesn't. I think people feel sorry for him and... ."
"That's the problem. People feel sorry for him. Instead of playing hardball with him, we... ."
"Play hardball? I have come across that expression before, but I don't know what it means."
"When you play hardball with an individual, you get tough with him. You become aggressive
and no longer handle him with kid gloves."
"I see. How about this example? When things became a little tough, the Prime Minister decided
to play hardball with the Opposition."
"That's a wonderful example. Bush tried to play hardball with Sadaam and got himself into a
terrible mess in Iraq. You have to remember though that this expression is mostly used in
informal contexts."

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"I think you should think twice before playing hardball with Anand. He might decide to play
hardball himself."
"Then he will be playing right into my hands, won't he?"
"Oh, I know what that means. When you `play into someone's hands' you do what the person has
planned for you to do. In other words, you react the way he expects you to. By sneaking the
information to her colleagues, Maya played right into the principal's hands."
"Excellent example! By playing defensive on the last day of the test match, India played into the
opposition's hands."
"That's what happened in the test against Pakistan, didn't it? Tell me, what is the difference
between `play hardball' and `play ball'?"
"When you play ball with someone you are cooperating with the individual. The members of the
Opposition decided to play ball with the Prime Minister on the issue."
"The students decided not to play ball with the Principal."
"If you want to get your promotion, you'd better play ball with me."
"Why would I play ball with someone who doesn't play with a full deck!"
"Don't steal! The government hates competition." Bumper sticker
July 2005
What is the meaning and origin of "beyond the pale"?
When someone behaves in an unacceptable or an uncivilised manner, you can say that his
behaviour was "beyond the pale". The idiom can also be used to refer to people's actions.
*Rajagopal's behaviour at the meeting was beyond the pale.

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*Sushmita is never invited to parties because her behaviour is considered beyond the pale.
The word "pale" in the idiom has nothing to do with colour. The word in this case comes from
the Latin "palus", meaning, "stake". In the old days "stakes" or wooden poles were used to mark
one's territory. Everything that was within the "pale" or the wooden fence belonged to you, and
the land that was outside it, belonged to someone else. The expression "beyond the pale" began
to be used in the 14th century when parts of Ireland came under the English rule. Territories that
were "within the pale" belonged to the English; those that were outside it, belonged to the Irish.
The English, as you may expect, didn't have a very good opinion of their neighbours. They
thought that the Irish were crude; people who didn't know how to behave in a civilised manner.
So when someone says your behaviour is beyond the pale, what he means is that you are
behaving like an Irishman!
How is the word "obdurate" pronounced?
The first syllable is like the "ob" in "sob", "mob", and "lob". The following "u" is pronounced
like the "u" in "pull" and "full". The "a" is like the "a" in "china", and the final "e" is silent. The
main stress is on the first syllable. When you say that someone is obdurate, you are implying that
he/she is very stubborn. The word is mostly used in formal contexts.
The minister found it difficult to implement changes because his department heads were
obdurate defenders of the old policies.
*Raju's obdurate refusal to speak in his mother tongue worried his parents.
What is the difference between "odour" and "smell"?
Tell your significant other that you like his/her "odour" and see how he/she reacts! Chances are
the person will never speak to you again. The word "odour" has a negative connotation; it means
foul smell. An odour can never smell good; it's always bad.
*The odour of rotting fish almost made me vomit.
*The odour from his dirty socks was disgusting.

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A smell, on the other hand, can be either good or bad. You can talk about the smell of rotten eggs
and the smell of perfume.
Is the following sentence grammatically correct? "What I wish to know is that
whether the government is aware of the problem."
No, it is not. In this case, you do not need "that". Avoid using "that" and "whether" together.
*What I want to know is whether you can come to the party.
*Ayesha wanted to know whether she had been admitted to the programme.
What is the meaning of "blogging"?
One of the meanings of "log" is to write an official account of an event. In ships for example,
captains keep an official written account of what happens each day this is called the captain's
log. In the old days, logs were maintained in ledgers; nowadays, they are saved on computers.
"Blogging" is actually the short form of "web logging". Like a diary, a blog may include
anything personal opinion, comments and experiences. Unlike a diary, however, a blog is
written for others to read and comment on. You upload whatever material you have written onto
the web, and you keep updating it on a regular basis. A person who writes blogs is called a
"blogger".
"There are well-dressed foolish ideas just as there are well-dressed fools." Nicholas
Chamfort
What is the difference between "drop out" and "dropout"?
Parents nowadays want their kids to learn a lot of things. They want them to excel not only in
their studies, but also in sports. Very often they sign up their kids for tennis lessons, karate
lessons, etc. After some time, the poor child finds it difficult to cope with both his studies and his
extracurricular activities. What does he do? He stops attending the karate and tennis classes.
That's what the expression "drop out" means - to discontinue. When a person who has been

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attending college decides to "drop out", he takes the decision to stop going to college. This
person does not graduate.
In villages, parents often force their children to drop out of school.
An individual who has dropped out of school or college is called a "dropout".
We have many high school dropouts in our family.
What is the meaning of "dickens" in "Who the dickens are you?"
If you are a great fan of the Victorian novelist Charles Dickens, let me put your mind at rest by
saying that the "dickens" that you find in the expression has nothing to do with the author. "What
the dickens" has been around for over five centuries. In the old days, people refrained from using
words like "hell", "devil", and "Satan" in their speech. They felt that if these words were uttered,
their souls would immediately go to hell; as a result, they coined euphemisms for these words.
"Dickens" was one of the words they came up with.
The expression "what the dickens" has the same meaning as "what the hell?" and "what the
devil?" So when someone says, "Who the dickens are you?" what he is saying is, "Who the
hell/devil are you?" According to some scholars "dickens" refers to Satan. One of the terms used
to refer to the devil is "Old Nick". Since "dick" rhymes with "Nick", the word began to be used
to refer to the devil. There are a number of expressions in the English language with the word
"dickens". Some are, "go to the dickens", "raise the dickens", "play the dickens" and "the dickens
take you".
How is the word "alumnae" pronounced?
This is a word which is mostly used in American English. The "a" in the first syllable is like the
"a" in "china"; the following "u" sounds like the "u" in "cut", "hut", and "but". The final "ae" is
pronounced like the "ee" in "see", "knee", and "bee". The main stress is on the second syllable.
"Alumnae" is the plural of "alumna". A former female student of a school/college/university is
referred to as an "alumna".

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What is the meaning of "Page 3"?
"Page 3" became famous when Rupert Murdoch bought over the Sun in 1969. The following
year, every edition of the paper carried a picture of a topless woman on page 3; and as you may
expect, the circulation went up dramatically. The bare breasted women began to be called "page
3 girls" and many of them became famous. So the original page 3 contained pictures of naked
women. Nowadays, the meaning of the expression has changed somewhat. In addition to
including some pictures of questionable taste, the page also informs the reader as to what is
happening on the social scene it tells you who is going out with whom and who is throwing
the next big party. It provides the local gossip.
Which is correct? "Grandson of the late" or "grandson of late"?
We usually find this in wedding invitations. Karthick, grandson of the late Jayaraman, etc. When
you want to refer to someone who is no more, you generally use "the" before "late".
*Padma, the daughter of the late Ganesh, is building a house.
*The late President was known for his sense of humour.
"A man who has never made a woman angry is a failure in life." Christopher Morley
June 2005
What is the difference between "met" and "visited"?
A meeting can be planned or unplanned. You can ring someone up and ask him to meet you
somewhere at a particular time. It is also possible for you to meet someone quite accidentally.
For example, you decide to go shopping. Your friend also decides to go shopping and you end up
meeting him. In this case, the meeting is not planned; the two of you run into each other quite
accidentally.
*We met in the library as planned.

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*The last time the two of us met was in London.
The word "visit" suggests a longer meeting. In other words, you are going to spend some time
with the individual. You visit someone's house. A visit is usually planned; the people you are
going to meet usually know that you are coming.
*During the holidays, he visited his cousin in Pune. There, he met many of his old friends.
What is the meaning of "tongue-in-cheek"?
When you make a tongue-in-cheek remark, you do not expect your listener to take you seriously.
Although you may look serious, the intention is to be humorous. What you say is meant as a
joke.
*Was Vijay speaking with tongue-in-cheek when he referred to Sania as the heartthrob of India?
*"We all know that Raju is an intellectual", Bala said tongue in cheek.
Does the word "regift" exist?
Yes, it does. When you get married you usually get a lot of gifts. Sometimes two or three people
end up giving you the same thing. For example, you may end up getting three or four clocks.
What are you going to do with so many clocks? If you are sensible, then what you would do is to
wait for one of your friends to get married. When he/she does, you give one of the extra clocks
as a gift. This is what we mean by "regifting".
*Geetha is planning to regift the ugly vase that she got from Bala.
How is the word "ensemble" pronounced?
The "e" in the first and second syllable is pronounced like the "o" in "pot", "hot", and "cot". The
final "e" is usually silent and the main stress is on the second syllable. Musicians, actors and
dancers who always perform together can be referred to as an "ensemble".
*Rahul is a member of a jazz singing ensemble in Hyderabad.

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Things that combine well together can also be called an ensemble.
*Prithi bought the whole ensemble the dress, the matching earnings, and the shoes.
What is the meaning of "armchair critic"?
There are plenty of people in our country who have never played cricket in their life, but who are
capable of giving a lengthy lecture on the subject. They can tell you why Sachin should start
using a lighter bat, and what was wrong with Ganguly's field placement during a particular
match. They seem to be very knowledgeable about the subject of cricket; but what they know is
based on one of two things they have either gathered the information from books or by
listening to people who know about the subject. In other words, armchair critics are people who
have little or no practical experience. They have become knowledgeable by sitting in their
favourite armchair and reading.
*If you want words of wisdom from an armchair critic, you can go to Laxman.
*I want someone who has dealt with this problem, not some armchair critic.
People who learn a lot about places by reading about them are called "armchair travellers".
"A fine is a tax for doing something wrong. A tax is a fine for doing something right."
Unknown
What is the difference between "enough" and "enough of"?
When you say that you have had "enough ice cream" what you mean is that you have had
sufficient ice cream, you don't want any more for the time being. Even though you like the stuff,
you do not intend to eat any more even if it were offered to you.
*I have had enough grammar for today.
*I think she has had enough practice for today.

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"Enough of" carries with it a negative connotation. When you have had "enough of" something
you have had an excess of it. In other words, you have had too much of it, and as a result you are
fed up of it. If you were to say that you have had enough of ice cream, what it suggests is that
you are sick of eating ice cream.
*I have had enough of grammar.
*I have had enough of Ganguly and his antics.
What is the meaning of "erudite"?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The "e" is like the "e" in "set", "pet", and "met", and the
following "u" sounds like the "u" in "put", "pull" and "full". The final syllable rhymes with
"might", "kite", and "fight", and the main stress is on the first syllable.
When you say that someone is "erudite" what you mean is that he/she is well learned; he or she
sounds scholarly. The word is invariably used in formal contexts.
*Sekhar is very different from my other cousins. He is very erudite and well informed.
*The old professors were stunned when the young man gave an erudite lecture.
What is the meaning of "diddly-squat"?
This is a slang expression meaning "nothing". When you say that someone knows diddly-squat
about chemistry, what you mean is that the individual doesn't know anything about the subject.
*After all the work I did, I got paid diddly-squat.
*The property that we bought ten years ago is now worth diddly-squat.



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Why are people who are left-handed called "southpaws"?
According to many sports enthusiasts, the word "southpaw" began to be used to refer to
lefthanders in the late 19th Century. Some believe that the sports columnist Finley Peter Dunne
coined the word. "Southpaw" comes to us from the world of baseball.
This popular American game is usually played in the summer; professional games are played
either in the afternoons or in the evenings. In most stadiums, the "home plate" or the batter's box
is placed in such a manner that it faces east. This is done to ensure that the batter doesn't have the
afternoon or evening sun in his eyes when he bats.
The pitcher throws the ball facing west. This being the case, when a left-handed pitcher winds up
for his delivery, his throwing arm is facing south. Hence the term "southpaw". The "paw" refers
to the hand of the pitcher.
Grammarian's definition of "kiss": noun, though often used as a conjunction. It is never declined;
it is more common than proper; and it is used in the plural and agrees with all genders.
What is the difference between "hoard" and "horde"?
Both words are pronounced the same way. They rhyme with "board", "ford", and "sword".
"Hoard" is normally used to describe the accumulation of something for future use. When you
hoard something, you generally store it as a precautionary measure. The thing that is hoarded
could be money, food, etc. The important thing to remember about hoarding is that it is done in
secret. Not many people are aware of the fact that you are putting something away. The use of
"hoard" shows disapproval; it often suggests miserliness. The word comes from the Old English
"hord" meaning "a secret store". A person who hoards is called a hoarder.
*Merchants who were caught hoarding rice were sent to prison.
*The police found the miser's hoard and distributed it among the poor.
In informal contexts, the word "hoards" can be used to mean "a very large amount."

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*We have hoards of time to complete the project.
The word "horde" was first used to refer to nomads i.e., wandering tribes. Gypsies, for
instance, were referred to as hordes. Nowadays, the word is used to talk about any disorganised
crowd.
*Hordes of football hooligans walked into the club singing loudly.
*I didn't enjoy my vacation. There were hordes of people camped around the lake.
According to some scholars the word comes from the Turkish "ordu" meaning "camp". They
maintain that it is from this Turkish word that we get "Urudu".
What is the meaning and origin of "Barkis is willing"?
The expression first appeared in Charles Dickens' well-known classic "David Copperfield".
Barkis is the name of one the characters in the novel. He keeps sending a message through David
to Clara Peggotty, the maid of David's mother. The message that David is to give Clara is
"Barkis is willing". In other words, Barkis is willing to marry Clara. The expression is used
nowadays to indicate one's willingness or readiness to do something.
What does "bells and whistles" mean?
Many people when they go shopping for a computer look for a model that contains the essential
features. There are others, however, who are interested in the little extras. They want to have a
model which contains many fancy features; add-ons which are good to look at, but which serve
very little purpose. These rather attractive but inessential features that you buy along with a
gadget are called "bells and whistles".
*You don't need the bells and whistles. They will double the cost.
*Ramesh likes to buy gadgets with all the bells and whistles.


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How is the word "idyll" pronounced?
The word can be pronounced in two different ways. The British tend to pronounce the "i" and the
"y" like the "i" in "sit", "chit", and "hit". The Americans, on the other hand, tend to pronounce
the "i" like the "y" in "by" and "my". In both cases, the main stress is on the first syllable. A short
piece of prose which describes a happy scene in the countryside is usually referred to as an idyll.
Nowadays the word is being used to refer to any pleasant scene or event. When you say that
something is "idyllic" what you mean is that it is like an "idyll". In other words, it is very
pleasant and peaceful.
*This would be an idyllic setting for our school.
*He was hoping that he would have an idyllic marriage.
What is the meaning of "keypal"?
This is a word of recent origin. A pen pal is someone with whom you exchange letters. A
"keypal" is someone with whom you exchange emails. He/she is your email pen pal. You "key"
in the messages for this individual.
*I informed all my keypals about the upcoming event.
"Laughter is like changing a baby's diaper. I t doesn't permanently solve any problems, but it
makes things more acceptable for a while." Unknown
Know Your English
"You are late again! Didn't you promise to be... ."
"... .I am sorry. I know I was supposed to come at 11o'clock, but I... ."
"... .it's one o'clock now."
"I know. I have a question. Why do we say o'clock? Where does the `o' come from?"

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"The `o' I understand is actually a contraction of `of'. You see in the old days when someone
asked an individual for the time, he would reply `eleven of the clock'."
"So instead of eleven o'clock, they used to say `eleven of the clock'."
"That's right! At times, they dropped `the' and shortened the reply to `eleven of clock'. After
some time, people began dropping the `f ' sound in `of '. So `of clock' became `o'clock'. Now tell
me, why are you late?"
"Sunil and Karuna fought again. This time it was pretty serious. Karuna was so upset that she
stormed out of the house with bag and baggage."
"That sounds pretty serious indeed. But you don't have to say `with bag and baggage'."
"But I have heard many people say `with bag and baggage'."
"That's true. But the correct expression is `bag and baggage'. You don't need `with'."
"I see. So I say, she walked out bag and baggage?"
"That's right. Here's another example. Raju was thrown out of the hotel bag and baggage."
"I wish we could do the same with some of our crooked politicians. I think it's high time that we
get rid of them."
"It's high time that we got rid of them. Not `get' rid of them."
"But why got?"
"Because when you use `high time' the verb that follows is usually in the past. For example, it's
high time that I went home."
"I see. It's high time Vasundara got married."
"I think it's high time you began studying for your various entrance exams. Anyway, you needn't
worry about Karuna. She has walked out on Sunil before. But she... ."

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"... .thrice, actually. I mean three times. Tell me, what's wrong with thrice, though?"
"There's nothing wrong. It's considered rather old fashioned. Native speakers seldom use the
word thrice. It's considered literary."
"So it's once, twice, three times?"
"Yes, that's right. Tell me, what did Sunil do to put Karuna out?"
"To put her out? You mean throw her out of the house?"
"No, no! When you put someone out, what you are doing is irritating or annoying the individual.
That's one of the meanings of the expression. For example, Prabhakar really put me out when he
walked into the house wearing his muddy slippers."
"My neighbour put me out by playing music loudly."
"That's a good example. So what did Sunil do to put Karuna out?"
"I understand that he cracked some joke about women."
"He probably did it to irritate her. He knows that his wife is a die-hard feminist."
"Does die-hard mean staunch or something like that?"
"That's right. A die-hard individual is someone who sticks to his opinions. Doesn't change them
at all. In fact, he doesn't like change. For example, my neighbours are die-hard conservatives."
"Mine are die-hard Sania Mirza fans."
"It's high time she started performing on the tennis court."
"You're right. Otherwise her next ad might begin with the line, Sania Mirza ko tennis khelna
nahin atha!"
"Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell." Unknown

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May 2005
What is the difference between "sentimental" and "emotional"?
Both words have more to do with "feelings" than "reason". In both cases, the individual's heart
rules his head. When you respond to a situation "emotionally", you do what your feelings tell
you to do. You don't really think things through. In most cases, it is a knee-jerk reaction. When
someone advises you and you react emotionally, you can either shout at the individual or you can
begin to cry.
*The chairman became emotional and accused the accountant of fraud.
A sentimental person is easily affected by emotions like sadness, love, etc. Unlike an emotional
individual, a sentimental one does not express himself loudly or strongly. The feelings that he
expresses are much more tender and somewhat exaggerated. Sentimental often carries with it the
sense that the feelings expressed are not genuine. Unlike "emotional", "sentimental" has a
negative connotation.
*Latha is very sentimental. She cried when she heard that the school dog was missing.
What is the origin of, "Murder someone in cold blood"?
When you do something in "cold blood" you do it without being emotionally involved; in other
words, you are detached. The murder is thought of in advance and the plans are executed in a
ruthless manner, without the display of any emotion. You act like a cold-blooded animal.
*The child was killed in cold blood in front of his house.
Does the temperature of the blood in our body increase and decrease depending on our mood?
Not really, but people who lived some three hundred years ago believed that our frame of mind
determined the temperature of the blood. The common belief was that when an individual
became excited or angry, the blood within the body began to boil. When he remained calm, the
blood became cool. These beliefs are reflected in everyday expressions like "hot-blooded" and
"in cold blood". I understand in the 17th Century, the expression "in hot blood" was used to refer

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to murders committed with passion. For some strange reason "in hot blood" went out of use.
Scholars believe that the expression "in cold blood" is a translation of the French "sang-froid".
The expression "in cold blood" first appeared in print in 1711 in Joseph Addison's "The
Spectator".
How is the word "manoeuvre," pronounced?
The "a" in the first syllable is like the "a" in "china"; the following "oeu" is like the "oo" in
"fool", "cool", and "pool". The "r" is usually silent, and the final "e" sounds like the "a" in
"china". The main stress is on the second syllable. "Maneuver" is how the Americans spell the
word.
Which is correct? One of my friend/friends? (Alexander Joseph, Port Blair)
The correct answer is "one of my friends". You normally use the expression "one of" with a
plural noun. It could be a group of people or things. "One of" informs the listener that you are
talking about one member of the group. Since you are talking about only one member in the
group, you use a singular verb after the plural noun.
*One of my friends is going to America.
*One of the books that I am planning to read is "Very Good Jeeves".
You have many friends, but right now you are talking about only one of them. If you had only
one friend, then you would have said, "My friend is going to America." Similarly, the second
example suggests that you are planning to read many books and one of them happens to be "Very
Good Jeeves". It is important to remember that the noun cannot immediately follow "one of".
"Death and taxes are both certain. But death isn't annual." Anonymous
Know Your English
"Hi, come on in. Would you like something to drink? You look bushed."

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"What are you talking about? I don't look anything like Bush."
"That's funny. I didn't say you looked like Bush. I said that you are looking bushed. In other
words, you are looking exhausted."
"Exhausted! Is that what 'bushed' means? I thought you were making fun of my looks."
"Why would I do that? I've got better things to do. Sujatha was bushed after jogging a mile."
"That's understandable. Sujatha is out of shape. After playing two sets of tennis, I felt bushed."
"Good example. Is that the reason you look so tired now?"
"The reason I feel bushed right now is because thanks to the bus strike, I had to walk back from
school."
"In this terrible weather! Have a glass of cold water, then. By the way, I understand
congratulations are in order."
"Thank you. I didn't expect to do so well in the exam."
"My next door neighbour was crowing over how well his daughter had done, but...."
"....crowing over? What does it mean?"
"....when someone 'crows over' his achievements, he brags about them. Here's an example. I hate
talking to Jai. The only thing he does is crow over his achievements."
"The members of the opposition were crowing over their victory."
"That's a good example. It is also possible to say, `crow about'. It means the same thing as `crow
over'. The producer was crowing about the success of his new film."
"Sheetal was crowing about how well her daughter had performed in the interview."
"In India a lot of people crow about Sachin's achievements."

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"I can tell you that I haven't been bragging about my marks. In fact, I haven't told anyone."
"It's good to know that you are grounded."
"Grounded? What are you talking about?"
"Well, when you say that someone is 'grounded' what you mean is that he is very sensible.
Though the individual has everything, and has achieved many things, he behaves in a sensible
fashion. This is one of the meanings of the word."
"In other words, you are saying that the individual has his feet on the ground."
"I guess you could say that. The kid's father is a business tycoon and his mother is a famous
actress. You certainly can't expect him to be grounded."
"Suresh has everything that one can ask for, but he seems fairly grounded."
"The billionaire's wife makes sure that her children stay grounded. But tell me, if Suresh is
grounded, then why do the others hate him so much?"
"I guess it's because they are jealous about his achievements"
"You are not 'jealous about' something, you are usually 'jealous of' something. For example,
everyone is jealous of Hema's achievements."
"There are many people who are jealous of Dravid's wealth."
"That's understandable, I guess. Some of our players are..."
".... similarly, you are 'jealous of' someone and not 'jealous about' someone, I suppose?"
"Exactly! The two year old boy is jealous of his baby brother."
"Many of the tenants are jealous of the landlord."
"I believe he has written a book which is selling really well. Have you read it?"

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"Just the first couple of pages. It was full of jargons, so I ...."
"....jargons! How many times have I told you...."
"....sorry, sorry. The word 'jargons' doesn't exist. The plural of jargon is jargon. See, I
remember."
"You don't need to crow over something like that. Go home. You look bushed."
"Older people shouldn't eat health food; they need all the preservatives they can get."
Robert Orben
What is the meaning of "Argus eyed"?
It means to be watchful or vigilant.
*The police were watching the proceedings, Argus-eyed.
*The students found it difficult to get past the Argus-eyed watchman.
Argus was a giant who had fifty pairs of eyes. Juno, wife of Zeus, asked him to keep an eye on
her heifer (young cow) Io. The vigilant Argus stood guard, and when he felt drowsy, he allowed
only two of his eyes to fall asleep. The remaining forty-nine pairs of eyes were focussed on Io.
Unfortunately for the giant, the messenger of the gods, Mercury, became interested in the heifer
and decided to steal it. In order to achieve this, he began playing his lyre. The music was so
soothing that Argus fell asleep - all one hundred eyes closed. Mercury drew his sword and
promptly chopped off the giant's head. When Juno saw what had happened, she removed the
eyes from the head of the giant and placed them all on the tail of a peacock. I guess this explains
why we talk about the eye of a peacock's feather.
How is "imbroglio" pronounced?
The "i" in the first and third syllable is like the "i" in "dim", "rim" and "vim". The "o" in the
second and the final syllable is like the "o" in "go", "so", and "no". The "g" is silent, and the

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main stress is on the second syllable "bro". A complicated or confusing situation is usually
referred to as an imbroglio. The word is normally used in formal contexts.
*The world is trying to find a solution to the Iraq imbroglio.
Which is correct? "I gave to nanny the keys" or "I gave the keys to nanny"?
The second sentence is correct. One usually gives something to someone.
*The new student gave a rose to John.
It is also possible to give someone something. In this case, "to" is not used. You do not "give to
someone".
*Please give the architect these diagrams.
What is the meaning of "co-son-in-law"?
This is a word that most native speakers of English do not understand. "Co-son-in-law" is a term
that we Indians have contributed to the English language. It is not found in many dictionaries.
When you refer to a man as a "co-son-in-law" what you mean is that the two of you have the
same in-laws. In other words, this other individual is married to your wife's sister. Native
speakers of English would refer to the other individual as a "brother in law". Most Indian
languages have a term for such a relationship, and I guess that's the reason why we felt
compelled to come up with "co-son-in-law".
What is the difference between "as scheduled" and "on schedule"?
When you say that the meeting took place "as scheduled", what you mean is that the meeting
took place as planned. Arrangements had been made, in advance, for the meeting to be held and
things went according to plan.
*The Opposition called for a bandh, but we managed to meet the minister as scheduled.

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The expression "on schedule" is normally used to refer to time. When a project is completed on
schedule, it is completed on time.
*For a change all flights left on schedule.
"One man in a thousand is a leader of men - the other 999 follow women." Groucho Marx
Know Your English
"Nice to see someone smiling in this weather. What are you so happy about?"
"Oh, I'm just returning from Madhavan's factory. He was telling me that if we were to invest in
his company, we'd become millionaires real soon. Apparently, he has a new product which ..."
"... .yes, he told me about the product too. He's very gung-ho about it."
"Gung-ho! I have come across that word before. It means enthusiastic, doesn't it?"
"That's right, it's an expression mostly used in informal contexts. Some of the people I know are
gung-ho about everything."
"I find such people very irritating. Indians are gung-ho about cricket."
"That's the only thing we are gung-ho about, unfortunately."
"Hey, I almost forgot. Your first play was staged yesterday, wasn't it? How did the audience
react? Were they gung-ho about it?"
"The response was underwhelming."
"Underwhelming? I don't think there is such a word."
"Yes, there is. When you say that the response to something was underwhelming, what you mean
is that the people were not impressed by it."
"In other words, `underwhelming' is the opposite of `overwhelming'."

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"I wouldn't really... ."
"... how about this example? The actor's new movie met with an underwhelming response."
"Sounds good. The response to the minister's speech was distinctly underwhelming."
"It usually is. Anyway, what did the press have to say about your play?"
"That my talent as a writer simply underwhelmed them."
"I am sorry to hear that. Why do you think the people didn't appreciate the play?"
"That's simple. Those who came were mostly fuddy-duddies. You see, ... ."
"... .they were what?"
"F... u... d... d... y and d... u... d... d... y. The `u' in both syllables is like the `u' in `hut', `but', and
`cut'. When you call someone a "fuddy-duddy", what you mean is that he is old fashioned not
only in his attitude, but also in his appearance."
"I've stopped going to my father's office parties because I don't like being surrounded by fuddy-
duddies."
"That's a good example. My next door neighbour is a fuddy-duddy."
"Tell me, what was your hero's reaction to the underwhelming response of the press? Did ... ."
"... .the hero had a conniption fit. He almost... ."
"... .a conniption? Does it mean... ."
"... .conniption is a word that is mostly used in informal contexts. It means... ."
"... .I can guess what it means. When you have a conniption, you probably throw a fit. In other
words, you burst into anger."

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"Very good. That's exactly what it means. The word is sometimes followed by `fit'. Here is an
example. When Shalini told her father that she was marrying Teja, he had a conniption fit."
"So the next time someone gets angry about something, can I say, `Take it easy. Don't have a
conniption?"
"I guess you could say that. Every time I try to sport a beard my mother has conniptions... ."
"... most mothers aren't very gung-ho about their son growing a beard. I wonder why."
"Haven't a clue myself. Do you think I am a gung-ho sort of guy?"
"Only your mother would think so!"
"My play was a complete success. The audience was a failure." Ashleigh Brilliant
What is the meaning and origin of "to leave no stone unturned"?
When someone says that he will leave no stone unturned what he means is that he will do
everything he can in order to achieve something. In other words, he will try every possible means
to get the desired results.
*The Chief Minister has said that he would leave no stone unturned to find the culprit.
*Both countries claimed that they would leave no stone unturned to find peace.
In 477 B. C, General Polycrates defeated General Mardonius in a battle. According to rumours,
the Persian general, Mardonius had a lot of treasure hidden under his tent. But when Polycrates
and his men searched the tent, they found nothing. The disappointed General went to an oracle in
Delphi and told him his problem. The oracle instructed him to return to the place where the battle
had been fought and to look under every stone for the treasure; he asked him to leave no stone
unturned. Polycrates went back and searched under the stones, and sure enough he found the
treasure.

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Where did the word "hijack" come from?
Nowadays, this word is usually associated with airplanes. When you hijack a plane what you are
doing is taking control of it and forcing it to go to a destination of your choice. In the process
you make the passengers aboard the aircraft your hostage. It is not only planes that you can
hijack, but also other vehicles cars, trucks, boats and ships. "Hijack" has another meaning as
well. It also means to steal goods from vehicles, especially from trucks. Did you know that the
original hijacker was someone who stole from other criminals? He specialised in robbing
bootleggers people who sold illicit liquor. According to some scholars, the "hijacker" got his
name from the command he gave the people he was about to rob. Apparently, he used to point
his gun at his victim and say, "Stick them up high, Jack." In other words, he wanted his victim to
raise his hands above his head. Since "Jack" is a very common name in the U.S., he called all his
victims "Jack". From "high" and "Jack" we get "hijack".
What is the difference between "life assurance" and "life insurance"?
There is no difference; some companies call themselves "life insurance" companies, while others
call themselves "life assurance" companies. They both do the same job. I understand that the
term "Assurance Company" is mostly used in countries where English is not spoken as the first
language for example, in countries like Germany, Egypt, and the Philippines.
There is, however, a difference in meaning between "assurance" and "insurance". One normally
"assures" against something that will definitely happen for example death. No matter how
important we are, none of us can escape death. It is inevitable. You usually "insure" yourself
against something that may or may not happen for example, fire, burglary and flood. Not all
of us will have our house destroyed in a fire accident. But some of us do buy "fire insurance" and
"flood insurance".
What is the meaning of "monobrow"?
The next time you look at yourself in the mirror, take a good look at the eyebrows. If the two join
just above your nose, then you can say that you have a "monobrow". The word is mostly used in
informal contexts, and is not found in many dictionaries.

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"Age is a question of mind over matter. I f you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Satchel
Paige
April 2005
What is the meaning of "underwriter"?
This is a term frequently used by organisations that provide insurance. When an organisation
"underwrites" an activity, it signs a contract which guarantees payment for any loss or damage to
the goods. A company that invests money to help an individual start a new project is called an
underwriter. An individual can be an underwriter as well; his primary job is to study the risks
involved in an activity and decide how much to charge as insurance. He determines the
creditworthiness of a client. He is called an underwriter because he writes his name under the
policy.
* Do you think that your company would be willing to underwrite our new hospital?
How is the word "inexorably" pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word "in", and the second like the word "ex". The "o" in
the third syllable and the "a" in the fourth sound like the "a" in "china"; the final "y" is like the
"i" in "pit", "kit", and "sit". The main stress is on the second syllable. "Inexorably" is mostly used
in formal contexts. It refers to a process which cannot be changed or stopped; it is something
which continues relentlessly.
* Many feel that the crisis in Iran is moving inexorably towards war.
What is the difference between "anoint" and "appoint"?
People who are "appointed" for a job are chosen by others for a particular position. An
appointment is something official.
* The members of the Board appointed Dravid captain.

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"Anoint" has a religious connotation which "appoint" doesn't. When a priest anoints someone, he
applies oil or water on some part of the individual; this is usually done as part of a religious
ceremony.
* The young priest anointed the old man's forehead with sandalwood paste.
It is also possible to "anoint" oneself with something. In this case, we are merely smearing
ourselves with some sort of liquid. For example, an individual can anoint herself with suntan
lotion. When a person in authority, such as a priest, "anoints" someone, he chooses this
individual for an important job.
* The Archbishop anointed her queen.
In this example, the Archbishop is making the individual holy by anointing. In other words, he is
consecrating the individual to office.
* The former Prime Minister did not anoint anyone as his successor.
What is the meaning and origin of "writing is on the wall"?
When Shahid Afridi blazed away to a century in 40-odd balls in the fifth one-day international,
most of us knew who was going to win the match. By the end of the 10th over, the writing was
on the wall for India. When you say that the handwriting or writing is on the wall, what you
mean is that something disastrous or bad is going to happen.
* When the team lost in the first round of the playoffs, the writing was on the wall for the coach.
* Prabhakar saw the handwriting on the wall when the company fired two more people.
The expression "handwriting on the wall" comes from the Bible. The King of Babylon,
Belshazzar, sees a hand mysteriously appear and write a message on a wall. Being unable to
decipher the message, he summons Daniel. The wise man tells Belshazzar that the message is a
warning from God that he will soon be overthrown and his kingdom destroyed.
"A diplomat is a man who remembers a woman's birthday, but never remembers her age."

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Robert Frost
What is the difference between "fight with" and "fight against"?
In some contexts, both phrasal verbs have more or less the same meaning. When you "fight
against" or "fight with" someone, you do battle against the individual.
*I refuse to fight against someone who is twenty years younger than me.
In the examples given, one could easily replace one phrasal verb with the other. It is also
possible to "fight against" something as well. For example, one can fight against a disease, or
one can fight against poverty. In these two cases, you are doing battle against a disease and
poverty. "Fight with" has an additional meaning. When you fight with something, you use a
weapon as an instrument in your fight. For example, in the old days people fought with spears
and swords.
Nowadays people fight with guns. Also, when you "fight with" someone, it could mean that you
are joining hands with the individual to fight someone or something. In other words, you and the
other individual are joining forces and fighting a common enemy. "Fight against" does not have
this meaning.
*I fought with him in Kashmir against the terrorists.
What is the meaning and origin of "water off a duck's back"?
Although the duck spends a lot of time in water, the water never stays on its feathers for long.
This is because its feathers are coated with oil and this prevents the water from being absorbed.
As a result, when the bird steps out of the water, it is able to shake it off within a matter of a few
seconds. Spending a considerable amount of time in a pond or a lake seems to have no effect on
the bird. Similarly, when you criticise someone and it has no effect on him/her, then you can say
that the criticism was like water off a duck's back. Here are a few examples.
*I have scolded Achala several times for being lazy and sloppy, but it's just water off a duck's
back to her.

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How is the word "entrepreneurship" pronounced?
The first syllable is like the word "on", and the "e" in the second and third syllable is pronounced
like the "a" in "china". The "eur" in the fourth syllable is like the "er" in "herd" and "nerd". The
final syllable is pronounced like the word "ship"; the main stress is on "eur". An "entrepreneur",
as you probably know, refers to someone who sets up a business; he usually starts something
new.
Therefore when you refer to "entrepreneurship" you are talking about the activities associated
with an entrepreneur. The word is of French origin. By the way, the word "entrepreneur" has
given rise to a new word, "intrapreneur".
Like an entrepreneur, this individual starts something new as well. But unlike the entrepreneur,
an "intrapreneur" doesn't set up a business of his own. He works within an organisation and
comes up with new inventions.
Is it OK to say, "He telephoned to Mr. X"?
When the word "telephone" is used as a verb, it is not followed by "to". You telephone someone
and not "telephone to" someone. It is like the word "call". Remember, when you ring someone
up, you "call him", you do not "call to him". Here are a few examples.
*Ananya telephoned her friend and told her she wouldn't be coming.
"The main problem with the French is that they have no word for `entrepreneur'."
George. W. Bush
KNOW YOUR ENGLISH
"Hey, did your uncle ask for seed money?"
"No, I think he was too embarrassed to. But I hinted at the fact that I would be willing to help
him out. Give this letter the once-over, will you?"

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"The once-over? What does it mean?"
"When you give someone or something the once-over what you are doing is taking a quick look
at the person or the object. You want to see what they are like."
"I see. How about this example? The student gave the paper the once-over before handing it to
the teacher."
"Sounds good. After checking the handbag, the security guard gave me the once-over before he
allowed me to enter the building."
"The principal gave the students the once-over and then began his speech."
"Now that you know the meaning, please give the letter the once-over!"
"O.K. I am done. It looks fine. Tell me, why do ...."
"....why were you smiling when you read the letter? Was it funny?"
"It had nothing to do with your letter. I remembered something strange that Sujatha said this
morning. She said that I had a really cute smile."
"She's been saying such things to everyone I know. She's moving to a new flat, and I think she is
looking for people to help her move. That's why she is laying it on thick."
"Laying what on thick? Talk English, will you?"
"When you say that someone is laying it on thick what you mean is that they are trying to flatter
you. There's too much of praise, in fact. Yesterday, Sujatha called me handsome."
"Handsome! That's laying it on thick."
"I know. Of late, Sujatha has learnt how to lay it on really thick."
"But why would she need anyone to help her move? She has her cousin, Arvind. Haven't seen
him in a while, though. Any idea where he is?"

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"Hey, this is April. He must be busy cramming for his exams."
"Cramming? Does it mean the same thing as mugging?"
"Well, when you cram for a test, you study very hard for it. Usually at the very last minute. For
example, Narender spent the entire weekend cramming for the chemistry test."
"How about this example? My father says that if I put in an hour's work every day, then I
wouldn't have to cram."
"He has a point there. But I am sure when he was a student, your father spent many sleepless
nights pounding the books."
"Pounding the books? Why would he do that? There's no need to...."
"....pounding the books is an informal expression meaning to study hard. Another expression
which has more or less the same meaning is `hit the books'."
"As soon as I return home from school, I hit the books. How does it sound?"
"You hitting the books soon after your return home! Please stop, it's cracking me up."
"Cracking you up? What does it mean? Are you going mad?"
"When something cracks you up, it makes you laugh. When I saw the kitten slip on a banana
peel, it just cracked me up."
"The principal's new wig cracked me up."
"Did you tell him he looked ridiculous?"
"No, we told him he looked great in it. We really laid it on thick."
"Americans always do the right thing after they have tried everything else."
Winston Churchill

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Know Your English
"Hey, where are you off to so early in the morning?"
"To the station. Have to pick up my uncle Balu."
"I remember your uncle Balu! Isn't he extremely tall and good looking?"
"He is tall, but the rest of him has gone to seed, I am afraid."
"You make your uncle sound like a plant. What does `gone to seed' mean?"
"When you say that someone has gone to seed, what you mean is that they are not as good
looking or as healthy as they once were. For example, most actors go to seed once they quit the
film industry."
"That's true. I ran into my former physics teacher the other day. He seems to have gone to seed."
"Sounds good. It is also possible to say, `run to seed'. My neighbour is running to seed."
"Is it OK to use this expression with things as well?"
"Yes, it is. According to some of my friends, the economy has gone to seed."
"My friend has a farmhouse. When he bought it, it was great. But now it's gone to seed."
"Unfortunately my uncle's old farmhouse is running to seed as well."
"That's too bad. Tell me, why is your uncle coming to see you?"
"He's planning to start a new business, and he's looking for some seed money."
"Why would a man running to seed ask for seed money?"
"That's a good one! Seed money is money that you give someone to help them start a business or
a project. My friend was willing to give me 20 lakhs as seed money."

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"I don't believe you. No one in his right mind would give you seed money. You are incapable of
starting your own business."
"That's true. Even if I did start one, it would probably run to seed pretty quickly."
"I am sorry to hear that your uncle isn't doing well. The man is so energetic and so full... ."
"... .yes, he is a real go-getter all right. At least he was."
"Haven't a clue what you are talking about."
"When you refer to someone as a `go-getter' what you mean is that the individual is very
energetic. He is full of confidence and has the will to succeed. For example, my cousin Kunthala
is a real go-getter. I wouldn't be too surprised if she becomes a General Manager very soon."
"The only way to turn this company around is to replace the dead wood with some young go-
getters."
"If my uncle heard you say that, he would go ballistic."
"When you `go ballistic' you become very angry, don't you?"
"That's right! When you go ballistic, you lose your cool easily. You become extremely angry
about something. For example, when Raju heard that Ganesh was not ready with the report, he
went ballistic."
"There are times when Amrit goes ballistic for no reason at all."
"Everyone was shocked when Saurabh went ballistic during the meeting."
"Saurabh went ballistic! That must have been a sight to behold. But tell me, why would your
uncle go ballistic if I said that we must replace the dead wood with go-getters?"
"It's simple. According to him, it was the go-getters who ran the company to seed."
"I see. So, are you going to give your uncle seed money?"

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"I don't think so. If I did, my parents would go ballistic!"
"She tells enough white lies to ice a wedding cake." Margot Asquith
March 2005
What is the meaning of "blonde moment"?
This is an expression of recent origin. In the United States, for several decades now, the word
blonde has become synonymous with stupidity. Women with blonde hair have always been
perceived as being beautiful but without an iota of intelligence beauty without brains. A very
common expression associated with them is "dumb blonde". When you say that you had a
"blonde moment" what you are implying is that you behaved like a typical blonde you
became scatterbrained and did something silly.
*I don't know why I said what I did. I must have had a blond moment.
What is the difference between "award" and "reward"?
An "award" is a prize that you receive for having done something noteworthy. It is always
associated with something positive; you have done something which people approve of. It is a
sign of appreciation. You could be awarded a medal, a prize, or a certificate by an organisation
for an outstanding achievement. When judges bestow an award on you, they are honouring you.
*The only award that Neelam ever won was the Pulitzer Prize.
A "reward", on the other hand, is usually associated with something valuable money, for
instance. You may get a reward for finding and returning someone's dog/cat. The police may
offer a reward for information about an escaped convict. It is seen as something that you get as
just compensation for the good that you have done or the hard work that you have put in. For
example, if you have worked really hard to write a novel, and later you receive an award for it,
you may feel that it is a recompense for all the work you put in, that it is a reward for your effort.
While the word "award" is associated with only positive things, "reward", on the other hand, can
be associated with both good and bad. One can be rewarded for the evil one does as well.

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How is the word "bonhomie" pronounced?
The "o" in the first syllable is like the "o" in "on", the following "h" is silent. The "o" in the
second syllable is like the "a" in "china" and the final "ie" is like the "i" in "pit", "kit", and "bit".
The main stress is on the first syllable. The word comes from the French "bon" meaning "good",
and "homme" meaning "man". The word is used to refer to an individual's good nature, his easy
and pleasant manner.
*Jai's bonhomie won the hearts of all those who came into contact with him.
What is the meaning of "fall on stony ground"?
When someone gives you a piece of advice and you choose to ignore it, then you can say that the
advice fell on stony ground. In other words, the ground is so hard that nothing penetrates it. The
expression, I understand, comes from the Bible and it has more or less the same meaning as "fall
on deaf ears".
*The Management's repeated requests to call off the strike have fallen on stony ground.
Is it okay to say, "The teacher was angry on the students"?
There is a tendency among Indians to use the word "on" with "angry", but it is wrong to do so.
You cannot be "angry on" or "pleased on" a person. Both these words are usually followed by
"with".
*The new principal was pleased with the children's performance.
"There are three kinds of men who don't understand women young, old and middle aged."
Unknown
KNOW YOUR ENGLISH
"Looks like our team snatched another draw from the jaws of victory."

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"Yes, Ganguly and his men seem to specialise in that. I am sure your cousin, Prasad, the dyed-in-
the-wool cricket fan had a lot to say about the first test."
"My cousin is very much alive. He did not die in any wool. What are... ."
"I did not mean d..i..e..d, but d..y..e..d. When you refer to someone as being "dyed-in-the-wool"
what you mean is that he or she has very strong opinions about something. Opinions that are not
easily changed."
"In other words, the person is very stubborn. His beliefs cannot be changed."
"I guess you could say that."
"My cousin Vindya is a dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist. She believes that a woman's place is in
the kitchen."
"Good grief! Where did she get such an old fashioned idea? I understand that my grandfather
was a dyed-in-the-wool conservative."
"My neighbour claims to be a dyed-in-the-wool communist. But he lives in a huge house and
drives a Benz."
"Some communists in our country do that! Tell me, what is the origin of `dyed-in-the-wool'?"
"I understand that wool that is dyed before it is spun into yarn retains its colour. The colour
becomes permanently fixed. Anyway, tell me what did Prasad have to say about the match?"
"He said that someone should have told Tendulkar to score quickly."
"No one could get in touch with Sachin. Since he was performing at the crease, he had his cell
switched off!"
"Very funny! What was your reaction to the draw?"

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"Well, after the first drinks interval, I kind of sensed that our overpaid underachievers weren't
going to win. So I started channel hopping."
"Channel hopping? Does it mean the same thing as channel surfing?"
"Yes, that's right! When you channel surf or hop, you keep switching from one channel to
another using the remote control."
"Mohan constantly channel surfs. You can't watch any programme with him."
"My constant channel hopping drives my mother up the wall."
"I can imagine. Your mother wants everything just right. She... ."
"... .she is a bit of a control freak, isn't she?"
"You are calling your mother a freak? How can you do that?"
"All I am saying is that she is a control freak. In other words, she likes to be in total command of
a situation. She feels this... .."
"... she has an obsessive need to have control over herself and others around her?"
"Exactly! Control freaks need to feel they have control over everything around them. Including
the people. They must be in total command of the situation. I am told that Anand's wife Sonia is
a control freak."
"Oh that she is. How about this example? My father's new boss is a control freak and he has
made life miserable for everyone."
"Sounds good. I don't think I would like to work for a control freak."
"I don't think I would either. To tell you the truth, I just don't want to work!"
"That sounds like you."

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"I love being married. I t's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the
rest of your life." Rita Rudner
What is the meaning of "on a wing and a prayer"?
If you say that you are writing an entrance exam "on a wing and a prayer", what you mean is that
you are not confident that you will pass. You are hopeful, but chances are you are unlikely to
succeed. You are relying more on luck, rather than your ability.
*Anju was playing the game on a wing and a prayer. She had no idea what she should do to win.
*Raju is taking the interview on a wing and a prayer.
The expression became popular during World War I. The story goes that a pilot managed to land
his plane successfully even though one of his wings had been badly damaged. When his friends
asked him how he had managed to land his crippled plane, the pilot replied that it was his prayers
that kept the aircraft aloft. To which one of his fellow pilots quipped, "A wing and a prayer
brought you back!"
What does "Rx" stand for in a doctor's prescription?
Many words commonly used in medicine come from Latin. The Rx is the abbreviation of
"recipo" meaning, "take". The doctor is giving you a recipe for your cure and he wants you to
take it! If you look at a doctor's prescription carefully, you will find that a line runs across the
foot of the letter R. This, I understand, is actually the symbol of the Roman god of medicine,
Jupiter. All medicines come under his protection. That's understandable, I guess. Given the
illegible manner in which some doctors write their prescriptions, we need all the protection we
can get!
How is the word "peccadilloes" pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word "peck" and the following "a" is like the "a" in
"china". "Dill" rhymes with "pill", "chill", and "fill", while the final "oe" is like the "o" in "go",
"so", and "no". The main stress is on the third syllable. A "peccadillo" is a minor sin or fault.

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*The star's latest extra marital peccadillo didn't go down well with his fans.
What is the difference between "acquittal" and "exoneration"?
Very often an innocent man is accused of a crime and dragged to court. After the judge has heard
both sides of the case, he usually finds him not guilty; the judge acquits the man of the crime.
This formal declaration made by the judge in a court of law is called an acquittal. The "a" in the
first and final syllable is pronounced like the "a" in "china". The second syllable, which has the
main stress, is pronounced like the word "quit". *The trial resulted in an acquittal for the three
men charged with first-degree murder.
The word "exoneration" has more or less the same meaning as "acquittal". When a judge
exonerates someone of something, he is pronouncing the person not guilty. He doesn't find any
evidence that the accused has done anything wrong. Unlike the word "acquittal", someone other
than a judge can exonerate a person. For example, in government offices whenever something
goes wrong, a committee is formed to determine the causes. The chairperson is also asked to find
out if any particular individual is to be blamed for the failure. If the committee finds that no one
is to be blame, then everyone is exonerated. The official report that the person in authority writes
exonerates everyone.
*The long awaited report exonerated the teachers.
"Common sense is in spite of, not the result of, education." Victor Hugo
What is the difference between "beautiful" and "pretty"?
Both words are normally used to refer to the pleasing appearance of the face usually that of
women. Beautiful is the stronger word of the two. When you say that something is "beautiful"
what you mean is that it is very close to perfection at least according to the person looking at
the object. Remember, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Beauty is subjective, what is
considered beautiful in one culture may not be considered beautiful in another. One can use the
word "beautiful" to talk about things that can be seen. For example, you can refer a woman's face
as being beautiful, a house as being beautiful, and a scene as being beautiful. In fact, you can

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even use the word with things that cannot be seen. For example, you can talk about a "beautiful
plan" or a "beautiful smell". The word "pretty", on the other hand, is not as complimentary as
beautiful. When you refer to a woman as being "pretty" what you mean is that she is attractive;
she is graceful and full of life, but lacks the perfection. She doesn't have the qualities to make her
beautiful. Pretty is seldom used with people or objects that are big; the word is usually restricted
to objects that are small. You cannot refer a 30-storey building as being a "pretty building". You
can talk about a "pretty house" or "pretty shoes", but not a pretty building. Similarly, a woman
who is big built can be "beautiful", but not "pretty". The word "pretty" suggests that the person
or object is pleasant to look at, but not necessarily impressive.
What is the meaning of "set the cat among the pigeons"?
What would happen if you were to set a cat loose among the pigeons? How do you think the
birds would react? They would be pretty worried, wouldn't they? The presence of the cat would
create a great deal of disturbance. When you set a cat among the pigeons, you say or do
something suddenly or unexpectedly. This often leaves the people worried or angry. It is also
possible to say, "put the cat among the pigeons."
*The principal set the cat among the pigeons when he informed the students that the annual day
was likely to be cancelled.
How is the word "voyeurism" pronounced?
The "v" sounds like the "v" in "vet", "vest", and "veil"; the following "oy" is like the word
"why". The "eu" in the second syllable is pronounced like the "a" in "china" and the final "ism"
is like "ism" in "prism", "fundamentalism", and "cubism". The main stress is on the first syllable
"voy". The Americans tend to pronounce the word differently. They pronounce the "voy" like the
"voy" in the word "voyage". The following "eur" is like the "er" in "herd", "her", and "nerd". The
main stress, in this case, is on the second syllable.



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hat is the meaning of "desk jockey"?
Anyone whose job involves sitting behind a desk most of the time can be called a "desk jockey."
The individual remains glued to his desk most of the time. Bank officers, accountants and most
government officials can be called "desk jockeys." These people are either constantly shuffling
papers or on the phone most of the time. If you are a "desk jockey", maybe you should consider
calling yourself a "D.J". Who knows, people may start looking at you differently!
*Zaheer's father is a desk jockey in the new pharmaceutical company.
"Conscience is a mother-in-law whose visit never ends." H. L. Mencken
February 2005
What is the meaning and origin of "cut and dry"?
First of all, it is not "cut and dry", but "cut and dried". When you refer to a decision as being cut
and dried what you mean is that it is final; it cannot be changed.
*Bala's plans are cut and dried. You cannot make any changes now.
When you refer to a talk as being "cut and dried" what you mean is that it was uninteresting.
*Hema's talk was cut and dried. She must brush up on her presentation skills.
According to some scholars the cut and dried material refers to timber. Wood that has been dried
after cutting is ready for use. One can use it to light a fire. Some others believe that the idiom
refers to the cut and dried herbs available in shops, which can be readily used in one's cooking.
During funerals, people, especially women, cry or wail in a funny sort of way.
Is there a word for this?
Yes, there is. I think the word you have in mind is "ululate". It consists of three syllables; the
first is pronounced like the word "Yule", which rhymes with "mule", "fuel", and "duel". The

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second syllable sounds like "you", and the final syllable is like the word "late". The main stress is
on the first syllable. "Ululate" is mostly used in formal contexts and means to howl or wail. This
ritualistic wailing can be performed at times of mourning or celebration.
*From a distance we could hear the ululation of the mourning women.
*When he heard the news, Anand raised his hands and ululated.
What is the meaning of "the worm has turned"?
If you keep bullying someone all the time, at some point he will turn on you. Even the most
mild-mannered person will put up with only so much. Normally, when you refer to an individual
as a "worm", what you mean is that he is an unpleasant character. But in this idiom, it is
gentleness or the harmlessness of the creature that you are referring to. You are saying that the
person is a weak individual.
*I wouldn't mess with Rajeev now if I were you. He has changed. The worm has turned.
What is the difference between "another" and "other"?
"Another" is normally used to mean "one more". For example, you can ask your mother for
another bowl of ice cream, or another plate of puris. The word can be used with both singular
and plural nouns; when used with the latter, it is followed by "few". The Registrar will be
retiring in another few days. The use of the word "another" also suggests that you have more
than two choices available. If you are in a showroom and you ask a salesperson to show you
"another car", you are telling the individual that you want to see some other car you are not
interested in the ones that have been shown to you so far.
"Other", on the other hand, suggests that you have only two choices available. For example, if
you were to say, "I am not interested in this car, but am interested in the other", what you mean
is that you like the second car. A car that you have already seen. The choice here is between two
cars.

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"Before a man speaks, it is always safe to assume that he is a fool. After he speaks, it is seldom
necessary to assume." H. L. Mencken
What is the difference between "prevaricate" and "procrastinate"?
Both words have a lot of things in common. They begin with the letter "p", end with the suffix
"ate", and contain the same number of syllables four. Perhaps this explains why some people
wrongly use the two words as synonyms. The words have very different meanings. When you
"prevaricate" you avoid telling the truth; you are evasive. As kids, when we failed to do our
homework and our teacher asked us why, we never gave her the real reason. Most of the time we
made no attempt to answer her question directly we prevaricated. The word comes from the
Latin "praevaricari" meaning, "Go crookedly." Politicians and lawyers are very good at evading
the truth, aren't they?
*Rani, give me a straight answer. Do not prevaricate.
"Procrastinate", on the other hand, has nothing to do with the truth. When we "procrastinate", we
delay doing something. Indians are born procrastinators; things never get done on time in our
country. Whenever we are given something to do, we keep putting it off to another day.
*No more procrastination. I want this to be done by tomorrow.
Both words have the main stress on the second syllable, and both are used in formal contexts.
What is the meaning of "Generation X"?
In North America, people born between the mid-1940s and the mid-1960s are referred to as
being part of the "Baby Boomer" generation. Their children belong to "Generation X". The term
is normally used to refer to people born between the mid-1960s and the early 1980s. There is no
agreement among scholars about the exact years. Generation X has certain negative connotations
associated with it. The people belonging to this generation are supposed to be "materialistic",
"apathetic", and "irresponsible". They lack a sense of direction. All this is reflected in the other
terms used to refer to this generation, "Baby Busters", "Slackers", and "Grunge Kids." The term,

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"Generation X" was first used by Paul Fussel in one of his articles. But it wasn't until 1991 when
Douglas Coupland used "Generation X" as the title of his novel that the term caught on. It
became a household word thanks to advertisers. By the way, any idea what the generation
following X is called? Generation Y! Pretty logical, wouldn't you say?
How is the word "leisure" pronounced?
There are different ways of pronouncing this word. Some people make it rhyme with the words
"pleasure", "treasure", and "measure". Others pronounce the "ei" in the first syllable like the "ee"
in "fees", "bees" and "knees". No matter which way you pronounce the word the main stress is
on the first syllable.
*In her leisure time, Vandana goes sailing.
If you refer to a man as a "gentleman of leisure" what you mean is that he is in a position where
he doesn't have to work. He has enough money to live on. A woman who is in a similar position
is called "lady of leisure."
What is the meaning of "in one's good books"?
When you say that you are "in someone's good books" what you mean is that the person likes
you; he approves of you. Here are a few examples.
*I have been in Ashwin's good books ever since I helped him change his flat tyre.
"Most of the time he sounds like he has a mouth full of toilet paper." Rex Reed on Marlon
Brando
KNOW YOUR ENGLISH
"Did you read the review of your favourite author's latest book in today's paper?"
"Not yet. But I heard that whoever wrote it did a hatchet job on the... ."
"... a hatchet job? Don't think I have heard that expression before."

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"Americans usually refer to an axe as a hatchet. When you say that some reporter did a hatchet
job on you, what you mean is that he criticisd you severely in the media."
"Is it fair or unfair criticism?"
"Usually, unfair. It's criticism that ruins your reputation. For example, the reporter did a hatchet
job on the new school. The editor called it investigative journalism."
"How about this example? The news channels did a hatchet job on the Chief Minister's visit to
the drought hit areas."
"Sounds good."
"How would you react if someone were to do a hatchet job on something you had written?"
"I would be surprised if they didn't! Any news about your father's transfer?"
"Nothing so far. By the way, did Sujatha ask your boss for a transfer?"
"Yes, she did. Believe it or not, he sailed into her for making such a request."
"How did he manage to do that sitting in his office? Don't tell me his office is on a boat!"
"Don't be silly. One of the meanings of `sail into someone' is to attack or scold someone. It's an
expression usually used in informal contexts."
"I see. So can I say, when the team failed to enter the final, the coach sailed into the players?"
"You certainly can. Here's another example. The young bride sailed into her husband for
bringing guests unannounced." "Over the years, a lot of teachers have sailed into me for not
doing my homework. Anyway, does this mean that you are not going to ask your boss for a
raise?"
"In the mood that he is in right now, most definitely not. I suspect that he would think twice
about giving a raise. If he does, he will be opening a new can of worms."

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"Your boss sounds pretty strange. He `sails into' people and he keeps opening cans of worms.
Tell me, does he sail into people with his can of worms?"
"Very funny. When someone says that he is going to do something, and you tell him not to open
a can of worms, you are warning him not to do anything. You are suggesting that the situation is
so complicated that if he starts dealing with the problem, he will only succeed in creating more
problems for himself."
"In other words, by trying to solve the problem he will be creating more problems?"
"Exactly! Here's an example. Introducing my best friend's sister to my parents has opened up one
big can of worms."
"I bet it did. By appointing someone who doesn't have the basic qualifications for the job, the
Minister has opened a new can of worms for himself and the ruling party. Does that sound OK?"
"Sounds fine. I don't think you should write about corruption in the police force. You will be
opening a can of worms."
"Don't worry about me, I am a vegetarian. I won't go anywhere near the worms."
"Aren't worms vegetarian?"
"Middle age: when a man is warned to slow down by a doctor instead of a policeman."
Sidney Brody
What is the difference between "choose" and "pick"?
Although many people tend to use the words synonymously these days, careful users of the
language maintain a distinction between the two. Do you "choose" your life partner, or do you
"pick" one? Normally people "choose" their significant other. Choose suggests that you have
opted for the individual after giving the matter some serious thought. You have weighed the pros
and cons of an issue in this case, marrying a person and have arrived at a considered
decision. It is voluntary. Pick also means "selection", but in this case, there may not be any

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serious thinking involved. The word suggests that you have opted for something in a very casual
manner there may not be any decision making or discrimination involved. For example, when
you go to the supermarket and see several cans of the same product, you normally don't take too
much time thinking about which can to buy. Since the same company has made them, you "pick"
the can that is nearest you. Most of us do not select our life partner in this casual manner.
Similarly, we "choose" a present for someone we really like and care about we buy the
present keeping in mind the person's likes and dislikes. If we "pick" a present, what we are doing
is buying something in a casual manner. We don't keep in mind the individual's likes and
dislikes; it suggests that we buy the first thing we see in the shop.
What is the meaning of "too close to call"?
This is an expression we hear very often from reporters during elections and from commentators
during one-day matches. When you say that a game is too close to call, what you mean is that it
is evenly poised, it is almost impossible to predict which team will emerge the winner. When
used during elections, what it implies is that the two candidates are running neck and neck and
therefore predicting the ultimate winner is not possible right now.
*The counting is going on. The result is too close to call.
Is it OK to say, "Wish you a Happy New Year 2005"?
No, it is not. When you want to greet someone on the New Year, you say, "Happy New Year" or
"Wish you a Happy New Year". Do not include the actual year in this case 2005 along
with the greeting. If you want to give importance to the year, then say, "Happy 2005" or "Wish
you a Happy 2005".
What is the difference between "disposed of" and "disposed off"?
When you get rid of someone or something, you normally say "disposed of", not "disposed off".
"Disposed off" is unacceptable.
* I want to know how the murderer disposed of the bodies.

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In informal contexts, when you say that you disposed of someone, what you mean is that you
killed him. Perhaps you hired someone to do the killing.
* The don asked his hit man to dispose of his former accountant.
What is the difference between "blue collar worker" and "pink collar
worker"?
A "blue collar worker" works in an industry and is always involved in manual labour. You will
find this individual in factories sweating it out on the shop floor. You won't find him sitting
behind a huge desk in an office. Nowadays, the term can be applied to both men and women.
"Pink collar workers", on the other hand, are always women. Low paid jobs available in offices
and restaurants are usually referred to "pink collar jobs".
"I wasn't kissing her, I was whispering in her mouth." Chico Marx
January 2005
What is the difference between "intuitively" and "instinctively"?
If someone were to shine a bright light on your face, you would automatically close or shield
your eyes. You would do these things without even thinking. They are responses you are born
with; they are "innate". This is what we mean by "instinctively". We respond to things without
really understanding why we react that way. Our responses are automatic; whatever happens,
happens unconsciously. Both animals and human beings are born with instincts.
*When Raju heard gunfire, he instinctively dived/dove for cover.
When you do something intuitively, you do react automatically, but in this case there is a
suggestion that you understand what it is you are doing. You are able to figure out a solution to
your problem in a fraction of a second without really thinking about it. The story goes that the
structure of Benzene came to the chemist Kekule in a sudden moment of insight. This is a case of

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intuition, not instinct. The word "intuition" is mostly used with human beings, and not with
animals.
*Hari intuitively began to attack his opponent's backhand.
What is the meaning of "modus vivendi"?
In Latin, it means a "manner of living", or a "way of life". In English, however, the expression is
not used to mean this. It is used to refer to a compromise, usually temporary, between two parties
that are fighting each other. One often hears this expression used by foreign ministers. If
someone in the foreign ministry were to say, "If India and Pakistan want to avoid a nuclear
holocaust, a modus vivendi must be attained," what he means is that despite the many
differences, the two countries must find a way of coexisting peacefully.
*The two rival gangs managed to achieve a sort of modus vivendi.
What is the meaning of "once bitten twice shy"?
If you fall in love with a girl and the girl ditches you, what would your reaction be? You would
probably be really angry, but at the same time you would be scared to fall in love again. Having
had a bad experience previously, you would be reluctant to put yourself in the same situation
again. That's what the idiom, "once bitten twice shy", means.
*The caterer arrived three hours late last time, so Rama is not hiring him again. I guess it's a case
of once bitten twice shy.
*The last time he ate fish, he almost choked. He's stopped eating fish altogether once bitten
twice shy.
How is the word "brochure" pronounced?
The "o" sounds like the "oa" in "oat", "boat", and "goat". The following "ch" is pronounced like
the "sh" in "should", "ship", and "sharp". The final "ure" sounds like the "er" in "her" and "herd".
The main stress is on the first syllable. This is how the British pronounce the word. The

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Americans, on the other hand, pronounce the "ure" like the "ure" in "sure", "cure" and "pure".
They tend to put the stress on the second syllable. A "brochure" is a booklet containing
information about something.
*We want to bring out a brochure for the upcoming seminar.
"I n my judgment, when the United States says there will be serious consequences, and if there
isn't serious consequences, it creates adverse consequences." George W. Bush
What is the difference between "impassive" and "impassioned"?
When something bad happens and you remain "impassive" what you are doing is keeping a
wooden face. You are not displaying an emotion of any kind. It could be you do not feel any
emotion, or you have chosen to hide it. The heroes in many of our movies remain impassive in
all situations. They are the strong silent men who remain unmoved.
*After killing the man with his knife, the hero looked on impassively at the sea.
"Impassioned", on the other hand, means someone who is "full of passion", an individual who
displays intense feeling about something or someone.
*The impassioned speech by the Vice-Chancellor brought the audience to its feet.
What is the origin of "yellow journalism"?
When someone accuses a newspaper of "yellow journalism" what they mean is that it presents
the news in a biased manner. It distorts the facts and sensationalises the news in order to get the
public to buy the paper. It attempts to increase its circulation, not by providing accurate news,
but by appealing to the public's curiosity. The term "yellow journalism" is no longer restricted to
newspapers alone, it includes all other forms of media television and radio.
*Some of the local newspapers are classic examples of yellow journalism.

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The expression was popularised in the late 19th Century in the U.S. Two newspapers, "New
York World", owned by Joseph Pulitzer, and "New York Journal", owned by William Randolph
Hearst, were trying to become very popular among the public by printing sensational stories.
Both newspapers specialised in muckraking. The "World" had a popular comic strip called
"Hogan's Alley" in which the character "Yellow Kid" appeared. Hearst played dirty and got
"Hogan's" creator, R. F. Outcault, to join his paper. The angry Pulitzer hired another artist and
asked him to continue with the "Yellow Kid". The competition between the two yellow kids led
to an all out war between the two papers. There was a court battle over the copyright, and very
often, street fights broke out between the delivery boys of the rival newspapers. The fight
between Hearst and Pulitzer over the "Yellow Kid" began to symbolise everything that was
wrong with American journalism.
What is the meaning of "watchdog agency"?
Most people keep a watchdog in order to protect their house. When you refer to a group of
people as being a "watchdog" committee or agency, what you are implying is that they are
ensuring that your rights are being protected. They make sure that the companies, governments,
etc, follow the letter of the law, and do not cheat the public. A watchdog agency looks after the
interests of the public.
*We are hoping to set up an anti-drug watchdog agency soon.
What is the past tense of "quit"?
Depending on the context, the word has two possible past tense forms quit and quitted. When
used to mean, "to leave" you can use both. For example, "Venu quit/quitted his job and moved to
Chennai." The word "quit" can also be used to mean, "to stop". We can, for example say, "Venu
has quit gambling". In this context, it is incorrect to use "quitted". The word "quitted" is going
out of fashion; it is mostly used in formal contexts.
"I grew up with six brothers. That's how I learned to dance waiting for the bathroom."
Bob Hope

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What is the meaning and origin of "ringside view"?
When you have a "ringside view" of an event, you have an excellent view of it. It is also possible
to say "ringside seat".
*Sheel was sitting on the terrace and had a ringside view of the accident.
There are many idioms that come from the sport of boxing, and "ringside view" is one of them.
The "ring" refers to a "boxing ring". If during a boxing bout you are lucky enough to have a seat
close to the ring, you can see all the action very clearly.
What is the difference between "sob" and "weep"?
In both cases, tears flow from the eyes. "Weep" is mostly used in writing, and is considered a
literary word. When you say that someone is weeping, you are focussing on the tears, and not on
the sounds that accompany it. Weeping is usually done silently, which is why you never talk
about a baby weeping. Babies cry a lot of noise accompanies the tears that flow from their
eyes. One can weep for various reasons; we can weep with sorrow, and we can weep with joy.
Sobbing is always done loudly; it is accompanied by a lot of noise. The heroines in our films sob
a lot. Sobbing involves gasping for breath and this results in a lot of chest heaving. The word is
usually associated with misery; unlike "weep", one cannot "sob" with joy.
What is the meaning of "on the qui vive" ?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The first word "qui" is pronounced like the word "key",
and the "i" in "vive" is like the "ee" in "fee", "bee" and "see". The final "e" is silent. The main
stress is on the second word. I understand that soldiers in France who were on duty during the
night used this expression. Whenever they saw a figure approaching or heard some noise, they
used to shout "qui vive", meaning, "Who goes there?" or "Long live who?" The person
approaching was expected to respond by saying, "vive le roi", meaning, "Long live the king".
Since the sentinel on duty had to be alert, the expression "on the qui vive" is used to mean,
"watchful" or "alert".

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*With the elections around the corner, the police have been asked to be on the qui vive.
How is the word "scourge" pronounced?
The "sc" is like the "sk" in "skin", "skip", and "skill". The following "our" is pronounced like the
"er" in "her", "nerd" and "herd". The "g" sounds like the "j" in "jam", "jazz" and "jump", and the
final "e" is silent. A "scourge" is a whip normally used to flog people. The word can also be used
to refer to a person or a thing. When you refer to an individual as a "scourge", what you mean is
that he is someone who causes a lot of suffering for others just like the whip!
*The President wants to put an end to the scourge of terrorism.
What is the meaning of "shimmy"?
Some people when they walk, shake their hips and shoulders side to side. This is what we mean
by "shimmy"; it is a word that is normally associated with dancing.
*As the singer shimmied across the stage, the audience went wild. In American English, the
word is also used in informal contexts to mean, "vibrate or shake".
*The front wheel of Velu's scooter shimmied.
"Law of Telephone: When you dial a wrong number, you will never get an engaged tone."
Unknown
What is the difference between "convicted" and "sentenced"?
These are words frequently used in law. Once the lawyers have presented their case, the
judge/jury then makes a decision as to whether the defendant (the individual who is on trial) is
guilty or not. If he is found guilty, he is convicted of the crime that he has been accused of. A
convicted individual is one who has been found "guilty" in a court of law. Once the defendant
has been found guilty, the judge then decides what his punishment should be. Should the person
be sent to prison for life or should he be hanged? Maybe the person should be made to pay a fine

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of some sort and then set free. These are the decisions that a judge has to make once he convicts
a person. The punishment that the judge gives the individual on trail is the "sentence".
How is the word "caveat" pronounced?
There are different ways of pronouncing this word. The "c" is like the "k" in "kiss", "kill" and
"kick" and the "a" in the first and third syllables is pronounced like the "a" in "cat", "hat" and
"pat". The "e" is like the "i" in "pit", "hit" and "sit"; the main stress is on the first syllable. Some
people pronounce the first "a" like the "ay" in "pay", "bay" and "hay".
"Caveat" is a word which is mostly used in formal contexts and it means warning or caution.
When two businessmen make a deal, they usually stipulate that certain conditions have to be
met. If they are not met, then the deal is off. A "caveat" is a proviso. Here are a few examples.
*She agreed to the divorce with one caveat that he would never see the children again.
I'll agree to the deal with one caveat that you will not enter into a deal with any other
company.
The expression "caveat emptor" means, "buyers beware". In other words, when you buy
something, it is your responsibility to ensure that everything is fine.
Which is correct? "Clinic timings/timing"?
I guess in the Indian context, "timings" would be the appropriate word. After all, everyone in our
country talks about "school timings", "bus timings" and "train timings". A native speaker of
English, however, would find both "timing" and "timings" unacceptable. He would prefer to say
"Clinic hours". The word "timing" has nothing to do with duration, and as for the word
"timings", well, you won't find it listed in most dictionaries. It is a word that we Indians have
coined.
"The average girl would rather have beauty than brains because she knows that the average
man can see much better than he can think." Ladies Home J ournal

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The Hindu Know Your English January 2010
What is the meaning of `scuttlebutt'?
This is a word which comes from the world of sailing. `Butt' means `barrel' or `cask', and
`scuttle' refers to the hatch on the deck of a ship.
A`scuttlebutt' was actually a barrel containing the day's supply of drinking water for the ship's
crew. Since this barrel (butt) of water was placed near the hatch (scuttle), the container began to
be called `scuttlebutt'. What do you think happened when the members of the crew got together
to drink water? The same thing that happens today when colleagues in an office gather around
the water cooler or the coffee machine. They gossiped! The sailors drank water, and gossiped
about what was happening on the ship. In informal contexts, the expression `scuttlebutt' is used
to mean `rumour' or `gossip'.
Have you heard the latest scuttlebutt about my new neighbour?
I don't pay too much attention to the scuttlebutt around here.
How is the word `sycophancy' pronounced?
There are several ways of pronouncing the word. One simple way is to pronounce the `syc' like
the word `sick'. The following `o' and `a' sound like the `a' in `china', and the final `y' is like the
`i' in `bit', `sit', and `kit'.
The word is pronounced SICK-e-fen-si with the stress on the first syllable. A `sycophant' is
someone who flatters others in order to get something from them. He is a like a parasite: he
hangs on to people in power for personal gain.
At the party, the wellknown cricket player was surrounded by sycophants.
Please, we do not want any of your sycophancy here.


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What is the meaning and origin of `set the ball rolling'?
According to some scholars, the idiom comes from the world of football: the game starts when
the ball is set rolling.
When you set the ball rolling, you do something which starts an activity. You make a beginning.
It is also possible to say, `get the ball rolling' and `start the ball rolling'.
Ajit set the ball rolling by putting up posters in the nearby supermarkets.
You can get the ball rolling by talking to your classmates.
What is the difference between `revue' and `review'?
Don't let the spelling fool you. `Revue' is pronounced the same way as `review'; both words have
the stress on the second syllable. Their meanings, however, are very different.
A `revue' is a form of theatrical entertainment. It is not a full length play; it is a multi-act form of
entertainment, which usually includes songs, dances, and short sketches. People enjoy going to
revues because they are satirical in nature; they make fun of politicians, actors, writers and other
public figures. This form of entertainment was very popular in the early decades of the 20th
century.
Ashok wants me to write a political revue for his theatre group.
The word `review' has several different meanings, but I'll be dealing with only one here. When
someone writes a review of a book or a film, for example, he gives his opinion of it. He tells us
what he liked and didn't like about the film/book.
The reviews that the film got weren't particularly good. My friend has been asked to write a
review of my favourite author's latest book. * * *
"Rogues are preferable to imbeciles because they sometimes take a rest." - Alexandre Dumas


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How is amour-propre pronounced?
There seem to be different ways of pronouncing this expression of French origin. One way is to
pronounce the a in amour like the a in ask, bath, and path, and the ou like the u in
put, full, and pull. The second word propre is pronounced like the word pro. The
expression is pronounced aamur PRO with the main stress on pro. Amour means love and
propre means own; the expression is mostly used to refer to ones self-esteem or self-respect.
*Whatever you do, dont offend Kavithas amour-propre.
What it the meaning of cut loose?
The expression has several different meanings. While watching cricket, we often hear Gavaskar
and Bhogle say, Sehwag has cut loose. In this context, the expression means free and relaxed.
In other words, the batsman is not holding back; he is going for his shots, and is thoroughly
enjoying himself. He is batting without restraint. He is like an animal that is no longer tied up.
*When Prahlad, Bala, and Rakesh get together, they really cut loose.
What is the meaning of kitchen cabinet?
Every head of state is believed to have his/her own kitchen cabinet. It usually consists of a
small group of people whom the Prime Minister or President turns to for advice. These unofficial
advisers are not politicians, and the head of state implicitly trusts them. It is believed that
sometimes the kitchen cabinet has a greater influence on the head of state than the official
cabinet. This is understandable, I guess, because the official cabinet consists of politicians, and
as everyone knows, politicians are not meant to be trusted even if they happen to be from
your own party!
The expression kitchen cabinet was coined in the United States in the 1830s during the
presidency of Andrew Jackson. He had three friends whom he depended on for advice. Since he
wanted to keep their visits a secret, he usually had them ushered in through the kitchen door. It is
believed that most of their meetings actually took place in the kitchen: hence the term kitchen

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cabinet. Other expressions which have more or less the same meaning are brain(s) trust and
think tank.
A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of
students dressed in identical caps and gowns that individuality is the key to success.
Robert Orben
Know Your English
Understand your boss has built a new house. Whats it like?
Fantabulous is the word that Sujatha used to describe it.
Fantabulous?
Its a combination of fantastic and fabulous. It means, unbelievably good or great.
When I went to Goa, the view from my room was fantabulous.
What was the view like from your boss new house?
Havent a clue. Never been to his house.
Well, if you didnt go to your boss party, where were you on New Years Eve?
I went for a drive.
I understand you were stopped by the police.
News travels fast. Who told you?
Does it really matter? Were you speeding?
No, I wasnt. The policeman thought I was intexticated.
I didnt know you drank. When did

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I didnt say intoxicated. I said intexticated.
Dont think Ive heard that word before.
Its when you try to send a message on your cell phone while youre driving.
In other words, you are driving and texting at the same time.
Thats right! According to this newspaper article, more accidents are caused by intexticated
drivers than by intoxicated ones.
There are many intexticated drivers in our country.
Thats true. Tell me, can the word be used with people who walk and message at the same
time?
Yes, it can. Rajeev was so intexticated that he didnt see where he was going. He fell into a
manhole and broke his leg. Hes been advised to take it easy for three months.
Oh, the poor chap. I hope he has insurance.
Dont worry about Rajeev. Hes flush.
Flush? What do you mean?
One of the meanings of flush is abundant. In this context, it means the person is rich. For
example, at the beginning of every month, I feel flush.
We are not exactly flush, but we manage to live a comfortable life.
Thats what most people want.
Thats true. According to my father, the best thing
Talking about your father, has he returned the laptop to the dealer?

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Hes been talking to him on the phone and...
Nothing will come of it, Im afraid. Tell your dad to stop pussyfooting around and...
Pussyfooting around? What does it mean?
It means to do something in a cautious or timid manner. When you
In other words, you walk or tread carefully like a cat?
Exactly! The person is unwilling to commit to any course of action. Listen Radha, youve been
pussyfooting around for over six months now. I want a decision by the end of the day.
If I were you, I wouldnt promote him. Hes incapable of taking decisions. Hell pussyfoot
around and not get on with anything.
Thats a good example. We have a crisis on our hands. You need to take action. You cant
pussyfoot around.
Ill talk to my dad about the laptop.
Youre leaving? Thats fantabulous!
A New Years resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.
Unknown
February 2010
What is the origin of the expression you're fired'?
If your boss walks up to you and says, You're fired!, it means you are getting the sack; you are
losing your job. There are many interesting theories regarding the origin of this expression. One
theory is that it was the miners in the town of Mendip, in Bristol, England who gave rise to this
idiom. Rule No: 6 in the Law of Mendip Miners stated: If any man... do pick or steale any lead
or ore the Lord or his Officer shall take the person that hath soe affeended and bring him

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where his house or worke and all his tooles and instruments are... put him into his house or
worke and set fire in all together about him and banish him from that occupacon before all the
Myneders forever. The spelling is rather strange because the law was written in the 16th
century. It clearly states if anyone was caught stealing ore from the mine, he would be arrested
by the Lord' or officer. The culprit would then be locked up in his own house, and a little later,
the building would be set on fire. This punishment was strictly enforced in the 16th century. So,
in the old days, when you fired someone, you literally set him on fire! Whether this is the true
origin of the expression or not, it does make an interesting story, doesn't it?
What is the meaning of bucket list'?
It is a wish list. Some people, as they get older, draw up a list of things they wish to do before
they die: this may include places they would like to see, people they would like to meet again,
etc. The list of things that the individual wants to do before he actually kicks the bucket is called
bucket list'.
The expression comes from the title of a film starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.
*I have one more thing to add to my bucket list.
How is the word vitiate' pronounced?
The i' in the first and second syllable is pronounced like the i' in hit', pit', and sit'. The first t'
is pronounced like the sh' in ship', she', and shape', and the final syllable rhymes with the
words hate', mate', and fate'. The word, which is mostly used in formal contexts, is pronounced
VI-shi-ate' with the stress on the first syllable. It comes from the Latin vitium' meaning fault,
vice'. The word has many different meanings, and I'll be dealing with only one here. When
something is vitiated, it is damaged or made defective; it is made imperfect.
*Scientists believe that moisture in the cave had vitiated the once beautiful paintings.


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What is the meaning of splitsville'?
This is an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts in American English. When you
tell someone that you are splitting', you mean that you are leaving. Therefore when you say
splitsville', you mean that you are exiting quickly or escaping.
*In movies, by the time the detectives arrive, the crooks are splitsville.
When a couple splits, they break up or separate. The expression splitsville' can also be used to
refer to a breakup or separation.
*If you ask me, their relationship is headed for splitsville.
It was very good of God to let Carlyle and Mrs. Carlyle marry one another, and so make only
two people miserable, instead of four. Samuel Butler
How is the word `malign' pronounced?
The `a' in the first syllable is like the `a' in `china', and the syllable that follows, sounds like the
word `line'. The word is pronounced `me-LINE', with the stress on the second syllable. This
word can be used either as a verb or an adjective. When you malign someone, you speak ill of
the person; you deliberately say false or unpleasant things about him.
*The young politician took great delight in maligning his opponent.
*Padma's enemies maligned her by saying she was a spy.
When used as an adjective, the word means something that causes harm.
*The bleak weather had a malign influence upon his usually cheerful mood.
What is the meaning of `double entendre'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this expression. The `ou' in `double' is pronounced like
the `oo' in `pool', `cool', and `fool'. The `e' in the first and second syllable of `entendre' is

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pronounced like the `a' in `bath', `task', and `path'. The final `e' is like the `a' in `china'. The
expression is pronounced `doobl aanTAANdre' with the main stress on `taan'. This is just one of
the ways of pronouncing `double entendre'.
The expression is of French origin, and it literally means, `double meaning' or `double
understanding'. The comedy scenes that we see in our films are often rather vulgar: the dialogue
sometimes has a double meaning.
Some of the lines are often crude, and sexually suggestive. A word or phrase which can be
interpreted in two different ways, one of which is sexual, is referred to as `double entendre'.
*As a stand-up comedian, Ajit specialises in coming up with outrageous double entendres.
Which is correct: He is taller than me or I?
Both are correct. Old grammar books, however, would claim that the correct option is `I' and not
`me'. The understood meaning is, `He is taller than I am.' Although sentences like `He is taller
than I' and `She is smaller than he' are grammatically correct, they sound rather bookish. Native
speakers of English do not consider them to be idiomatic. This explains why in everyday
conversation, native speakers say, `He is taller than me' and `She is smaller than him.'
What is the difference between `lonesome' and `lonely'?
Most dictionaries claim, that in terms of meaning, there is no difference between the two words.
`Lonely' is preferred by the British, while the Americans prefer `lonesome'. When someone is
`lonely' or `lonesome', he is very unhappy because he is alone.
*Sharada called up her parents to tell them how lonely/ lonesome she was.
*I'll go with you. I don't wish to spend a lonesome/ lonely evening at home.



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What is the meaning of `many a mickle makes a muckle'?
This is an old Scottish saying, meaning, when small amounts are put together, they add up to a
big amount. The interesting thing is that the two words, `mickle' and muckle', are actually
variants of each other. They originally meant `amount'. With the passage to time, the words
began to acquire a different meaning. Mickle began to mean `small amount', and `muckle', `large
amount'!
"I believe in reincarnation. So I've left all my money to myself." - Tony Blackburn
How is the word litterateur pronounced?
The litt rhymes with bit, hit, and kit, and the e and a that follow sound like the a in
china. The eu in the final syllable is pronounced like the ir in bird, birth, and first. The
word is pronounced li-te-re-TIR with the stress on the final syllable. A litterateur is a man of
letters; he is a person who is engaged in literary work. This individual is very interested in and
very knowledgeable about literature. The word comes from the Latin litterator meaning critic.
Litter has nothing to do with garbage; in Latin, littera means letter.
I tell you, only a great litterateur could have come up with those lines.
Can the expression double whammy be used with good things?
The expression was coined by the American cartoonist Al Capp in his cartoon strip, Lil Abner.
When you put a whammy on someone, you put a curse on him; a double whammy, therefore, is
a double curse. In the cartoon, a character named Evil-Eye Fleegle often put a curse on
people. When he did this, he pointed a finger at the person, and kept one of his eyes open. If he
wanted to put a double whammy, he kept both eyes open. Till recently, the expression was
mainly used when things went bad. When someone put the double whammy on you, you
suffered a major setback, a double blow of sorts.
My boss tells me that I didnt get the promotion, and you tell me my leave has not been
sanctioned. Talk about a double whammy.

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Nowadays, the expression is being used when good things happen as well. The Urban Dictionary
defines a double whammy as the occurrence of two super awesome things or events at one
time. This explains why when A R Rahman won two Grammies recently, newspapers wrote
about Rahmans double whammy.
There are people who keep doing one course after another, and they never
take up a job. Is there a term for such people?
Yes, there is. The slang term for such people is professional students. A professional student is
someone who prefers to stay in college as long as possible; he acquires many degrees, but is very
reluctant to embark on a career of his own. The term can be used as a compliment, as well as an
insult.
Your fathers debts are mounting. I think its about time you quit being a professional student.
Find yourself a real job.
In the United States, the term is also used to refer to students who are majoring in subjects like
engineering, medicine, law, and management.
What is the difference between co brother and brother in law?
People in India, especially South India, use the terms co-brother and co-brother-in-law to
refer to ones wifes sisters husband. Native speakers of English do not use these terms. Instead,
they prefer to use brother-in-law. This term is usually used to refer to ones wifes brother, or
ones sisters husband. It can also be used to refer to ones wifes sisters husband. In the past,
the plural of brother-in-law was brothers-in-law. Nowadays, brother-in-laws is also being
used.
All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with
a white carpet is one of them. Erma Bombeck


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Know your English
Hi! You don't look too good. Is something bothering you?
"I complained to my boss about Hemant yesterday."
"Why did you do that? Do you have a problem with him?
"You know that I've had a beef with him for a long time."
"You've had beef? Do you parents know?"
"I didn't say I ate beef. I said that I had a beef with Hemant. When you have 'beef with' someone,
you ..."
"You probably have a complaint against the person."
'That's right! The expression could also mean 'grudge'. You are itching for a fight or an
argument."
"I see. Well, in that case, your next door neighbour has a beef with you."
"I hope that was just an example. Otherwise, I'll..."
"It was an example, that's all. I don't think your new neighbour would recognise you even if he
saw you."
"That's true! In most universities, students have beef with teachers."
"And I'm sure teachers have beef with the students as well."
"You're probably right. 'Beef with' is mostly used in informal contexts.
Also, we..."
"What did your boss say when you complained against Hemant?"

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"He said I was at fault."
"What?"
"That was my reaction as well. Apparently, Hemant had already complained about me, and he..."
"Is Hemant related to your boss?"
"I don't really know. But they are pretty close. According to Sharma, the two are in cahoots
with..."
"In what? What did you say?
"C..a..h..o..o..t..s. The 'a' is pronounced like the 'a' in 'china', and the'oo' like the 'oo' in 'pool' and
'cool'."
"So, the word is pronounced ke-HOOTS with the stress on the second syllable."
"Very good! That's exactly how the word is pronounced."
"But what does it mean?
"When you are 'in cahoots with someone', you are conspiring with another person. You are
scheming or plotting with someone to get something."
"An expression with a very negative meaning!"
"You could say that. The two individuals are up to no good."
"I've been told that the Principal is in cahoots with the dealer who supplies our school with
computers."
"I understand that some of our Ministers are in cahoots with organised crime."
"Given the kind of politicians we have, the news shouldn't surprise anyone.

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What are you going to do about Hemant?"
"I really don't know. I seem to have fouled my own nest by complaining to the boss about him."
"Fouled your own nest? What does it mean?"
"When you foul your own nest, you end up harming or hurting yourself."
"I see. It's not surprising that Yuktha wasn't promoted. She fouled her own nest by spreading
wild rumours about her boss."
"Uday complains that his wife doesn't respect him. He fouled his own nest by constantly making
fun of her in front of others. And now, she..."
"Now, she has beef with him!"
"A woman in love can't be reasonable - or she probably wouldn't be in love." - Mae West
March 2010
What is the meaning of put a hex on someone'?
Whenever the home team plays at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad, it always loses. The
Deccan Chargers haven't won a single game there, and neither has the Indian cricket team. Some
people believe that the vasthu' is all wrong, while others think that someone has put a hex on the
stadium. In other words, someone has put a curse or a spell on the stadium. A few months ago,
the Hyderabad Cricket Association performed a puja to remove the curse. It seems to have
worked, because the Deccan Chargers have started winning on their home ground. The only
problem is, the team is not playing in Hyderabad anymore; it has moved to Cuttack!
*Sania has lost in the first round again. I wonder if someone has put a hex on her.
What is the meaning of rambunctious'?

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First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this word. The first syllable rhymes with the words
dam', ham', and Sam', while the second is pronounced like the word bunk'. The ct' is like the
sh' in ship' and shape', and the iou' is like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced ram-
BUNK-shes' with the stress on the second syllable. When you refer to a child or a puppy as being
rambunctious, you mean that they are full of youthful energy, and therefore somewhat difficult to
control. The word can also be used to mean very noisy and disorderly. Some people say that the
word is an alteration of rumbustious'.
*The rambunctious entertainer collapsed during the first scene.
*There was a lot of drinking, and it wasn't surprising that the students became rambunctious.
What is the meaning and origin of lotus eater'?
The expression comes from Homer's epic, Odyssey'. During one of his voyages to North Africa,
Odysseus came across a group of people who were always in a state of dreamy forgetfulness.
The staple diet of the members of this tribe consisted of the lotus fruit and the lotus flower. The
two acted like a drug, resulting in the lotus eaters' losing touch with the real world: they forgot
their responsibilities, and spent most of their time daydreaming. When you refer to someone as
being a lotus eater, you mean the person is devoted to pleasure and luxury; he is indifferent to his
responsibilities in the real world.
Is it okay to say, He's a no-nonsense person'?
Yes, it is. The expression is mostly used to show approval. When you say that someone is a no-
nonsense person, you mean that he is very efficient. He is very matter of fact, and does not put
up with nonsense from other people.
*Not many people appreciated Mani's no-nonsense approach to business.
When you use the term with an object, you are implying that it is without the frills. A no-
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modern cell phones do. It could be one which doesn't have a radio or a camera: it is very
practical, and does the job it is meant to do.
*If you are planning on going trekking, you'd better get yourself no-nonsense shoes.
I'm not a real movie star. I 've still got the same wife I started out with twenty-eight years
ago. Will Rogers
What is the difference between a prolonged meeting' and a protracted' one?
Both words are used to refer to the duration of something. Of the two, prolonged' may be
considered a neutral term. If you have a prolonged meeting', you have a lengthy meeting; a
meeting which went on longer than expected. Perhaps there were many items on the agenda, as a
result of which the meeting went on for a long time. The use of prolong' suggests that there
might have been reasons why the meeting was extended. Protracted', on the other hand, is
usually used to show disapproval. It suggests that the duration of the meeting was needlessly
extended. The meeting was drawn out to such an extent that it was tedious.
How is the word somnambulism' pronounced?
The o' is like the o' in hot', got', and pot', and the following a' is pronounced like the a' in
cat', bat', and act'. The u' rhymes with the words put', foot', and good'; the final s' is
pronounced like the z' in zip', zinc', and zoo'. The word is pronounced som-NAM-byu-li-
zem' with the main stress on the second syllable. It comes from the Latin somnam' meaning
sleep', and ambulare', meaning to walk'. The word literally means to walk in one's sleep.
Another word which has the same meaning is noctambulism'. Sleepwalking' is the word we use
in everyday conversation.
Which is correct: Revathi is engaged to/with Ravi?
Just as one is married to someone', and not married with someone', one is always engaged to'
someone, and not engaged with' someone. It is also possible to be engaged in something'.
*The young couple were engaged in a heated argument with the hotel manager.

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What is the meaning and origin of to go haywire'?
This is an expression which is mostly used in informal contexts. When you say that something
has gone haywire, you mean that it has stopped functioning or working properly. It has become
rather erratic.
*Rajeev tells me that Gayathri's old computer has gone haywire.
*When a person goes haywire, he goes slightly crazy; he becomes confused and starts behaving
oddly.
*When he didn't get the promotion, Harish went haywire
A haywire' was a thin piece of wire that was used by farmers to bind together bales of hay. The
hay was rolled, and a haywire was used to tie the bundle together tightly. It was wound so tightly
that when the wire was cut, it behaved in an unpredictable manner: sometimes, it would spring
back at the person cutting the wire, injuring him in the process. According to some scholars, this
is the origin of the expression.
Is it okay to say, The student was impersonating as a police officer'?
No, it isn't. When you impersonate someone, you make an attempt to deceive other people by
pretending to be someone you are not. This is just one of the meanings of the word. You always
impersonate someone'. You do not impersonate as someone'.
*The terrorist tried to impersonate a police officer.
He had the sort of face that makes you realize God does have a sense of humour. Bill
Bryson
What is the origin of the word budget'?
The word comes from the Latin bulga' meaning leather bag'. In the beginning, the word
budget' was used to refer to anything that was made of leather: wallets, knapsacks, bags, etc.

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With the passage of time, the word began to be used to refer to the contents of the bag, rather
than the bag itself. And what is it that we keep in our wallets? Money, of course! Since a Finance
Minister usually kept his plans on how to spend the money in his leather bag', the word acquired
its modern meaning: an itemized allotment of funds. Around the 16th century, the word was also
used to mean a bundle of news'. As a result, the word budget' became a part of the name of
many newspapers: example, Pall Mall Budget'.
What is the meaning of the expression scrimp and save'?
When you scrimp on something', you attempt to save money by spending less than what is
required on it. If a company scrimps on security during times of recession, it is reducing the
amount that it normally spends on security, and in the process putting the company at risk. The
idiom, scrimp and save' means to economise'. You spend very little money on things, so that
you can save up enough in order to buy something that you really want. You wish to spend the
money that you have so carefully saved on something that is fairly expensive. The expression
pinch and scrape' has the same meaning.
*The young couple scrimped and saved to buy a motorcycle.
How is the word iconoclast' pronounced?
The i' in the first syllable is pronounced like the letter i'. The second syllable is pronounced like
the word con', and the following o' is like the a' in china'. The final a' sounds like the a' in
apple', ant', and ass'.
The word is pronounced i-KON-e-klast' with the stress on the second syllable. It comes from the
Greek eikonoklastes'; eikon' means image' and klastes' means breaker'. Iconoclast' literally
means someone who goes around breaking images.
The term was originally used to refer to people who went about destroying statues and other
religious symbols in churches because they opposed idol worship. With the passage of time, the
word began to refer to anyone who challenged the traditional beliefs and values that people
accepted unquestioningly.

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*Ravi is an iconoclast. He will have nothing to do with rituals.
What is the meaning of shoulder surfing'?
Nowadays, whenever we go out, we not only need to be on the lookout for the pickpocket, but
also the shoulder surfer'. This person will stand behind you, and look over your shoulder to see
what numbers you are punching in when you take money from the ATM. He will also frequent
cybercafs, stand behind people while they are typing in their password.
The word shoulder surfer' is frequently used in computer security to refer to people who use
such observational techniques to get information about others.
I hope you go before me because I don't want you singing at my funeral. Spike Milligan
How is the word ersatz' pronounced?
There seem to be different ways of pronouncing this German word. The er' can be pronounced
like the word air', and the following s' like the z' in zip' and zoo'. The final syllable, atz',
sounds like the ats' in bats', rats', and cats'. One way of pronouncing the word is AIR-zats
with the stress on the first syllable. Some people, however, put the stress on the second. The
word comes from the German ersetzen' meaning to replace', and in English, the word is used to
mean substitute'. Since the replacement is usually much inferior to the original, the word ersatz
is used to show disapproval.
*I'm told that during the war, my grandmother had to make do with ersatz chocolates and coffee.
What is the meaning and origin of stalking horse'?
When you stalk' someone or something, you follow the person or animal very closely without
being spotted. You do this in order to track, catch or kill the individual/animal. Now, let's deal
with the origin of the idiom. In the old days, when people went hunting for birds, they took a
well trained horse with them. They did this because they found whenever a solitary animal like a
horse or cow approached the birds, they didn't fly away. On the other hand, whenever a human
being was seen approaching, the birds promptly flew away. In order to trick the birds into

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believing that it was only a solitary animal walking around, hunters trained their horses to walk
very slowly and noiselessly towards the quarry. The hunter walked alongside the animal, and
ensured he stayed out of sight by keeping low. When he was within range of the prey, he came
out of hiding, and proceeded to kill the birds. In this case, it wasn't the horse that was doing the
stalking; it was being used to divert the attention of the birds. The hunter was using the animal as
a decoy. Something that is used to disguise one's true intention or objective is usually referred to
as stalking horse'. The idiom is quite frequently used in politics and business. A candidate who
is put forward by a party in order to split the opposition is often referred to as a stalking horse'.
This person may also be someone whose name has been proposed in order to conceal the
candidacy of a much more important figure.
*The party leader wanted me to play the stalking horse.
What is the difference between former' and erstwhile'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of erstwhile'. The first syllable erst' rhymes with the
words burst' and first', and the second sounds like the word while'. The word is pronounced
ERST-while' with the stress on the first syllable, and it comes from the Old English erst'
meaning before' and while' meaning time'. The word literally means of former time'. In terms
of meaning, there is no difference between erstwhile' and former'. Of the two, erstwhile is
considered old fashioned, and is mostly used in rather formal contexts. Some books on English
usage claim that erstwhile' is a pretentious' word for former' and is best avoided.
*Gayathri, my erstwhile colleague, has become the Vice President of the new company.
If you understand English, press 1. If you do not understand English, press 2. Australian
Tax Helpline
Know Your English
My mom tells me your nephew will be spending a week with you.
Wow, news really travels fast around here.

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It certainly does. Tell me, what's your nephew like?
Oh, you two will get along famously. Like you, he's a confirmed vidiot.
Did you just call me an idiot?
I didn't say, idiot'. I said, vidiot'.
What does it mean?
What is it that you do most of the time?
Play video games, of course.
And that's what a vidiot does as well. He plays video games all the time. You could say that he
is addicted to video games. The word is a combination of video and idiot.
Many of my friends are vidiots.
A vidiot is also someone whose intelligence level has decreased because he has been constantly
playing video games or watching too much TV. If you ask me, the younger generation is full of
vidiots.
I don't agree with that at all. Your friend Harish is a vidiot, isn't he?
He certainly is. He is waiting for approval from corporate to buy some new game. I believe it's
really expensive.
Approval from corporate! You mean your company allows you to buy video games?
Of course, not! The expression approval from corporate' is used to refer to one's significant
other. The spouse who controls the purse strings.
So in Harish's case, it's his wife who looks after the finances. Therefore, he has to get her
approval before he buys anything.

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Exactly! Usha is waiting for approval from corporate to buy a new sofa set for the house.
Do you think she'll get approval from corporate? What do you think Raghu will say?
I don't know. Getting approval from the likes of Raghu is like herding cats.
I've heard of people herding cows, not cats.
One can round up cows quite easily. But cats are rather difficult. Getting all of them to move in
the same direction is next to impossible.
Therefore when you say that something is like herding cats, it means that you are trying to
achieve the impossible. You are attempting to perform an impossible task.
Good job. Getting my boss to commit to something is like herding cats.
How about this example? Getting our students to hand in their project on time is like herding
cats.
Sounds good. Did your cousin manage to get to Delhi?
Yes, he did. Apparently, he travelled for some time in the pantry car.
That must have been pretty exciting. Did he get to eat a lot of bread?
Bread! What are you talking about?
The word pantry comes from the Latin panis' meaning, bread'.
I see. So a pantry is a place where people make bread.
Exactly. And a companion was...
It also has the word pan' in it.
As I was saying, a companion was someone with whom you shared your bread.

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Really? Hey, there's some bread on the table. Can I be your companion for the day?
Only presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial we'.
Mark Twain
April 2010
How is the word renege' pronounced?
There are two different ways of pronouncing this rather formal word. The e' in the first syllable
is like the i' in bit', pit', and hit'. Some people pronounce the second e' like the ee' in fees',
bees', and cheese', while others pronounce it like the ay' in hay', bay', and pay'. The g'
sounds like the g' in girl' and goat', and the final e' is silent. The word can be pronounced
either ri-NEEG' or ri-NAYG'. If you renege on a promise, you go back on it; in other words,
you break the promise that you had made.
*If Sunanda reneges on the agreement now, I'll file a case against her.
*Ever since he reneged on the contract, no company wants to do business with him.
What is the meaning of drop the ball'?
The expression is used in rather informal contexts to mean to fail'. In sports, a player is expected
to catch the ball. If he drops it, he is conveniently labelled sloppy' or careless' because he is
failing to meet people's expectations. In everyday contexts, the expression drop the ball' is used
to mean to commit a blunder because of one's recklessness or carelessness.
*I don't want Ramakanth in my department. He's always dropping the ball.
*The play was going just fine till one of the minor characters dropped the ball.



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At the bottom of a wedding invitation, is it okay to say, avoid presentations'?
No, it is not because people seldom make presentations at a wedding. A presentation is usually a
talk given by someone who wishes to provide information about something. For example,
salesmen often make presentations on a product. Scholars make presentations on their research. I
think the word the author has in mind in this case is presents', and not presentations'. The
person probably doesn't want people to bring presents. Why anyone would actually write this in
an invitation is beyond me. After all, presents are the best part of getting married!
What is the meaning of the expression soap grafting'?
This is something that an old timer like me often does. What happens to a bar of soap which has
been used for some time? It becomes so small that at times we find it difficult to hold on to it.
What does one do with this small piece of soap that remains? Some people just throw it away.
Others attach it to the new bar of soap that they are going to use. Attaching an old piece of soap
with a brand new one is called soap grafting'.
*My uncle is very rich, but he always soap grafts. He doesn't believe in wasting anything.
Is it okay to say temporary respite'?
The English pronounce the pite' in the second syllable like the words bite', kite', and fight',
while the Americans pronounce it like the word pit'. The word is pronounced RIS-pite' or RIS-
pit' with the stress on the first syllable. Dictionaries define the word as a short break' or a short
delay'. In other words, a respite is something that it temporary. Therefore, there is no need to use
temporary' before this word. Many writers, however, do.
*We need respite from the cold.
I f you haven't got anything good to say about anyone, come and sit by me.
Alice Longworth


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What is the meaning and origin of wither on the vine'?
What will happen to ripe grapes if they are not plucked and are left hanging on the vine? They
will go waste because if they are not picked at the right time, they will gradually dry up. In other
words, they will shrivel or simply wither on the vine'. In everyday contexts, the expression is
used to mean to waste something because of neglect. It is also possible to say, die on the vine'.
*I hope Teja makes the Under 19 team. I don't want him to think he's withering on the vine.
If a project withers on the vine, it fails to come to fruition'.
*The project withered on the vine because the two parties couldn't agree on anything.
What is the difference between memento' and souvenir'?
Let's deal with the pronunciation of souvenir' first. The ou' in the first syllable is like the oo' in
pool' and cool', and the e' in the second is like the a' in china'. The final syllable is
pronounced like the word near'. The word is pronounced soo-ve-NEAR' with the stress on the
final syllable. It comes from the Latin subvenire' meaning come to mind'. When we visit a
well-known place, we usually buy souvenirs'. For example, when people visit Agra, they usually
buy picture postcards or a replica of the Taj. These things will later remind them of their trip to
Agra. Souvenirs are usually manufactured on a large scale, and visitors to the place spend money
on them. Most places of tourist attraction have Souvenir Shops'.
*When we went to Goa, my wife spent a lot of money on souvenirs.
A mi-MEN-toe', on the other hand, is not something that you buy. It is usually an object given
to you by an individual, and you keep it in order to remember the person. Some people, for
example, keep their grandfather's watch or pen as a memento. A memento' can also be an object
like a stone or a leaf, something which you have picked up and not bought during a trip. The
word comes from the Latin meminisse' meaning to remember'.
*The coloured stone is a memento of our trip to Scotland.

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Is it okay to say, According to our correspondent, three students died in the
altercation'?
A careful user of the language would probably frown upon such a sentence. An altercation is an
argument between two people; it doesn't involve the use of fists. Dictionaries define altercation'
as a disagreement, or a noisy, heated argument. When there is an altercation, people shout at
each other in a loud voice, but they do not come to blows. No one generally gets hurt in an
altercation. The word comes from the Latin altercari' meaning to dispute with another'.
Is it okay to say Mr & Mrs. X invite you to the marriage of our son'?
No, it is not. One usually invites people to the wedding', and not the marriage. Mr. & Mrs. X
would like you to attend the wedding of their' son, and not our' son. If you wish to use our',
then the invitation should read, We would like to invite you to the wedding of our son.....'
Parents were invented to make children happy by giving them something to ignore.
Ogden Nash
How is the word eon' pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the ee' in fees', bees', and cheese', and the e' in the
second syllable is pronounced like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced EE-en' with the
stress on the first syllable. Some people pronounce the final syllable like the word on'. The word
is mostly used in rather formal contexts to mean a very long period of time; so long indeed, that
it cannot be measured. In British English, the word is usually spelt aeon'.
According to this article, our planet was formed aeons/eons ago.
It seemed to Ananya, she had been waiting eons/aeons for her new tennis racquet.
Why do we say o'clock'? What does o' stand for?
In the old days, people didn't say six o'clock' or ten o'clock'. When they wanted to indicate the
time, they said six of the clock' and ten of the clock'. The expression of the clock' was used to

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mean according to the clock'. With the passage of time, the definite article the' was dropped;
later of' was reduced to o'. So, when you say o'clock', what you are actually saying is of
clock'.
What is the meaning of perspicuous'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of the word. The e' in the first syllable, and the ou' in the
final syllable are like the a' in china'. Spic' rhymes with the words stick', pick', and chick',
and the following u' sounds like the letter u'. The word is pronounced pe-SPIK-yu-es' with the
stress on the second syllable. The word comes from the Latin perspicuus' meaning transparent'.
When you refer to someone's writing or speech as being perspicuous', you mean it is very clear,
and easy to understand.
The critics say that he was a writer of perspicuous prose. I don't agree at all.
I'm looking for a perspicuous professor who will create an interest among the students.
What is the meaning of the expression two to tango'?
The complete expression is takes two to tango', and it is mostly used in informal contexts to
refer to a bad situation. The tango is a dance form which originated in South America; two
people are required to perform this rather intricate dance. When two people find themselves in a
bad situation, and you say it takes two to tango', you are implying that both individuals are to be
blamed for the current mess they are in. One person alone cannot be held responsible for their
present misfortune.
Don't blame the fight on me. It takes two to tango, my friend.
Ajit believes Sunitha forced his son to elope with her. But you know what they say. It takes two
to tango.
The expression became popular in the 1950s, thanks to a song by Pearl Bailey.


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What is the difference between alongwith' and along with'?
The main difference is that the word alongwith' does not exist. It is always written as two words,
and not as one. If you find it written as one word, it means the editor fell asleep while going
through the article.
The children, along with their two teachers, went to the zoo.
I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel that they
have not said enough. Mark Twain
KNOW YOUR ENGLISH
What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be studying for your final exams?
I'm taking a break. What's that in your hand?
A novel.
Life isn't fair at all. I have to study, while you get to read a novel.
You don't need to feel jealous. The novel is nothing to write home about!
Nothing to write home about? Does it mean it's not very good?
When you say that something is nothing to write home about', you mean that it is mediocre. It's
not something to get excited about.
In other words, it's not as good as you'd expected it to be. Supriya's party was nothing to write
home about.
Good example. I got a raise yesterday, but it's nothing to write home about.
You got a raise? Then we must celebrate. Let's go to that new restaurant on MG Road.
Let's do that after your exams.

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After my exams! All my friends would have visited the place by then. They
Why are you so hung up on eating in new restaurants?
What does hung up on' mean?
It means to be obsessed. You are constantly thinking about the thing or person.
Can I say, my friend Ramesh is hung up on Kajol? He just can't get her off his mind.
That's a very good example. Don't know if Ajay Devgan will be happy about it, though. Quite a
few politicians in our country are hung up on getting statues of themselves made.
These are people who probably didn't play statue when they were kids.
You may have a point there. Now then, you'd better...
I'm hung up on new restaurants because I love eating good food.
That's not true. You never really enjoy what you are eating. You order something, and then
when you see what someone else is eating, you have dish envy.
Dish envy? Does it mean being envious of something that someone else is eating?
Very good! Dish envy is something that we experience all the time. I order a plate of idli, and
you order a butter masala dosa. When your dosa comes, I feel I should have ordered dosa too. I
feel that my idli is inferior to your dosa.
It's true that I feel dish envy once in a while. But it's not...
All of us have experienced the anguish of dish envy sometime or the other.
That's true. Anyway, tell me, what's the novel about?
It's like a typical Indian movie. Boy meets girl. Boy is poor, girl is rich. They fall in love, yada
yada yada.

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Yada yada yada? Never heard that expression before.
It means, so on and so forth. It's an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts.
I see. So, when you say yada yada yada', you mean that everything else is understood.
That's right! The listener can figure things out for himself because everything is so obvious.
Every time I show my report card to my father, he tells me the same thing. That I should get up
early in the morning, be more disciplined, work much harder...yada yada yada.
All parents give such lectures. You will too when you have kids.
I hate to spread rumours, but what else can one do with them? Amanda Lear
May 2010
What is the difference between a homophone' and a homonym'?
First, let's begin with the pronunciation of the two words. The o' in the first syllable is like the
o' in hot', got', and pot', while the o' in the second is like the a' in china'. The words are
pronounced HO-me-fone' and Ho-me-nim'; in both cases, the stress is on the first syllable.
Though there is a difference in meaning between the two words, people tend to use them
interchangeably. Homophone' comes from the Greek homo' meaning same' and phone'
meaning sound'. Careful users of the language use the term to refer to words which sound alike,
but have a different spelling and meaning.
Examples of homophones are: bear, bare; fair, fare; and where, were. A homonym, on the other
hand, is used to refer to words which have the same spelling and pronunciation, but have a
different meaning. For example, ball' (dance), ball' (something to play with), ruler (scale), ruler
(king), and rock (music), rock (stone). This subtle distinction is seldom maintained in everyday
conversation; of the two, homonym' seems to be the preferred term.


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How is the word thanatology' pronounced?
The a' in the first syllable is like the a' in apple', ant', and cat', while the a' in the second
sounds like the a' in china'. The final ology' sounds like the ology' in biology', zoology', and
psychology'. The word is pronounced tha-ne-TO-le-ji' with the main stress on the third syllable.
The word comes from the Greek thanatos' meaning death'. Thanatology is the scientific study
of death.
What is the meaning of shank's pony'?
This idiom which has been around since the 18
th
century is of Scottish origin, and it has nothing
to do with horses. When you say that you are going somewhere on shank's mare' or shank's
pony', you mean that you are going to walk the distance.
It is a tongue in cheek way of saying that you are reaching your destination on foot. The part of a
leg between the knee and the ankle is called the shank'; therefore when you say shank's pony'
you are saying that your legs will do the work of a horse: take you from one place to another.
The expression is mostly used in British English.
There were no autos at the station. We had to use shank's pony to get here.
What is the difference between stumble over' and stumble on'?
When you stumble over something or someone, you trip over the object or person. You lose your
balance; you may or may not end up falling.
At the party, Harish stumbled over the chair and fell into the swimming pool.
There are several people sleeping in the drawing room. Don't stumble over any of them.
The expression stumble on' can also be used to mean to trip over someone or something.
Gayathri stumbled on the step and hurt herself quite badly.

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When we find something quite accidentally, we can say, we stumbled on/upon it. The expression
can be used with people as well.
The children were looking for the ball when they stumbled on the cute puppy.
It's the gossip columnist's business to write about what is none of his business. Louis
Kronenberger
KNOW Y0UR ENGLISH
How was dinner last night?
We decided not to go to the new restaurant. We had dinner here.
Your friend Rahul had a vegetarian meal! Unbelievable!
Rahul has been an economic vegetarian for a month now.
I know what vegetarian means. But what does economic vegetarian' mean?
Someone who is forced to become a vegetarian because he cannot afford meat.
I see. When Guhan lost his job, he decided to become an economic vegetarian.
Several months ago, when there was talk of job cuts, a few of my friends became economic
vegetarians.
That's understandable. They must have been...
What are you doing here so early?
Don't you remember? Our college elections. I am...
Oh, that's right! You must be pumped for the elections. What are the chances of...
Pumped for the elections? What do you mean by that?

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When you say you're pumped for' or pumped up for' something, you mean that you are tense
and at the same time very excited about something.
I see. In other words, you are nervous and at the same time eager. Like a player before a big
match.
Exactly! Our captain says that the team is pumped up for Sunday's big game.
Unfortunately, our Indian team never seemed pumped up for any of its matches.
Well, according to the coach, our overpaid underachievers were only pumped up for the IPL
matches.
Don't forget the parties. The waistline and double chin of some players make that pretty
obvious. Tell me, why pump up'? What is being pumped?
I understand it is adrenaline. Do you think your candidate has the smarts to win the election?
Smarts? You mean smart', don't you?
No, I mean smarts'. The word is frequently used in informal contexts to mean intelligence'.
I definitely have the smarts, but not the confidence. How does that sound?
Terrible.
What's wrong with the example?
You don't have the smarts. You know it, and I know it.
Not very funny, I'm afraid. Have you finished your project?
Almost. We're on the home stretch.
Home stretch? Does it mean you're almost done?

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That's right. When you say you're on the home stretch, it means you're in the final stages of
something. It could be a journey, a project, a...
Ok, ok, I understand. Pankaj told me he is on the home stretch with his dissertation. Another
two weeks, and he'll be done.
Wow, that was quick. He must have spent the last two months writing. It is also possible to say,
in the stretch'. We would have arrived earlier, but our car broke down in the stretch.
What does home stretch' refer to?
The expression comes from the world of horse racing. The distance between the last turning on
the race track and the finish line is called the home stretch'. Do you think your candidate will
win?
Not sure. He is trailing right now.
Let's hope he moves ahead in the stretch.
Gossip is what you say about the objects of flattery when they aren't present. P.J .
O'Rourke
What is the meaning of the be-all and end-all'?
The expression the be-all and end-all' is mostly used in informal contexts to mean the most
important thing; the only thing that matters.
*Vinita's adopted children have become the be-all-and end-all of her existence.
*My uncle believes that profit should not become the be-all and end-all of business.
Shakespeare is believed to have coined this expression in his tragedy Macbeth'. The hero,
Macbeth, realises that the only way he can become the King of Scotland is by killing Duncan.
Macbeth says, that but this blow might be the be-all and the end-all'.

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Which is correct: whereabouts are/is?
The word whereabouts' can be used either as a noun or an adverb. When used as a noun, it
means, the place where a person or a thing is'. The word can be followed by a singular or a
plural verb.
*The whereabouts of the famous film star is/are unknown.
The word can also be used to mean in what area or location'.
*Whereabouts in Hyderabad does the author live?
*Whereabouts did the buffoon find the treasure?
How is the word beleaguered' pronounced?
The e' in the first syllable is like the i' in bit' and hit', while the ea' in the following syllable is
like the ee' in meet' and feet'. The g' sounds like the g' in get' and give', and the final uere'
is like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced bi-LEE-ged' with the stress on the second
syllable. Anyone who faces a lot of problems or criticisms is said to be beleaguered. This word
of Dutch origin is mostly used in formal contexts.
*The beleaguered Minister was forced to resign.
The word can also be used to mean to be surrounded by enemies'.
*These supplies are meant for the beleaguered town.
What is the difference between utensil' and vessel'?
The word utensil' comes from the Latin utensilia' meaning things for use'. It is an umbrella
term for anything that can be used in the kitchen: a plate can be called a utensil, and so can a cup
and a spoon. A vessel', on the other hand, is usually a hollow container which is used to hold
liquids or other things. Cups, bowls, and pitchers are all vessels. Milk and water are usually
boiled in vessels. All vessels are utensils, but not all utensils are vessels.

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What is the plural of stadium'
The word has two different plural forms. The most common one used the world over is
stadiums'. The second plural form is stadia'. It is pronounced like the word stadium' without
the final m' sound.
Does the name Ferrari' mean anything?
Till a couple of years ago, whenever we heard this name, we immediately thought of Michael
Schumacher and Formula One racing. Enzo Ferrari was the man who came up with the idea of
Scuderria Ferrari' or Team Ferrari'. The name Ferrari', like the name Smith' in the U.S and the
U.K, is a very common family name in Italy. It comes from the Italian word ferraro' meaning
blacksmith'.
We don't bother much about dress and manners in England, because as a nation we don't
dress well and we've no manners. George Bernard Shaw
Know Your English
Congratulations! I understand your neighbour has become the Vice Chancellor. Everyone in
your building must be really proud of her.
I'm not so sure. Someone said the only reason she's become a VC is because she has friends in
high places. I understand my neighbour excels in the art of brown-nosing.
Brown-nosing? Is it a kind of art that someone with a brown nose excels in?
A brown-noser is someone who flatters people in order to get his work done.
In other words, he is a sycophant. He does everything possible to keep those in power, happy.
Exactly!
Sumitra keeps brown-nosing all the time, but her boss ignores it.

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Brown-nosing doesn't get one very far with my boss either. She puts a brown-noser in his
place.
Have you congratulated the new VC?
I stealth-called her about an hour ago.
A stealth-call! Never heard that expression before.
There are times when someone leaves a message on your cell asking you to call back. You don't
actually feel like doing it...
Because you're not interested in speaking to the person.
Exactly! So, what do you do? You ring her when you know that she won't be able to take your
call. This morning, I saw that several TV news channels had come to interview my neighbour. I
stealth-called her then!
That was rather mean of you. You must congratulate her in person. And don't forget to buy her
a gift.
I plan to get her something that won't break the bank.
Break the bank? What are you talking about?
If you break the bank in order to buy something, you spend a lot of money on it.
The thing that you are buying is so expensive that you end up spending all your savings.
That's right! You have no money left. You exhaust your resources.
It'll hardly break the bank if you buy her a dozen roses.
You have a point there. My uncle is planning on sending his son to study in the U.S. He says
it'll break the bank to do it.

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I don't like to spend money. But I guess an occasional movie and dinner won't break the bank.
That's a good example. Now then,...
Has your cousin graduated?
Not yet. He's still a graduand.
A what?
G..r..a..d..u..a..n..d. The first two syllables are pronounced like the word graduate', and the final
syllable like the word and'.
So the word is pronounced GRA-ju-and. But what does it mean?
A graduand is someone who is about to graduate. He has completed all the necessary
formalities.
In other words, he has finished his course work, and written the exams. He's...
He's finished all that. He hasn't been awarded his degree as yet. He hasn't taken part in the
formal ceremony that...
Formal ceremony? Oh, you mean where people wear those ridiculous caps and gowns?
A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of
students dressed in identical caps and gowns that individuality' is the key to success.
Robert Orben
June 2010
How is the word chauffeur' pronounced?
There seem to be different ways of pronouncing this word of French origin. One simple way is to
pronounce the first syllable chau' like the word show', and the er' in the second like the a' in

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china'. The British pronounce the word SHOW-fe' with the stress on the first syllable. A
chauffeur' is someone who drives a car for rich people. When used as a verb, the word means to
drive someone around.
*The Ambanis went to the airport in a chauffeur-driven limousine.
*The mother spent the afternoon chauffeuring her son from one mall to another.
The word chauffeur', which in French means stoker', was in use long before automobiles came
into being. A stoker was someone who worked in the engine room of a ship, and his job was to
shovel coal into the boiler. The first automobiles did not run on petrol, but on steam. The engine
had a firebox and a boiler, and one of the functions of the driver was to keep the fire in the
engine going.
What is the difference between demise' and death'?
While both words mean end or ending of life', demise is mostly used in formal contexts to refer
to the death of someone or something very important or well known. One usually talks about the
demise of a Prime Minister or a celebrity; the word is seldom used with ordinary people.
*The sudden demise of the Prime Minister created a political vacuum.
The word can also be used to indicate the failure of an enterprise.
*The demise of the well-known company had many investors worried.
Death' is a much more general term, and unlike demise', can be used with things and animals.
*Neelam became very upset when she heard about the death of her puppy.
*It was the death of all her plans.



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What is the meaning and origin of windfall'?
The amount of money that you win or receive from someone rather unexpectedly is called
windfall'. It's a sudden stroke of luck.
*When Gayathri visited her uncle after her marriage, she got a windfall of Rs. 75000.
Fruit that falls down from a tree because of heavy wind is also called windfall. In this context,
we can also say windfalls'.
*Sameer's garden was covered with windfalls.
In the old days in England, landowners were not allowed to cut down trees which were on their
property. The law stipulated that all trees were the property of the Royal Navy, and the wood
was to be used in the building of ships. If however, heavy wind made a tree fall, the windfall'
became the owner's property. Since in the old days such windfall' was not common, the word
began to mean unexpected good fortune.
Is it okay to say, bouquet of flowers'?
Some people would argue that of flowers' is unnecessary because bouquet means an attractive
arrangement of flowers. But there is nothing wrong in saying bouquet of flowers'. The ou' in
the first syllable, by the way, is like the oo' in fool', cool', and school'. The following q' is
like the k' in king' and kiss', and the final uet' rhymes with say' and bay'. The word is
pronounced boo-KAY' with the stress on the second syllable.
I read a part of it all the way through. Sam Goldwyn
What is the meaning and origin of `turncoat'?
In India, when a politician is denied a `ticket' to contest in an election, he usually quits the party,
and joins another. People who switch allegiances or change their opinion radically whenever
they find it convenient to do so are called `turncoats'. The word is mostly used to show
disapproval.

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*Why would you want that political turncoat to preside? In the old days in Europe, people used
to wear reversible coats. When one side of the coat became dirty, the owner turned the coat
inside out and wore it. According to one story, it was the Duke of Saxony who made the word
`turncoat' popular. This individual lived very close to the French border, and therefore made it a
point to keep both the Saxons and the French in good humour. The Duke's reversible coat was
blue on one side, and white on the other. Traditionally, blue was the colour of the Saxons.
Whenever a Frenchman visited his place, the Duke was seen wearing a white coat. When he
wanted to please the Saxons, the Duke turned the coat inside out, and wore the blue side
What is the difference between `nervous' and `edgy'?
A person who is nervous or edgy is tense or worried about something. Of the two, `nervous' is
the more general term. Someone who is nervous need not necessarily show that he is worried
about something. He may be outwardly very calm, but on the inside, he may be extremely
agitated. A person who is `edgy' shows he is worried; the tension is there for all to see. He is
anxious and is therefore very irritable. Small things set him off; he may argue or fight with those
around him.
*Gayathri said she was nervous, but she certainly didn't look it during the presentation.
*The soldiers were edgy as they waited for their orders from the Captain.
Is it okay to say, `She was terminated by her publisher'?
In terms of grammar, there is nothing wrong with the sentence. It suggests that this person was
killed by her publisher! Of course, given the times we are living in, authors getting bumped off
by their publisher wouldn't be considered unusual. If you want to say that the publisher didn't
kill, but merely fired the individual, then the sentence should be written in the following manner:
`Her services were terminated by her publisher.' Not all publishers are like Arnold
Schwarzenegger; they are not `Terminator(s)'.


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How is the word `auteur' pronounced?
The `au' in the first syllable sounds like the `o' in `go', `so', and `no', while the `eur' in the final
syllable is like the `ir' in `birth', `bird', and `first'. The word is pronounced o-TIR with the stress
on the second syllable. In French, the word means `author'; nowadays it is mostly used in
relation tofilms. We know that all wellknown directors have a distinctive style of making
movies. It is possible to watch a couple of scenes from a film and guess who the director is.
Dictionaries define this distinctive style which enables a director to keep creative control over his
work as `auteur'. This is just one of the meanings of the word.
"The I talians' technological contribution to humankind stopped with the pizza oven." - Bill
Bryson
What is the meaning and origin of wing it'?
The expression is mostly used in informal contexts. When you get up on stage and wing it', you
give an impromptu speech. You have had no time to prepare, and therefore end up speaking
extemporaneously. The expression has more or less the same meaning as off the cuff'.
Shanthi left her notes in the taxi. In class, she had to wing it.
The expression comes from the world of theatre. The sides of a stage which cannot be seen by
the members of the audience are called wings'. Actors often wait here before they make their
entry. Sometimes, actors go on stage without really knowing their lines. In such circumstances,
they depend on the prompters hiding in the wings to whisper the lines to them. If they cannot
hear the prompter, they make up their lines. They wing it!
What is the difference between momentary' and momentous'?
Something that is momentary' lasts for a very short period of time. The word is pronounced
MO-men-tri' with the stress on the first syllable.
There was a momentary pause before the child started screaming again.

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The word can also be used to mean constant' or present at every moment'.
Revathi lived in momentary fear of being found out.
Momentous', on the other hand, means very important. When you make a momentous decision,
you make one which has serious consequences.
The signing of the treaty was a momentous occasion for both countries.
The word is pronounced me-MEN-tes' with the stress on the second syllable.
How is the word quixotic' pronounced?
There seem to be different ways of pronouncing this word. One way is to pronounce the first
syllable like the word quick', and the final syllable like the word tick'. The o' is pronounced
like the o' in pot', got', and hot'. The word is pronounced kwik-SO-tik' with the stress on the
second syllable. The word comes from the title of a satirical novel that Miguel de Cervantes
wrote: Don Quixote'. The main character, Quixote, is a slightly eccentric individual who decides
to become a knight in shining armour and save the world. He has romantic notions of performing
chivalrous deeds. Unfortunately for the ageing hero, the goals he has set for himself are so lofty
that they are practically impossible to achieve. Every time he attempts to perform a chivalrous
deed, it ends in disaster. After several misadventures, the hero returns to his village a dejected
man. When you refer to someone's ideas or plans as being quixotic, you mean they are not
practical.
The members of the secret society lived by a quixotic code of honour.
Is it okay to say, His condition got deteriorated on Saturday'?
Careful users of the language would avoid using got' with deteriorate'. If you are keen on using
the word got', you can say, His condition got worse on Saturday'.
The ageing star's condition suddenly deteriorated on Sunday.

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Balancing the budget is like going to heaven. Everybody wants to do it, but nobody wants to
do what you have to do to get there. Phil Gramm
What is the meaning and origin of clean bill of health'?
When you visit the doctor and he gives you a clean bill of health, you should be happy because it
is an assurance that there is nothing wrong with you physically. The doctor is informing you that
you are in the pink of health! When used with things, the idiom means that the object is in good
condition.
*Of the 20 buildings inspected, only four were given a clean bill of health.
The bill' in the idiom has nothing to do with the amount of money you have to pay the doctor.
Such bills seldom bring happiness! In the old days, the captain of a ship was handed over a
document by the port authority which certified that there was no infection or epidemic at the port
from which the vessel set sail. This document was called the Bill of Health and unless it was
presented at the next port, the ship was refused entry.
Who or what is a fax potato'?
We have several different types of potatoes these days. A couch potato' is someone who sits in a
chair or a sofa and watches TV all day; he eats and drinks sitting in front of the tube. A mouse
potato' is someone who spends his time sitting in front of a computer, surfing the web. A fax
potato', another addition to the growing list of human potatoes, is someone who specialises in
sending faxes to people: the receiver may be less than a hundred feet away, but instead of getting
out of his chair and talking to the person concerned, he sends him/her a fax. Like the couch
potato, the fax potato is rather lazy and remains glued to his seat.
Why is the abbreviated form of will not' won't' and not willn't'?
There was a time when it was willn't'. In Old English there were two forms of will': these were
will' and wyll'. With the passage of time wyll' became woll'. When the negative not' was
added to the two existing forms, they became willnot' and wollnot'. The latter, over a period of

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time, changed to wonnot'. When willnot' and wonnot' were contracted, they became willn't'
and wo'not'. Later, wo'not' became won't'. For some time, both willn't' and won't' were used.
It was only in the 18 {+t} {+h} century that won't' became the preferred contracted form of will
not'. In the battle of wills, will' won the first round, while woll' took the second. Will' muscled
out woll', while won't' knocked out willn't'.
Is it okay to say, I described him what I had seen'?
No, it isn't. You usually describe something to someone or you describe to someone something.
In the sentence you have given, you need to include the word to' before him'.
*I described to him what I had seen.
Do you part from' or part with' someone?
It is possible to use both. When you part from someone', you take leave of the individual.
*I think the time has come for you to part from him.
When you part with' someone or something, you let go of them.
*Ram's new landlord didn't allow pets. Since he wasn't willing to part with the dog, Ram moved
to another place.
A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanation. Saki
How is the word trenchant' pronounced?
The first syllable rhymes with the words French', drench', and wrench'. The following a' is
like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced TRENCH-ent' with the stress on the first syllable.
It comes from the Old French trenchier' meaning to cut'. When someone presents a trenchant
argument, he makes one which is forceful or vigorous. The word can also be used to mean
caustic' or critical'.
*The writer's trenchant argument for a unified state made interesting reading.

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What is the meaning and origin of lick and a promise'?
This is not an idiom which is heard frequently. When you give the task that you have been
assigned a lick and a promise, you don't do a good job of it. The work is done in a careless and
hurried manner; since the task does not really interest you, you do it half-heartedly.
*I was very tired, but my mother insisted that I clean my cupboard. I gave it a lick and a promise
and went to bed.
In informal contexts, the word lick' means a hasty wash. Therefore, in the context of the idiom,
the word means hasty'. The promise' refers to the assurance that the worker(s) will do a
thorough job sometime later.
What is the meaning of annus horribilus'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this Latin expression. The first syllable of annus' is
pronounced like the name Ann', while the second sounds like the word us'. The o' in horribilus
is like the o' in hot' and got', while the following i' is like the ee' in fees', sees', and bees'.
The i' and the u' in the final two syllables are like the i' in kit', kid', and sit'.
The expression is pronounced ANN-us ho-REE-bi-lis. It literally means horrible year'.
*According to experts, 2009 was an annus horribilus for the corporate sector.
The opposite of this expression is annus mirabilis' meaning year of wonders'.
What is the difference between fragile' and frail'?
Both words come from the Latin fragilis' meaning easily broken'. The word fragile' can be
used with both things and people. When you say that the contents of a box are fragile, it means
that the things inside are rather delicate and can be easily broken. The contents need to be
handled with care.
*Please don't let Madhav handle any of the fragile plates.

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When used with people, the word means physically or emotionally weak.
*Don't make fun of her. She's very fragile.
The English pronounce the final ile' like the ile' in mile', while', and pile'. The Americans
pronounce the i' like the a' in china'. In both cases, the stress is on the first syllable.
Frail' is used with people, usually old, who are in poor health. When used with things, it refers
to objects which can be easily damaged.
*After two weeks in hospital, Janaki was too frail to climb the stairs.
*Given the frail economy, it is not surprising that people are not investing.
Ramganga river is inhabited by crocodiles. Swimming is prohibited. Survivors will be
prosecuted. Signboard
July 2010
What is the meaning and origin of the boot is on the other foot'?
This is an expression which is used in everyday contexts to mean the situation is the opposite of
what it was earlier; the tables have turned. It is also possible to replace boot' with shoe'.
When I joined the company five years ago, Jai was my boss. Since my recent promotion, the
boot is on the other foot.
Nowadays, even a little child can easily identify which shoe he should wear on his left foot, and
which on his right. The shoe for each foot has been designed differently. Before the 18 {+t}
{+h} century, however, the idea of having a shoe specially designed for a specific foot did not
exist. A shoe was designed to fit either foot. You could wear a shoe either on your left or right
foot. The shoe you wore on your left yesterday could be on your right foot today. As you can
imagine, it wasn't very comfortable walking in such shoes.


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How is the word hubris' pronounced?
The hu' sounds like the hu' in huge', human', and humour, and the i' that follows is like the
i' in hit', pit' and bit'. The word is pronounced HYUU-bris' with the stress on the first
syllable. It comes from the Greek hybris' meaning outrage, insolence'. Nowadays, the word is
mostly used in formal contexts to mean arrogance or pride'; it is always used to show
disapproval. In Greek literature and mythology, very often it was hubris, the excessive pride or
arrogance that ultimately led to a character's downfall.
The Minister's monumental hubris resulted in the party workers rebelling.
What is the meaning of pelf'?
The word rhymes with self' and shelf', and it is mostly used in informal contexts to mean
money or wealth'. It comes from the Old French pilfre' meaning booty or spoils'; it is from this
word that we get pilfer'. In English, pelf' means wealth gained by dishonest means: the kind of
money that politicians make in our country. Needless to say, the word is mostly used to show
disapproval.
As expected, the young politician wanted to keep the pelf for himself.
What is the difference between interpreter' and translator'?
Many people tend to use the words interchangeably. Both a translator and an interpreter have
command of two or more languages. According to most dictionaries, an interpreter is someone
who deals with the spoken word. When Atal Bihari Vajpayee gave a speech in Hindi at the UN
General Assembly in 1977, interpreters speaking in different languages (French, English,
Spanish, etc) let the audience know what our then Minister of External Affairs was saying.
This sort of interpretation where the speaker and the interpreter talk at the same time is called
simultaneous interpretation'.
We also have consecutive interpretation'. In this case, the speaker talks for a few minutes and
stops, giving the interpreter time to inform the audience what the speaker has just said. Unlike

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the interpreter, the translator mostly deals with the written word; he rewrites documents from one
language to another.
The only way to stop smoking is to just stop no ifs, ands or butts. Edith Zittler
What is the meaning and origin of the bum's rush'?
When you give someone the bum's rush', you get rid of the person as quickly as possible; often
using force. You make it clear to the individual that he is not wanted. In most cases, you grab
hold of the person and throw him out. It is also possible to say, get the bum's rush'; the
expression is American in origin.
*I think Sangeeta and Sajida are up to something. I got the bum's rush when I walked into their
apartment.
*When the well-known artist walked into the club wearing slippers, he was given the bum's rush
by the two security guards.
The bum' in the expression has nothing to do with one's backside. In American English, this
word is also used to refer to a homeless person who makes his living by begging. When such a
person enters a shop or a hotel, what is it that the owners do? They promptly catch hold of the
individual, and rush him out the door. Hence the expression, the bum's rush'.
What is the difference between stagger' and totter'?
Both words mean to walk unsteadily'. Most people use the two words interchangeably, but
careful users of the language maintain a distinction between the two. When you stagger, you
walk with difficulty, and in the process may end up losing your balance. You manage to recover
and do not actually end up falling. Someone who is extremely sleepy or who has had too much to
drink may stagger. The use of the word totter' suggests that the individual is likely to fall down
soon: the fall is imminent. In this case, the person is walking in an unsteady manner because he
is either very old or very weak. Both totter' and stagger' can be used with things as well.
*The old man managed to totter back to the sofa.

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*The young couple staggered into the hospital looking dazed.
How is the word suave' pronounced?
The su' is like the sw' in swim', swish' and swan', while the following a' sounds like the a'
in path', bath', and ask'. The final e' is silent. This monosyllabic word is pronounced
SWAAV' and it comes from the Latin suavis', meaning agreeable'. In English, the word is
mostly used to refer to men who are charming and sophisticated.
*The seasoned actor, as expected, gave his usual suave performance.
The word is frequently used to show disapproval: it carries with it the suggestion that the charm
and the politeness of the individual are merely an act; the individual is not at all being sincere.
What is the difference between up to' and until'?
Until' and till' are usually used with time. In terms of meaning, there is no difference: until' is
considered to be the more formal than till'.
*There are no tickets available until/till September.
Up to', on the other hand, is used to refer to distance, and not time.
*The students walked up to the gate and started throwing stones.
The word can also be used to talk about quantity.
*You can earn up to Rs.10, 000 sitting at home.
Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian. Robert
Orben



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How is the word baton' pronounced?
If you are thinking of the stick that is passed from one runner to another in a race, there are two
different ways of pronouncing the word. The British pronounce the first syllable like the word
bat' and the second like the word on'. They pronounce the word BAT-on' with the stress on the
first syllable.
The Americans, on the other hand, pronounce the a' like the a' in china' and the o' like the a'
in father', path', and bath'. They pronounce the word be-TAAN' with the stress on the second
syllable.
What is the meaning and origin of keep tabs on someone'?
When you keep tabs on someone, you monitor or keep track of what he is doing. You are
constantly watching the individual, and as a result you know what he is up to. It is possible to use
the expression with things as well.
*I keep telling my wife she needs to keep tabs on our bank balance.
*Raju feels that his wife is keeping tabs on his every move.
As for its origin, the only thing that people are certain about is that the expression was first used
in America. According to some scholars, in the mid-19 {+t} {+h} century, bartenders started
using a slate to write down the number of drinks each customer had consumed. Another name for
the slate was tablet', and it is from the shortened form of this word that we get tab'. Since the
bartender had to watch each customer carefully to keep track of the number of drinks he had
consumed, the expression keep tabs on' began to mean to monitor'.
What is the meaning of dead letter'?
In the old days, when snail mail was the primary means of staying in touch with someone, it was
important to write the address of the recipient correctly. Sometimes, the writer of the letter didn't
do this. When the address was incorrect, it became more or less impossible to deliver the letter.

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A letter that remained unclaimed or undelivered was called dead letter'. And where were such
letters stored? In the Dead Letter Office', of course! People who use email are probably familiar
with the term dead letter directory'.
What is the difference between disguise' and guise'?
A celebrity often wears a disguise when he wishes to go unnoticed. In order to make sure that
nobody recognises him, he makes a conscious attempt to alter his looks. He may decide to sport
a wig, wear the kind of clothes that he normally doesn't, etc. By changing his appearance, he is
pretending to be someone that he is not. People usually wear a disguise in order to fool or trick
others.
*In many of our old movies, the King always used to disguise himself as a beggar.
The word guise' has a negative connotation as well: it suggests that the individual is pretending
to be something that he is not. In this case, he doesn't necessarily alter his appearance; he
changes his manner or behaviour. He puts on a front.
*She got him to tell her all his secrets under the guise of friendship.
It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended from man. H.L.
Mencken
Know your English
What is the meaning of New York minute?
An extremely short period of time. It's actually less than a minute. It took the students less
than a New York minute to find a solution to the problem.
The new CEO arrived at a decision in a New York minute.
Tell me what you want. I'll give you a New York minute.
But why New York and not some other city?

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When people from other cities came to New York in the late 19
th
century, they found that
life in this city was extremely fast. New Yorkers seemed to be constantly rushing from one
place to another without having any time to relax.
It's the same feeling that some of us have today when we visit Mumbai. Anyway, did you take a
look at the document I gave you? Are the instructions clear?
The instructions are clear as mud.
Clear as mud? But mud isn't very clear.
It isn't, and that's the point. When you say something is clear as mud, you mean it isn't clear at
all.
So what you are saying is that the instructions are difficult or impossible to understand.
Exactly! The directions that Sujatha gave to reach her house were clear as mud.
I've read his chapter twice, and it's as clear as mud to me.
Alok's presentation was clear as mud.
Talking about mud, there is some good news! The weatherman says we'll have a heavy
downpour tomorrow.
If the weatherman says that, it'll probably rain kittens and puppies.
Kittens and puppies? You mean cats and dogs, don't you?
When you say it's raining cats and dogs, you mean that it is pouring or raining heavily. When
the rain is light, it is possible to say...
You can say that it's raining kittens and puppies.
That's right! Now then...

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Does the expression really exist or are you trying to fool me?
The expression does exist.
I see. How about this example, then? Forget the umbrella, it's just raining kittens and puppies.
That's a good example. To solve the water problem, we need it to rain cats and dogs. Not kittens
and puppies.
That's true. By the way, why are you home so early? Not well or something?
I'm fine. I've taken a couple of days off.
You've taken a couple of days off! That's rather unusual. What do you plan on doing?
I'll probably be kicking it at home.
Kicking it? Looks like the World Cup fever has got to you too. You'll be kicking the ball
around...
No, no, no! When you say you'll be kicking it, you mean you'll be relaxing.
In other words, you'll be chilling at home.
I guess you could say that. For example, after a hectic two weeks, the champion kicked it on the
beach with his family.
My friends and I are kicking it at the mall tomorrow. Would you like to join us?
You must be joking. Arvind's new job doesn't allow him to kick it in the mornings.
That's too bad.
Yes, it certainly is.
I just need enough to tide me over until I need more. Bill Hoest

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August 2010
What is the meaning and origin of shot your bolt'?
When you say you have shot your bolt, you mean you have used up all your energy trying to
perform a task. Although you have done everything you can to complete the task, you have been
unable to as you have exhausted all your energy/resources. You haven't finished what you
started.
*I have shot my bolt. I'm afraid I'm unable to come up with any more ideas.
The bolt' in the expression refers to the short, heavy arrow used in a crossbow. I understand that
once an archer had shot his bolt', he was virtually defenceless because reloading his crossbow
was a time-consuming process. The bolt was shot only when the archer was certain of hitting his
target. Shakespeare was referring to the arrow when he used the expression in Henry V: A fool's
bolt is soon shot.
How is the word acquiesce' pronounced?
The a' sounds like the a' in ant', apple', and sat', and the qui' is pronounced like the qui' in
quit', quiz', and quick'. The e' is like the e' in set', pet' and bet', while the final sce' sounds
like the s' in sip', sin' and sit'. The word is pronounced a-kwi-ES' with the stress on the final
syllable. Acquiesce is mostly used in formal contexts to mean to reluctantly accept or agree
to something. The word comes from the Latin acquiescere' meaning to become quiet'. One
usually acquiesces in' or to' something.
*When the plan failed, the officers acquiesced in the cover-up.
What is the meaning of the word gelotology'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this word. The first syllable rhymes with the words
tell', bell', and sell', while the following o' is like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced
je-le-TO-le-ji' with the stress on the third syllable. It comes from the Greek gelos' meaning

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laughter'. Gelotology studies the effects of laughter on the human body. I wonder how
gelotologists' react when someone tells them that their research is a laughing matter!
What is the difference between fable' and parable'?
Both are used to refer to short tales told to illustrate or teach a moral principle: the stories are
told not necessarily to entertain the audience, but to teach them a lesson. The word fable' comes
from the Latin fabula' meaning to speak, say'. The main characters in a fable usually consist of
animals behaving like human beings. Every story of Aesop's, for example, has a moral, and
sometimes it is stated explicitly at the end. Slow and steady wins the race' is the lesson that the
story of the hare and tortoise teaches us. In the case of a parable', the characters who appear in
the story are all human beings facing some sort of moral dilemma.
The word comes from the Greek parabole' meaning comparison'. The reader/listener is meant
to compare the characters in the story with those in real life, and is often asked to figure out the
moral for himself. Religious texts frequently make use of parables.
I used to think that the brain was the most wonderful organ in my body. Then I realized who
was telling me this. Emo Phillips
How is the word entourage' pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word on', and the second like the word to'. The a'
sounds like the a' in father', path', and bath', and the final ge' like the s' in measure',
pleasure' and treasure'. The word is pronounced ON-tu-raazh' with the stress on the first
syllable. This is one way of pronouncing the word. Whenever an important person goes
somewhere, he always has several people accompanying him. For example, when the Prime
Minister visits another country, he is usually accompanied by a few ministers from his
Cabinet, and by the members of his own family. These people who go along with the Prime
Minister are part of his entourage.
The film star and the members of her entourage walked in two hours late.

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What is the meaning and origin of lived up to its billing'?
In the old days, promoters used posters and leaflets to let the public know that a new play was
going to be staged soon. These various forms of advertisements were called bills'. When a well-
known actor played the leading role, his name was written rather prominently; sometimes, it
appeared at the top of the poster or leaflet. It is from this practice that we get the expression top
billing'. When you say that a movie lived up to its billing, you mean it lived up to your
expectations. In other words, the show was as good as the bill' (advertisement) claimed it
would be.
I saw the film yesterday. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to its billing.
What is the meaning of vegan'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this word. The e' is like the ee' in fees', bees' and
sees', and the following a' is like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced VEE-gen' with the
stress on the first syllable.
Donald Watson, the founder of the Vegan Society, coined this word in 1944. Like a vegetarian,
a vegan lives on a diet that excludes meat. But this individual is a lot more particular than a
vegetarian; unlike a vegetarian, a vegan avoids all animal products. He doesn't eat eggs,
butter or cheese and doesn't drink milk or honey. He is also rather fussy about his
wardrobe; he avoids leather, wool and fur.
Is it okay to say, He's been working in this office from March 2008'?
No, it isn't. The word that you have in mind is since' and not from'. When you say that someone
has been working in an office since March 2008', you mean that the individual started working
in March 2008 and still continues to work there. He has been working in that particular place for
over two years now. In such sentences, the word since' usually answers the question, when'.
For', on the other hand, answers the question how long'.
I've been in Hyderabad since March. (When did I come to Hyderabad?)

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I've been in Hyderabad for five months. (How long have I been in Hyderabad?)
It is however possible to use from' when you referring to the future. For example, you can say,
Nandini says that she will start teaching from September.'
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who
matter, don't mind. Dr. Seuss
What is the meaning and origin of plumb the depths'?
The idiom has several different meanings; we'll deal with just two of them here. When you
plumb the depths of something', you get to the bottom of it. As a result, you have a thorough
or complete understanding of things which other people may find difficult to comprehend.
*Some people are interested in plumbing the depths of the human mind.
The expression is also used to refer to the sad experiences that one undergoes in life.
*When his dog died, Chethan plumbed into the depths of despair.
The idiom comes from the world of sailing. In the old days, when a captain wished to know how
deep the water was, he ordered a crew member to drop the plumb line' overboard. This line'
was actually a rope to which a ball of lead had been attached. The Latin word for lead is
plumbum', hence the expression plumb the depths'.
How is the word fiance' pronounced?
The i' in the first syllable sounds like the i' in fit', bit', and sit', and the following a' is like the
a' in father', bath', and park'. The final syllable is pronounced like the word say'. The word is
pronounced fi-AAN-say' with the stress on the second syllable. The Americans, on the other
hand, pronounce the i' like the ee' in fees', bees' and sees'. They pronounce the word fee-
aan-SAY' with the stress on the third syllable. Fiance' refers to the woman a man is engaged
to, while fianc' (spelt with a single e') refers to the man a woman is engaged to.

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What is the meaning of shenanigans'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this word of Irish origin. The e' in the first syllable is
like the i' in sit', bit', and knit'. The next two syllables are pronounced like the word nanny',
and the following a' like the a' in china'. The final s' is like the z' in zip' and zoo'. The word
is pronounced shi-NA-ny-genz' with the stress on the second syllable.
The word is mostly used in informal contexts to refer to the dishonest practices or immoral
behaviour of an individual.
*All news channels have focussed on the shenanigans of Kalmadi and his associates.
According to one theory, the word comes from the Irish saying Shee nanna gasne meaning
the Shee are rattling the dishes. The Irish believed that Shee' were spirits, which took great
delight in moving furniture around in a house!
What is the difference between familiar with' and familiar to'?
When you say that you are familiar with a subject, you are implying that you know about it; you
have, in fact, a good knowledge of it. When you become familiar with someone', you behave in
a rather informal way with an individual: you become friendlier than is acceptable, and in the
process you do not give the respect that the person deserves.
*Use simple language. The audience may not be familiar with our jargon.
*The students are too familiar with the Vice Chancellor.
Just as people are familiar with things, things are familiar to' people, in other words,
recognizable'.
*Does the smell seem familiar to you?
A man wonders what the future holds in store, a woman wonders what the stores hold in
future. Carol Rumsey

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Know Your English
Looks like your favourite cricketer has scored another double century.
Yes. Sachin has been in fantastic form of late.
He certainly has. That was a mean little innings he played in...
Mean? How can you accuse Sachin of being mean? He's ...
I didn't say Sachin was mean. I said his innings was mean. By that, I mean, excellent' or
skilful'.
Really? So, can I say, Sachin plays a mean game of cricket?
You certainly can. By the way, such use of the word mean' is considered slang. My friend
Badal is a mean bridge player.
I think I understand now. So tell me, how is your new boss? Is he mean?
It's a she. Most people think she's pretty laid-back.
Laid-back? Are you saying she's lazy?
No, no. That's not what laid-back means. When you say that someone is laid-back, you mean
that the person is calm and relaxed.
In other words, he never gets flustered.
Right! He may have problems, but he doesn't show it. Whenever you see this person, you get
the impression he doesn't have a care in the world.
I see. How about this example? I like to spend time with my cousin Indu. She's pretty laid-
back.
My cousin Gopal is anything but laid-back.

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I know. He worries about everything, and he gets others around him worried too.
Most people in my office are like Gopal. So it's nice to have a boss who is laid-back.
But do you think she will be able to handle the pressure of...?
I don't see why not. Just because someone is laid-back doesn't mean she can't handle pressure.
She could be one tough cookie.
That' true.
And you know what they say. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going? What does it mean?
The first 'going' refers to the situation or circumstances. When the circumstances become tough
or difficult..
The people who are tough or brave get going.
Exactly!
But where do these tough people go?
They don't go anywhere. It means they work harder to solve the problem. They swing into
action.
In other words, people who are tough will never give up. No matter how difficult the situation,
they will face it bravely.
That's right. Whenever our team is in trouble, everyone turns to Tendulkar and Dravid. And
these two usually come through. You know what they say...
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Any idea who came up with the saying?

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Many people believe it was Joseph Kennedy, the father of President John F Kennedy, who
came up with it.
That's interesting. Did you manage to meet your friend Ram?
I tried to. I went to his house, actually. I saw that terrible bore Chandu talking to him. So I
decided to leg it.
Leg it? Does it mean to run away from something?
It could be someone or something. When the robbers saw the policemen, they decided to leg it.
Most students leg it when they see the Principal coming.
Forget love.I'd rather fall in chocolate. Unknown
September 2010
What is the meaning and origin of wild card' in tennis?
During the recent U.S Open, several promising American players were given a wild card so that
they could participate in the tournament. A wild card' is usually given to someone who has
failed to qualify for the event: the player's ranking is so low that he doesn't make the main draw
automatically. Tournament organisers usually give a wild card to an up-and-coming player from
their own country or to someone who has performed well in the past. In 2001, Goran Ivanisevic
was given a wild card by the Wimbledon authorities, and he went on to win the title. He is the
only wild card to have won a Grand Slam event.
The expression comes from the world of cards. A wild card is like a joker; you can assign it any
value that you want to. In other words, the person who has the wild card can use it to represent
any card that he wishes to. In the case of tennis, it is the tournament organizers who are assigning
the player a value that he is good enough to be part of the main draw. The word can also be
spelt wildcard'.

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What is the difference between scoot down' and scoot over'?
Both expressions are used in informal contexts. When you ask someone to scoot down' to some
place, you are telling him to go there quickly.
Why don't you scoot down to the supermarket and get a loaf of bread?
I'll scoot down to the library and pick up a couple of books.
When you ask someone who is sitting to scoot over', you are requesting him to move over so
that you can sit down as well. This happens quite frequently when we are travelling by train.
Sheba was too scared to ask Vikram to scoot over.
I'm sorry. I'm not going to scoot over. I need my space.
How is the word lacunae' pronounced?
Lacunae' is the plural form of lacuna'. The a' in the first and third syllable of lacuna' sounds
like the a' in china', while the cu' in the second syllable is pronounced like the word cue'. The
word is pronounced le-CUE-ne' with the stress on the second syllable. The final nae' in
lacunae' sounds like the word knee': the plural form is pronounced le-CUE-knee'. The word
comes from the Latin lacuna' meaning hole' or pit'. In English, lacuna' is mostly used in
formal contexts to mean gap' or deficiency'. When you say that there is a lacuna in a report, you
mean there is something missing.
The lawyer argued there was a lacuna in the witness' version of the events.
In most political parties, there is a lacuna of leadership at the top.



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Is it okay to say, The lawyers demanded the judge to take action against the
police'?
No, it isn't. One can demand something', but one cannot demand someone to do something'.
Careful users of the language would say, The lawyers demanded that the judge take action
against the police'. Similarly, we can say, The students demanded that the Vice Chancellor
postpone the exams', and not, The students demanded the Vice Chancellor to postpone the
exams'.
Being a woman is a terribly difficult task since it consists principally in dealing with men.
J oseph Conrad
How is the word repertoire' pronounced?
The e' in the first syllable is like the e' in net', met', and let', while the second e' sounds like
the a' in china'. The o' is pronounced like the w' in when', why' and what', and the final ire'
like the a' in bath', father', and path'. The word is pronounced RE-pe-twaa' with the stress on
the first syllable. This is just one of the ways of pronouncing the word. Repertoire' comes from
the Latin repertorium' meaning inventory'.
The word was originally used to refer to the list of plays, songs or dances that an artist or a group
was capable of performing. Nowadays, the word is being used to refer to the skills that an
individual has which enables him to perform different tasks.
*Surabhi's repertoire is limited when it comes to cooking.
What is the origin of whistleblower'?
A whistle-blower is someone who informs his superiors of the illegal activities that are going on
in an organisation. This informant, by exposing the wrongdoing, hopes to put an end to it. If the
powers-that-be do not take action, then the whistleblower may choose to take matters into his
owns hands and inform the media.

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Jeffrey Wigan is the whistle-blower who let the world know how tobacco companies
manipulated the use of nicotine in their cigarettes.
*There is a need to protect whistle-blowers in our country.
The expression comes from the practice adopted by Bobbies', English policeman. In the old
days, every policeman carried a whistle with him, and he would blow on it whenever he saw a
crime taking place.
This was to alert the other Bobbies who were in the vicinity.
Is it true that the word curds' doesn't exist in native varieties of English?
No, it is not true. Do you remember the nursery rhyme Little Miss Muffet'? According to the
rhyme, this little girl was sitting on a tuffet and eating her curds and whey'. A tuffet, by the way,
is a small stool, and dictionaries define whey' as the watery part of milk that remains after the
formation of curds. Although it exists, native speakers prefer to use the word yoghurt' instead
of curds'.
What is the difference between give up' and give in'?
People usually give in' to someone or something. If you are having an argument with a friend,
and you give in', it means you concede. In other words, you cave in'. You accept your friend's
point of view, though you really don't want to. When a person gives in', he usually does so
reluctantly.
*When Ganguly saw Namratha crying, he gave in.
*The CEO refused to give in to the demands of the workers.
In some contexts, the phrase has the same meaning as hand in'.
*You must give in your assignment by Monday.

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When you give up' doing something, you quit or stop doing it; especially something that you
have been doing regularly. In this case, the quitting may be voluntary or forced.
*If I wish to complete the project on time, I have to give up tennis.
*My doctor has told me to give up smoking.
I 'm not a real movie star. I 've still got the same wife I started out with twenty-eight years
ago. Will Rogers
What is the meaning of be on the horns of a dilemma'?
The expression has more or less the same meaning as between the devil and the deep blue sea'.
When you are on the horns of a dilemma, you have to choose between two rather unpleasant
options; no matter what you choose, you end up losing.
*If I sell the shares now, I won't make a profit. If I don't sell them, I won't be able to repay the
loan. I'm on the horns of a dilemma.
The word dilemma' comes from the Greek dilemma' meaning double proposition', and the
expression horns of a dilemma' comes from the world of rhetoric. In a debate, when you present
your opponent a dilemma', you provide him with two choices. It does not matter which option
he chooses to respond to because either way he will lose the argument; he is in a no-win
situation. You are asking your opponent to choose between two horns of a bull, and whichever
one he chooses, he is going to be gored.
What is the difference between worrisome' and worrying'?
In terms of meaning, there is no difference. Americans seem to prefer worrisome' in formal
contexts. In British English, worrying' is the preferred form; worrisome' is seldom used by the
English because it is considered to be rather old fashioned.
*The Minister said that the increase in petty crime was worrisome indeed.

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How is the word realtor' pronounced?
The e' is like the ee' in fees', bees', and knees', and the a' and o' that follow like the a' in
china'. The word is pronounced REE-el-te' with the stress on the first syllable. In American
English, realty' is synonymous with real estate'. A realtor', therefore is someone who deals in
real estate; unlike the real estate agent' in India, he is a professional who is licensed to sell real
estate.
What is the meaning of cul-de-sac'?
First, let us deal with the pronunciation of the word. The first word rhymes with dull', null', and
gull'. The e' in de' sounds like the i' in sick', pick', and chick', while the sac' is pronounced
like the word sack'. The word is pronounced KUL-di-sack' with the stress on cul'. Cul' comes
from the Latin culus' meaning bottom'; the expression literally means bottom of the sack'. A
cul-de-sac' is a dead-end street.
*The young couple moved into a house on a quiet cul-de-sac.
In everyday contexts, the word is used to refer to any situation where progress is no longer
possible; you have reached a stalemate or an impasse.
*The two parties have backed themselves into a cul-de-sac.
Is it okay to say, I teach 18 hours in a week'?
When a doctor writes out a prescription for us, what are his usual instructions? Does he say,
Take these tablets three times a day' or Take these tablets three times in a day'? It is usually the
former. With expressions of frequency and duration, we generally don't use in'. One teaches 18
hours a week, and not 18 hours in a week'.
*Ganesh calls his mother five times a day.
Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time reading it. Moses
Hadas

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Know Your English
What a terrific downpour we had last night. It was quite amazing, wasn't it?
It certainly was. The wind knocked down a couple of trees, and we didn't have power all night.
Really? We were very lucky, then. We didn't have power for half an hour.
But that must have been enough to send your sister into a postmodem depression.
Postmodem depression! What kind of depression is that?
The kind of depression that some people go into when they realise they are unable to access the
internet.
My cousin Mohan went into a postmodem depression when he was visiting us. He wanted to
update his Facebook account, and he just couldn't log in. He was so depressed, he didn't talk to
us for a couple of hours.
When my colleague went to the village to see his parents, he went into a postmodem
depression.
Mohan cheered up only after he got a message on his cell phone from his friend.
It must have given him textual satisfaction.
Textual satisfaction? What are you talking about?
What is it that most people do nowadays when they come out of a meeting or class?
I can tell you what I do. Usually, I take out my cell phone and check if I have any messages or
missed calls.
And when you find that you do, how do you feel?

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I feel absolutely thrilled. I'm happy to know that someone was thinking of me while I was in
class.
That's what textual satisfaction is. It's the satisfaction you get when you realise that you have a
missed call or a new message.
How about this example? I had textual satisfaction on my birthday. My friends were sending me
messages all day long.
Textual satisfaction is something that people of my generation don't understand, I'm afraid. Did
you get many presents on your birthday?
I certainly did. Some of the gifts were extremely difficult to open. It drove me crazy.
The anger that you sometimes feel trying to unwrap something is called wrap rage'.
I see. That's a nice term. The video game that my parents had bought was so tightly packed that
it took me nearly twenty minutes to open it. That was the first time I ever experienced wrap
rage.
I understand wrap rage is quite common in the U.S. and Britain during Christmas.
That's not at all surprising. I'm sure...
Whenever I buy something for my grandparents, I always repack it so that it's easy to open. I
certainly don't want them to experience wrap rage.
I wish some of my friends had done the same. By the way, did you send me a gift?
Wishful thinking. But I did call, remember?
That's right! But it's cheaper to send a message.
True, but it takes me too long. I'm textually challenged.
Textually challenged? Does it mean you find it difficult to text?

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Yes, it does. Someone who is textually challenged finds it difficult to send messages on his cell.
He makes the receiver wait because it takes him a long time to type out a simple message.
I guess that's the reason my grandfather never responds to my messages. He's textually
challenged.
That may be true.
In examinations, those who do not wish to know ask questions of those who cannot tell.
Walter Raleigh
October 2010
How is bte noire' pronounced?
The bte' is pronounced like the word bet', and the o' in noire' is like the w' in wet', was'
and will'. The final ire' sounds like the a' in path', bath', and ask'. One of the ways of
pronouncing the word is bet NWAA', with the stress on noire'. The word is of French origin,
and it literally means black beast'. When you say that something is your bte noire, you mean it
is something that you avoid or detest. The object or person is a great source of annoyance.
*The new Vice-Chancellor is the bte noire of all feminists on campus.
*Madhu's particular bte noire is a sink full of dirty dishes.

What is the meaning and origin of brevity is the soul of wit'?
The expression means that when you tell a joke or a funny story, make sure to keep it brief. In
other words, if your joke or anecdote is extremely long, people will lose interest in it by the time
you get to the punch line.
*I always make it a point to keep my funny stories as short as possible. After all, brevity is the
soul of wit.

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At the party, Revathi bored us with her terrible jokes. She probably doesn't realise that brevity is
the soul of wit.
The expression was coined by William Shakespeare in Hamlet'. Polonius, the king's chief
counsellor, informs Hamlet's mother that her son is mad. This is what he says: Therefore, since
brevity is the soul of wit, And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes, I will be brief: your
noble son is mad. During Shakespeare's time, wit' meant knowledge or intelligence. The
dramatist was telling speakers and writers to communicate in as clear a manner as possible, using
as few a words as possible.
What is the meaning of cataclysm'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this word. The first syllable is pronounced like the word
cat', and the a' and the y' that follow are like the a' in china'. The s' sounds like the z' in
zoo', zip', and zoo'. This rather literary word is pronounced CAT-e-klizem' with the stress on
the first syllable. The word is mostly used to refer to any large scale destruction brought about by
natural causes earthquakes, floods, etc. A social movement which brings about sweeping
changes can also be called cataclysm'.
*Ravi's new book deals with some of the cataclysmic events of the 18
th
century.
What is the meaning of shadowboxing'?
When a fighter shadowboxes, he throws punches at an imaginary opponent. As he is only
pretending to be boxing, he merely throws punches into the air. When you accuse someone of
shadowboxing' with a problem, you are implying that he is only pretending to be dealing with it.
He is, in your opinion, evading the issue.
*The Chief Minister, instead of dealing with the problem, is merely shadow boxing.



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Is there a difference between proper question' and question proper'?
Yes, there is. When you say, It was the proper question to ask', you mean it was the appropriate
or correct question to ask. When you say, The question proper has not been answered', you are
implying that the question itself has not been answered.
My face looks like a wedding cake left out in the rain. W.H. Auden
KYE PART I I
Know Your English - November 2010
What is the meaning of cyber hoarding'?
When you hoard something, you collect large amounts of it and hide it in a safe place. In the
past, it was common practice among retailers to hoard sugar, wheat, rice, etc. A cyber hoarder is
someone who collects a lot of meaningless things and stores them on his computer. In this case,
the things he saves are emails, word documents and pictures he himself has taken or received
from others. Although he may never look at any of these items, he will not delete them. He will
go on collecting a lot of junk.
*Cyber hoarding is something I don't believe in. As soon as I've answered an email, I delete it.
What is the difference between gulp back' and gulp down'?
When you gulp down' something, you swallow large amounts of it very quickly. When a person
gulps down his food, he makes little or no effort to chew it he merely swallows sizable chunks.
*The principal gulped down a cup of coffee before rushing off to the airport.
When you gulp back' something, you force it back. For example, when you gulp back the tears,
you attempt to hold them back.
*Rohan had a difficult time gulping back the sobs while watching the movie.

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What is the meaning of clarion call'?
A clarion is a trumpet with a narrow tube which makes a very shrill sound when blown. The
word comes from the Latin clarus' meaning clear', and the high pitched trumpet was mostly
used in the past to alert soldiers during battles. In everyday contexts, the expression clarion call'
is used to mean an urgent demand for action. The a', by the way, in clarion' sounds like the a'
in cat', bat', and hat'.
*The minister issued a clarion call to the students to join the protest.
Is it okay to say on the anvil'?
Pincode guidebook for Pune on the anvil. Such headlines are frequently seen in Indian
newspapers. But what is an anvil? When a blacksmith wants to shape a piece of metal, he usually
places it on a heavy block of iron and hammers away at it. This heavy block of iron is called
anvil'. The expression on the anvil' is frequently used in India to mean that something is about
to begin or something is on the cards. For example, New stadium on the anvil for Hyderabad'
means the authorities are considering building a new stadium. The expression on the anvil',
according to experts, is an Indianism. It is seldom used or heard in native varieties of English.
What is the meaning of my way or the highway'?
This is an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts. When you tell someone that it is
either my way or the highway', you are giving the individual an ultimatum. You are telling him
that if he doesn't do what you want him to, he can take the highway in other words, he can get
lost. There is no question of compromise.
*Seema's my way or the highway attitude makes it difficult to work with her.
*I don't want any more arguments. It's my way or the highway.
He who believes that the past cannot be changed has not yet written his memoirs. Torvald
Gahlin

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Why does put up your dukes' mean put up your fists'?
When an American tells you to put up your dukes', he wants you to put up your fists and get
ready to fight. We have to thank the Duke of Wellington, the man who defeated Napoleon
Bonaparte in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, for this expression. According to historians, the
Duke, though quite the ladies man, wasn't really much to look at. Apparently, the only notable
feature on his not-so-handsome face was his rather prominent nose. The officers and the men
who served under Wellington began to affectionately refer to any nose which was unusually long
as duke'. With the passage of time, however, the word began to be used to refer to any nose; the
size was no longer considered important. Since human fists were frequently employed in fights
to put a duke' out of joint, fists began to be called duke busters'. Soon, the word busters' was
dropped, and everyone started referring to fists as dukes'. What a radical change in meaning.
*Come on Chethan, be a man! Put up your dukes.
What is the meaning of diva'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this word. The i' is like the ee' in fees' and bees', and
the a' like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced DEE-ve' with the stress on the first
syllable. It comes from the Latin diva' meaning goddess' or divine', and it is usually used to
refer to a distinguished woman singer. Initially, it was only used with those who sang in operas,
but nowadays it is used with lady performers who sing any form of popular music jazz, rock,
pop, etc.
*The well-known pop diva, Madonna, will be performing at the show.
The word is also being used to refer to a woman celebrity who thinks no end of herself, and is
therefore very difficult to please.
*I'd be careful if I were you. She has the reputation of being a bit of a diva.


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What is the difference between headmaster' and principal'?
In Commonwealth countries, the word headmaster' is mostly used to refer to the senior most
teacher who is in charge of a school it could be a public (Government) or a private school. In
the United States, the title headmaster' is mostly used to refer to the man who is in charge of a
private school. Unlike the word headmaster', the word principal' is not limited to just schools
it can be used with someone who in charge of a school or a college.
How is the word circa' pronounced?
The first syllable cir' is pronounced like the word sir'. The second c' sounds like the k' in
kiss', kill' and kid' and the a' is like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced SIR-ke' with
the stress on the first syllable. When you say that a play was written circa 1350, you mean that it
was written roughly around that time. You are not really sure of the exact date. It comes from the
Latin circa' meaning around, about the time of'. The word is mostly used with dates in formal
contexts.
*It is difficult to say. A few scholars claim he was born circa 300 BC.
What's on your mind, if you'll forgive the overstatement? Fred Allen
Know Your English - December 2010
What is the meaning of open a can of worms'?
When you open a can of worms, you are creating problems for yourself or for someone else. You
are making the existing situation worse than what it is. One may create this problem intentionally
or unintentionally. It is also possible to say open up a can of worms'.
*The statement by the Minister has opened up a can of worms.
*Please don't even mention his sister. If you do, you'll be opening a can of worms.

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In the U.S, it was common practice for stores near the lake side to make fresh bait available for
those interested in fishing. Earthworms were dug up, put in cans, and sold. When the fisherman
opened the can, some of the wriggling worms fell out. Picking the slimy things up, and putting
them back in the can was not an easy thing to do. By opening the can of worms, the fisherman
had created problems for himself.
How is the word eulogy' pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word you', and the following o' like the a' in china'.
The g' sounds like the j' in jam', juice', and jump', and the final y' like the i' in it', bit', and
sit'. The word is pronounced YOU-le-ji' with the stress on the first syllable. It comes from the
Greek eulogia' meaning good or fine language'.
A eulogy is usually a speech given at someone's funeral or at the time of his retirement. The
speech or the piece of writing is usually highly complimentary; it praises the individual to the
skies. Eulogies can be written about things as well.
*I hated the man. How can you expect me to write his eulogy
What is the origin of the word indigo'?
The word indigo' comes from the Greek indikos' meaning from India'. Why did the Greeks
associate this bluish purple colour with India? I understand that our country was the primary
supplier of the indigo dye to the Greeks and most other nations in Europe.
What is the meaning of gone for a toss'?
Very often we hear someone saying, My new cell phone has gone for a toss' or My plans went
for a toss.' What do they mean by this? Well, when a teenager says that his cell phone has gone
for a toss, he means that it has stopped working or that it is not working properly. Similarly,
when someone's plans go for a toss, things don't go the way he/she had anticipated or planned.
This frequently heard expression is used only in India; native speakers of English do not say

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gone for a toss'. They would probably use the word haywire' in some of the contexts. They
would say, My cell phone has gone haywire' and My plans went haywire'.
What is the difference between tread on' and tread upon'?
As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference between the two. When you tread (up)
on someone or something, you step on the person or thing. Tread upon' is considered the more
formal of the two.
*We've just watered the lawn. Please don't tread (up) on it.
Balancing the budget is like going to heaven. Everybody wants to do it, but nobody wants to do
what you have to do to get there. Phil Gramm
What is the meaning and origin of the expression play possum?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of possum'. The o' is like the o' in hot', cot', and got',
and the u' like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced PO-sem' with the stress on the first
syllable. When you play possum', you either pretend to be asleep or dead.
*When he saw the bear, the hunter lay down on the ground and played possum.
*I don't think Renu wants to help us with the cleaning. She's in bed playing possum.
An opossum' or possum' is a small furry animal which when threatened, pretends to be dead. It
goes into a coma-like state: the body becomes stiff, and a foul smell emanates from it. Even
when its attacker rolls it around and prods it, it shows no signs of life. Thinking that the animal is
dead, the would-be-attacker moves on. The possum emerges from its coma-like state sometime
later, and goes about its business.
How is the expression higgledy piggledy' pronounced?
Higgle' and piggle' rhyme with the words giggle' and jiggle', and the final y' in both cases is
pronounced like the i' in bit', sit', and kit'. The word is pronounced higl-di PIGL-di' with the

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main stress on pig'. When you say that things are higgledy-piggledy, you mean that everything
is in a state of disorder; things are mixed up and rather untidy.
Some scholars believe that the expression comes from the messy state that a pig sty is usually in.
*Rajeevan's clothes and files were strewn on the floor higgledy-piggledy.
*The higgledy-piggledy row of houses by the roadside was an eyesore.
Is there a difference in meaning between I haven't had problems with the
students so far' and till now'?
Yes, there is a difference in meaning. The first sentence suggests that the students have not given
you any trouble at all. You maintain a good relationship with them. When you say that you
haven't had a problem with the students till now, it seems to imply that you have a problem with
them now. The students are giving you trouble for the first time.
*We've lived here for 25 years. We've haven't had water problems so far.
*Jyothi has never been late for an appointment till now.
What is the meaning of Cassandra'?
Cassandra was a Trojan princess; she was the sister of Paris, the man who fell in love with the
beautiful Helen. According to Greek mythology, Apollo falls in love with Cassandra, and as a
token of his love gives her the gift of seeing into the future. Unfortunately for Apollo, Cassandra
has no interest in him; so the angry god puts a curse on her. Although she will be able to see into
the future, no one will believe whatever predictions she makes. So much so, when Cassandra
predicts Helen's arrival will bring about the destruction of Troy, no one believes her. When she
pleads with Priam, the King of Troy, not to drag the giant wooden horse left behind by the
Greeks, into the city of Troy, he ignores her warning. Nowadays, the name is used in everyday
contexts to mean someone whose constant warnings go unheeded.

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Basic research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing. Werner von
Braun
Know Your English - January 2011
What is the difference between con someone into something' and con
someone out of something'?
Both expressions are mostly used in informal contexts. When you con someone into doing
something', you trick him into doing it. In other words, you deceive the individual into doing
something that he may not really want to. It is also possible to con oneself'.
*The salesman conned Vijaya into buying worthless shares.
*Rajiv conned himself into believing that everything was just fine.
When you con someone out of something', you trick or deceive the person into giving you
something it is usually something valuable that he/she has.
*The young man conned the old lady out of her savings.
*Don't go to Shiva for advice. He'll con you out of the money?
What is the meaning and origin of sail under false colours'?
This expression comes from the world of sailing. When you sail under false colours, you pretend
to be something that you are not; you try to achieve your goal through deception.
*Amrit, the smart cookie, figured out that Hamsa was sailing under false colours.
*Vidya claimed to be an expert in the subject. But he was sailing under false colours.
The colours' in the expression refers to the flag on a ship. It was standard practice for all ships to
display the flag of the country they were from. The only people who didn't always follow this
rule were pirates. If a pirate wanted to plunder a ship from Spain, he lowered the Jolly Roger (the

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black pirate flag with a skull and crossbones on it), and hoisted the Spanish flag in its place. This
trick of sailing under a false flag enabled him to get close to the Spanish ship. When the two
ships were within striking distance, the pirate lowered the Spanish flag and raised the Jolly
Roger.
How is the word conglomerate' pronounced?
There seem to be different ways of pronouncing this word. The British tend to pronounce the
first o', the first e' and the a' like the a' in china'. The o' in the second syllable sounds like the
o' in cot', hot', and not', while the final e' remains silent. The word is pronounced ken-GLO-
me-ret' with the stress on the second syllable. Some people drop the vowel in the third syllable
and pronounce the word ken-GLOM-ret'. The word comes from the Latin conglomerare'
meaning to roll together' or wind into a ball'.
The term is frequently heard in the world of business. Several small companies coming together
to form a relatively large business is called a conglomerate'. The products or services offered by
these small independent companies are usually varied.
*According to this article, Reliance is one of the biggest conglomerates in India.
Is it okay to say, The film has its moments'?
Yes, it is. When you say that a film has its moments, you mean that it isn't a really good film. It
isn't a terrible movie either; some parts of it are quite enjoyable. Though the film has scenes
which are quite entertaining, they are few and far between.
*My favourite rock band's latest album isn't great, but it has its moments.
No man is truly married until he understands every word his wife is NOT saying. Edgar
Watson Howe



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What is the difference between comptroller' and controller'?
Thanks to the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) report, the word comptroller' is being
used by the media every day. Of course, some of our politicians have been going ballistic
whenever they hear this word. In terms of meaning, there is no difference between comptroller'
and controller'. One of the meanings of controller' is someone who is in charge of the financial
accounts of an organisation. This is what a comptroller' does as well. The word comes from the
French contreroule' meaning counter roll'. In French, contre' means account'; in the past, a
comptroller was someone who checked the financial ledgers of an organisation. Nowadays the
word is used to refer to someone who is responsible for supervising the quality of accounting
and financial reporting of an organisation.' By the way, comptroller' is pronounced like the word
controller'.
What is the meaning and origin of neck and crop'?
This is an expression which is frequently used by our cricket commentators. When you say that a
batsman was beaten neck and crop, you mean that he was completely beaten. This rather old
fashioned expression is seldom used by native speakers of English.
Teja was on 99 when he was bowled neck and crop.
Though there are many theories, nobody is really sure about the origin of this expression. Some
believe it comes from the world of horse riding. When a horse suddenly stops without any
warning, the rider is sent flying headlong over the animal's head. The word crop' in the
expression refers to the horse's throat'. The poor rider goes over the horse's head and throat.
Others believe that it is not the rider, but the horse that falls. They argue that the original
expression was neck and croup'; the word croup' referring to the backside of the horse. When a
horse falls neck and crop', both its neck and backside hit the ground.



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How is the word raucous' pronounced?
The rauc' rhymes with the words walk' and talk', and the following ou' sounds like the a' in
china'. The word is pronounced ROCK-es' with the stress on the first syllable. It can be used to
refer to any sound that is harsh and unpleasantly loud; a sound which is annoying to the ear.
The infant started crying when he heard Vidya's raucous laughter.
Raucous is also frequently used to mean boisterous and disorderly'.
Although the neighbours complained several times, the raucous party went on all night.
Which is correct: Let's go to the movie' or Let's go to the movies'?
Both are correct; the two sentences, however, have a different meaning. When you say, Let's go
to the movie', you have a particular film in mind, and you want to go and see it. You are
suggesting to your friend that the two of you should go and see the film. When you say Let's go
to the movies', you are suggesting to your friend that perhaps the two of you should go to the
cinema. You don't have a particular film in mind: you are suggesting that you should perhaps go
to see a movie any movie.
You talk to God, you're religious. God talks to you, you're psychotic. Doris Egan
What is the meaning of Kilkenny cats'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this word. The first syllable sounds like the word kill',
while the second rhymes with the words pen', ten', and den'. The final y' is like the i' in it'
and bit'. The word is pronounced kill-KEN-i' with the stress on the second syllable. When you
say that two people fought like Kilkenny cats, you mean they fought valiantly till the bitter end.
The two political parties fought like Kilkenny cats over the matter.
Kilkenny is actually the name of a small town in Ireland. According to one theory, the people in
this town took great delight in tying the tails of two cats together and enjoyed watching the

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terrified animals fight each other in order to get free. If the stories doing the rounds are to be
believed, on one occasion, the two cats ended up eating each other the only thing that remained
were the tails' of the two animals. A tall tale indeed!
How is the word dossier' pronounced?
The first syllable doss' rhymes with the words toss', boss', and cross'. The following i' is like
the i' in sit', knit', and kit', and the final er' sounds like the letter a'. The word is pronounced
DOSS-i-a' with the stress on the first syllable. A dossier is a file containing information about a
person or about something important.
I'm sure we have a dossier on our main political rival.
What is the difference between bravado' and 'bravery'?
Both bravery' and bravado' are derived from the Italian bravo' meaning brave' or bold'. The
similarity ends there; the two words have very different meanings. Bravery is courage; it is a
quality which we all admire. It is not something which we all have, but something which we
wish we possessed. In films, bravery is a quality that a hero has. He acts fearlessly, and though
things may not go according to plan, his determined attitude does not diminish.
*Bravery is not something we can expect from our politicians.
As for bravado', first let's deal with the pronunciation of the word. The first a' is like the a' in
china', while the second sounds like the a' in path', bath', and fast'. The final syllable rhymes
with the words toe', no', and so'. The word is pronounced bre-VAA-doe' with the stress on the
second syllable. Politicians are not noted for their bravery; they are, however, well known for
their bravado in other words, they only pretend to be courageous. They put on an act of being
brave only for the sake of impressing or intimidating others.
What is the meaning of spinning one's wheels'?
This is something that all of us do sometime or the other. When your boss or your fellow worker
tells you that you've been spinning your wheels, he means that you've been wasting your time;

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you have not made progress of any kind. You have neither moved forward nor backward. You
are like a car with its wheels stuck in mud; the wheels keep moving, but the car remains
stationary. You've put in a lot of effort for nothing.
Sandhya is just spinning her wheels in this job. She needs to go back to college.
There are three kinds of men who do not understand women: Young, old, and middle-aged.
Unknown
Know Your English - January 2001
HOW IS the word ``blasi'' pronounced?
The ``a'' in the first syllable is pronounced like the ``a'' in ``bath'', ``path'', and ``calf''. The
``e'' is like the ``ay'' in ``day'', ``bay'', and ``say''. The ``s'' is pronounced like the ``z'' in
``zebra'', ``zoo'', and ``zip''. As for the main stress, some dictionaries have it on the first
syllable, while others have it on the second.
When you are blasi about something, you are not excited or worried about it; though
those around you may find it exciting or important, etc. Of course, this impression that
you create that you are bored and not excited could be just an act! Here are a few
examples.
* When Shyam's parents heard that he had won two million dollars, they were excited.
But Shyam himself was very blasi about it.
* Unlike her father, Sushmita is very blasi about parties.
* Bharath goes to America so often that he has become blasi about it.
Why is a person who helps deliver a child called a ``midwife''?
There are several theories about the origin of the word. Some people argue that the word ``mid''
stands for ``middle''; the midwife was a go between the child and the mother! Considering the

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fact that we live in an age when we need middlemen for everything - whether it is to buy guns
for the country, or fixing cricket matches- this explanation may appeal to many. Unfortunately it
is not accepted by the pundits.
An explanation that is accepted by many is the following. The word ``wife'' (though it was spelt
`wif' originally), I understand, in Old English meant ``woman''. In fact, the original word for
``woman'' was ``wifman'' - ``wif'' meaning ``woman'' and ``man'' meaning ``human being''. The
word ``mid'' comes from the Old English ``mid'' meaning ``with''. So, a ``midwife'', as you can
probably guess, was a ``woman'' who stayed ``with'' the mother and helped her deliver the child.
``Midwife'' is one of the few words left in the language where the original meaning of the ``wife''
is retained.
What is the meaning and origin of the expression ``show a leg''?
When you tell someone to ``show a leg'' what you want him/her to do is to get out of bed. Instead
of telling someone to ``wake up'', you can tell him/her to ``show a leg'' or ``shake a leg''. The
idiom has its origins in the British navy. Before 1840, when the rules were fairly lax, sailors were
sometimes permitted to take their wife/girlfriend along with them. While the sailors were
expected to report for duty early in the morning, the wives/girlfriends were allowed to sleep on
in the quarters down below. To ensure that a lazy sailor was not sleeping downstairs, an officer
went down to check. Whenever he came across someone sleeping and wasn't really sure if it was
a man or a woman under the covers, he used to shout, ``show a leg''. The person under the
blanket had to stick his/her leg out. If the leg that emerged looked like that of a woman's, she was
allowed to sleep, but if it looked like that of a man's, he was asked to get out of bed and report
for duty. So originally when someone asked you to ``show a leg'', all you had to do was to show
him/her your leg!
Around 1840, when regulations in the navy were changed, women were no longer permitted to
accompany the men. But the expression ``show a leg'' continued to be used. As time went on,
this idiom which was mainly used in the navy, became a part of everyday speech as well.


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What is the difference between ``emigrate'' and ``immigrate''?
If you, like thousands of people in this country, want to push off to the United States of America
and settle down there, then you wish to ``emigrate''. When you ``emigrate'', you leave your
country and settle down in another. If, on the other hand, you find an American wanting to come
down and settle in good old India, then he is said to ``immigrate''. When you ``immigrate'' you
come into another country. Let's look at the first example again - you leaving India to settle
down in the US. As far as the Indians are concerned, you are emigrating - you are leaving the
country for another. As far as the Americans are concerned, you are immigrating. You are
coming into their country in order to settle down. An individual emigrates from the land he
leaves and immigrates to the country he would like to settle down in. Remember, you emigrate
from and immigrate to.
Responses sent by readers to Jaya Meera's question which appeared in this column dated Dec. 5,
2000.
What is the question for `I am my father's second son'?''
How manyth son are you to your father? (B. Syam, Chennai)
Where do you stand among your brothers? (Murali Krishna, Secunderabad)
What is the order of your birth? (N. Dharmeshwaran, Guduvancherry)
What is your place in the line of your brothers and sisters? (G. B. Sajjan,
Bijapur)
In what rank are you amongst the children of your father? (K.
Santhanakrishnan, Chennai)
Beware of the man who goes to cocktail parties not to drink but to listen.'' - Pierre Daninos
S. UPENDRAN

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"HI I see that the house next door has now become an office. It has a nice
name too. Silent World."
"Silent World, indeed. It's a misnomer."
"A what?"
"M..i..s..n..o..m..e..r. The first syllable sounds like the word "miss", while the second sounds like
the word 'no'.""The final 'e' is like the 'a' in 'china', I suppose? But what does the word mean?"
"It means that something has been given the wrong name or designation."
"A wrong word has been used to describe something. Is that what you are saying?"
"I guess you could say that. For example, Silent World is a misnomer for the office next door. It
should be called 'Noisy World'. It is anything silent."
"Calling Agarkar an 'all rounder' is a misnomer."
"That's a pretty good example. But the stress in 'misnomer' is on the second syllable. Here's
another example. 'First class restaurant' is a misnomer for the run down place we have down the
street. And do you know..."
"...what's the matter with you today? Why do you look so grumpy?"
"Haven't you told me a million times that I always look grumpy?"
"Not this grumpy. Something go wrong with the presentation you made yesterday?"
"You're smarter than you look. But yes, the presentation went down like a lead balloon."
"Went down like a lead balloon, eh? Is that another way of saying that your presentation
flopped?"
"That's right. When you say that something went down like a lead balloon, it means that it was a
total disaster. It failed to be funny."
"You tried to make a funny presentation? That was a big mistake. You have no sense of humour.
Everyone knows that. Your jokes always go down like a lead balloon."
"They do not. Nobody has ever told me that my...."
".... remember the play you wrote a couple of years ago. You thought it was really funny. But
nobody else did. It went down like a lead balloon."
"Well if you keep insulting me like that, you will go down like a ton of bricks."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to insult you. But you ...."
"...Oh never mind. I guess it's about time I forgot all about the presentation."

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"Your presentations are usually good. At least that's what you claim. What went wrong this
time?"
"I just didn't have time to prepare. I'd spread myself too thin, and...."
".... spread yourself too thin? You certainly don't look it. If you ask me, you have put on weight."
"Spreading oneself too thin has nothing to do with putting on or losing weight. When you say
that you have spread yourself too thin, what you are implying is that you are doing too many
things at the same time."
"I see. And if you are doing too many things at the same time, then it isn't possible for you to
focus on anything in particular."
"Exactly!"
"Many of the students in my class have spread themselves too thin."
"Bala is teaching five courses this semester. I am afraid that he has spread himself too thin."
"I make it a point never to spread myself too thin."
"You are a completely different case. You make it a point to work as little as possible. Now
then,...."
"...o.k. Grumpy, did you ask the people what they thought of your presentation?"
"I did try to sound out a couple of people, but they weren't very...."
".... `sound out people'. That's an interesting expression."
"When you sound someone out, you...."
"....I think I can guess the meaning. When you sound someone out, you probably try and find out
what he/she thinks about something."
"Excellent. That's exactly what it means."
"Suresh was keen on knowing what Suparna thought of his new movie. He wanted me to sound
her out."
"That's a good example. My boss is planning to bring about big changes in our company. He
wants me to sound everyone out."
"...this presentation that you were making was for some private company, right?"
"That's right."
"Are you going to get paid for it?"
"Get paid for it? You must be joking. The poor owner is running it on a shoestring budget."
"A shoestring budget? What does that mean?"

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"When you run something on a shoestring it means that you running it at a very low cost. You
are running it on a small or inadequate budget."
"I see. And does this...."
"....let me give you another example. The ...."
"....let me try. My cousin started a restaurant on a shoestring budget."
"My uncle's company was able to produce high quality material on a shoestring budget."
"That's great! What's the company called?"
"Shoestring!"
``Water is composed of two gins - oxygin and hydrogin. Oxygin is pure gin. Hydrogin is gin and
water."
- A student in U.S.A.

Is it OK to say, "Myself Subh Karan"?
There is a tendency among Indians to say "Myself Ram" or "Myself Krishna". The word
"myself", "himself", "herself", etc should not come at the beginning of a sentence. You generally
use these words when you have "I", "him", and "her" at the beginning of a sentence. For
example.
*I made the pizza myself.
*She did the assignment herself.
*The young man washed himself.
*It would be ungrammatical to say: Myself made the pizza. / Herself did the assignment.
"Ladies may have a fit upstairs." {frac12} Notice outside a Hong Kong tailor shop.

What is the opposite of "postpone"?
I guess in the Indian context one would say that the opposite is "prepone". It is very common to
hear people say:
*The meeting has been preponed.
*I have decided to prepone my ticket.

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*The date of his wedding has been preponed.
Native speakers of English, on the other hand, tend to use the word "advanced" in these contexts.
*The meeting has been advanced.
*I have decided to advance the date of my journey.
*The date of his wedding has been advanced.
With so many Indians living abroad, I am sure the word "prepone" will soon become a part of
the native speakers' active vocabulary. I understand that the word has caught on in Canada. A lot
of doctors there use it.

Should I say, "I enclose" or "I enclose herewith"
Whenever someone applies for a job, it is standard practice to conclude the letter by saying, "I
am enclosing herewith my certificates and...". Some people object to the use of the word
"herewith"; they argue that it is redundant. They recommend that people say, "I enclose a copy
of....", or, "Please find enclosed a copy of ". But the fact remains that even native speakers of
English do say, "enclose herewith". The example provided by the Longman Dictionary of
Contemporary English for the word herewith is "I enclose herewith two copies of the contract".

How do you pronounce `schizophrenia'?
The word consists of four syllables. The first syllable is pronounced like the word "skit", while
the second is pronounced like the word "so". The third syllable sounds like the word "free";
while the final "ia" is like the "ear" in "near", "dear", and "fear". The main stress is on the third
syllable "phre". Some people pronounce the "o" in the second syllable like the "a" in "China".
Any idea what the word means? Schizophrenia is a mental disorder; people who withdraw into a
totally different world, one that has nothing to do with reality are said to be suffering from
schizophrenia. In informal speech, the word is often reduced to "schizo", although this may not
be the polite thing to do when talking seriously about someone with a mental disorder.




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What is the difference between "partially cooked" and "partly cooked"?
There is a tendency to use the words "partially" and "partly" interchangeably. But careful users
of the language make a distinction between the two. When you say that the rice has been
partially cooked, it implies that it has not been completely cooked. In other words, it has been
underdone; it needs to be boiled some more. On the other hand, when you say that it has been
"partly" cooked, it seems to suggest that while certain portions have been cooked properly, some
others have not been properly cooked. Perhaps some parts have been partially cooked! It is
possible for a person to eat rice that has been partly cooked; he can eat the portion that has been
cooked properly. You can also eat rice that has been partially cooked, but you may end up with a
stomach-ache.

What is the meaning and origin of the expression "Can't hold a candle to
someone"?
When you say that someone cannot hold a candle to you, what you are implying is that the other
person is not equal to you; he/she is in fact inferior to you. The expression can be used with
things as well. Here are a few examples.
*As a teacher, Satish can't hold a candle to Atul.
*According to Manaswini, no pop group can hold a candle to the Beatles.*Naveen thinks he's a
wonderful sitar player. The poor guy doesn't realise that he can't hold a candle to Shravan when
it comes to playing the sitar.
This is one of those expressions, which has been around for several hundred years. Before the
days of electricity, it was common practice to light candles after the sun went down. Since street
lighting was almost non-existent, the fairly well to do had servants who followed them
everywhere carrying a candle. It was also possible to hire "linkboys". These boys carried with
them lanterns and candles and they provided the necessary light for the people going from one
part of the town to another. Since the servants and the linkboys were looked down upon by the
masters, the expression "can't hold a candle to someone" began to mean someone who is inferior.



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How is the word "exposi" pronounced?
The first syllable "ex" is pronounced like the prefix "ex". The "o" in the second syllable is like
the "o" in "go", "so" and "no". The following "s" is like the "z" in "zoo", "zip" and "zing". The
final "i" sounds like the "ay" in "say", "gay", and "may". The stress is on the second syllable
"po". It is also possible to have the main stress on the final syllable. In order to do that, you must
pronounce the "o" in the second syllable like the "a" in "China" and "India". By the way, the
final "i" has an accent mark on it.
An exposi is generally a story in the mass media - radio, television, newspapers, etc - which
reveals the truth about something to the public. Here are a few examples.
*The exposi triggered off a parliamentary debate.
*We want an exposi of the shady deals of builders.
*The local newspaper relies on exposi to survive.
"Anytime four New Yorkers get into a cab together without arguing, a bank robbery has just
taken place." Johnny Carson.

Which is correct? "Co-brother" or "co son-in-law?"
Indians, particularly those from the south, use the terms "co- brother" and "co son-in-law" to
refer to one's wife's sister's husband. Native speakers of English however do not use these terms.
Co-brother and co-son in law are terms used in Indian English alone. If you were to introduce
someone as your "co- brother" to a native speaker of English, he/she would not understand you.
Within the Indian context, I guess, we can continue to use the terms.

What is the difference between "despise" and "hate"?
When you "hate" someone, you dislike the person intensely. Here are a few examples.
*I hate all politicians.
*There was a time when Reshma hated her Principal.
*When she was young, Janaki hated her sister.
"Despise" is a stronger word than "hate". When you say that you despise someone, it implies that
you "hate" that person, but it also carries with it the sense that you have contempt for him/her. In

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other words, when you hate someone, you dislike the individual intensely, but when you
"despise" him, you not only dislike him, but you also look down on him. So, when you despise
someone, you consider him being beneath you; you may think that the individual is worthless.
The word "hate" does not carry with it this negative connotation. You can hate someone who is
superior to you. Here are a few examples.
*Nandita despises her new boss.
*I am told that Tara despises the company I work for.

Can we say 7 into 20 is 140?
This is the standard practice in India. When we want to multiply, we say one of the following:
multiply, into, or times. Native speakers of English, on the other hand, tend to use either
"multiply" or "times". For example, a native speaker might say, "Three hundred and twenty
times twenty is six thousand four hundred" He may also say, "Three hundred and twenty times
twenty makes six thousand four hundred". For a simple sum like the one that you have given, the
native speaker would say, "Seven twenties are one hundred and forty". Notice that it isn't "is",
but "are". Two fives are ten. Three tens are thirty.
The word "into" is normally reserved for division and not multiplication. For a native speaker,
ten "into" one hundred and twenty would mean one hundred twenty divided by ten. The answer
in this case is twelve. But for many Indians the answer would be one thousand two hundred -
because we tend to associate "into" with multiplication.

WHAT IS the meaning and origin of the expression "to give someone an even
break"?
When you give someone an even break you are giving the person the same opportunities as
others to do something. In other words, you are giving a fair chance to the individual; you are
being impartial. Here are a few examples.
*Sarita has tonnes of talent. All she needs is someone to give her an even break and she could be
at the top.
*If you don't have a Godfather, then no one will be willing to give you the even break you need
to prove how good you are.

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*Prasanna gave the even break Sneha was desperately looking for. She will always be grateful to
him.
There are several explanations as to the origin of this expression. I will deal with only one here.
According to some scholars, the expression comes from the sport of dog racing. In the old days it
was common practice for people to take bets on whose dog was faster and which one was better
skilled at "hare coursing". In order to determine this, the owners held the animals tightly by the
leash and released them at the same time. This letting go of the leash at the same moment - so
that neither dog was at an advantage - was referred to as an "even break." In case you are
wondering what "hare coursing" is, well, a poor hare was let loose and the dogs were made to
chase and kill the frightened animal. A cruel sport, indeed! By giving the dogs an even break, the
faster and more skilled animal was likely to catch the hare. Later, the expression "to give
someone an even break" began to be used with horse racing as well. Here it refers to the clean
start to a race; where all the horses start off at the same time.
What do the initials FAQ stand?
You find this in many web sites. The letters stand for "frequently asked questions".
"If you want your spouse to listen and pay strict attention to every word you say, talk in your
sleep."- Anonymous

What is the difference between "martyr" and "victim"?
A martyr is someone who is killed or punished because of his religious or political beliefs. The
individual is willing to undergo any amount of suffering for the cause he believes in. Mahatma
Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. were assassinated because of their political beliefs. Whatever
be the reason - political, or religious - the individual in this case is usually punished or killed
intentionally.
A "victim", on the other hand, may or may not have any strong political or religious beliefs. He
may be killed or punished intentionally or accidentally. A person who is murdered is referred to
as a "victim" and so is an individual who dies in a road accident. The word "martyr" carries with
it the sense that the individual gave up his life voluntarily for the cause he believed in; that he
fought hard for his beliefs. A "victim" may been killed for no apparent reason. He could have

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merely been an individual who was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Is it OK to say, "Which class are you studying?"
This seems to be a common way of asking the question in our country. Most people accept it the
way it is - at least in speech. If you wish to be grammatically correct the word "in" is required.
You could either say, "In which class are you studying?" or "Which class are you studying in?" It
is also possible to ask a person, "Which class are you in?" Here are a few more examples.
* In which room did the murder take place?
* Which room did the murder take place in?

What is the meaning of "misogynist"? How do you pronounce the word?
The word "misogynist" is usually used to refer to a man who hates women. Here are a few
examples.
* Some scholars believe that Jack the Ripper was a misogynist.
* When his wife ran away with another man, Rahul became a misogynist.
* As expected, the misogynist didn't invite a single woman to the party.
A word about the pronunciation. The `i' in the first syllable is like the `i' in `hit', `bit', and `sit'.
The following `o' sounds like the `o' in `hot', `pot', and `lot'. The "y" in the third syllable is
pronounced like the "a" in "China", and "about". The "g", by the way, is like the "j" in "jam",
"Jew", and "jelly". The final "i" is like the "i" in "kit" and "pit". The main stress is on the second
syllable.
This word is another example of how male chauvinistic the English language is. "Misogynist" is
a fairly common word; most dictionaries include it. But not all dictionaries include the word,
which refers to a woman who hates men! Why? I guess women are supposed to like men.
Perhaps there are more women-hating men than men-hating women! Who knows! By the way,
do you know what a woman who hates men is called? "Misandrist".



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WHAT IS the meaning and origin of "red letter day"?
When you refer to something as being a "red letter day", it implies that it's a very important or a
very special day. As far as you are concerned, it's a day on which something memorable
happened or will happen. Here are a few examples.
* The day the school won the championship was a red letter day for us.
* Even after twenty-five years, Vasu considers his wedding day a red-letter day.
* The days I spent with Raja Rao were red-letter days.
The expression comes from the practice that was followed in religious calendars. In the old days,
saints' birthdays, festivals and other holy days were marked in red. The other days of the month,
which were not special, were marked in black. So, the original "red letter day" had a religious
significance. It was only during the 18th century that the expression began to take on a general
meaning - namely any memorable or important day in an individual's life. You can now refer to
the day of graduation as a red-letter day. The day you meet Amitabh Bachchan or Sachin
Tendulkar could also be called a red letter day! By the way, this practice of marking special days
in red continues even today. For the modern man, Sundays and second Saturdays have become
red-letter days as well!

What is the meaning of ``bimonthly"
The word ``bimonthly" can mean different things. A magazine or journal that is published once
in two months can be called a ``bimonthly". The word can also be used to refer to a magazine
that comes out twice a month. So when someone refers to a magazine as being a bimonthly, find
out from him whether it is twice a month or once in two months. A magazine that comes out
once in three months is called a ``quarterly". A ``fortnightly" is one that is published once in two
weeks.
``Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there
would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer." - Dave Barry



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What is the meaning of the expression ``talk through one's hat"?
This is what our politicians do most of the time. And what is it that our elected officials are
famous for? They have the tendency to give lengthy speeches/talks on subjects that they know
nothing about. So when you ``talk through your hat" what you are actually doing is talking about
something as if you know a lot about it, when in fact you know nothing about it. When you talk
through your hat, you talk nonsense. Here are a few examples.
*Our not so beloved Professor was as usual talking through his hat.
*Jayashree was talking through her hat. She doesn't know anything about chemistry.
*Stop talking through your hat Sunila!
This expression is considered to be rather old fashioned. Another expression, which has the same
meaning, is ``talk through the back of one's head". Here are a few examples.
*Sidhu talks through the back of his head most of the time.
*Pooja as usual was talking through the back of her head.

Can the first Principal of a college be called the ``founder Principal" - though
he is not the one who founded the college?
The word ``founder" is normally used with people who have established a business, school,
college, etc. In your example, the Principal did not establish the college; he was merely
appointed its first Principal. Perhaps the ``founder" appointed him Principal! You can refer to the
individual as the ``first Principal" and not the ``founder Principal".

What is the difference between a ``robber" and a ``thief"?
A thief is someone who takes things from you without your being aware of it. A pickpocket, for
example, is a thief. He comes up behind you and takes away your wallet without your
knowledge. A thief doesn't threaten you with a gun or a knife. In fact, in most cases, you are
hardly aware of his presence.
In the case of a robber, on the other hand, you are aware of his presence. You usually come face
to face with him. A robber takes things from you by threatening you; he may have a gun or a

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knife. In the case of a robbery, you are aware of the fact that things are being taken from you.
People who force you to part with your belongings are robbers; those who take it away from you
without your knowledge are thieves.

Is there a word for someone who fears thunder and thunderstorms?
Many of us as children were afraid of thunder and thunderstorms. So it would be rather
surprising if the English language didn't have a word to refer to someone who is scared of
thunder and thunderstorms. The Greek word for thunder is ``bronto". We all know what
``phobia" is. So the fear of thunder and thunderstorms is ``brontophobia". A person who suffers
from this phobia is a ``brontophobe". Here are a few examples.
*Bala had to share a room with a brontophobe during a thunderstorm.
*I am told that Prakasham suffers from brontophobia.
*I wouldn't take Meera out on a night like this. She is brontophobic.
These words however are not used very often.

WHAT IS the meaning and origin of the word ``laconic"?
If you want to know the meaning of the word ``laconic" all you have to do is to recall those old
Amitabh Bachchan movies where he played the role of the angry young man. Remember movies
like Deewar, Zanjeer, Sholay and Trishul? In these movies Amitabh hardly spoke; he was
laconic. Whenever the heroine or villain spoke at length about something, Amitabh's usual
response was a one liner. The word ``laconic" is usually used to refer to a person who speaks
very few words. He is usually blunt and brief in what he has to say. We have at some time or the
other met such a person in our life. Here are a few examples.
*The scientist's laconic replies were driving the reporter up the wall.
*A laconic politician! That is an oxymoron.
*Das' laconic speech left everyone wondering if something was wrong.
The word comes from the name of a place in Greece - ``Laconia". The Spartans who lived in this
region were known for their ability to ration their words. (An ability, which I wish all our
politicians, would acquire!) Whatever they said, it was to the point. The story goes that Philip of
Macedon sent a message of warning to the Laconians. The message was: ``If I enter Laconia

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with my army, I shall raze Sparta to the ground. I will destroy it." The Laconians' terse response
to this threat was ``If"!
Finally, a word about the pronunciation of ``laconic". The ``a" in the first syllable is like the ``a"
in ``China", ``about", and ``announce". The following ``o" sounds like the ``o" in ``cot", ``pot",
and ``hot". You can probably figure out how the final syllable is pronounced. The main stress, by
the way, is on the second syllable.

"HOW WAS your trip to Madras? Was your sister happy to see you?''
"I don't know if she was happy to see me or not. But she was definitely happy to note that my
water bottle was full."
"Your water bottle! What was so great about...''
"...there's an acute water shortage in Chennai. Things are really bad. If you were to walk into a
stranger's house with a couple of bottles of water, he would welcome you with open arms!"
"It's that bad, eh? It's nice to know that your sister was happy to see your water bottle at least.
Did you inform that you were planning to take up a job in Bombay?""No, I didn't. Besides, I
haven't really decided whether..."
"...you should have informed that you were...."
"....informed her."
"What?"
"You should have informed her. You cannot say 'You should inform' or 'She informed'. You
don't merely 'inform', you 'inform someone' of something. You have to let the listener know who
that someone is. Here is an example. I informed Bala that there would be a meeting tomorrow."
"Would it be wrong to say 'I informed that there would be a meeting tomorrow'?"
"Yes, it would."
"I see. Then how about this example? The Principal informed some of the students that there
would be no school tomorrow."
"Wishful thinking on your part. But the example is fine. The Manager informed Madhuri that he
was taking the rest of the day off."
"The teacher informed me that I had done fairly well in the test. How does that sound?"
"Sounds great! I must say that you cotton on fast."

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"I `cotton on' fast. What's that supposed to mean?"
"Why don't you try and guess the meaning?"
"Well, let me see. I gave you an example and then you said that it was right. And then....Does
cotton on mean that I understand things quickly?"
"Well done. When you `cotton on' to something, you begin to understand it or realise it."
"Is it an expression that is used often?"
"It is an expression used by native speakers of English in informal contexts."
"I see. How about this example then? At long last Harish cottoned on to the fact that Chitra
wasn't interested in him at all."
"That's a pretty good example. Most of the students cottoned on to what the teacher was trying to
say."
"That never happens in my case. Especially when it comes to Physics. Whenever my Physics
teacher says something, it takes me at least half an hour to cotton on to what it is she is saying."
"That's because you don't cotton to physics like some of your other classmates."
"Cotton to? You mean cotton on to, don't you?"
"No, I mean `cotton to'. Here is an example. Jaya doesn't cotton to Karunanidhi."
"That example makes everything clear. Everyone knows that the two can't stand each other. So
does `cotton to' mean to like someone."
"Very good. When you `cotton to' someone or something, you like the person or thing. Here's
another example."
"Wait, wait! Let me come up with one. At the meeting the Manager came up with an excellent
idea. Unfortunately, the Chairman didn't cotton to the idea."
"The heroine of the film didn't cotton to all the attention that the new hero was getting."
"It's not at all surprising that Namratha and Krishna didn't cotton to each other."
"That's a pretty good example. Now then, how about..."
"....by the way, how is your friend Namratha doing? Last I heard she was trying to find a job.
Has she found one?"
"Didn't I tell you about Namratha? She won the lottery about six months ago. And since then she
has been in tall cotton."
"Not cotton again."
"You don't cotton to expressions with the word cotton, do you? Anyway, any idea what 'in tall

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cotton' means?"
"Not a clue."
"When you say that someone is in `tall cotton' it means that he or she has life made. The person
is fairly successful and has absolutely no problems with money."
"I wish I were living in tall cotton."
"Who doesn't? The two Ministers were in tall cotton till the CBI figured out what it was that they
were doing."
"Can I say the two Ministers were in tall cotton till the CBI cottoned on to what they were
doing?"
"You certainly can."
"How about this example? Twenty years from now I hope to be in tall cotton."
"Sounds good to me. By the way, the expression 'in tall cotton' is considered to be slang. So it
should be used only in informal contexts."
"I'll try and remember that!"
"Hey, where are you off to?"
"Nagu's brother is leaving for Chennai tomorrow. Apparently he and his mother in law just don't
get along."
"So how are you going to solve their problem?"
"Simple. I am going to ask him to carry about ten bottles of water."
"You have just given me an idea. I think you and I can become rich by selling water to our
relatives in Chennai!"
"We'll be in tall cotton then."
* * * * *

"I told my wife that a husband is like a fine wine; he gets better with age. The next day, she
locked me in the cellar." - Anonymous





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What is the correct spelling of ``whiskey''? Is it ``whiskey'' or ``whisky''?
It depends on which part of the world you are from. I understand the Americans spell it
``whiskey'' while the British spell it ``whisky''. The English have been influenced by the way the
Scots spell the word. The Americans, on the other hand, have been influenced by the way the
Irish spell the brew. As you know when America was discovered, a lot of people from Ireland
went to settle down there.
``I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate plants.''
- A. Whitney Brown

One of my teachers keeps telling us to ``chill out''. What exactly does he mean
by that?
Well, if your teacher is asking you to ``chill out'' it says a lot about your class. Are you a noisy
bunch? Do you and your friends talk non-stop in class? Do you allow your teacher say his piece?
If the teacher has to use the expression ``chill out'' very often in class, then chances are you are
not allowing him to talk in class! By asking you to ``chill out'', the teacher is asking you to calm
down, to relax - in other words he is pleading with you to stop talking! The plight of most
teachers these days! Here are a few examples.
* Most people like to chill out during weekends.
* The argument was turning nasty. So I told the guys to chill out.
* You have had a pressure packed week. Take a couple of days off and chill out.
It is also possible to say ``chill''. ``Chill out'' and ``chill'' both mean the same thing. Chillin' is
another word, which is used very often in American English. Any idea what it means? It means
``great or excellent''. Here are a few examples.
* I made some chillin' friends during the holidays.
* Asmita said that she had a chillin' time yesterday.
* The movie was chillin'.
* By the way, all three expressions are used in informal contexts.



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What is the difference between ``corrigenda'' and ``errata''?
Both ``corrigenda'' and ``errata'' refer to the errors - usually in spelling - that occur in writing or
printing. The words are mainly used to refer to the list of errors in a book along with their
corrections. Of the two words ``errata'' is the more common. The errata or corrigenda are usually
appended to the book - one usually finds this page at the back. The singular of `corrigenda' is
`corrigendum'; while that of ``errata'' is ``erratum''. A note about the pronunciation of
``corrigenda''. The `o' in the first syllable is like the `o' in `cot', `pot', and `hot', while the `i' in the
second is like the `i' in `pit', `sit', and `bit'. The `gen' in the next syllable sounds like the `gen' in
`gentle' and `gentleman'. The `a' in the final syllable is like the `a' in `china'. The main stress is
on the third syllable.
In the case of ``errata'', the first ``a'' is pronounced like the ``a'' in ``cat'', ``bat'', and ``hat'', while
the second sounds like the ``a'' in ``china''. The stress is on the second syllable.
How is the word ``dilettante'' pronounced?
* The `i' in the first syllable and the final ``e'' are pronounced like the `i' in `pit', `sit', and `hit'.
The vowel ``e'' in the second syllable is like the ``a'' in ``china''. Some people pronounce the ``a''
like the `a' in `act', `pact', and `hat'. Others pronounce it like the ``a'' in ``bath'' and ``path''
(British English). The main stress is on the third syllable. Any idea what the word means? Well,
a `dilettante' is someone who tries to cultivate an area of interest without really making the
necessary commitment. The person may do a course in painting for example, without taking the
subject seriously. He merely dabbles in the subject. Here are a few examples.
* I wouldn't take him too seriously. He is a musical dilettante.
* He often refers to his writings as the musings of a dilettante.
* The critics, as expected, did not take the young dilettante poet seriously.

WHAT IS the origin of the expression ``lion's share''?
This is an expression which owes its origin to a story from Aesop's Fairy Tales. In the story, a
lion and three of his friends - a fox, an ass, and a wolf - go hunting. After they make a kill the
lion says that he is going to keep three fourths of the meat for himself. The reasons he provides
for keeping the ``lion's share'' are the following: one fourth as his just share, one fourth for his

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lioness and cubs, and the other one fourth for his courage. The lion then goes on to inform his
friends that he is prepared to part with the remaining one fourth provided one of them challenges
him to a fight and defeats him. The three friends refuse to take him on and as a result leave the
entire kill to the king of beasts. ``Lion's share'' as you can guess from the story means the larger
share of something. Here are a few examples.
* Promod claimed the lion's share of the credit for winning the match.
* As usual, Vishnu took the lion's share of the pizza.
* They were supposed to divide the money equally between themselves, but Narender took the
lion's share.

What is the meaning of ``We fear the president may be buying a lemon here''.
Have you ever bought a second hand car? Sometimes the person selling the car tricks us into
buying something absolutely worthless. When you have been tricked into buying something
worthless you have been sold a lemon. When you say that something is a lemon it implies that it
is useless because it fails to work properly. So in the sentence that you have given, you are afraid
that the president is buying something that is absolutely useless. (Isn't that what most presidents
do?). Here are a few more examples.
Promod has a car which is real lemon.
I wouldn't borrow Madhavan's VCR. It's a lemon.
Rajeev bought a radio last month. It's turned out to be a real lemon.
By the way, ``worthless'' is the meaning of the word `lemon' in American English. In British
English, it's people who are referred to as a lemon. The word is used in informal contexts to
mean a silly person.
I felt such a lemon when I tripped over the carpet.
Many of the students think that the Dean is a bit of a lemon.
Usha has no intentions of meeting that lemon Ganpat.
* * * * *

``I am free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally.'' - W. C. Fields

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Does the word ``history sheeter'' exist?
The words `history sheeter' and `rowdy sheeter' are often used in India to refer to a person who
has a long criminal record - someone who has been arrested several times. The word however
does not find a place in dictionaries. There is a word however - `rap sheet'. A `rap sheet' is a term
used by native speakers of English, to refer to someone's criminal record. In this case, the
reference is to the sheet itself and not the individual.
Some of our politicians have a rap sheet that is a mile long.
Her rap sheet is pretty impressive. She'll be our next Chief Minister!
The lawyers asked if there was a rap sheet on their client.

What is the meaning and origin of the expression ``to hit the sack''?
This is an informal expression meaning to `go to bed'. Here are a few examples.
Ranjani hit the sack early last night.
It's been a long day. I am ready to hit the sack.
Although it was well past their bedtime, the children weren't ready to hit the sack.
The expression became popular during World War II when American soldiers began referring to
the sleeping bag/blanket that they were carrying as ``sack''. Later, the word ``sack'' began to be
used for anything that one could sleep on - a bed, a table, a bench, etc. The earlier expression that
was commonly used was ``to hit the hay''.

Who is a ``psephologist''?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The first `p' is silent. The `se' in the first syllable sounds
like the `se' in `set', sent', and `sell'. The `ph' is pronounced like the `f' in `fit', `feet', and `food'.
The vowel `o' is like the `o' in `got', `not', and `lot'. The `o' in the third syllable sounds like the `a'
in `China' and the following `g' is like the `j' in `jam'. You can probably guess how the final `ist'
is pronounced. It is the second syllable which has the main stress. Psephology is the scientific
study of the way in which people vote in elections.
A `psephologist' therefore is someone who studies how people vote - he comes up with the

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statistics, the trends, etc. These are the people you see on TV during elections telling us about the
`swing factor', etc.
Several psephologists were interviewed a day before the elections.
My cousin Mohan wants to be a psephologist when he grows up.
How does one become a psephologist?

What is the difference between ``while'' and ``whilst''
As far as meaning is concerned there is no difference between the two words; they can be used
interchangeably. ``Whilst'' is considered by some people to be rather old-fashioned. It is mainly
used in British English; Americans seldom use it. I understand that even within Britain, ``whilst''
is more common in the north than in the south. As far as the pronunciation is concerned, the final
`st' of `whilst' is pronounced. Here are some examples. The Police entered the former Chief
Minister's house while/whilst he was sleeping.
Shakunthala called up while/whilst I was having dinner.

WHAT IS the meaning of ``sting operation''?
A sting operation is a well-planned scheme used by law enforcement agencies to entrap a
criminal. It usually involves a lot of undercover work. Often the term is reduced to ``sting''. Here
are a few examples.
It was a well-planned sting operation.
The sting, as expected, went off without a hitch.
The sting required a lot of manpower.
The word ``sting'' has another meaning as well. It is often used in informal contexts to mean ``to
cheat or overcharge someone''. (Remember the Robert Redford and Paul Newman movie called
``The Sting''?) Here are a few examples.
The fruit vendor tried to sting me.
The supermarket next to my house makes it a point to sting its customers.
The mechanic tried to sting me, but I put him in his place.


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``WEREN'T YOU supposed to come over and have dinner with me
yesterday?''
``That's right. But there was a problem. You see...''
``....what was the problem?''
``My cousin rang me up around 6:00 and asked me to come over. You see his landlord's son is
returning from the U.S. So the landlord wants my cousin to vacate the flat by the end of the
month. My cousin and I were out all evening trying to find a suitable accommodation.''
``Did you find one?''
``No. It's so hard to find an accommodation these days.''
``You cannot say `an accommodation'. In British English the word `accommodation' is an
uncountable noun. So you shouldn't use `an' before it.''
``Really? I didn't know that! How about this sentence? There is a shortage of cheap
accommodation in our city.''
``Sounds pretty good. Some of the delegates wanted to know if we could take care of their
accommodation.''
``The university refused to provide the teachers free accommodation.''
``Why should the university provide free accommodation?''
``Good question. Many teachers....''
``...by the way, this cousin of yours. What does he do?''
``He's an academician.''
``He's an academician? Which academy does he belong to?''
``Academy? What are you talking about?''
``Well you said that he was an academician. Which academy does he...''
``...he doesn't belong to any academy. What I meant to say was that he is a teacher. He teaches at
the university.''
``A teacher, eh? In that case, the word you are looking for is `academic'.''
``What is the difference between an 'academic' and `academician'?''
``Well, strictly speaking, an `academic' is a person who teaches or does research at the
university.''
``I see. How about this example? When I grow up I certainly don't want to be an academic.''

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``The example is OK. But the word `academic' has the stress on the third syllable `de'.''
``But a lot of people I know....''
``...tend to put the stress on the second syllable. But the stress is on the third. The `a' in the first
syllable is like the `a' in `cat', `bat', and `sat', while the `a' in the second syllable is pronounced
like the `a' in `China'. And ....''
``....I think I can guess the rest. The `e' probably sounds like the `e' in `set', `pet', and `get'. The
final `i' must be like the `i' in 'sit', `bit', and `hit'.''
``Exactly! Radhakrishnan was an academic before he became the President of India.''
``Everyone knows that. That's why we celebrate Teacher's Day.''
``Exactly!''
``My cousin is the only person in the family who wanted to be an academic. Now tell me, what is
the meaning of the word `academician'?''
``First of all, the word has the stress on the fourth syllable `mi'. Usually when you refer to
someone as being an `academician', it implies that he/she is a member of an academy or a
society....''
``...any type of academy?''
``An academician is usually a member of an academy that is concerned with the arts or sciences.
The Royal Academy of Arts, for instance, or the Russian Academy of Sciences.''
``I think I understand the difference now. A professor is an academic. And when that professor
becomes a member of an academy which is devoted to either the sciences or the arts, then he
becomes an `academician'. Am I right?''
``Absolutely! There is a tendency these days, however, to use the words `academician' and
`academic' synonymously. Some people object to it. Most dictionaries have only one definition
for the word `academician' - member of a society or academy.''
``I think I understand the difference now.''
``This cousin of yours. What does he teach?''
``Computer Science. And you know something, he is quite a popular teacher.''
``Did he show you the new computer lab?''
``He took me to the lab last week. He has a free access to it, you know.''
``Free access and not `a free access'.''
``What?''

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``He has free access to the lab. You cannot say `a free access'.''
``I see. I would like to have access to the building next door. Say after 10:00 in the night!''
``That's a bank! No one is going to grant you access to it at 10:00 in the evening!''
``That's true!''
``But they may be willing to provide free accommodation! Your cousin....''
``....the academic in my family doesn't need accommodation. Today he received a letter from the
university saying that he has been allotted one of their quarters.''
``All's well that ends well!''
* * * * *

``Marriages are made in heaven. But so are thunder and lightning!'' - Anonymous

How do you address a female Mayor?
A simple ``Madam Mayor'' will do. After all, we do hear people say, ``Madam Governor'',
``Madam Chairperson'', ``Madam President'', etc.
``I recently read that love is entirely a matter of chemistry. That must be why my wife treats me
like toxic waste.'' - David Bissonette

What is the difference between ``present''and a ``gift''?
Many of us tend to use the two words interchangeably in most contexts. Of the two, ``present'' is
the more informal. The two words are used with things given to other people without expectation
of return or compensation. It is not uncommon to hear people say, ``I gave him a gift/present on
his birthday''. Both the sentences are grammatically acceptable. Careful users of the language
make a distinction between the two words. A ``gift'' tends to be much more `valuable' than a
present. It usually passes from the rich to the poor, from the high to the low. A ``present'', on the
other hand, passes between equals or from the inferior to the superior.
* The children brought a present for the Minister.
* I gave him a pen as a present.

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* The foundation is planning to gift the land to the society.
* He made a gift of two million dollars to his old university.
The word `gift' is also used with the inborn talent or skill that one has. It is because God is
believed to have given us these things - we are getting something from a superior being! Picasso
had the gift of painting, M.S has the gift of singing, etc. We do not, in these cases, use the word
`present'.

What is the meaning of Kangaroo court?
This is no court at all. A kangaroo court is an unofficial court of law set up by a group of people,
especially in prisons and trade union organisations, in order to try someone of a crime. In most of
these cases, the verdict is predetermined. The person on trial is usually found guilty and
punished.

What is the meaning and origin of the expression ``wet behind the ears''?
When you say that someone is wet behind his/her ears, it means that he/she is young and
immature. The person is `green'. Here are a few examples.
* You can easily fool Anand. He is still wet behind the ears.
* I don't know how Janaki got promoted. If you ask me, she is still wet behind the ears.
* I can't give the assignment to you. You're still wet behind the ears.
Before we entered this beautiful world of ours, all of us were floating around in our mother's
tummy. When we came out of the womb, we came out with the amniotic fluid that was
surrounding us. In other words, we entered this world soaking wet. Doctors/nurses used towels to
dry us off before handing us over to our mothers. In the case of newborn animals however, the
mother has to lick the baby dry. It takes quite some time for the mother to do this. And one of the
last places to become dry, I understand, is the area behind the ears. So if an animal is still wet
behind its ears, it implies it has come into this world recently; it is still `green'.




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Which of the following sentences is correct? ``I pity who buy things from you''
or ``I pity those who buy things from you''.
The second sentence is correct. The verb `pity' needs an object after it. Who are the people that
you pity? The first sentence doesn't give us this piece of information, the second one does. You
pity those people who buy things from the person you are talking to. Here are a few examples.
* I pity the people who have to work in this weather.
* Rama pitied Bharath because he hadn't completed his assignment.
* She took pity on the boy next door.

``WHAT IS the meaning of ``geek''?
This is a word which is mostly used in informal contexts. A `geek' is a person who is disliked by
most people because of his disgusting behaviour or appearance. The `ee' is pronounced like the
`ee' in `bee', `see', and `fee'. Here are a few examples.
* Our new chemistry professor looks like a geek. Wonder how he got the job.
* Who is the geek you were talking to?
* If you ask me, Maya's husband is a geek.
You may be interested to know that the word `geek' has another meaning as well; one that is
more complimentary. A hardworking person can also be referred to as a geek. For example.
* Mohan is the geek you find in the library all the time.
* Sunitha always goes to that geek Prakash just before the exams.
* I will not have anything to do with that geek.
`Geek' was first used to refer to people who performed in circuses; not the acrobats, but those
who performed unusual acts like biting off the head of a chicken, swallowing a live goldfish, etc.
- acts which made the audience squirm. Or should I say acts which made the audience scream
``EEK''!
T ARE all those old magazines doing on the table?''
``My cousin from Delhi is here. He couldn't sleep last night. So he spent his time reading.''
``He likes to read, does he?''
``Oh, yes. He is a voracious reader.''

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``Vor...what?''
``V..o..r..a..c..i..o..u..s. The `o' in the first syllable is like the `a' in `china'. The `a' in the second
syllable is pronounced like the `ay' in `ray', `bay', and `say'.''
``The final `iou' is like the `a' in `china' again, right?''
``Exactly! The `c' by the way is like the `sh' in `sheet', `sheep', and `ship'. And the stress is on the
second syllable. Any idea what the word means?''
``Voracious! Doesn't it mean truthful?''
``No, you are thinking of another word. When you say that someone is a voracious reader it
means that the person loves to read lots of books. The person is very eager or hungry for
knowledge, information...''
``....good grief! You mean there are people who are eager for knowledge? They must be in the
minority, though. Anyway, how does this example sound? Mohan is a voracious reader of
mystery novels.''
``Sounds good. The word can be used to refer to one's appetite as well. For example...''
``...it probably means someone who loves to eat. Someone who has a good appetite.''
``Excellent. That's exactly what it means. When you say that someone has a voracious appetite it
implies that he/she eats large quantities of food. He/she is greedy to eat. For example, though
Karhtick looks skinny he has a voracious appetite.''
``How about this example? Some of the kids in my class have voracious appetites.''
``That's a good example. Now, tell me...''
``...what was the word that I was thinking of?''
``What?''
``Well, when I said voracious means truthful, you said that I was thinking of another word.
Which word....''
``....oh that! The word that you probably had in mind was `veracious'.''
``What?''
``This word is spelt v..e..r..a..c..i..o..u..s. According to many dictionaries it's pronounced the
same way as `voracious'.''
``It is? Then how does a listener know which word the speaker is....''
``....the context will tell you whether the speaker means `voracious' or `veracious'.''
``I see. But tell me, what does the `veracious' mean?''

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``When you say that someone is `veracious' it means the person is habitually truthful. It's a word
that is generally used in formal contexts.''
``Someone who tells the truth all the time! I don't think I have met such a person. It's definitely
not a quality that we expect in our politicians.''
``An honest politician is a bit of a contradiction. Anyway, here's an example. The veracious Vice
Chancellor had a voracious appetite for vanilla ice cream.''
``We listened to the testimony of my veracious cousin.''
``My neighbour is not known for his veracity.''
``Meaning that he is not known for his truthfulness.''
``That's right.''
``Politicians are not known for their veracity. And...''
``.... before you start giving me a lecture on politicians, any news about your neighbour's son?''
``Yes, they found him at the city bus stand. He was trying to run away from home.''
``Why? What was his problem?''
``God only knows. He said that he wanted to be independent from his parents.''
``Why would anybody want to be independent of their parents? I mean....''
``....he wanted to be independent from them because....''
``....independent of, not from.''
``I see. Most teenagers want to be independent of their parents.''
``That's true. My sister wanted to be financially independent of my parents by the time she
turned sixteen.''
``Did she become independent of them?''
``Not really. She had to wait another six years.''
``I don't want to be independent of my parents at all. In fact, I think I will be dependent of my
father as long as possible.''
``That's a good idea. I am not really sure if your father will put up with you for long. By the way,
it's `independent of', but `dependent on' or `dependent upon'.''
``Dependent on, eh? How about this example? Some of the up and coming actors are dependent
on drugs.''
``Most children are dependent upon their parents for food and shelter.''
``That's true. We are dependent on tankers for our water supply.''

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``Indeed. There was a time when people used to take water for granted.''
``Well, even now many people take it for granted. Which is why so many people waste it so
much.''
``It's such a pity.''
``Well, I'd better get going. I seem to have developed a voracious appetite for....''
``...we all know that you have a voracious appetite. What we want to know is when you are
going to become a voracious reader. You know ....''
``...I can give you the answer right now. NEVER!''
* * * * *

``When I give a lecture, I accept that people look at their watches, but what I do not tolerate is
when they look at it and raise it
to their ear to find out if it has stopped.'' - Marcel Achard

``I WAS watching a movie last night and the hero kept saying `hang loose'.
Any idea what it means?''
``When you tell someone to `hang loose' or `stay loose', you want him/her to remain calm. You
want the person to relax.''
``If Roshni hangs loose she will definitely do well in the audition. How does that sound?''
``Sounds great. The champ knew that all he had to do to win the championship was to stay loose
in the fifth set.''
``When the Principal began to worry about the coming exams, I told him to hang loose.''
``I wouldn't tell the Principal to hang loose if I were you. You see, the expression `hang loose' is
considered slang. It should be used only in informal contexts.''
``I see. Tell me, what....''
``...it's unbearably hot today. Last night I just couldn't sleep.''
``Hang loose. The summer is almost over.''
``What makes you say that?''
``It's started raining in Kerala. So it should start raining in here pretty soon.''

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``I don't want it to rain `in here'. I want it to rain here.''
``What's the difference? They mean the same thing, don't they?''
``No, they don't. When you say that you want it to rain `in here', it means you want it to rain
inside this room.''
``Rain inside the room! That happens every year during the monsoon season. You see, that's how
badly our roof leaks. So, if I say, `It snowed in here', does it mean that it snowed inside the
room?''
``That's right. You don't want that to happen, do you?''
``Given how hot it is right now, I wouldn't mind a bit of snow inside the room.''
``You have a point there. But if you would like it to snow all over the city, then you have to say
`here' instead of `in here'.''
``I wish it would snow here.''
``I am sure many people would enjoy the experience.''
``Well, did you finally get a chance to meet your boss' wife?''
``Yes, she came to the party last night.''
``Well, what was she like?''
``When she walked into the room, I had to do a double take. You see, ....''
``....no, I don't see. What does `double take' mean?''
``When you do a double take, you react with surprise. For example,...''
``...is it like looking at something the second time just to make sure that you saw it correctly the
first time?''
``I guess you could say that. Suppose your physics teacher returned your test paper and you
found that she's given you a hundred. How would you react?''
``I guess I would close my eyes and take another look just to see if I had seen it correctly the first
time. You know just to make sure that I wasn't dreaming!''
``Well, in that case you would be doing a double take.''
``I think I understand now. How about this example? When I saw Hritik walk in with my friend
Ganesh, I did a double take.''
``That's a good example. When the joggers at the park saw a tiger sitting under a tree, they all did
a double take.''
Tell me about your boss' wife. Why did you do a double take after seeing her?''

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``She is really beautiful that's why. When I saw her standing next to my boss I was reminded of
the story of the beauty and the beast.''
``Is she short? Or is she a medium height woman?''
``You don't say `a medium height woman'. A better way of saying the same thing is `of medium
height'. Yes, my boss' wife is a woman of medium height'.''
``I see. The man who robbed the bank was of medium height. How does that sound?''
``Why do you always come up with examples where someone gets killed or robbed?''
``That's me, I guess.''
``In that case, I had better be nice to you. Ten years from now chances are you'll become an
MLA or MP.''
``I was thinking of becoming the Chief Minister.''
``With your attitude, you probably will become one. Any way, getting back to what we were
talking about. In the good old days most of our actresses were short. Now many of them are of
medium height. Some of course are tall.''
``I and my friends were talking about the same thing the other day. We were...''
``....my friends and I were talking about the same thing.''
``What?''
``You cannot say `I and my friends'. It's always `My friends and I'. Similarly 'Revathi, Kumar
and I....''
``....I get the point. `I' always comes at the end. Is that what you are saying?''
``Exactly!''
``My friends and I saw a great movie yesterday.''
``Devi and I couldn't meet Professor Shyamraj yesterday.''
``Talking about Devi, I understand that he won the singles title.''
``I did a double take when I heard about that!''
* * * * *

``The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to
contact us.'' - Bill Watterson

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What is the response to ``What have you been up to?''
The answer will to a very large extent depend on you. You could for example say ``Oh, nothing
much'', or ``Keeping myself busy''. There are lots of possibilities. Here are a couple more:
``Trying to finish my assignments''; ``Trying to keep myself sane in this heat''!
``My advice to you is to get married: if you find a good wife, you'll be happy; if not, you'll
become a philosopher.'' - Socrates

My friend claims that the word ``latrinogram'' exists. Is it true?
We have all come across the words ``telegram'', ``phonogram'', and what have you. But
``latrinogram''? Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? But your friend is right, the word ``latrinogram''
does exist. As you have probably guessed it, consists of two words - ``latrine'' and ``gram''.
A ``phonogram'' is a message that you receive over the phone. So, what do you think a
``latrinogram'' is? Yes, it's a message that you receive in the latrine! In this case, it is a rumour
which originates in the latrines of offices - working people have a tendency to exchange a lot of
information (gossip!) in bathrooms. Here are a few examples.
* There was a latrinogram yesterday about the boss being asked to resign.
* Sudha is marrying Sudhir! No way! That's just another latrinogram.
By the way, the stress is on the second syllable ``tri''.

What is the meaning of ``Gandhi's revenge''?
Ever heard the expression ``Montezuma's revenge''? It means diarrhoea. Tourists who went to
Mexico invariably ended up with an upset stomach - they attributed this to the spicy food and
also the water. Here are a few examples.
* Satish had a little touch of Montezuma's revenge on the second day.
* Poor Krishna couldn't go anywhere because of Montezuma's revenge.
You can now probably guess what ``Gandhi's revenge'' means. It's an attack of dysentery that
some people experience after eating spicy Indian food. Of course, one doesn't have to visit India

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to experience ``Gandhi's revenge''; you can suffer the consequences after eating in any of the
restaurants abroad! This is an expression that is mainly used in British English.

What is the meaning of the expression grinning like a Cheshire cat?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of ``Cheshire''. The ``ch'' is like the ``ch'' in ``cheese'',
``cheap'' and ``chit''. The ``e'' is like the ``e'' in ``wet'', ``set'' and ``met'', while the following ``sh''
sounds like the ``sh'' in ``sheep'', ``ship'', and ``shape''. The final ``ire'' is pronounced like the ``a''
in ``China''. The stress is on the first syllable. When you say that someone is ``grinning like a
Cheshire cat'', it means that he/she has a broad smile on his/her face. Here are a few examples.
* Divya obviously knows something. She has been walking around all morning grinning like a
Cheshire cat.
* When Leya walked in grinning like a Cheshire cat, I knew that she had come first in her class.
* The child was unaware of what had happened. He continued to jump around grinning like a
Cheshire cat.
* Cheshire is the name of a county in England. Before you jump to any conclusions let me assure
you that the cats from this county aren't famous for their grins! The place however, was famous
for its cheese.
The cheese makers from this place used to draw the figure of a smiling cat on a special type of
cheese. People who bought this type of cheese saw the face of a cat with a broad smile.
So the cat in the idiom ``grin like a Cheshire cat'' is not a real cat, but the figure that was found
on cheese. Although the idiom has been around for several centuries, it was the author of ``Alice
inWonderland'', Lewis Carroll who made it famous.
In the novel, Alice runs into a large cat with a big smile. When Alice asks why he is grinning, the
Duchess replies, ``It's a Cheshire cat and that's why.'' In the story the cat begins to disappear
slowly; it's the tail that disappears first and the smile fades last!
So at one point all that Alice sees is the face with a big smile. There are several other
explanations about the origin of this idiom, but this is the one that is generally agreed upon.




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Is it OK to say ``The whole building shivers when a train goes past''?
There is nothing wrong with the sentence from the point of view of grammar. It is possible to
have such a sentence in children's stories.
But the fact remains that the word ``shiver'' is normally used with living things; animals and
people. Buildings do not shiver, they merely ``shake'', or ``rattle'' - unless of course in the story
that you are writing, the building is a living thing!
So, if you are merely writing a story for the newspaper, you would be better off saying the
building ``shakes'', rather than ``shivers''.
``Never hit a man with glasses; hit him with your fist.'' - Anon

What is the difference between ``translation'' and ``transliteration''?
When you translate something you change it from one language into another - it could be spoken
or written. For example, many of Shakespeare's plays have been translated into Indian languages.
When these plays are staged , Shakespeare's characters will be speaking in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil,
Bengali, etc. and not in English. If you want to become a translator you need to know at least two
languages fairly well.
Many of our singers sing in different languages. When they sing, do they write the lyrics down in
the language that they are singing in? Not always. Some of the singers only know how to read
their mother tongue. So if they have to sing a Hindi song, and they know only Tamil, they will
write down the song in Tamil. In other words, the words will be Hindi, but they will be written in
the Tamil script. This is what we mean by transliteration. We use the alphabet system of one
language to write another. You needn't know two languages to transliterate.

How do you pronounce ``Seoul'', the capital of South Korea?
It is pronounced like the word ``soul''.



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Is it OK to say, ``Australia's Northern Territory passed an euthanasia law''?
We generally use the article ``an'' before words that begin with a vowel sound. Do not get
confused between ``sound'' and ``letter''. The words ``university'' and ``unique'' begin with a
vowel - at least in spelling. But when you pronounce these two words they begin with a
consonant sound. Therefore one has to use the indefinite article ``a'' and not ``an'' before these
two words. We have to say ``a unique person'' and ``a university''. Similarly, the word
``euthanasia'' though it begins with a vowel letter, when the word is pronounced, the first sound
is a consonant one. Therefore the article that will precede it is ``a'' and not ``an''. It should be ``a
euthanasia law''. Euthanasia as you know is sometimes referred to as ``mercy killing''. It is the act
of painlessly killing an individual who has no hope of recovering from the disease that is slowly
killing him. Euthanasia is illegal in most countries.

What is the meaning of ``carte blanche''?
The first word ``cart'' is pronounced like the word ``cart''. The ``a'' in ``blanche'' is pronounced
like the ``o'' in ``hot'', ``pot'', and ``cot''. The final ``che'' sounds like the ``sh'' in words like
``should'', ``shut'', and ``ship''. The main stress is on the first syllable of ``blanche''. As you have
probably guessed, the expression comes from French.
When you give someone ``cart blanche'', you give them total freedom to do whatever they want.
It's like giving them a blank cheque. The literal French meaning of carte blanche is `blank
document'. Therefore when you are given ``carte blanche'' you are given complete freedom or
authority to do whatever you think is right. Here are a few examples.
* The new Director was given carte blanche to do what he wanted. Rahul was given carte
blanche to remodel the old house.
* Sneha was given carte blanche to hire teachers for the new school.

What is the question tag to be used for ``I am a boy''?
The question tag that is normally used is ``aren't I''. This would be considered standard. In
informal contexts one could also say ``ain't I''. The word ``ain't'' however is considered non-

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standard. It is also possible to say ``am I not?''

What is the meaning and origin of ``not be up to scratch''?
When you say that something is ``not up to scratch'' it means that it is not up to the mark. It is not
of an acceptable standard or quality. Here are a few examples.
* I find that Alok's designs aren't up to scratch.
* It's no surprise that her last essay wasn't up to scratch.
* The tests showed that the new recruits were not up to scratch.
This is an idiom that comes from the world of boxing. In the old days when boxing was still a
primitive sport, a line was drawn in the centre of the ring. The line was called a ``scratch''.
Nowadays whenever a boxer is knocked down during the bout, all he/she has to do is to stand up
before the referee counts to ten. During the early days of boxing, the contestant who had been
knocked down had to demonstrate that he was in control of his faculties by walking to the line
(``scratch'') within 38 seconds. Why it was 38 seconds, I have no idea. If the boxer was unable to
come up to the ``scratch'' within the allotted time, then he was considered unfit to continue the
fight. The fight was awarded to his opponent.

Why is the television called the ``idiot box''?
What is it that you normally do when you watch television? You keep staring at the screen. You
are glued to the images that appear on it. You sit there passively with your eyes wide open. You
don't even think; you just sit there like an idiot, watching. This is one of the reasons why
television is called the ``idiot box''. Television kills your imagination and your curiosity and in
the process makes you an idiot. By the way, another common name for television is ``goggle
box'' - people just keep staring (goggling) at it like a bunch of idiots!
``I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation.'' - G. B. Shaw




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Is it OK to say ``The Chief Minister is in favour with Sumalatha''?
The expression ``in favour'' is usually followed by ``of'' and not ``with''. You are usually ``in
favour of'' something. Here are a few examples.
* The farmers were not in favour of building a dam.
* Mohan and Sujatha were in favour of the new proposal.
* Nobody was in favour of the Japanese taking over the factory.

How do you pronounce the final `s' in ``Charles's''?
The final ``s'' is pronounced like the ``es'' in words like ``houses'', ``blouses'', and ``noses''. It
sounds like the word ``is''.

What is the meaning of ``ad nauseam''?
First let's deal with the pronunciation. The word ``ad'' rhymes with the words ``pad'', ``bad'', and
``sad''. The ``au'' is like the ``ore'' in ``tore'', ``pore'' and ``core''. The following ``s'' is like the ``z''
in ``zip'' and ``zoo''. The ``e'' is like the ``i'' in ``pit'', ``bit'', and ``hit'', while the final ``a'' is like
the ``a'' in ``China''. Some people pronounce the final ``a'' like the ``a'' in ``act'', ``pact'' and
``fact''. The main stress is on the first syllable of ``nauseam''. When someone does something ad
nauseam they do it repeatedly over a long period of time. He/she does it so often that you
become sick and tired of it; very often you become irritated by it. Here are a few examples.
* For the next hour the child played the same song ad nauseam.
* Sashi went on ad nauseam about what a wonderful wife he has.
* The Director went on ad nauseam about how well the company was doing.

What is the difference between ``flats'' and ``apartments''?
There is no difference; these are merely two words that are used on different sides of the Atlantic
to refer to the same thing. Americans tend to use the word ``apartment'', while those in England
prefer ``flat''.

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What is the meaning of ``snail mail''?
Are you into computers? Do you access the Internet frequently? Do you send e-mail every day?
If you do, then like me, you too are probably amazed at the speed at which communication takes
place these days. You can send mail to someone in America and get a reply in a matter of
hours/minutes. Earlier, it used to take at least a couple of weeks to get a reply. The word ``snail
mail'' refers to the regular mail - letters that we write to our friends and relations and put in a
letterbox. Letters that normally take a couple of days to reach their destination - sometimes never
reach at all! As you may have probably guessed, this word was coined by some computer buff.

How do you pronounce the word ``hooch''?
The ``oo'' is like the ``oo'' in ``fool'', ``cool'', and ``pool''. The final ``ch'' is like the ``ch'' in
``chips'', ``chap'', and ``chin''. Any idea what the word means? This is a word used in very
informal contexts in American English to refer to any alcoholic beverage that has been made
illegally. Here are a few examples.
* He offered me some hooch, but I turned it down.
* I would like to have some more of that hooch, please.
* One could smell the hooch three miles away.

WHAT IS the meaning of the idiom ``to bite the dust''?
This is an expression that was made popular by old cowboy movies. When you say that someone
has bitten the dust, it implies that he/she is dead. It is an expression that is normally used in
informal contexts. Do not walk into someone's house and say, ``I understand that your father bit
the dust yesterday. I am so sorry.'' Here are a few examples.
* The hero fired the gun and another villain bit the dust.
* When she was diagnosed with cancer, Paroma turned to the doctor and said that she was too
young to bite the dust.
* I don't think the old man next door will ever bite the dust.
When referring to things, ``to bite the dust'' means ``to break or to fail''. This is the sense in

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which the expression is used most often these days.
* Another one of Promod's plans bit the dust.
* Balakrishna's old scooter bit the dust yesterday.
* Dolly's attempt to become the next Vice President bit the dust.
The rock group ``Queen'' has a song called ``Another one bites the dust''.

Is it O.K to use the word ``thrice'' to mean ``three times''?
It is very common to hear people in our country use this word to mean ``three times''. For
example, we often hear people say, ``I saw the movie thrice'' and ``I have read the book thrice.''
Native speakers of English seldom use this word; it is considered rather old fashioned. Native
speakers would say ``once, twice, three times.'' Is it wrong to say ``thrice''? Not really. You will
sound old fashioned that's all.
``Relations are simply a tedious pack of people who haven't got the remotest knowledge of how
to live, nor the smallest instinct about when to die.'' - Oscar Wilde

In one of the episodes in ``Law and Order'' the detectives kept saying
``DOA''. What do the initials stand for?
DOA is an abbreviation for ``dead on arrival.''

Newsreaders say ``main stories''. Is it OK to use ``stories'' when referring to
news?
I understand that ``stories'' is a word used in newspapers to refer to news items. Since radio and
television came long after newspapers, many of the terms used by journalists were adopted by
radio and television professionals. The word ``stories'' is used by newsreaders all over the world.



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How do you pronounce the word xenophobia?
The ``x'' is pronounced like the ``z'' in ``zen'', ``zoo'' and ``zip''. The first syllable ``zen'' rhymes
with the words ``ten'', ``men'' and ``hen''. The first ``o'' is like the ``a'' in ``China'', while the
second is like the ``o'' in ``go'', ``so'', and ``no''. The final ``ia'' is like ``ea'' in ``dear'', ``near'', and
``fear''. The stress is on the third syllable ``pho''. The word means extreme fear or dislike of
people from other countries. If you hate foreigners, then you could say that you are xenophobic.
Here are a few examples.
* The present government is adding to the xenophobia already existing.
* Malathy is too xenophobic to go abroad.
* Bala's xenophobia prevented him from meeting some interesting people.

What is the meaning of ``ground zero"?
This is a term that has been heard quite frequently on CNN the past couple of weeks. ``Ground
zero'' was originally used to refer to an atomic explosion; it is the site at which an atomic
explosion took place. This is how dictionaries define the term: ``the point on the surface of the
earth or water directly below, directly above, or at which an atomic or hydrogen bomb
explodes". Today the term is being used informally to mean a place of rapid development or
change; a place of violent activity.
About ten years ago no one had heard about Vasudeva Nagar. But today it has become the
ground zero from which restaurants and designer shops radiate.
The term ``ground zero'' is also used to mean elementary level; a ``starting point". For example,
Many of my students will be starting at ground zero.
My boss didn't like the ad campaign. Looks like I have to return to ground zero.
"I've had bad luck with both my wives. The first one left me and the second one didn't."

What is the difference between ``should'' and ``must"?
When you tell someone that he should do something, you are advising him to do it. You are not
ordering him to do something; you are merely asking him to consider the possibility. It is a

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request; you are merely suggesting to the individual that it would be a good idea if he were to do
it. Here are a few examples.
You should brush your teeth every day before going to bed.
Mohan should work harder.
I think the old rules should be revised.
The word ``must'' is normally used when you wish to order someone. You are no longer
requesting, or suggesting, you are telling the person what to do. When a person is told that he
``should'' brush his teeth, he has a choice; he can either follow your advice, or he can ignore it
completely. In the case of ``must", the person has no option. He has to brush his teeth. Here are a
few examples.
If you want to get through your exams, you must work harder.
I am telling you that you must not marry that girl.
The Chairman said that we must work on Sunday.

What is the meaning and origin of the term "son of a gun?"
This is an expression that is frequently heard in American English. It is used to express different
emotions. It is often used to indicate surprise and shock.
Son of a gun! I can't believe that they actually bombed New York.
The expression is also used to refer to a man who is unpleasant.
I wouldn't go anywhere near Anand. He's a mean son of a gun.
Don't get too friendly with that man. The son of a gun will take advantage of you.
The son of a gun tried to steal from his own parents.
It is also used as a term of endearment. When you refer to someone as ``son of a gun", you are
indicating your affection for that person. Here are a few examples.
The little son of a gun got an A in the test.
The son of a gun went out of his way to help me.
As to the origin, well to begin with, the expression ``son of a gun'' was a polite way of referring
to an illegitimate child, usually a boy! In the old days, it was standard practice to take women on
long voyages. Sometimes these women became pregnant and had the baby on the ship. Usually
the maternity ward, if you can call it that, was the midsection of the ship, next to the cannons.

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Since all deaths and births on a ship had to be recorded, the newborn baby's record was written
up as well. If it was not clear who the father of the child was, then next to the father's name, the
word ``Gun'' was written &151; referring to the cannon next to which the child was born.
Against the child's name, the word ``son'' was written. Hence the expression, ``son of a gun".

Which of the following sentences is correct? The Government has many
problems'' or ``The Government have many problems?"
Both are acceptable. It depends on how you view the Government. Do you consider the
Government to be single impersonal unit, or do you look upon it as consisting of separate small
units? If you view it as a single unit, then you can use a singular verb ``The Government has
many problems". If, on the other hand, you view the Government as comprising several different
units, then you can use the plural verb ``have''&151; ``The Government have many problems".
There are many words in English, which can take either the singular or the plural verb - family,
jury, committee, staff, team are just some of the nouns. Here are a few examples.
The jury was/were beginning to look bored.
The family was/were planning to move to Australia.

IS IT correct to say "He has good command over English?"
Careful users of the language would frown on this. They would argue that one can have
command over people, but not over language. You can for example say:
He has total command over his men. They will do whatever he wants them to.
But when it comes to language, they would prefer ``of '' to ``over".
We are looking for someone who has good command of English.
Many children in the south have little or no command of Hindi.
I am told that Prakasham has good command of French.
There is a tendency these days however, even among some native speakers, to say ``have good
command over English". The purists may not like this, but as the Americans would put it, that's
the way the cookie crumbles. To be on the safe side, avoid saying ``command over English".



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"WHAT'S THE matter with you? You look terrible."
"I have been thinking about our Indian cricket team. I feel absolutely miserable whenever they
lose."
"Don't eat your heart out about a bunch of overpaid underachievers!""Eat my heart out? I haven't
come across that expression before."
"When you tell someone not to `eat his heart out' about something or someone, you are telling
him not to grieve or feel sad about something or someone. For example, I can say, Pandey spent
a lot of time eating his heart out after the company he was working for folded."
"Sumithran has been eating his heart out ever since his neighbour sold her house and moved to
another town."
"My cousin Anuradha ate her heart out when she was forced to sell her grandmother's
diamonds."
"Our team didn't win. But don't eat your heart out."
"That should be the attitude. By the way, the expression, `eat your heart out' has another meaning
as well. It can mean, `to be jealous'."
"I see. How about this example? When my friend heard that I had won twenty lakhs in a lottery,
he ate his heart out."
"That's a good example. Do you think you will ever win twenty lakhs in a lottery?"
"Who knows? Some day fate may decide to smile on me."
"It already has. That's why you have a friend like me! Anyway, here's another example. Look
you guys; these five new cars belong to me. So eat your heart out."
"That's a nasty thing to say."
"I know! And you know what the sad part is? I'll never get a chance to say something like that in
real life."
"Thank god for that. By the way, I've started taking tennis lessons. Hewitt, eat your heart out.
How does that sound?"
"You expect Hewitt to be jealous because you have started playing tennis?"
"Yes, because pretty soon I will be beating him!"
"Keep dreaming. I don't think the fact that you are learning tennis is going to eat away at
Hewitt."

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"Eat away at Hewitt? What does that mean?"
"When something `eats away at someone' or `eats at someone', it troubles or worries the person.
This is one of the meanings of the expression. For example, the fact that he would soon be out of
a job was eating away at Jaichand."
"The terrible state of the company was eating away at Raju."
"Vinita's financial problems ate away at her day and night."
"Vinita has financial problems? But I thought she was very rich."
"Her father is very rich, that's true. But..."
".... so why doesn't she ask her father for some money?"
"Ask him for money! Are you crazy? He'll eat her out."
"He'll eat her out? What does that mean? Does it ...."
".... when someone eats you out, what ...."
".... the expression probably means to scold someone severely. Am I right?"
"I am impressed. Can you give me an example?"
"The Principal ate the teacher out and put the fear of God into her."
"Didn't the other teachers protest?"
"That was just an example. The Principal that we have now is too timid to eat anyone out."
"The coach ate the player out for playing an irresponsible shot."
"When the students walked in half an hour late, the Professor really ate them out."
"That was a good example. By the way, how did you guess the meaning of `eat someone out'?"
"Well, `eat someone out' sounds like `chew someone out'. And I know that `chew someone out'
means to scold someone."
"Very good. And like the expression `chew someone out', `eat someone out' is mainly used in
informal contexts. In fact, `chew someone out' is considered to be slang."
"The teacher chewed me out for coming late to class.''
"The coach gave the entire team a good chewing out."
"John Wright has to probably give our players a good chewing out every other day.
Unfortunately, it seems to have no effect on them."
"It's getting late. I'd better go. Are you eating out today?"
"No, I am eating in for a change."
"Eating in? Is it the opposite of `eating out'?"

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"That's right! When you say that you are eating in, what you are actually saying is you are eating
at home. I am feeling very tired today. Why don't we just eat in?"
"My grandmother is a great cook. Whenever we go to her place, we always eat in."
"That's a good example. People who travel a lot generally hate eating out. When they get back
home, they prefer to eat in."
"Well, I'd better be going. Today being a weekday we'll all be eating in. I don't want my father to
chew me out for being late."
"What will you be having for dinner? Any idea?"
"The usual rice and sambar."
"I am planning to make pizza."
"I love pizza."
"Eat your heart out, kid!"

"The spinal column is a long bunch of bones. The head sits on the top and you sit on the bottom."
&151; A student in the U.S.

Is it OK to say, "Rectify my doubts"?
The word "rectify" means to correct something that is wrong. This is a word, which is normally
used in formal contexts. One can talk about rectifying a situation, mistake, or defect. Here are a
few examples.
* Santosh did his best to rectify the situation.
* We would like you to rectify the mistakes made by the previous Manager.
* The defects could not be rectified.
One does not `rectify' doubts. One can get them `cleared'. We can for example say, "I would like
to have my doubts cleared".
The word trousers is an uncommon noun because it is singular at the top and plural at the
bottom." - A student



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what is the word for a wife who is excessively fond of her husband?
Some time ago I had written in this column that the English language has a word for a man who
is excessively fond of his wife -"uxorious"- but that it doesn't have a word for a woman who is
excessively fond of her husband. I am happy to report that such a word does exist. The word is
"maritorious". It is derived from the Latin "maritus" meaning "husband". But unlike the word
"uxorious", "maritorious" is a word that is seldom heard or used. One does not find it listed in
most dictionaries. Wonder why!

Does the word "timepass" exist?
It certainly does; at least it is alive and kicking in Indian English. We often use this word in our
country to mean a good way of spending one's time. For example, we hear people say.
* The movie was a good timepass.
* It was just timepass.
* I always take a book with me when I travel. It's good timepass.
The word however does not exist in the native varieties of English. The native speaker would
normally say, "pass time".
* The movie was an enjoyable way of passing one's time.
* I always take a book with me when I travel. It's a nice way of passing one's time.
* I passed time watching the kids at play.

Which of the following sentences is correct? "The fees has to be paid", or
"The fees have to be paid"?
The word "fees" is considered to be plural; the singular is "fee". Rules of grammar dictate that
"fees" should be followed by a plural verb. The correct sentence is, "The fees have to be paid".
Here are a few more examples.
* The entrance fee has gone up.
* The school fees are exorbitant.
* The fee is likely to be increased.

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What is the plural of "mother-in-law"?
At the beginning of this century there was only one plural for this word - mothers in law. The
word "mother in laws" was considered unacceptable. As a result, we had "fathers in law",
"brothers in law", "sisters in law", etc.
Of late, native speakers of English have started saying, "mother in laws", father in laws",
"brother in laws", etc. So to get back to your question, the plural of "mother in law" could be
either "mothers in law" or "mother in laws". Take your pick.

What is the meaning and origin of the expression "to throw one's hat into the
ring?"
When you ``throw'' or ``toss'' your hat into the ring what you are doing is informing everyone
that you are willing to enter a contest. The expression these days is normally used in politics.
When someone throws his hat "in" or "into" the ring, he is announcing to the world that he is a
candidate in the coming election. In other words, he is contesting. Here are a few examples.
* Renuka is seriously considering throwing her hat into the ring this time.
* Arjun has tossed his hat in the ring. This should make things interesting.
* I would sound people out before throwing my hat into the ring if I were you.
The expression comes from the sport of boxing. In the old days whenever someone threw his hat
into the boxing ring, it implied that he was challenging the boxer; he was willing to fight the
person in the ring.
A well-known boxer, John L. Sullivan, used to go through this ritual every time he fought. After
defeating his opponent, Sullivan would toss his hat into the ring. This was a challenge to the
people in the audience.
If the man who challenged him was able to remain on his feet till the end of the bout, then
Sullivan used to give him a prize. They were not too many occasions when he actually had to
pay the challenger!
So the original meaning of "tossing the hat into the ring" was to challenge. It was only in the
19th Century that the expression took on the meaning it has today - announcing one's political

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candidacy.
What is a baby elephant called?
It's called a `calf'. In fact the babies of quite a few large animals are called calves whales,
giraffes, hippos, rhinos, etc.

In English are there words without vowels?
Are you talking about the letters of the alphabet or are you talking about sounds? Every English
word, in fact, every syllable of every English word usually contains a vowel sound. It is possible
to have a syllable/word without a consonant sound (I, eye) but you will not find a syllable
without a vowel sound.

Words without vowel letters
A large number of Modern English words spell the // or /a/ sound with the letter Y, such as try,
cry, fly, fry, sky, why, gym, hymn, lynx, myth, myrrh, pygmy, flyby, rhythm, and syzygy. The
longest such word in common use is rhythms, and the longest such word in Modern English is
the obsolete 17th-century word symphysy. (If archaic words and spellings are considered, there
are many more, the longest perhaps being twyndyllyngs, the plural of twyndyllyng.)
Similarly, the letter w stands for a vowel sound (/u/) in Welsh words, and two of these have
entered Modern English:
The crwth (pronounced /kr/ or /kru/ and also spelled cruth) is a Welsh musical
instrument similar to the violin:
He intricately rhymes, to the music of crwth and pibgorn.
[1]

A cwm (pronounced /kum/) is a deep hollow within a mountain, usually with steep
edges, such as the Western Cwm of Mount Everest. However, it is, in literary English,
nearly always spelled combe (as in Ilfracombe and Castle Combe), coomb (as in J. R. R.
Tolkien) or comb (as in Alfred, Lord Tennyson).

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The internet term pwn arose as a misspelling of the word "own", due to the "o" and "p" keys
being next to each other on the keyboard, and is now a commonly used word around the internet.
There is also the mathematical expression nth (pronounced /n/), as in delighted to the nth
degree, which has entered common usage. Besides this there are proper names, such as Kym Ng
and the band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The poem "And Sometimes" by Christian Bk contains no vowel letters.
Is it OK to address a person "Mr. Balagopal, Esq."?
No, it isn't. The short form of the word "Esquire" is normally used after a man's name. For
example, we can say T. Sriraman, Esq, L. Balagopal, Esq., etc. The word "Esq" is considered to
be rather old fashioned and is not frequently used by native speakers of English. The word comes
from the Old French "esquier" which means "shield bearer". An "esquire" was originally
someone who carried a Knight's shield. Becoming a Knight was no simple matter. One started at
a very young age; as a boy one served as a page in a nobleman' s household. Later, as one
entered one's teens, one became a Knight's personal attendant; and one of the duties of a personal
attendant was to carry the Knight's shield. The personal attendant was called "Esquire" and in the
old days he was considered to be higher in status than an ordinary man.

In other words, "Esquire" ranked above "Mr.". Nowadays, in Britain at least, "Esq." can be used
with any man. Some scholars argue that the words "Mr." and "Esq." are being used
synonymously. One cannot, however, use both words at the same time. It would be wrong to say,
"Mr. L. Balagopal, Esq.". You can either say, "Mr. L. Balagopal", or "L. Balagopal, Esq."

In America, the word "Esq." is normally used after the names of lawyers. What is interesting is
that the term is used with women lawyers as well. It is not uncommon to find an envelope
addressed to "Sally Field, Esq.".




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What is the meaning of "cut off one's nose to spite one face"?
This is one of those expressions that has been around for quite some time. If you wanted to get
even with someone, or hurt the feelings of that person, would you do it by cutting off your nose?
Would that be a sensible thing to do? It wouldn't, would it? That's what the expression `cut off
one's nose to spite one's face' means. It means harming oneself, perhaps much more than the
person one is trying to hurt. Here are a few examples:

*Harish loves to play tennis, but he refused to play with Suresh because he doesn't like him. He
was cutting off his nose to spite his face."

*Daya cut off her nose to spite her face when she refused to come to the industrial exhibition
with us.

*Tarun was the best salesman that the company had, but his boss hated him. So she fired him. It
was bit like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Is `juggernaut' derived from Lord Jagannath?
Yes, Lord Jagannath of Puri has given us the word "juggernaut". As you probably know, Lord
Jagannath and his consort are usually placed on huge chariots and taken out in procession every
year. Lots of people from various parts of the country come to see and participate in this event.
Many people line up as volunteers to pull the heavy chariot. Whenever you have a huge crowd,
accidents are very commonplace; they are just waiting to happen. There have been several
reported cases of people accidentally falling and being crushed by the huge wheels of Lord
Jagannath's chariot. A person who was a witness to such accidents was a Franciscan missionary,
named Friar Odoric. He visited India in the 14th Century and wrote about his visit to Puri in a
journal, which he published in Europe later on. In his journal, Odoric wrote in detail about the
huge chariot of Jagannath and how the devotees threw themselves at the chariot wheels allowing
themselves to be crushed. According to Odoric, the people were offering themselves as sacrifice
to the Lord! The European readers were shocked and horrified when they read this, and began to
associate the word "juggernaut" with a huge object that is out of control. The Friar's story of the

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human sacrifice spread throughout Europe and by the 19th Century "juggernaut" began to be
associated with a massive object, which destroyed everything in its path. It was seen as a
destructive force. It is interesting to note that "trains", "tanks", and even "automobiles", when
they were first introduced were referred to as "juggernauts"! The word has a negative
connotation in English. Here are a few examples.
*Sandeep is very naive. He thinks it is possible to compete with the juggernauts of the industry.
*Believe it or not, the skinny man standing over there is a political juggernaut.

WHAT IS the difference between "resume" and "bio-data"?
It is difficult to point out the difference between the two. In the Indian context, I guess one could
say that there is no difference between them. A "bio-data" is a rsum. A native speaker, on the
other hand, may not understand what you mean by "bio-data". The word does not exist in most
native varieties of English. The words commonly used by native speakers are CV (curriculum
vitae) and rsum. In India, however, the word `bio-data' is much more common than the other
two.

"HAVEN'T YOU finished reading that article yet?"

"Give me a couple of minutes, will you? Tell me, how do you pronounce
p..r..e..c..o..c..i..o..u..s?"
"Has that word been used in the article?"
"You bet. The author has used it several times."
"I see. Well, the `e' in the first syllable `pre' is pronounced like the "i" in "sit", "bit" and "pit"; the
following `o' is like the `o' in `so', `go' and `no'.''
"The final `ious' is like the `ious' in `precious' and `ambitious', I suppose?"
"Exactly! The `c' in the second syllable is like the `k' in `kit', `kin', and `kiss', while...."
".... the final `c' is like the `sh' in `ship', `sheep', and `sheet'. I had already guessed that. But tell
me, what does the word mean?"
"Why don't you try and figure it out? How does the author use the word?"
"Well, he says that Jennifer Capriati `burst onto the world tennis scene as a precocious 14-year

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old'."
"So what do you think the author is trying to say?"
"That 14-year old Jennifer was very talented?"
"That's right! The word is normally used with children. When you say that a child is `precocious'
what you are implying is that he/she is very clever or talented at something. The kind of talent
that you would expect to find in an adult, but certainly not in a child."
"In other words, the child is mature beyond his/her years. Is that what you are saying?"
"Well, I guess you could say that. Here's an example. Nobody wanted to play chess with the
precocious five-year-old."
"Devayani had precocious talent for music and dance."
"Though as a five-year-old, Saritha displayed precocious talent for tennis, her parents refused to
send her to coaching camps."
"Were you a precocious child?""Me? You must be joking. I don't think anyone in my family was
precocious."
"Didn't you say that your cousin Suresh was precocious? I remember you....``
"...I definitely didn't say that."
"But you said that he was a wonderful pilot. And I also think...."
"I probably said that he is rash. He is one of those who flies by the seat of his pants."
"Flies by the seat of his pants? What does that mean?"
"When you say that someone is doing something by the seat of his pants, what you are implying
is that he is doing something instinctively. He is not doing things according to any well thought
out plan.''
"No thinking involved, eh? Then, can I say, our Chief Minister has no clue what he is doing. He
is flying by the seat of his pants."
"I don't think so. You see, our poor Chief Minister is not doing anything, actually. He is merely a
mouthpiece for somebody else. Somebody else is running the State for him. Try this example.
The electrician that the company sent had no clue what he was doing. He was merely flying by
the seat of his pants."
"Most traders don't know what is happening in the stock market. Many of them are flying by the
seat of their pants."
"That's a good example. The expression can also be used to mean, `by sheer luck and very little

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skill'. My cousin got through school by the seat of his pants."
"If I get through, it will probably be by the seat of my pants."
"That's what your cousin Shanthi said. But she ended up coming first in the university. By the
way, how is she? She's married to a stockbroker, isn't she?"
"Not anymore. She divorced with him some six months ago.''
"You don't `divorce with' someone. You divorce someone. For example, she divorced her
husband six months ago."
"If it hadn't been for her parents, Usha would have divorced her husband long ago."
"I am sure she would have. I still don't understand how she puts up with that husband of hers."
"Not all marriages are made in heaven, you know. But tell me, is it wrong to say, `divorce
with'?"
"Yes, it is. You cannot say `divorce with', but you can say, `divorce from'. For example, she got a
divorce from her husband six months ago."
"Ramakanth received a letter from his wife saying that she wanted a divorce from him."
"That's a good example. By the way, the `i' in divorce is not pronounced like the `ie' in `tie', `die',
and `pie'. It sounds like the `i' in `bit', `hit', and `kit'. The stress is on the second syllable."
"I see. Tell me, can ...."
"....and, one needn't always get a divorce from someone. One can also get a divorce from
something. For example, I can say, you must divorce yourself from the strange ideas that your
friends have put in your head."
"Nandita feels that many of our politicians are divorced from the needs of the people."
"That's a pretty good example. Venkat is unable to divorce fantasy from reality."
"I agree with you completely. It's surprising to see so many marriages ending in divorce these
days. Do you think your marriage is doomed for failure?"
"Difficult to answer the question right now because I am not even married. But I can assure you
that it will not be `doomed for' failure."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because you cannot say `doomed for', that's why. Something can be `doomed to' fail, but not
`doomed for'."
"I see. The idea that the Principal came up with was doomed to fail."
"All her short stories are doomed to oblivion."

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"My father firmly believes that anything I start is doomed to fail."
"That's because you never think things out. You fly by the seat of your pants."
"Oh thank you, Prophet of Doom!"
Men are simple things. They can survive a whole weekend with only three things: beer, boxer
shorts and batteries for the remote control" Diana Jordan.

What is the meaning of "infructuous"?
As soon as I typed out your question, the spell checker on my computer highlighted the word
"infructuous", telling me that such a word does not exist! At least it hasn't been included in the
computer's dictionary. "Infructuous" is a word that is not used very often by native speakers of
English, it is however quite popular among newspaper reporters in India. First, let me deal with
the pronunciation of the word. The "u" in the second syllable sounds like the "u" in "but", "cut",
and "hut". The following "tu" is like the "tue" in "Tuesday". The final "ous" is like the "ous" in
"humourous", "fabulous", and "dangerous". The main stress is on the second syllable. As for the
meaning, well the word means "unprofitable, unfruitful, ineffective". Here are a few examples.
*After several infructuous interviews to find a job, Ashwini turned to crime.
*Gauri made an infructuous appeal to the Chairman to retain the services of Arun.
*Sashidhar made several infructuous attempts to steal the Nizam's diamonds.
"The last time I was in Spain, I got through six Jeffrey Archer novels. I must remember to take
enough toilet paper next time." Bob Monkhouse.

What is the difference between "She went out slamming the door" and "She
went out and slammed the door"?
The first sentence suggests that the person slammed the door as she was going out. The two
actions, the person walking out and the slamming of the door, took place simultaneously. The
action was continuous; there was no break. Here is another example. She picked up the telephone
crying. This sentence suggests that the individual while crying picked up the phone. The second
sentence "went out and slammed the door" suggests there was a pause between the two actions
however minute the pause may have been. The individual went out, stopped and then

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slammed the door. The action wasn't continuous; the incident is seen as two separate actions.
Here's another example. The man yawned and picked up the telephone. This sentence suggests
that the man yawned first and then after he had finished yawning, he picked up the telephone.
Whereas a sentence like "Yawning, the man picked up the telephone" seems to suggest the man
picked up the phone while he was yawning.

What is the origin of the expression "French leave"?
This is another example of how much the English hated the French. I guess we shouldn't be
talking about this now, considering the fact the two have joined forces along with the United
States to fight the Taliban. But historically the two nations couldn't stand each other. Even now it
is not uncommon for an Englishman to refer to a Frenchman as a "frog", because the French
consider frogs legs a delicacy. The term "French postcards" is used to refer to picture postcards
with naked ladies on them. When someone uses foul language, you can hear the person saying,
"pardon my French" thereby implying that the French had the habit of swearing.
When someone goes on "French leave", he or she takes off without informing the authorities.
According to the English, it was standard practice in France in the 18th Century to leave a ball or
dinner without thanking the host and hostess. People left without even saying good-bye. The
English felt that the French were people without manners. But what is interesting is that, taking
leave of someone in this manner is referred to as "English leave" by the French! What the
Americans call "French postcards", the French call "American postcards". It is interesting to note
that countries, which have such a low opinion of one another, have come together to fight
terrorism! I guess they don't mind the war of words.

What is the difference between `fairly' and `rather'?
"Rather" is the stronger of the two words. When you say that the movie was "rather good ", it
implies that it was pretty good; it was much better than you had expected. So in your opinion,
people should go and see it; you recommend it. On the other hand, when you say that it was
"fairly good", what you are implying is that it was OK. There was nothing great about the film, if
the friend wants to, he/she may go and see it, but you wouldn't recommend it. Similarly, when
you tell someone that his English is "fairly good", you are not really complimenting him. All that

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you are saying is that his English is OK. Here are a few more examples.
*Jyothi made a fairly/rather good presentation.
*During summer, it gets fairly/rather warm.
*Sreetilak's wife is fairly/rather good looking.

WHAT IS the plural of "staff "?
If you are thinking of people working in an organisation, then the plural is "staff ".The word is an
uncountable noun. In most universities, for example, we have teaching staff and administrative
staff. Like the nouns "jury", "government", etc. the word "staff" can be followed by either a
singular or a plural verb. Here are a few examples.
*The staff is of the opinion that we should go on strike.
*The staff were excellent.
*The staff at St. Mary's Hospital have rejected the new pay scale.
The word is normally not used to refer to a single individual. If you wish to refer to a single
person, then you could say "staff member", "staff person", etc. Some people use the word
"staffer", not everyone, however, accepts this word.

"HI, COME on in. Nice pair of jeans. Where did you buy them?"
"At Jeansworld. And they cost me only Rs. 150."
"That's pretty cheap. Is there a sale going on?"
"No, no sale. I exchanged my old pair of jeans with this new pair."
"For a new pair."
"What?"
"You don't exchange something `with' something. You usually exchange something `for'
something. For example, Saritha exchanged her old VCR for a new one."
"My father is planning to exchange his old scooter for a new one. How does that sound?"
"The example is an excellent one. But do you seriously think someone will actually pay money
for that rusty old thing?"
"Well, I'm not really sure."

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"I have a feeling that your father will have to pay money to get rid of it! Ha! Ha!"
"You have a point there. My mother would agree with you completely. She's been asking him to
get rid of the old scooter for about ten years now. But he keeps telling her that he can't.
Apparently it was a gift from his father. Anyway, how about this example? The old farmer
exchanged his wheat for oil."
"Good example again! Now then, how about...."
".... listen, does this mean it's wrong to say `exchange with'?"
"Of course not. You can use both `exchange with' and `exchange for'. What you have to
remember is you `exchange something for something' and you `exchange something with
someone'."
"In other words, you use `exchange with' to indicate trading between people, not between
things."
"I guess you could say that. Here's an example. The two students exchanged coats with each
other."
"Sujatha exchanges books with many of her friends. How does that sound?"
"Fine. Here's another example. I exchange greetings with Ajit on 1st January. That's the only
time I ring him up."
"That's understandable. I mean who would want to talk to that creep?"
"There are lots of people who want to talk to him. Many people think he's very intelligent.''
"Those people must be crazy. You know, sometimes I think people are not really interested....
That reminds me, what is the difference between `some time' and `sometime'?"
"Well, `some time' is normally used to indicate some amount of time. The duration could be very
short or long. It could be five minutes or ten years. For example, I need some time to finish
writing this letter."
"Karthick always makes it a point to spend some time with his grandparents during the summer.
How does that sound?"
"Sounds great. As a child, Padma spent quite some time in Gwalior. Her Hindi is excellent.''
"In all these examples, would it be wrong to use `sometime'?"
"Yes, it would. `Sometime' is normally used to refer to indefinite time in the future or the past.
For example, 'Pramod will be arriving sometime next month'."
"So, what you are saying is that Pramod will be arriving next month, but you don't know when.

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That is, you don't know the date and the time."
``That's right. The sentence gives you a general idea as to when Promod is arriving, but it does
not specify when exactly. Here is another example. Would it be possible for me to come and see
you sometime tomorrow?"
"The Vice Chancellor told us that the results would be announced sometime next month."
"That's a good example."
``The Guptas have been married for 25 years. They have been married for quite some time."
"I hope to get married sometime next year."
"No girl in her right mind would marry you."
"You may be right. But you never know. You know sometimes I wish, I could just..."
"....ah, the word `sometimes'. This is a word I know."
"Really? What do you think it means?"
" `Sometimes' means occasionally, once in a while...that's what it means, doesn't it?"
"You're right. That's exactly what it means."
"I am glad that I was able to answer at least one question correctly today. You know, sometimes
I wish I were smarter."
"Sometimes my boss gets really angry with me."
"That's not surprising! Most of the time I am happy being who I am, but sometimes I wish I had
been born in America."
"With your kind of luck you would have ended up working on the 90th floor of the World Trade
Centre."
"You know sometimes you say the strangest things."
"That's because spending time with you drives me crazy. Shall we continue our conversation
sometime tomorrow?"
"No, thank you. I have to spend some time cleaning up my room."
"You! Cleaning up your room? You know you still manage to surprise me sometimes."
"When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we
commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. Sooooo, let's all get drunk and go to
heaven!'' Brian O'Rourke



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Is it wrong to say, "Protest against something"?
No, it isn't. It is possible for one to "protest against" or "protest about" something. Here are a few
examples.
* We protested against the increase in student fees.
* Prabhakar is always protesting about something.
* The workers decided not to protest against the downsizing of the company.
* Most of us were planning to protest about the increased workload.
In American English it is possible to "protest" something. For example,
* We protested the increase in working hours.
* The students protested the indiscriminate firing by the police.
* The unions were protesting the war.
"The only imaginative fiction being written today is income tax returns." Herman Wouk


What is the difference between "placebo" and "panacea"?
First let's deal with the pronunciation of the two words. The "a" in the first syllable of "placebo"
is like the "a" in "china"; the following "e" is like the "ee" in "see", "bee", and "free". The final
"o" sounds like the "oe" in "toe", "doe", and "Joe". The stress is on the second syllable "ce".
The first "a" in "panacea" is like the "a" in "act", "pact", and "fact", while the second is like the
"a" in "china". The final "cea" rhymes with the words "fear", "dear", and "cheer". The main
stress is on the third syllable.
The Greek word "panacea" means "universal remedy". During the old days it was common
practice for some people to claim that a certain herb could cure all diseases; they claimed that it
was a panacea. We now know that there is no such herb. Though the word "panacea" continues
to be used, the focus now has shifted from curing bodily ills to social ills. Here are a few
examples.
* America thinks that getting rid of terrorism is the panacea for the world's problems.*
Borrowing money from the World Bank may help. But it is not a panacea.

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* Marrying someone rich is not the panacea for your problems, Krishna.
A "placebo", on the other hand, is a substance that is given to an individual instead of real
medicine. We have met people who keep complaining about their health all the time. Every time
you meet them, they have a different ailment. Most of the time the problems are imaginary.
Some people visit the doctor and take great pleasure in explaining to him the various aches and
pains. The doctor knows that the patient's illness is imaginary, but in order to please the patient
he gives him tablets, which he recommends, should be taken every day. The tablets are not
medicine, but sugarcoated pills.
The tablets are a placebo; they have no medicinal value. The patient after taking them, however,
begins to feel better. As far as he is concerned he has become well because of the tablets that the
doctor has given him. The imagined aches and pains disappear because the patient feels that he
has been taking genuine medicine!
* The doctor kept his coloured placebos in the bottom drawer.
* He began to feel better after a couple of days. He didn't realise that what the doctor had given
him was nothing more than a placebo.
* Namratha wasn't given the real drug, but only a placebo.

Which of the following sentences is correct? ``The driver of the bus was
expired in the accident'' or ``The driver of the bus expired in the accident"?
It is grammatically incorrect to say, "was expired". The first sentence is therefore definitely
wrong. As far as the second sentence is concerned, well, usually in an accident, people "die",
they do not "expire". Therefore it's better to say, "The driver died in the accident", instead of
"The driver expired in the accident". The word "expire" carries with it the sense that things came
to an end gradually along expected lines. In an accident, things do not happen gradually; they
happen suddenly, unexpectedly. Therefore "died" is a better word in this context.

What is the meaning of "You scared the daylights out of me"?
This is an expression which is mostly used in informal contexts. When you "scare the daylights
out of someone", you succeed in frightening the person quite badly. Remember the James Bond

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movie, "Living Daylights"? Well, it is also possible to say, ``scare the living daylights out of
someone". Here are a few examples.
* The little boy scared the daylights out of his mother.
* The bombing of the World Trade Center has scared the living daylights out of most Americans.
* Vijay's Halloween mask scared the daylights out of Sadhana.
Other expressions which mean more or less the same thing are "frighten the daylights out of
someone", "scare the wits out of someone", and "scare someone out of his wits".

WHAT IS the meaning of "neck to neck"?
First of all, it's not "neck to neck", but "neck and neck". Although there is a tendency to say
"neck to neck" within India, it is wrong to do so. When you say that a particular race or
contest between two participants was neck and neck, what you are implying is that it was
very even or very close; either of the two participants could have won it.
* The survey shows that the two political parties are running neck and neck.
* At the two-mile mark, Mohan and Shyam were running neck and neck.
* Atul and Vishnu were running neck and neck in the quiz competition.
"Neck and neck" comes from the world of horse racing.

What is the meaning and origin of the expression "off the cuff"?
When you make an "off the cuff" remark what you are doing is saying something without really
having thought about it. You make it spontaneously.

*Off the cuff, I would say that there are about 300 applicants.

*Satish is in the habit of making off the cuff remarks, which hurt a lot of people.

*Think before you answer. I don't want an off the cuff reply.

The "cuff" here refers to the cuff of one's shirt. Speakers sometimes noted down some of the last
minute points/ideas, which they wished to include in their speech, on the cuffs of their shirts.

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While they were speaking they would quickly look at the cuff and carry on.

Hence the expression "off the cuff". Our students too give "off the cuff" answers to questions.
Some of them write the answers down on the cuff of their shirts before entering the examination
hall!

Is it OK to say "Me neither"?
When somebody says "I don't like idlis" and you wish to agree with him or her, your normal
response is "I don't either" or "Neither do I". These are the kind of responses one finds in
grammar books; they are considered to be grammatically acceptable. But more often than not,
when people are talking, they tend to say "Me neither". Such a response is acceptable in speech,
especially in informal contexts.

What is the difference between "ornamental'' and "ornate''?
When you say that something is "ornate" what you are implying is that the object has been
decorated excessively or elaborately. There is too much decoration and as a result it is showy or
gaudy; the word generally has a negative connotation. The main stress, by the way, is on the
second syllable "nate", which rhymes with "eight", "bait", and "hate". Here are a few examples.

*I saw Alok carrying a heavy, ornate vase.

*The father disapproved of the ornate cigarette case.

The word "ornamental" also means decorative, but unlike "ornate" it isn't associated with
anything negative. When you say that something is "ornamental" what you are implying is that
the object has been designed to be decorative without being too vulgar or ostentatious. The stress
in this word is on the third syllable, "men". Here are a few examples.

*The rose plant in that corner is purely ornamental.


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*My father designed the ornamental garden at the back of my house.

What is the word for a child who is born after his father's death?
I don't know of any specific word that would refer to such a child. Generally we talk about a
child being born posthumously. The word "posthumous" means something that happens after an
individual's death. The "o" in the first syllable is like the "o" in "pot", "hot", and "cot" and the
"h" is like the "y" in "yes", "yet", and "yeast". The following "u" can be pronounced either like
the "u" in "put", "pull", and "full", or like the "a" in "China". The final "ous" sounds like the
"ous" in "famous", "dangerous", and "generous". The main stress is on the first syllable. This is
just one of the ways of pronouncing the word. Here are a few examples on how to use the word.

*The soldier was awarded the medal posthumously.

*Nandita wanted her memoirs to be published posthumously.

*The famous actor's son was born posthumously.

Do you congratulate someone "on" getting a job, or do you congratulate him
"for" getting a job?
One usually congratulates someone "on" getting something, and not "for". Here are a few
examples.

*Neha and Raju congratulated Atul on his brilliant performance.

*Vishnu congratulated Leya on winning the lottery.

WHAT IS the meaning of "feel good factor"?
This is an expression that has been around since the 1970s. At first it was generally used to refer
to something that creates a sense of well being in people their emotional state, physical state,

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financial state, etc. Since the 1990s, however, the "feel good factor" has become somewhat
restricted in its meaning; it's become an expression, which is mostly employed by economists
and financial pundits. These days it is extensively used to refer to a sense of financial and
material well being not necessarily physical or emotional. Here are a few examples.

* A well known economist believes that the feel good factor will not return to the country before
the end of the decade.

* No matter what changes the government makes, the feel good factor will be slow to return.

What is the meaning of the idiom "to rob Peter to pay Paul"?
When you rob Peter to pay Paul what you are doing is taking money from one person in order to
pay another. You are not actually clearing your debts; all that you are doing is paying off one
person by borrowing from another. As a result, you still continue to be in debt. Here are a few
examples.

*Tara took a loan from the bank in order to clear her debts; robbing Peter to pay Paul.

*I am not going to ask my neighbour for some for money in order to pay you. It would be like
robbing Peter to pay Paul.

*Some people use one credit card to pay off the bills of another credit card. It's like robbing Peter
to pay Paul. I just don't understand it.

Which of the following sentences is correct? "I bathe every morning" or "I
bath every morning".
"Bathe" is the verb and "bath" is the noun. Therefore the correct sentence is "I bathe every
morning". By the way, the "a" in "bathe" is like the "ay" in "bay", "day", and "say". The final
"the" is pronounced like the "th" in "this", "that", and "those". If you want to use the word
"bath", then you would have to say, "I have a bath every morning", "The child enjoys taking a

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bath", etc.

Isn't a female cat also called a "tabby"?
Yes, a female cat can be referred to as a "queen" or a "tabby".

What is the meaning of "cock-a-hoop"?
When one is "cock-a-hoop" about something, one is extremely happy or pleased about it. You
are usually delighted about something that you have done. The main stress is on the word
``hoop". "Cock-a-hoop" is considered to be rather old fashioned. Here are a few examples.

*Sarita was cock-a-hoop about finding a job.

*Jai was cock-a-hoop about the way the cake turned out.

*We were all cock-a-hoop about winning the first prize.

Is it OK to say "Ganesh is going to abroad"?
No, it is not. You generally say that someone is going abroad or went abroad. The word "abroad"
is like the words "upstairs" and "downstairs"; you do not use "to" before any of these words.
Here are a few examples.

*Mala is going abroad next month.

*Mala went abroad several times last year.

*Mala is going upstairs to get her pen.

*Mala went downstairs to meet the guests.


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What is the correct pronunciation of the word "photograph"?
Indians in general tend to put the stress on the second syllable of the word. Native speakers, on
the other hand, place the stress on the first syllable "pho". The "o" in the first syllable is
pronounced like the "o" in "so", "go" and "no", while the second "o" is like the "a" in "china".
The "a" in the final syllable "graph" is like the "a" in "path", and "bath" and the following "ph"
sounds like the "f" in "fish", "fee", and "felt".

What is the meaning of the expression "on the receiving end"?
When you are "on the receiving end" of something bad or unpleasant, you are the person who
suffers. You are the individual who is subjected to hurt and humiliation. One can also "be at the
receiving end" of something bad. Here are a few examples.

*The newly appointed lecturer was at the receiving end of all the bullying and ragging.

*Whenever something bad happens, you can be sure that poor Rahul is always at the receiving
end.

*He was on the receiving end of all the hatred that she felt for men in general.

WHAT IS the difference in meaning between "We have lived here for five
years" and "We have been living here for five years"?
As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference between the two. What you are saying
is that you started living in that particular place five years ago and you still continue to live there.
The activity of living in that place if you would like to call it that still continues. Here are a
few examples.
*Naresh has worked here for fifteen years. (He still works here)
*Naresh has been working here for fifteen years. (He still works here)
*Naresh worked here for fifteen years. (He no longer works here)
*Devdas has taught English for twenty years. (He still teaches English)

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*Devdas has been teaching English for twenty years. (He still teaches English)
*Devdas taught English for twenty years. (He no longer teaches English)
This however is not possible in the case of all verbs. For example, you cannot say, "I have read
the book for three weeks", or "I have eaten since yesterday".
On the other hand, you can say, "I have been reading the book for three weeks" and "I have been
eating since yesterday".

Which of the following sentences is correct? I'll submit the report in a week
time'' or ``I'll submit the report in a weeks time''.
Both are wrong. The correct sentence is " I'll submit the report in a week's time". Here is another
example: I'll submit the report in a month's/year's time.

What is the study of flags called?
I understand that the academic study of flags is called "vexillology". The first syllable is like the
word "vex" while the "i" in the second syllable sounds like the "i" in "bit", "kit", and "sit". Some
people pronounce the first "lo" like the word "law", while the final "logy" sounds like the "logy"
in "psychology", "biology", and "zoology". The main stress is on the third syllable. A person
who designs flags is called "vexillographer"; the stress once again is on the third syllable. And a
person who collects flags is called "vexillophile". Dr. Whitney Smith coined the word
"vexillology".

What is the difference between a "television serial" and a "television series"?
The soap operas that so many people watch religiously every day are examples of serials. A
"serial" is usually a fictional story, which is divided into parts and broadcast perhaps every day
or every week. The story is ongoing; today's episode is a continuation of what happened
yesterday. Some of the television producers have taken up well-known novels and have made
them into serials.
A series, unlike a serial, need not always be based on a work of fiction. The programmes that we
see on the National Geographic Channel or the Discovery Channel can be thought of being as

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part of a series. For example, sometimes for an entire week, there may be programmes on sharks.
All the programmes form part of a series about sharks. When you think of a series you are
thinking of a set of related programmes. You may for example have a programme on lions,
tigers, leopards, etc under the title "carnivores". It is also possible to have a series that is based
on fiction. But in the case of a series, each programme is usually self-contained. In other words
each episode has a beginning, middle and an end and the story from one episode does not usually
carry over to the next. For example, Martial Law, NYPD Blue, and Friends are all examples of
series. By the way, the plural of series is series.

What is the meaning and origin of the expression "trail blazer"?
A trailblazer is someone who is the first to do something. For example, he or she could be
someone who has discovered or developed a new method of doing something. Here are a few
examples.
*Jambu will always be remembered as a trailblazer in cancer research.
*Padma was a trailblazer in the field of AIDS research.
One can even talk about an individual or an institution of having "blazed a trail". When someone
blazes a trail what you are implying is that he/she has done something, which no one has done
before; something, which will benefit a lot of other people.

*The company has blazed a trail in developing new medicines for curing AIDS.

*He has blazed a trail in developing awareness among people about cancer.

The word "blaze" is generally associated with "fire". So "trailblazer" should be someone who
develops something new by destroying everything that is old. This however is not the origin of
the expression. The expression came into being in the late 18th Century when the American
settlers were pushing further and further west towards Oregon, California, etc. Since they
were exploring uncharted territory and didn't want to get lost along the way, they used to mark
the trail that they had taken. One of the ways that they used to indicate the route they had taken
was to remove the bark from some of the trees. This method of marking trees was known as

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"blazing". And since they were marking a trail, we get the expressions "blazing a trail" and
"trailblazer".

What is the correct pronunciation of the word ``harass"?
The manner in which you pronounce this word will, to a large extent, depend on which side of
the Atlantic you are from. For example, if you are from England, then you would tend to
pronounce the first "a" like the "a" in "cat", "bat" and "act". The second would be pronounced
like the "a" in "China" and the main stress would be on the first syllable. If, on the other hand,
you come from the U.S., then you would do the exact opposite. You would pronounce the first
"a" like the "a" in "China" and the second "a" like the "a" in "cat". The stress in this case would
be on the second syllable.

WHAT IS the meaning of the expression "to go bananas"?
This expression has several different meanings. When someone goes bananas about/over
something, he/she becomes very enthusiastic about it. The expression is considered slang and is
generally used in informal contexts. Here are a few examples.

*The students went bananas when they heard that Mani was going to address them.

*We all went bananas when we saw Steffi Graf walk into the gym.

*The children went bananas when they saw all the icecream.

To go bananas can also mean to drive someone crazy or mad. For example,

*The constant questions made him go bananas.

*Mythreye thought she would go bananas sitting all alone at home.

*Being in the company of her son was driving Mala bananas.

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When used in this sense, "to go bananas," means the same thing as "to go nuts" and "to go
crazy". "Cool bananas" is an expression, which is frequently used in American English as an
exclamation. It is often used to mean "wow". Here are a few examples.

*Satish got an A in the exam. Cool bananas!

*You've got a new bike? Cool bananas!

*Cool bananas man! That is really wonderful news.

What is the difference between "It rains" and "It is raining"?
There was a time when people in Chennai were just dying to hear someone say, "It is raining". I
am not so sure anymore. Of late there has been just too much rain. When you say that it is
raining, what you are implying is that it is raining right now. You are not talking about yesterday
or something that will happen tomorrow, you are talking about the present. When you look out of
the window, you can actually see the rain falling. When you say that it rains in Chennai what you
are implying is that rain is quite common. But the sentence doesn't necessarily mean that it is
raining right now. It rains every now and then, but it may not be raining right now. Here are a
few more examples.

* Hamsa is playing tennis. (She is playing tennis right now)

* Hamsa plays tennis in the evening. (She plays only in the evening. Not now)

* I am talking to the Manager. (I am talking to the Manager right now)

* I talk to the Manager. (I talk whenever I run into him)

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"A psychiatrist is a fellow who asks you a lot of expensive questions your wife asks for nothing".
Joey Adams

What is the difference between "autograph" and "signature"?
They both refer to the same thing; the manner in which you sign your name on a piece of paper.
The difference is this. An autograph has a status, which a signature does not. Autographs are
usually given by famous people to their adoring fans; people like Sachin Tendulkar, Shahrukh
Khan, Arundati Roy, etc are frequently pestered for their autographs. You and I unfortunately do
not belong in the same league and therefore will never be asked for our autographs even if we
are willing to give one, there will be very few people who would actually want it! The only
exciting thing that we will be asked to do is to put our `signature' on income tax returns, life
insurance policies, cheque leaves and what have you. But think about the bright side, while
autograph hunters will haunt the likes of Tendulkar and Ganguly wherever they go, we will be
left in peace!

How is the word "roulette" pronounced?
The `ou' in the first syllable is like the `oo' in `ool', `pool', and `cool', while the `e' in the second
syllable sounds like the `e' in `set', `pet', and `let'. The final `e' is silent and the main stress is on
the second syllable. Any idea what "roulette" is? It is a gambling game in which a wheel
(roulette) spins round and round and you have to predict on which number the ball or marble will
land. Then of course we have the Russian roulette. Ever heard of this game? Well, it's not
actually a game. What you do is to put a bullet into one of the chambers of a gun, leaving the
remaining five chambers empty. You then keep spinning the chambers till you are no longer sure
where the bullet is. Next you place the gun on your head and pull the trigger. If you are lucky
you survive, otherwise.... Some people get a lot of thrill playing such games. Gabbar Singh in
Sholay enjoyed playing Russian roulette. The expression `playing Russian roulette' has begun to
be used metaphorically as well. When you say that someone is `playing Russian roulette' what
you are implying is that he/she is taking terrible risks; doing something very very dangerous.

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What is the meaning of "stand someone up"?
This is an expression, which is frequently used, in informal contexts. When you `stand someone
up' you make an appointment with the individual and then fail to show up. The expression is
normally used when one fails to keep a date with one's boyfriend or girlfriend. If your boss
doesn't keep his appointment, you don't generally say that the boss stood you up! Unless, of
course, your boss happens to be your significant other. Here are a few examples.

* Sunita stood Raju up. He was extremely angry.

* Atul stood up his date; he was busy playing cricket with his friends.

* Sreetilak is a gentleman. He makes it a point never to stand his girlfriend up.

What is a female "postmaster" called?
A woman who is in charge of a local post office is called a `postmistress'. Makes sense, doesn't
it? The plural is `postmistresses'. These words have been included in the latest edition of some
dictionaries. Ever wondered what a female postman is called? Logically it should be
`postwoman', but none of the dictionaries have included this word. In the U.S, men and women
who deliver mail are called "mail carriers".

HOW DO you refer to the years between 1901 and 1910? Is there a single
word for it?
No, there isn't. There is no word to refer to something that happened in the first or the second
decade of a particular century. People generally tend to say the `early decades' of the Twentieth
Century. We can, for example, say `the early 1900s', or the first/second decade of the Twentieth
Century. It is, however, possible to refer to something that happened after 1920. For example, the
years between 1920 and 1930 are usually referred to as the 1920s. Similarly, we have the 1930s,

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1940s, etc. If we know which century we are talking about, then we may simply say the 40s, the
50s, etc. It is important to note however that there is no apostrophe after the year. We do not
generally write `1930's'; it would be wrong to do so.

"HI, COME on in. Did you get a cake from your neighbour this morning?"
"A cake from my neighbour? Why should she give me a cake?"

"Today is Christmas, that's why! Doesn't she usually give you a nice big cake?"

"Yeah, she does. But this year, she's celebrating Christmas in Goa. A family get-together or
something."

"That's nice. But is that the reason you're looking so grumpy? The fact that you didn't get a
Christmas cake?"

"No, I am not angry about that. I am angry with your friend Sujatha. We had another one of our
fights."

"You and Sujatha fighting again! Nothing new in that, I suppose. What was the fight about? Was
it about some silly movie?"

"No, it was about the word `handsome'?"

"The word `handsome', eh? What did she do? Did she insult you by calling you `handsome'?"

"Even if I were the last man on earth she would never call me that and you know it. No, the
argument was over whether a woman could be called `handsome'. I said that the word handsome
could be used only with men. She argued that a woman could be called handsome as well. So,
tell me. Is she right? Or am I right?"


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"She is, actually."

"What? You mean I can tell someone that Shanti is a handsome woman."

"Well, I wouldn't use the word handsome with a young girl like Shanti. You see, mature women
can be called `handsome', not young girls."

"I see. So when you call a woman handsome are you implying that she is manly?"

"No, no! Handsome does not mean manly. When you refer to a woman as being handsome, what
you are implying is that her features are fairly large and regular rather than pretty and delicate.
She is...."

"....in other words, she is not much to look at."

"On the contrary, she is very pleasant to look at. The famous Swedish actress Greta Garbo was
often referred to as being `breathtakingly handsome'."

"So a woman who is fairly well-built, has big eyes and a big nose is more likely to be called
`handsome' rather than pretty?"

"You know what they say, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder."

"That's true. The next time I see Sujatha I have to tell her that she was right. I hate doing that.
Tell me, what have you been up to?"

"Oh, nothing much actually. I have been trying to psych my new boss out.''

"Psych your new boss out? What are you talking about?"

"The expression has several different meanings. One of the meanings of `psych someone out' is

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to try and figure the person out."

"In other words, you try and understand the person. How his mind works. Is that what you are
saying?"

"Exactly! Here's an example. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't psych Janaki out. She's a
bit...."

"...I don't think anyone can psych her out. How about this example? The bowler tried to psych
out Tendulkar, but he...."

"....Tendulkar probably smashed the next three balls to the fence. Don't try and psych me out. I
am an enigma."

"You are anything but an enigma. Anyway, tell me what are the other meanings of psych out?"

"When you psych out about something, you become very excited about it. You may even lose
control over your ability to think. For example, when Janani heard that Hrithik Roshan was
coming over to her place, she psyched out."

"When the students came to know that Sachin was to be the chief guest at the Annual Sports Day
event, they all psyched out."

"But later when the students came to know that it was going to be the Chief Minister and not
Sachin who was going to be the chief guest, everyone was disappointed. No one psyched out."

"That is to be expected, I guess. My father psyched out when he saw last month's telephone bill.''

"Pretty high, eh?"

"Very high! By the way, you have the expression `psych out'. Do you have the expression `psych

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in' as well?"

"No, we don't have `psych in', but we do have `psych up'."

"What does it mean?"

"When you psych someone up, you get them mentally prepared to do something. It..."

"....you mean like taking a test or something?"

"Yes, that's right. It could be a test. It could be taking part in some event. Or it..."

"....OK, I think I understand. How about this example? We have an excellent coach. Before
every game he psyches us up."

"It's always a good idea to psych players up before an important game."

"Our Indian cricketers seldom look psyched up when they enter the field."

``I don't even want to talk about those guys. Here's another example. The psyched up musicians
were waiting for the curtains to go up."

"Savitri is psyching herself up for tomorrow's interview."

"Savitri has been called for an interview? That's nice to know. I am sure that if she gets the job,
her parents will be so happy that they will psych out."

"She will get the job provided the interviewers are unable to psych her out in the twenty minutes
she is with them."

"You have a point there."

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* * * * *


"Success is like dealing with your kid or teaching your wife to drive. Sooner or later you'll end
up in the police station." Fred Allen

What is the meaning of ``shell-shocked''?
This is probably how the people of Afghanistan felt a couple of weeks ago. The word ``shell''
refers to bombs. How would you feel if you lived in a city, which was being constantly bombed?
I guess you would go through a lot of emotions confusion, anger, etc. When you say that
someone is shell-shocked what you are implying is that the difficult experience, which the
individual has undergone recently has left him confused and anxious. Here are a few examples.

*I think Aparna is a little shell-shocked after the final exam.

*Vinita felt shell-shocked after coping with the boisterous twins all day.

*The shell-shocked investors trooped in silently.

"The average Ph.D. thesis is nothing but a transference of bones from one graveyard to another."
J. Frank Dobie

What is a female cat called?
A female cat is called a queen. Male cats, on the other hand, are called toms. Cats are generally
associated with the female of the species. When you call a woman ``catty'', for example, what
you are implying is that she is very unpleasant and usually has a lot of nasty things to say about
others. When a young girl dresses like a boy and seems to enjoy playing the kind of games that
young boys play, then she is often called a``tomboy''.

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What is the difference between``hanged''and``hung''?
The word ``hang'' has several different meanings. When you ``hang'' a person, you kill him/her
by tying a rope around his/her neck and taking the support away from under his/her feet. When
``hang'' is used in this sense, then the two other forms of the verb are ``hanged'' : ``hang, hanged,
hanged''. Here are a few examples.

*The innocent man was hanged yesterday.

*The prisoner will be hanged at noon tomorrow.

The word can also be used with objects. When you ``hang'' an object what you are doing is that
you are fastening it to something or suspending it from something. When you use the word in
this sense, then its past tense and past participle form is ``hung''. To make a long story short,
people are hanged and objects are hung. Here are a few examples.

*The players hung their caps on the hooks.

*Vyomakesh wanted the balloons to be hung from the ceiling.

*The two children hung their coats before coming in.

Is it OK to end a letter to a Principal in the following manner? ``Dear Sir, ...
Thank you, Yours obediently
When you begin a letter with ``Dear Sir'' you normally conclude by saying ``Yours sincerely''.
Some people prefer to use ``Yours faithfully''. ``Yours obediently' 'is used quite often in India to
show respect. It is, however, considered rather old fashioned by native speakers of English. If
you wish to show respect, then you could sign off with ``yours respectfully''. You can conclude
your letter

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Is it Ok to say,``Could you drop me till there?'' in the following manner:
``Thank you. Yours sincerely, XXXX''
The words ``till'' and ``until'' are normally used when you are talking about duration. For
example, we can say:

*I waited till all the students had left the building.

*Meera kept hitting the tennis ball till she was ready to drop.

*The students were supposed to study until 10 o'clock.

"Till'' and ``until'' cannot be used to refer to a place. The sentence that you have given is
grammatically incorrect. To make it acceptable, you will have to drop ``till'' ``Could you drop
me there?'' Here are a few more examples.

*Could you drop me at the airport?

*Could you drop me off at school?

*Could you wait till/until tomorrow?

What is the meaning and origin of the expression ``be under the weather"?
When you say that someone is feeling ``under the weather'' what you mean is that the person is
unwell; he/she is not feeling particularly good. The individual could be depressed about
something. Here are a few examples.

*Lakshmi has been under the weather lately.

*I feel a little under the weather. I think I am coming down with something.


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*The meeting has been cancelled.

*The Chairman is a bit under the weather.

There are many people who hate to travel. Even those who like visiting places may not always be
good travellers. Some may get ``airsick'', some ``carsick'' and others ``seasick''. The expression
``under the weather'', which has been part of the English language for several hundred years,
comes from the world of sailing. People who go on a cruise often find that the constant rocking
motion of the ship makes them violently sick they keep vomiting all the time. When the
weather gets really rough, the ship rocks and sways so violently that people throw up even more.
Passengers who are unable to cope with the swaying motion are often sent below deck. There are
two reasons for this. The first of course is that they will be away from the inclement weather, but
perhaps much more important is that the swaying motion of the ship is felt far less below. I
understand that on a ship the swaying motion is felt most on the deck; while little or no swaying
is felt near the keel, which is near the bottom of the ship. This is one of the explanations given as
to the origin of the idiom 'under the weather'.

Equable,Equitable, Drive up the wall...
"WHAT ARE you reading?"

"An article on global warming. It says here that the weather in our country...."

".... I'm not interested in the weather. Right now I am only interested in finishing ...."

".....how do you pronounce e..q..u..a..b..l..e?"

"What?"

"E..q..u..a..b..l..e. How do you pronounce it?"


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"Well, the first `e' is like the `e' in `set', `bet', and `met'. The `qu' sounds like the `qu' in `quality',
`quit', and `quick'. The `a' is like the...."

"....don't tell me. It's like the `a' in `China', while the final `ble' is probably like the `ble' in
`bubble', `trouble', and `double'."

"Exactly! The main stress is on the first syllable. Any idea what the word means?"

"Sure I do. People usually talk about an `equable settlement'. That ...."

"....sorry! The word you are thinking of is `equitable', not `equable'."

"What's the difference between the two?"

"When you say that something is `equable', it means it is regular, moderate, free from extremes.
The word is often used to refer to the climate. For example, the climate in Rajasthan is anything
but equable."

"Many people say that Hyderabad has an equable climate."

"You must be joking. Hyderabad gets really hot during the summer. I have heard quite a few
people say that Bangalore is equable. But let's not get into an argument over the weather. Can
`equable' be used with people as well?"

"Yes, it can. When you say that someone is `equable' what you are implying is that the person is
even tempered."

"In other words, the individual has no mood swings. Like the climate, the person has no
extremes."

"I guess you could say that. No matter what the situation is, the individual is calm and cheerful.

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Like me!"

"Like you? You must be joking! How about this example? It's a pleasure working with Gitanjali
because she is so equable."

"That's a good example. His equable temperament made Bala quite a popular teacher."

"Everyone had told Venkat that his new boss was equable and that he would enjoy working with
him. So he was quite surprised when the man snapped at him for coming late to office."

"Bosses are so unpredictable. Tell me, what does `eQUITable' mean?"

"The stress is not on the second, but the first syllable. It's pronounced Equitable."

"I see. What does Equitable mean?"

"It means just or impartial."

"I see. The Minister has asked the management and the union to come up with an equitable
compromise. How does that sound?"

"Good. Here's another one. The lawyer ensured that there was an equitable division of property
among the three brothers."

"The two parties were interested in arriving at an equitable settlement."

"It's very difficult to arrive at an equitable compromise."

"I know. By the way, how is your friend Dilip doing? Has he found a job?"

"No, he hasn't. He keeps ringing me up every day and talks to me for hours. I feel sorry for him.

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But there are times when he drives me up the wall."

"Drives you up the wall? One can drive into a wall. How do you drive up the wall?"

"When you say that someone is driving you up the wall, it means that the individual is driving
you crazy."

"So it's the same thing as `driving someone nuts'."

"That's right. My father's aunt stayed with us for a couple of weeks. She kept asking everyone all
kinds of questions. She was driving us up the wall."

"At least she asked you all kinds of questions. I have an aunt who can sit with you for hours
without saying a word. She just keeps looking at you. Her silence drives me up the wall."

"The doctors told Deepak that they would give him the results in three days' time. The wait is
driving him up the wall."

"The casual manner in which the new maid goes about sweeping the house is driving my mother
up the wall."

"Good maids are hard to find these days."

"My mother would agree with you completely. So, have you shouted at Dilip? Have you told
him not to..."

".... no, things haven't come to a boil as yet."

".... come to a boil? Does it mean to get angry or something?"

"That is one of the meanings, yes. When Geetha heard that she had not been promoted you could

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see that she was coming to a boil."

"Amrit was slowly coming to a boil and it was obvious to everyone that the student was going to
get a dressing down."

"The Director came to a boil when he was told that the project was going to be further delayed.
He ..."

"...he must have gone ballistic."

"He certainly did."

"You said that `getting angry' was only one of the meanings of `come to a boil'. What are the
other meanings?"

"The expression can be used to refer to problems and situations as well. When you say that the
situation has `come to a boil', it means that it has a reached a crucial or critical stage. For
example, the talks between the management and the union have been going on for three days.
But they say that things have come to a boil."

"When Aparna asked for a divorce, everything came to a boil."

"If I don't complete this project by tomorrow, things will come to a boil."

"In that case I shall perform the disappearing act."

"Please do. And don't reappear till tomorrow."

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy and Jill a wealthy widow." Evan Esar


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Wing it, Went ballistic, Walking papers...
"I KNOW that Dilip was well prepared. But when he saw the Chairman sitting in the front row,
he went totally blank. The poor guy forgot what he was going to say."

"That happens to a lot of people. What did Dilip do? I mean, how did he...."

"....he winged it. That was the only...."

"....what do you mean he winged it! You mean to say he ran away?"

"Nobody runs away from a presentation. If Dilip had run away, he would have lost his job. When
you say that somebody `winged it' what you are saying is that the person improvised. He made
things up as he went along; he...."

"....why does it always have to be a `he'? It could be a `she'. She does or says something
spontaneously. Without any preparation."

"That's right. You stand up and say something even though you are not prepared."

"Like some of the speeches that our not so respected politicians make?"

"Exactly! Most of our politicians just wing it."

"Hey, how about this example? When I told my teacher that I wasn't really prepared for the
debate, he told me to just go out there and wing it."

"That's a very good example. Here's another one. The tall man in jeans who came for the
audition this afternoon didn't know his lines. So he just winged it. But to everyone's surprise he
got the part."


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"Some people have all the luck. Does this example sound OK? The speaker had misplaced his
notes. He had no option but to wing it."

"Sounds great!"

"So tell me, was the Chairman angry with Dilip?"

"He didn't say anything. But my boss was really angry. He went ballistic."

"Went ballistic? Doesn't the expression mean to become extremely angry?"

"Exactly! The teacher went ballistic when the student didn't turn in her assignment."

"My father went ballistic when my sister broke the new table lamp."

"Any way, as I was saying, my boss went ballistic. He has given Dilip his walking papers. He
has asked...."

"....his walking papers? What are you talking about?"

"When a company gives you your `walking papers', it means that you have been sacked. Or
`fired', as the Americans would put it."

"You mean that poor Dilip has lost his job?"

"That's right. He has been asked to leave."

"But that's terrible."

"I know. He is going to be joining the ranks of the unemployed pretty soon."


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"The poor guy shouldn't have made the presentation. He should have just run away."

"You may be right."

"Walking papers. I have never come across that expression before."

"It is considered slang, but it's used quite often by native speakers in informal contexts. For
example, I can say, our company is downsizing. I hope I am not given my walking papers. I need
this job to help repay some of my debts."

"How about this example? When Ashok was given his walking papers, he looked at his boss and
laughed."

"He can afford to. His wife has a really fantastic job. And with his qualifications and the contacts
that his wife has, Ashok can get a job anywhere."

"How about Dilip? How did he react?"

"Dilip! The poor guy is in a funk."

"In a funk? What a strange expression!"

"When you say that you are in a funk, it implies that..."

"...I can guess the meaning. It probably means that you are feeling depressed. It probably means
the same thing as `feeling blue'."

"My! You're in excellent form today. That's exactly what it means. Arun has been in a funk ever
since he came to know that the Indian cricket team had lost the match."

"He's in a funk because our cricket team lost? That's really crazy. Well, all I can say is poor Arun

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is going to be in a funk most of the time because our overpaid underachievers always lose."

"Except when they play in India of course."

"That's true. By the way, it is also possible to say `in a blue funk'. For example, I can say, Sushila
has been in such a blue funk that she refuses to even step out of the house."

"Padma has taken a couple of weeks off from work to come out of her blue funk."

"Poor Dilip. I hope he gets a job soon. I can't imagine him being in a funk actually. You see, he
always seems so happy, so relaxed. As if nothing can bother him."

"That's true. He gives the impression that he is pretty laid back. But he ..."

".... laid back. Does it mean someone who is usually calm and relaxed?"

"That's right. When you say that someone is laid back what you are implying is that the
individual gives the impression that he is calm and relaxed. That nothing ever worries him. I
have been told by many people that I am pretty laid back."

"You are laid back, if you ask me."

"Who is asking you? I am anything but laid back. I get worked up about a lot of things. My only
problem is that I don't ....

"...relax, will you? I was just kidding. I know that you get upset when things don't work out. As
for me, I am pretty laid back about a lot of things."

"You can afford to be because you are still a student. But if your boss gets the impression that
you are laid back, then I can assure you....


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"... I'll probably get my walking papers."

"Absolutely right."

"But I will tell you one thing though. I'll never let anything worry me. I'll never..."

"...that's what they all say."

"I confess that I cannot understand how we can plot, lie, cheat and commit murder abroad and
remain humane, honorable, trustworthy and trusted at home." Archibald Cox talking about
America


What is the difference between "alone" and "lonely"?
When you say that you are "alone" what you are implying is that there is no other person with
you. For example, right now I am sitting all alone at my computer desk and typing away there
is no one else in the room. I am neither happy nor sad about it; as far as I am concerned, the fact
that there is no one around is neither good nor bad. The word "lonely" on the other hand, refers
to the state of the mind of an individual.

It suggests that the person is sad, feels unwanted, and is longing for companionship. The degree
of sadness that the individual feels may vary. When one sits in a crowded room, one is not
"alone", but one can still feel "lonely" because loneliness has nothing to do with physical
proximity with other people. When one is "alone", one needn't feel lonely. Some people prefer to
be alone.
"My advice to you is get married: if you find a good wife you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a
philosopher." Socrates


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How is ``savoir-faire'' pronounced?
The "a" in the first syllable is like the "a" in "fat", "bat", and "sat". The "v" sounds like the "v" in
"vet" and "vegetable"; the final "oir" contains two sounds. The first is like the "w" in "water",
"wall", and "was". The second sound is like the "a" in "calm", "balm", and "palm". "Faire"
sounds like "fair/fare". Any idea what the expression means? It means having the ability to say or
do the right thing in a social situation. Here are a few examples.

*Meena is famous in diplomatic circles for her savoir-faire.

*I wouldn't hire Bhaskar because he doesn't possess the required savoir-faire.

*Srinivas defused the situation through his savoir-faire.

What is the meaning of "climb down"?
Sometimes at the end of an argument with someone, you admit to the other person that you were
in the wrong. This is what the expression "climb down" means.

When you climb down over an argument, what you are actually doing is admitting to the other
person that you were in the wrong. Here are a few examples.

*When the new information started coming in, the Government was forced to climb down over
its handling of the scam.

*After twenty minutes of heated debate, Bala finally climbed down.

*If you expect Usha to climb down, think again.




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Is it K to wish someone "heartfelt congratulations"?
The word "heartfelt" means, "strongly or sincerely felt". The word is normally used with
expressions of sympathy. For example, it is quite normal to hear people say, "heartfelt
condolences", "heartfelt sympathy", etc. I haven't come across the expression "heartfelt
congratulations", though "hearty congratulations" is quite common.

What is the origin of the expression "to steal someone's thunder"?
Suppose you invent something truly wonderful and decide to inform the Press about it. But
before you can actually do it, someone tells you that a friend of yours has already held a press
conference and has informed the reporters of the wonderful invention. What is it that your friend
has done? He has prevented you from getting the public recognition that is due to you. Instead of
the focus being on you, he has managed to become the focus of attention. When you "steal
someone's thunder" you get the attention or praise that the other person should have got. You
achieve this by doing or saying what the other person had intended to do or say. Here are a few
examples.

*Nirupama had no intention of letting Arun steal any of her thunder.

*Neha stole Jhansi's thunder by leaking the information to the Press.

*The Prime Minister was in no mood to let the Opposition steal his political thunder.

A third rate playwright named John Dennis, (I have no idea if he is related to the Match Referee
Mike Denness) wrote a play called "Appius and Virginia". In the play there were several scenes,
which required the sound of thunder. The story goes that Dennis invented a machine, which
produced the sound of thunder. Unfortunately, for the dramatist, his play was a flop, so not many
people got an opportunity to listen to the sound of thunder produced by his machine. A few
weeks later, Dennis went to see Shakespeare's, "Macbeth" and was astonished to find that the
sound of thunder needed in the play was being produced by the machine that he himself had
invented. Dennis apparently was so angry that he shouted, "Damn them!...They will not let my

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play run, but they steal my thunder!" Dennis may not be remembered for his plays, but he will be
remembered for the expression that he coined. As for Mike Denness, the Match Referee, well the
poor man is so desperate that he is trying to steal everyone's thunder!

WHAT IS the origin of the word "piggyback"?
Children usually love being given piggyback rides. When you give a child a piggyback ride what
you normally do is to put him on your shoulders or on your back and walk around with him. The
expression "piggyback" comes from "pick a pack". In the old days and I guess even now it
was common practice for individuals who had to carry a heavy object to invariably place it on
their back. This method of carrying things around was called "pick a pack". And `pick a pack'
when said quickly became `pickapack'. Parents often carried their children "pickapack" too. But
children because they loved animals so much changed "pickapack" to "piggyback".

When people talk about paper they use the abbreviation GSM. What does
GSM stand for?
This is used to refer to the weight of paper. The abbreviation stands for "grams per square
metre".

Why do people say, ``Good night, sleep tight"? What is the meaning of``sleep
tight"?
The tightness has nothing to do with the body of the individual. And it doesn't mean holding on
to someone sleeping next to you tightly! ``Tight'' here refers to the tightness of the bed.
Nowadays of course, most beds are made of either wood or steel. In the old days, it was only the
frame of the bed that was made of wood. The middle portion, the portion on which people
actually slept on consisted of strings. There were strings running from one end of the frame to
the other. If these strings were not tightly strung, the bed sagged, making it very uncomfortable
for the person lying down. Result? The individual did not get much sleep. If the strings were
tightly strung, then the bed was firm and the person sleeping on it got a good night's sleep. So

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when you say sleep tight, what you are actually saying is, I hope your cot is tightly strung.

What is the difference between``leave''and``holiday"?
Although the words ``leave'' and ``holiday'' can and are often used interchangeably, there is a
difference between the two. A ``leave'' is something that you take on your own; it is something
that you apply for and when it is granted you are allowed to be away from work for some time.
Someone usually authorises your leave. And when you take ``leave'' it doesn't necessarily mean
that you are going to be sitting at home enjoying yourself. You could be working. For example,
we have ``duty leave", ``study leave", and ``leave of absence". In these cases, the person may not
be coming to office, but he will be doing his work elsewhere.

The word ``holiday'' comes from ``holy day"; originally, it was a day of rest from work for
everyone. Nowadays, there's nothing holy about a holiday. If you say that tomorrow is a holiday,
what you are saying is that everyone, not just you, is getting the day off. Unlike ``leave'' one
needn't apply for ``holiday". We have national holidays, state government holidays, and what
not. The word ``holiday'' usually suggests that there is no work involved. It is going to be a day
or a period of time when you are going to enjoy yourself, usually away from home.

How is the word `pandemonium' pronounced?
This is a word that many people in our country have begun to associate with Parliament sessions.
The first syllable is pronounced like the word``pan", while the``e''in the second syllable and the
``u'' in the final syllable are pronounced like the ``a'' in`` China". The`` mon''rhymes with
``bone", ``phone", and ``cone". The ``i'' in the fourth syllable is like the ``i'' in ``it", "bit", and
"fit". The main stress is on the third syllable "mon". Any idea what the word means? When there
is pandemonium there is usually a lot of shouting and screaming because people are angry or
frightened about something. Here are a few examples.

*There was pandemonium when the Chairman announced that he was resigning.

*There was pandemonium at the airport when the plane crashed.

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*Our meetings always end in pandemonium.

What is the collective noun for tigers?
Tigers are solitary animals; therefore there is no specific collective noun to refer to them. Here
are some interesting ones however: pride of lions, school of fish, pod of whales, gaggle of geese,
and rag of colts.

WHAT IS the meaning of "fly by night" operators?
Every month we read in the papers that the manager of some chit fund company has disappeared
with the hard earned money of his clients. Such people can be called fly by night operators. They
set up a company, do roaring business for about six months and then they suddenly disappear.
They are there one day and then perform the disappearing act overnight. The word ``fly'' in the
expression means to ``flee", that is to run away. Since the shady characters who run such
businesses leave town during the dead of night when everyone else is sound asleep, they are
called ``fly by night operators". All this build up should have given you a fairly good idea as to
what the expression means. It means ``undependable, dishonest". The expression can be used
with people as well as with organizations. Here are a few examples.

*There are many fly by night characters staying in that hotel.

*If I were you, I wouldn't join that fly by night company.

*Nirmal is very dependable, not a fly by night character at all.

Did you know that you could refer to a person as "fly"? When you say that someone is "fly", it
means he/she is very knowledgeable about something. This use of the word "fly" is considered
slang. So do not use it in formal contexts. Here are a few examples.


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*Amrit is fly, there's no doubt about it.

*You don't have to be fly to do this job.

The word also means, "stylish, nice looking".

*Some of the girls think that the present Vice Chancellor is really fly.

*No one in his right mind would say that the groom is fly.

*I like your fly sandals, Raju.

Is it OK to say, "You yourself was late..."?
The sentence is ungrammatical, but you may be able to get away with it in a highly informal
context. To determine if it is a grammatically correct sentence or not, remove the word
"yourself" and see how the remainder of the sentence sounds. Would you accept, "You was
late..."? I don't think so. The verb that you need to use is "were". You were late for the meeting.
"You yourself were late...". Similarly, "Usha herself was late...", "We ourselves were late....",
"They themselves were late....",etc.
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend and inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Mark.

How does one refer to one's country? "Fatherland" or "motherland"?
How you refer to your country depends upon what your mother tongue happens to be. In most
Indian languages, we generally use the feminine gender to refer to our beloved "Bharath". Native
speakers of English invariably refer to their country as their "motherland". But the Germans, on
the other hand, refer to Germany as their "fatherland". So, both "motherland" and "fatherland"
are acceptable ways of referring to one's country.

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What is the difference between "plenty" and "aplenty"?
As far as the meaning is concerned there is hardly any difference between the two. Both mean
"large amounts of". Of the two "aplenty" is considered old fashioned. Here are a few examples.

*Plenty of children joined the competition.

*We have plenty of sugar left.

When you use the word "aplenty", it usually comes after the noun. For example,

*Children aplenty joined the competition.

*We have sugar aplenty.

*I have read thrillers aplenty.

It would be wrong to say "aplenty children", "aplenty thrillers", etc.

How is the word "eerie" pronounced?
The "ee" in the first syllable is pronounced like the "ea" in "fear", "dear" and "near", while the
"ie" sounds like the "i" in "pit", "bit" and "knit". The stress is on the first syllable. Any idea what
the word means? When you say that something is eerie, it implies that it is scary; strange and
frightening in a mysterious way. Here are a few examples.

*At night, the sky around the old house on the hill had an eerie glow.

*The eerie sound of the owl scared the children sitting around the campfire.



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What is the meaning of the term "vox populi"?
This is an expression borrowed from Latin meaning "voice of the people". The word "vox"
rhymes with "pox", "fox", and "box". The "u" in "populi" sounds like the "u" in "university" and
"unit", while the final "I" is like the "ee" in "bee", "fee", and "see". Some people pronounce the
final "i" like the "ie" in "tie", "die" and "pie". The main stress is on the first syllable of "populi".
The term is often abbreviated to either "vox pop" or "vox pops".

The vox pop technique is normally used in radio and television broadcasting. We often see
reporters walking around on the streets asking passers by to give their opinion about something.
For example, we have people responding to questions as to whether America is doing the right
thing by bombing Afghanistan or whether Ganguly should continue to be the captain of the
Indian team. This method of recording the opinions of people talking informally in public places
is called vox populi or vox pop.

*Sai Prasad is a director who likes to make use of vox pop in his programmes.

*Can you get me some vox populi by six this evening?

WHAT IS the meaning of "bolt from the blue"?
This is an expression, which has been a part of the English language for a very long time. When
you say that something was a "bolt from the blue" or a "bolt out of the blue", it means that it was
sudden and totally unexpected; whatever happened really surprised you. Here are a few
examples.

*The news that Sumithra had lung cancer was a bolt from the blue.

*Gauri seemed to really like her new job. So when she informed her parents last week that she
was planning on quitting, it was a bolt out of the blue.

The word "blue" in the expression refers to the blue sky and "bolt" refers to thunderbolts. On a

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day when the sky is blue and there are no clouds around, one does not expect to hear thunder. If
one does, one is really surprised.

What is the meaning of "Friday dressing"?
This is a term of recent origin. Usually in the corporate world, employees are expected to come
formally dressed. But on Fridays (it could be every Friday, or one Friday a month) they are
allowed to come to office wearing casuals. You may find people who are normally in a suit,
wearing jeans and T-shirt.

What is the origin of the term "Molotov cocktail"? How is the word
"Molotov" pronounced?
Let me begin by telling you that this "cocktail" is no drink. A "Molotov cocktail" is a homemade
firebomb! It usually consists of an inflammable liquid in a bottle to which a wick is attached. The
wick is then lit and the bottle is thrown at someone or something. The result? The bottle explodes
and the object catches fire. We see a lot of such bombs used by the villains in our regional films.
"Molotov cocktail" is named after V. M. Molotov, the man who was the Foreign Minister of the
Soviet Union during World War II. When the Nazis invaded Russia during the Second World
War, the Russian civilians used this cocktail quite successfully to destroy the German tanks. The
phrase has been quite common since the 1940s.

As for the pronunciation, well, the first and third "o" in "Molotov" are pronounced like the "o" in
"bob", "mob", and "sob". The second "o" is like the "a" in, "China" and the final "v" sounds like
the "f" in "fish", "fee", and "fit".

What is the difference between an "escort" and a "convoy"?
An "escort" is something or someone that is given to an individual as a mark of respect or as a
form of protection. For example, Ministers in our country always have bodyguards surrounding
them. The bodyguards are their escorts; they go wherever the Minister goes. Similarly, when an
actress attends a party, she usually has an escort. When Hema Malini was young, her mother

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escorted her to most parties. When Presidents from other countries visit India, someone usually
escorts them to inspect the guard of honour. Trucks, ships, planes, etc can be escorts too. The
Prime Minister's boat may have an escort of four destroyers.

A "convoy", on the other hand, refers to the vehicles that accompany someone important.
Whenever a Chief Minister goes somewhere, he/she usually has about ten or fifteen cars
following him/her. These cars are part of the convoy. Unlike the word "escort", a convoy is
usually used to refer to things (cars, lorries, ships, etc); the word is not used to refer to people.

Which of the following sentences is correct? "Seventy per cent of the
population are of the opinion.
Whether the verb should be the singular "is" or the plural "are" depends on the noun, which
precedes it. Since "population" is one of those nouns, which can take either a singular or a plural
verb, both "is" and "are" are possible. If you were to replace "population" with "people", then
you would have to say, "Seventy per cent of the people are of the opinion that taxes should be
reduced". Here are some more examples:

*66% of the students have said that they do not want any changes.

*20% of the money is missing.

*50% of the mothers have said that they do not vote.

What is the meaning of "on the qui vive"
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. "Qui" is pronounced like the word "key" and "ive" in
"vive" sounds like the word "eve". When you say that someone is "on the qui vive", what you are
implying is that he/she is alert; he/she is watching very carefully. This is what the expression
means in English. In French, I understand, "qui vive" means "Long live, who?" Why does the
expression mean something different in English? Well, that's a long story. We'll deal with it

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some other time.
*Geetha is always on the qui vive for bargains.
*The soldiers were on the qui vive for another assault.

Which of the following sentences is correct? All ways/Always keep to the left.
The correct sentence is "Always keep to the left". The word "always" means "at all times". What
you are saying is keep to the left at all times. Here are a few more examples.
Always lose in the final. That seems to be the motto of the Indian cricket team.
Always brush your teeth before going to bed.
"All ways", on the other hand, means "every possible way". For example.
The new machine has been tested in all ways.
All ways have been tried to manufacture the medicine.

WHAT IS the difference between "cousin" and "half brother"?
The children of your father's/mother's sister or brother are your "cousins". In other words, your
uncle's kids or your aunt's kids are your cousins. For most native speakers of English, cousins are
what we in India call "first cousins". In India, however, we have a tendency to introduce anyone
who is distantly related to us as "my cousin". Native speakers of English do not do this.
A "half brother" is someone who shares the same father or mother as you. You have only one
parent in common. In other words, if you have a half brother, it implies that you either have a
stepfather or a stepmother.

What is the meaning and origin of down and out?
The expression has been part of the language for well over 200 years. When you say that
someone is down and out, you are suggesting that the person is in very bad shape he doesnt
have money or a job, and may not even have a home to live in. When you are down and out, you
are staring defeat in the face.
*My friend is writing a novel about a down and out hitman in Kolkata.

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*Our team was down and out at half time, but we rallied.
The expression comes from the world of boxing. A boxer who is down is lying flat on his back
on the canvas. His opponent has probably knocked him down. The out in the expression
suggests that the referee has declared that the boxer is out for the count; in other words, the
referee has counted to 10, and the dazed or unconscious fighter on the canvas has been unable to
get up in that time. A boxer who is down and out has been knocked out of the competition; he
has been defeated.
Which is correct: heart of heart or heart of hearts?
Native speakers of English would say heart of hearts, instead of heart of heart. The expression
is frequently used in speech to mean deep down. Something that is in your heart of hearts is
what you truly believe. For example, if in your heart of hearts you think your best friend is a
crook, you are quite certain that he is up to no good. You may not be willing to admit this openly
to anyone you will keep this feeling to yourself.
*Even before the game began, Jai knew in his heart of hearts that India would lose in the final.
*In her heart of hearts Mythreye knew what she was doing was wrong.
The expression was first used by Shakespeare in Hamlet: Give me a man that is not a passions
slave, and Ill wear him in my hearts core, in my heart of heart. So when we say heart of
heart as many Indians do we are actually speaking the language of Shakespeare!
Is it okay to say, The Prime Ministers speech was just an eyewash?
No, it is not. In informal contexts, native speakers of English use the word eyewash to mean
nonsense or insincere talk. Some dictionaries list this use of the word as being old fashioned.
Indians frequently use the word eyewash, but they treat it as a countable noun. For native
speakers of English, eyewash is an uncountable noun, and is therefore not preceded by the
indefinite article they would not say an eyewash.

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*Rahul says he will quit cricket if he is found guilty. We know that such statements are just
eyewash.
*Dont believe a word that Umesh said. It was eyewash.
I was not lying. I said things that later on seemed untrue. Richard M. Nixon
KYE PART III
Know your English 18-12-12
What is the correct pronunciation of the?
The can be pronounced in three different ways. When the is followed by a word that begins
with a vowel sound, then the e is pronounced like the I in bit and kit: thi ocean, thi egg,
thi hour, etc. When the word following the begins with a consonant sound, then the e is
pronounced like the a in china: the pig, the man, and the university. Please remember, it is the
sound and not the spelling of the word that follows. If you wish to emphasise something, then the
e is pronounced like the ee in feel and peel. For example, I saw thee Sachin at the
airport.
What is the difference between envious and enviable?
When you are envious of someone, you are very jealous of the person. You want something the
person has it could be anything, a new car he has bought or the dimples that appear on his
cheeks when he smiles. You are rather unhappy that the other person has the car and the dimples,
and you dont. You wish you had them too. Enviable, on the other hand, means highly
desirable. If someone is in an enviable situation, he is in a situation that is worthy of envy or
likely to cause envy. Most people would wish to be in the same situation. Unlike envious,
enviable does not always have a negative connotation.
*Mala has always been envious of her neighbours success.
*You should hire Naveen. He has an enviable track record.

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What is the meaning and origin of tar and feather someone?
This is a relatively old expression that is seldom heard nowadays. It is mostly used to mean to
punish or criticise someone rather harshly.
*The Chairman said he would tar and feather anyone who spoke to the media.
*Considering what he has done, he should be tarred and feathered.
In the old days, when a person was caught stealing or behaving in a manner that was considered
inappropriate, justice was meted out by the mob. People caught hold of the culprit, stripped him
to the waist and then poured hot tar on him. While the victim was screaming in agony, he was
made to roll on a bed of feathers. When enough feathers had stuck to the tar, the mob paraded the
individual around town. The punishment and humiliation resulted in one of two things: the
person either changed his ways, or he left town for good.
Is it okay to say, Raj gave it to him left and right?
This is an idiom mostly used by Indians; it is not found in native varieties of English. To give
someone left and right is mostly used to mean to scold or criticise someone severely. Some of
the expressions that have the same meaning in native varieties of English are: tick someone off,
give someone a dressing down and chew someone out.
What is the meaning of carbon soldiers?
Carbon soldiers are your children. The term is considered slang and therefore mostly used in
informal contexts. Another expression that is sometimes used to refer to ones children is
biological footprint.
*She has enough carbon soldiers to start her own cricket team.
Envy is the art of counting the other persons blessings instead of your own. Harold
Coffin

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Know your English 25-12-12
What is the term for non-stop meaningless chatter or talk?
If you are thinking of our politicians who frequently appear on TV in support of their colleague
or party, then diarrhoea of the mouth and verbal diarrhoea are two expressions that can be
used. A person who has verbal diarrhoea talks a lot, but has nothing interesting to say: the
words he utters have no substance in them. While the person with diarrhoea is unable to control
his lower end, the one with verbal diarrhoea is unable to control his mouth! Another expression,
sometimes heard nowadays, that has more or less the same meaning is blabber infection!
*Whenever Mahesh drinks at the pub, he comes home with a blabber infection.
Sometimes, we experience diarrhoea of the mouse as well. It refers to the amount of time we
waste rambling on the Internet: chatting, blogging, emailing, etc.
How is the word decrepit pronounced?
The e in the first syllable and the i in the final syllable are pronounced like the I in bit and
hit. The second syllable is pronounced like the word prep. The word is pronounced di-
KREP-it with the stress on the second syllable. This is one way of pronouncing the word.
Decrepit can be used with things and people to mean old and run down. When you say that a
building is decrepit, you are suggesting that it is rather old and is ready to collapse. When used
with people, the word has a negative connotation. It suggests that the person is old, weak and in
very poor health. It comes from the Latin decrepitus meaning very old, infirm. You do not tell
a person to his face that he is decrepit.
*Mohan spends half an hour every morning trying to start his decrepit scooter.
*The decrepit old woman was toying with her dentures.



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What is the difference between talk to and talk at?
When you talk to someone, you speak to the individual; you have a conversation with him.
Talk to can also be used to mean to lecture or scold someone.
*I need to talk to my boss about a possible raise.
*There are lots of complaints about Ram. Im going to have to talk to him.
Unlike talk to, talk at has a negative connotation. It suggests that the talk is going to be
more like a monologue than a dialogue. When you talk at an individual, you do most of the
talking, and when the person does say something, you dont really pay attention. In fact, you are
not interested in the persons response.
*Jyothis classes are boring. She merely talks at her students.
Why is Christmas sometimes written as Xmas?
Christmas is a combination of two words: Christs Mass. In ancient Greek, the letter that was
used to represent the first sound in the word Christ looked like the English letter X. With the
passage of time, the Greeks began to represent the word Christ using a single letter-X
(pronounced chi). As early as the 16th century, native speakers of English began to write
Christmas as Xmas. There are many people even today who object to this.
Four stages of life: 1) You believe in Santa Claus. 2) You don't believe in Santa Claus. 3)
You are Santa Claus. 4) You look like Santa Claus. Unknown
Know your English 11-12-12
What is the difference between heist and robbery?
In the case of a robbery, there is usually violence or the threat of violence. The robber comes
face to face with his victim and compels him to part with his belongings. The thing taken may be
extremely valuable or it may have very little value. A robbery may be planned or it may be

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something that happens at the spur of the moment. A heist, on the other hand, is always
planned; it is a well-organised attempt to steal something very valuable from a place or a person
one usually talks about a bank heist and jewellery heist. Stealing one hundred rupees from
a person would not be considered a heist. The word is considered slang, and is therefore always
used in informal contexts. A heist, like a robbery, may or may not involve violence. A burglary
can also be called a heist when someone enters your home without your being aware of it and
walks away with something valuable. When used as a verb, heist means to steal.
*The bank robbery/heist had been meticulously planned.
*The thieves heisted my neighbours new BMW.
Heist is American in origin, and according to some scholars, it is a dialectal variation of hoist,
meaning to lift. The word heist was first used to refer to shop lifters. The hei sounds like the
word high; the word is pronounced highst.
What is the meaning of to go viral?
The expression is mostly used to refer to content that is available on the Internet. It means
something that spreads very quickly and becomes extremely popular among the public. People
like the content photo, video, song, etc. so much that they forward it to their friends, who
in turn share it with theirs. Like a virus, the content is passed on from person to another very
quickly, and soon everyone including the media is talking about it. Earlier this year,
Dhanushs song Why this kolaveri di went viral.
*The video of the Minister slapping her aide has gone viral.
What is the meaning and origin of sitting on a powder keg?
A keg rhymes with peg and beg is a wooden barrel, and the powder referred to in
the idiom is gunpowder. It is not the gunpowder that we have along with our idlis and dosas,
but the real explosive stuff. When you say that someone is sitting on a powder keg, you mean

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that he/she is in an explosive situation. The person is in extreme danger, for the keg may explode
any minute. Another expression that has the same meaning is sitting on a volcano.
*Dont you realise you are sitting on a powder keg? Quit before its too late.
*We left before the storm hit. We realised we were sitting on a powder keg.
What is the meaning of dead tree media?
It is a relatively new term to refer to the traditional print media. Newspapers, magazines,
journals, books and other things that are printed on paper are referred to as dead tree media. It
is the opposite of electronic media and electronic publishing. Paper, as we all know, is made
from wood.
If you dont read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are
misinformed. Mark Twain
Know your English 4-12-12
What is the meaning and origin of on the rocks?
The expression is mostly used to talk about the shaky relationship between people, or the
precarious financial position of an organisation. When you say Madhus marriage is on the rocks,
it implies that it is in serious trouble; chances are, it may end in divorce. An organisation that is
on the rocks has very serious financial problems. It is on the verge of bankruptcy, and is likely
to fold up soon.
*It was obvious at the party that their marriage was on the rocks.
*Neelam foolishly invested in a company that was on the rocks.
In informal contexts, rocks is used to refer to ice cubes. When you ask for scotch on the
rocks, you would like to have your drink with ice. The expression on the rocks was first used

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by sailors to refer to the fate of a ship that had crashed into rocks. When this happened, the ship
was doomed; it was going to sink.
How is the word precocious pronounced?
(Jayashree Rao, Bangalore)
The e sounds like the I in bit, kit and pit, while the following o rhymes with the o in
no, so and go. The c in the final syllable is pronounced like the sh in ship and sheet,
and the final iou is like the a in china. The word is pronounced pri-KO-shes with the stress
on the second syllable. It comes from the Latin praecocis meaning to mature or ripen early.
Today, precocious is mostly used to refer to children who exhibit adult like maturity. They are
far more intelligent and skilled than children of their age. The word can be used as a compliment
and to show disapproval as well. Children who behave or attempt to behave as if they are much
older than what they actually are, can be labelled precocious.
*The precocious Leya was admitted to the Ph.D programme at the age of 15.
*Why have you invited that precocious brat to our sons party?
What is the difference between avenge and revenge?
Though some people use the two words interchangeably nowadays, careful users of the language
maintain that there is a subtle distinction between the two. When you take revenge on someone,
you retaliate against a person because you believe that he has done you some harm. In this case,
you wish to hurt the person; you want to get even with him. The harm done may be real or
imaginary, but you strongly believe you have been wronged. When you avenge someone, you
are seeking justice for someone who has been wronged. It is a much more honourable act than
revenge; for in this case, you are taking vengeance on behalf of someone else.
*Dhoni and his boys are busy plotting their revenge.
*In our movies, the son always avenges his fathers death.

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Is it okay to say take a rest?
(G. Hamsa, Tiruchi)
Yes, it is. According to the Longman dictionary, the expressions take a rest and have a rest
mean a period of time when you are not doing anything tiring and you can relax and sleep.
Youve been working all morning. Why dont you take a rest? It is much more common to hear
people say, take a break' and get some rest.
Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly. Unknown
November 2012
Know your English 20-11-12
In sports, the word choker is used to refer to a non-performer. What is the opposite of choker?
Someone who lets his nerves get the better of him during the crucial moments in a game is
usually dubbed a choker. Ever since the South African cricket team lost the semi final match to
Australia in the 1999 World Cup, they have been branded chokers. People who perform
exceedingly well in tense and critical situations when the game is on the line are labelled
clutch players.
*Laxman and Dravid were good players to have in the clutch.
*The captain, as expected, turned to his clutch bowler.
How is the word panache pronounced?
The a in the first syllable is pronounced like the a in china, while the second syllable rhymes
with the words cash, dash and bash. The word is pronounced pe-NASH with the stress on
the second syllable. When you do something with panache, you do it with flair and confidence.
Your stylish and skillful ways of doing things driving, cooking, dressing, etc. wins you the
admiration of many.

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*Richards strode to the crease with great panache.
*Im told Sathvika used to play the flute with panache.
The word comes from the Latin pinnaculum meaning tuft of feathers. During Roman times, it
was common practice for soldiers to appear distinguished and stylish by wearing colourful
feathers on their helmets. Later, feathers began to adorn hats, and it is from this practice that we
get the expression a feather in ones cap.
What is the meaning and origin of kingpin?
The most important individual in a group or an organisation is usually referred to as the
kingpin. It is this person who makes the organisation what it is; without him, it would most
likely collapse. The word is frequently used to refer to the boss of a criminal organisation.
*After several months of hard work, the police caught the mob kingpin.
*Suresh is one of the kingpins of the movie industry.
The word comes from the sport of bowling. In this sport, one is expected to knock down ten pins
with a ball. The single pin that is placed in front of the others is called the kingpin or headpin.
If one is able to hit this pin hard enough, it will knock down the remaining pins.
What is the difference between condole and console?
When a person loses someone who is very close to him, you condole with him. In other words,
you express sympathy. In order to show this, you dont really need to talk; you can show it by
being with the person who has suffered the loss. Condole is normally used in situations when
someone is grieving. When you console someone, you try to provide comfort. In this case, the
person may not be necessarily grieving; he may be just disappointed or angry about something.
For example, you can attempt to console a child who has lost his favourite toy and is crying, or
you can console someone who is disappointed because he didnt perform well on a test. You
attempt to comfort the individual by talking.

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*All members of the staff condoled with him in his loss.
*Raj tried to console Anita, but it was no use.
Playing polo is like trying to play golf during an earthquake. Sylvester Stallone
Know your English 13-11-12
How is the word bludgeon pronounced?
The first syllable rhymes with the words judge, grudge and budge, and the final eo sounds
like the a in china. The word is pronounced BLUJ-en with the stress on the first syllable. A
bludgeon is a club or a heavy stick that can be used as a weapon. When used as a verb, the word
means to repeatedly hit someone with a heavy object. It can also be used to mean to force
someone into doing something.
*Several young men were seen walking around with bicycle chains and bludgeons.
*The young girl was bludgeoned to death in broad daylight.
*The students bludgeoned the teacher into putting off the test.
What is the meaning of He has too much headweight?
The word headweight is used in certain parts of India to mean proud. A person with a lot of
headweight is someone who is arrogant and very conceited. It is common to hear people say,
Ranjit is difficult to work with. He has too much headweight. Native speakers do not use the
word in this sense.
What is the meaning and origin ofon the house?
If the owner of a restaurant offers you a basket of bread rolls on the house, it means you are
getting it at the expense of the establishment. It is being given to you free of charge; in everyday
contexts, we would call it a freebie.

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*The restaurant owner gave us a bowl of soup on the house.
The house in the expression refers to a pub or an inn. In the old days, when a customer bought
three drinks, it was standard practice for an owner to provide the next one free of charge. The
fourth drink was on the house, at the expense of the establishment. With the passage of time, the
expression began to be used to refer to anything that was being given away free not just
drinks!
Why do people in the audience say hear, hear?
When a speaker says something, and a member of the audience responds by shouting 'hear hear',
what he means is that he strongly agrees with what the speaker has said. The expression is
frequently heard in Parliament. I understand the original expression was hear, all ye good
people, hear what this brilliant and eloquent speaker has to say. In the 17th century, in the
House of Commons, this long expression was reduced to hear him, hear him. With the passage
of time, hear him, hear him was further reduced to hear, hear.
What is the difference between shiver and shake?
Shake is the more common word. Animals and human beings shiver when they are cold or
afraid of something. The act of shivering is usually involuntary and suggests that the
person/animal is in some sort of discomfort. Objects like trees, chairs and doors cannot and do
not shiver, but they can be shaken. Unlike shiver, shaking can be either voluntary or
involuntary. You can shake your head to show that you agree with what someone has said. You
can shake someone for a few seconds in order to wake him up. When the wind blows, the
branches shake, they do not shiver.
When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they are finished, I
climb out. Erma Bombeck

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Know your English 6-11-12
Is something wrong with Sujatha? I havent received an SMS from her in two days.
You wont receive any for a few more days. She has texters thumb.
Texters thumb? Whats that?
Its the injury that results to the thumb due to constant texting on the cell phone. Many kids I
know have texters thumb.
So Sujathas texters thumb is keeping her from contacting us.
She could always call if she wanted to, I guess. You are always messaging people. Have you
ever had texters thumb?
No. And you?
I seldom text people. I prefer to call.
You can afford to make calls because you have a job. Tell me, your neighbours house has been
locked for nearly a month now. Where have they gone?
Search me.
Search you? Whats the point? I probably wont find anything.
Thats true, you wont.
Then why should I search you?
When someone asks you a question, and you respond by saying search me, you are saying that
you have no idea.

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In other words, youre saying you dont know where your neighbours went.
Thats right! Im planning on buying a new TV. Which brand do you think I should get?
Search me. How ...
Thats a good response. The expression search me is considered slang and is therefore mostly
used in informal contexts. Now tell me, what do you think I should wear to Mahidhars
reception?
Mahidhars reception? What are you talking about?
Dont you know? Mahidhar is jumping over the broomstick next month.
What broom? Youre not making any sense.
When you say that someone is jumping over the broomstick, you mean that he/she is getting
married.
Really? Ravis daughter, Shwetha, will be jumping over the broomstick soon.
Good example. More often than not, the expression is used in informal contexts.
More often than not? Does the expression mean very often or something like that?
Good guess! The expression more often than not is a lengthy way of saying usually or in
most cases. Here is an example. More often than not, our companys general body meeting
starts on time.
More often than not, my father comes up with something funny to say.
That sounds like your father, all right.
But tell me, what does jumping over the broomstick have anything to do with getting
married?

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I understand when slavery was a common practice in the United States, blacks were not allowed
to have a religious ceremony like the whites did. If two slaves wanted to get married, they held
hands and jumped over a broomstick.
A broomstick is something you would expect all slaves to have, I guess.
Thats right! I understand this way of getting married was common practice in many African
tribes and among the gypsies in Europe.
Thats very interesting. Do people do this even today?
Search me!
Marriage is like a phone call in the night: first the ring, and then you wake up. Evelyn
Hendrickson
Know your English 30-10-12
Why is the surgery room in hospitals referred to as operation theatre?
When we hear the word theatre, we immediately think of a building in which we watch a film
or a play. The word comes from the Greek theatron meaning a place for viewing. So why is
the sterile room which no outsider is allowed to enter called a theatre? Several centuries ago, a
surgery was a spectacle that many people went to see. Surgeons carried out their task in the open,
in a non-sterile environment usually in an amphitheatre. Sitting a few feet from the operating
table would be medical students and interested participants watching the surgery in progress.
Even today, in teaching hospitals, it is standard practice for students watch surgeries from
galleries situated at a higher level than the operation theatre.
Is it okay to say bestest?
It is, provided the context in which the word is used is informal. Dictionaries that list the word
claim that it is non standard, and childish. Bestest is mostly used by children, to mean best
of the best or better than best. Adults use it in order to sound humorous.

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*Im told that Rupa is Sharanyas bestest friend.
What is the difference between amble and stroll?
When you amble from one place to another, you walk in a leisurely, unhurried fashion. There is
a rhythm in your walk; you sway and your movements are smooth. Someone who ambles walks
at an uninterrupted pace he maintains the same speed. A stroll, on the other hand, suggests
that the individual is walking in a very slow and aimless manner. The pace and movements in
this case are not smooth or uninterrupted. A stroll in the park would suggest frequently stopping
to drink in the beauty of the flowers. Not everyone maintains this distinction between the two
words.
*I see Rama ambling along the beach every morning.
*We went for a stroll in the market.
How is the word nuance pronounced?
There seem to be different ways of pronouncing the word. One way is to pronounce the first
syllable like the word new, and make the second syllable rhyme with dance, chance and
glance. The word can be pronounced NEW-ans with the stress on the first syllable. It comes
from the Latin nubes meaning cloud or mist. In English, the word is mostly used to refer to
the subtle or very small distinctions in meaning, colour or appearance. The word can be used as a
noun and an adjective.
*I am looking for someone who is familiar with the nuances of the local dialect.
*The critic called it a complex and nuanced novel.
What is the meaning of Im afraid in Im afraid the meeting has been
cancelled?
The use of afraid in such sentences does not mean that you are scared of something or that
you fear something. Im afraid that is mostly used at the beginning of sentences to mean I am

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sorry to inform you that. The expression is normally used when you wish to give someone bad
news.
Im afraid that you have failed the test.
Im afraid your flight has been delayed by two hours.
Classic formula for a novel: A beginning, a muddle, and an end. Philip Larkin
Know your English
What is the difference between woozy and dizzy?
When you feel dizzy, you feel giddy. Everything around you seems to be spinning, and you
feel as if you are going to fall down or collapse. Woozy means more or less the same thing, but
unlike dizzy, this word is mostly used in informal contexts. Dizzy, unlike woozy, can also be
used to mean extremely rapid.
*Chethan began to feel dizzy/woozy after being hit on the head.
*The new captains popularity rose at a dizzy rate.
What is the meaning of hue and cry?
The expression refers to an angry protest by the public about something. Think about the student
protests in recent weeks in Delhi demanding better protection for women, and you get the
picture.
*There has been a hue and cry about the governments plan to increase taxes.
The word hue in this expression comes from the Old French huer meaning to shout. In the
past, when the police force did not exist, the common man was expected to provide a helping
hand in catching the culprit. Whenever an ordinary citizen saw a crime being committed, he
shouted and alerted everyone. He raised an alarm; he raised a hue and cry. Since the law
demanded that people near by should help, they too went in pursuit of the felon.

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How is the word carte blanche pronounced?
The first word in this French expression is pronounced like the word cart. The che in
blanche is pronounced like the sh in should and shall, and the a is like the o in hot
and not. It is pronounced cart BLONSH with the main stress on the second word. When you
give someone carte blanche, you are giving the person complete freedom or authority to do
whatever he wants to. Another expression that has more or less the same meaning is blank
check.
*The children were given carte blanche to buy whatever they wanted.
Carte blanche, a term first used in the military, literally means white card or blank paper. In
the past, whenever an army wished to surrender, the commander of the losing army sent to the
victor a blank sheet of paper with his signature on it. This was a message to the victorious
commander that he was free to write whatever he wanted to; he could determine the terms of
surrender.
December 31 is called New Years Eve. Is there a term for December 30?
Some people have suggested that December 30 should be called New Years Adam. Logic?
Adam was created before Eve! Needless to say, the term has not really caught on.
*Ill be coming to your place on New Years Adam.
What is the opposite of out of the box thinking?
If you are not thinking outside the box, then chances are you are thinking within the box. In
other words, your style of thinking is rather conventional, clichd, and stereotypical.
*Lets hire someone who thinks within the box for a change.
Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can
begin paving hell with them as usual. Mark Twain

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November 27, 2012
Know your English
Is it okay to say a hundred years when the person youve been talking about
suddenly appears?
This is an expression mostly used in India; its a translation of an idiom that exists in most of our
languages. Native speakers of English would not say a hundred years in such contexts. The
expression that they would normally use is talk/speak of the devil. The full form is speak of
the devil, and he shall appear and talk of the devil, and in he walks.
Which is correct? Garima is married to Raj, a tennis player or Garima is
married to Raj, the tennis player.
In terms of grammar, both are acceptable. Their meaning, however, is different. The first
sentence implies that Raj is a tennis player by profession, but you dont really expect the listener
to know who he is because he is not that famous. When you say Raj, the tennis player, you
expect the listener to know who he is. The use of the suggests that Raj is well known.
*Last night, I ran into Kamal, the actor.
*Anita introduced me to Jacob, a painter.
What is the meaning of put paid to?
This rather informal expression means to be prevented from doing what one had hoped to or
planned to things come to a halt rather abruptly. Some dictionaries define it as to finish off
or destroy something.
*A broken finger put paid to his chances of being included in the Test squad.
According to some scholars, the expression comes from certain practices followed in the past by
bookkeepers in England. Whenever an individual settled his account, the bookkeeper would

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stamp or write the word paid on the bill and return it to the customer. In India, this tradition
still continues in many shops.
What is the meaning of helicopter siblings?
In informal contexts, parents who keep a very close watch on their children and all their
activities are called helicopter parents. They are so called because like the helicopter they
hover, and in the process become overly involved in their children's life. Some would call this
over-parenting. Helicopter siblings are your overprotective brothers and sisters who make
your life miserable!
What is the meaning and origin of cut the Gordian knot?
This is an expression that comes from the world of Greek mythology. The story goes that
Gordius, a peasant before he became the King of Phrygia, had connected a yoke to his ox cart
using an intricate knot. When he dedicated the cart to Zeus, an oracle predicted that the man who
succeeded to untying the knot would go on to become the ruler of Asia. Many tried, but failed.
When Alexander the Great came to Gordion, he heard about the strange prophecy and proceeded
to the temple of Zeus. Instead of attempting to untie the knot, he merely took out his sword and
slashed right through it. He went on to become the ruler of Asia! Nowadays, the expression to
cut the Gordian knot means to find an innovative solution to a complex problem a solution
that is quick and bold.
*There was too much bickering. The CEO cut the Gordian knot by firing all his managers.
The problem with children is that they have to put up with their parents. Charles DeLint
October 15, 2012 Know your English
How is the word buffet pronounced?
If you are thinking about a meal where you serve yourself, there seem to be two different ways
of pronouncing the word. The British prefer to pronounce the u like the u in put, and the et

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like the ay in bay and day. They pronounce the word BU-fay with the stress on the first
syllable. The Americans, on the other hand, pronounce the u like the a in china. They
pronounce the word be-FAY with the stress on the second syllable.
What is the difference between exhausted and exhaustive?
Both are related to the word exhaust, but their meanings are very different. When you write a
PhD dissertation and your advisor or guide compliments you on your exhaustive research, you
must pat yourself on the back for he is saying that your work is very comprehensive you have
included everything that you possibly could have on the subject. Exhaustive means complete
or thorough. Something that is exhausting, on the other hand, is very tiring.
*We have to conduct an exhaustive study for the kind of data we need.
*Conducting 20 interviews in a day can be very exhausting.
In the case of both words, the stress is on the second syllable: ig-ZOS-tiv and ig-ZOS-ting.
Why is paper referred to as fullscape?
The word that you have in mind is not 'fullscape', but foolscap; a word that is seldom heard
nowadays. Before the introduction of the A4 size paper, the foolscap or foolscape was the
standard paper size used in most countries across the globe. In terms of size, it was slightly
narrower but a bit longer than the current A4. The foolscap paper got its name from the
watermark that was put on it a fools cap. Paper of this size became popular in the early 15th
century, and for the next 500 years dominated the market.
Is it okay to say The state comprises of 20 districts?
Many people would say no. Till about 20 years ago, the rule was fairly simple. Comprise
meaning contain was not to be followed by of. One could not say comprise of or is
comprised of'. You could talk about a house consisting of three bedrooms, but not comprising
of three bedrooms. But with native speakers of English using comprise of even in formal

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contexts, some experts on usage feel that this rather traditional rule is likely to be done away
with in the near future.
What is the origin of t-shirt?
When it was first introduced, the cotton t-shirt was available only in white, and it did not come
with a collar. Men were seldom seen sporting one in public for it was meant as a form of
innerwear. This apparel was given the name t-shirt because when it was spread out and laid flat
on a table, it looked like the letter T. With the passage of time, the design of the T-shirt
underwent a transformation. It became available in different colours, and some contained a collar
and a pocket. Soon, it became a mans favourite casual wear. When t-shirts became extremely
popular in the 1950s, advertisers began to write slogans on them.
I have always believed that writing advertisements is the second most profitable form of
writing. The first, of course, is ransom notes. Philip Dusenberry
What is the meaning of to badger someone?
It means to pester someone. When you badger someone into doing something, you keep
annoying or bothering the person till he becomes frustrated and agrees to do what you want him
to.
*The children badgered their father into taking them to a movie.
The idiom comes from the cruel sport of badger baiting. In this game, dogs were turned loose on
a badger, a furry animal placed in an empty barrel or a hole. When the vicious dogs managed to
drag the frightened animal out, the hounds and the badger were separated. The injured animal
was put back in the barrel or hole, and the cruel process was repeated several times till the poor
badger had been ripped to pieces.
What is the difference between mistrust and distrust?
Distrust is the stronger of the two words. When you are certain that a person is dishonest and
therefore cannot be relied upon, you distrust him. Perhaps this individual has let you down or

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cheated you in the past. Maybe someone reliable has told you he is not to be trusted. When you
mistrust someone, it is not based on fact or experience. You feel rather uneasy about the
individual; something inside you warns you not to trust the person. Its a gut feeling that you
have.
*After last years fiasco, I have begun to distrust our leaders judgment.
*I cant put my finger on it, but I mistrust Abhay.
What is the meaning of doyen?
The first syllable doy rhymes with toy and boy, while the e sounds like the a in china.
The word is pronounced DOY-en with the stress on the first syllable. The eldest or the senior
most member of a group who is very knowledgeable about a subject or an area is usually referred
to as a 'doyen'. Politicians frequently use the word when someone senior who has worked in a
particular field for a long time dies.
*Around these parts, Amar is seen as the doyen of sports journalism.
The French word doyen originally meant commander of ten. It is from this word that we get
dean. Derived from the Latin decanus, a dean was the head of a group of ten monks in a
monastery.
How is the word pusillanimous pronounced?
The pu rhymes with few, due and cue. The I in the second and fourth syllables sounds
like the I in bit, hit and kit, and the a is like the a in cat and bat. The word is
pronounced pyuu-si-LAN-i-mes with the stress on the third syllable. It comes from the Latin
pusillus meaning weak and animus meaning courage. A pusillanimous individual is a
scaredy cat; he is a coward who gets pushed around by others, and is often too afraid to make
his own decisions.
*The pusillanimous teacher did whatever the students told him to.

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Is it okay to say, Hes studying in overseas?
No, it is not. Words like overseas, abroad, upstairs and downstairs usually function as an
adverb, and therefore are not preceded by in. We cannot say in upstairs, in abroad or in
overseas.
*My younger brother is studying upstairs/abroad/overseas.
To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone. Reba
McEntire
September 10, 2012
What is the meaning and origin of lay someone out in lavender?
The expression, mostly used in informal contexts, means to criticise someone severely; to give
him/her a dressing down.
*The CEO was angry with the Manager. She laid him out in lavender.
The lavender flower is well-known for its aroma. At funerals, this flower was placed close to the
coffin in order to hide the smell of the body. In the past, in order to transfer the wonderful smell
of the flower onto their clothes, ladies would beat their freshly washed laundry with the branches
of the plant. The original meaning of lay someone out in lavender was to beat a person till he
became unconscious. With the passage of time, the beating became more verbal than physical.
What is the difference between restless and restive?
A restless individual is someone who is unable to keep still or relax. A person unable to sleep
because of a toothache spends a restless night tossing and turning. An anxious worker who has
been summoned by his boss may feel restless and choose to walk in the corridor while waiting.
In this case, he is free to walk around. Inside the boss room, he may still feel anxious, but he is
not free to do what he wants to. He has to sit or stand in one place; as a result, feels constrained.

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A restive person is someone who feels irritated or impatient for he is compelled to do what he
doesnt want to. He is often disobedient and therefore difficult to control.
How is the word la di da pronounced?
The a in the first and third words is pronounced like the a in bath and ask, while the I in
di is like the I in sit and it. This expression, which is mostly used in informal contexts to
show disapproval, is pronounced laa di DAA with the main stress on the third word. When
used with people, it means pretentious. A la di da person is usually a woman who pretends to
belong to the upper class and behaves and speaks in a rather irritating manner.
Is it okay to say vexed up with life?
No, it is not. People are usually vexed with something and not vexed up with it. When you
say that Hari was vexed with life, you are suggesting that he was frustrated with it. The word can
also be used to mean annoyed or worried. A vexed question, on the other had, is one that
has to be discussed at length because it is something that causes a lot of disagreement among
people.
*The Minister has to deal with the vexed question of increasing taxes.
Is it all right to say married with two children'?
Yes, it is. It is common for a native speaker of English to use such a sentence in informal
contexts. When someone says that hes married with two children, he means that he is married
and is the father of two children. In formal contexts, the person would say Im married and have
two children. In the mid-1990s, Married with children was the name of a popular comedy
show in the U.S.
A bore is a person who opens his mouth and puts his feats in it. Henry Ford



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August 27, 2012
What is the meaning and origin of scapegoat?
Whenever a politician in our country does something wrong, instead of apologising, he
immediately finds someone to put the blame on. This individual who gets blamed for something
that he did not do is called a scapegoat. The word can be used as a noun and a verb.
*The finance officer, Rajagopal, was scapegoated for the companys collapse.
*The VC ensured that the Registrar was made the scapegoat.
For the ancient Hebrew Day of Atonement ceremony, two goats were randomly chosen. One of
them was sacrificed, and the other was set free after the priest had symbolically transferred the
sins of all people onto the animal. The second goat, the one that was allowed to escape was
called escape goat. With the passage of time escape goat became scapegoat. Nowadays, a
scapegoat doesnt escape; he is more like the goat that has been sacrificed!
What is the difference between blabbermouth and tattler?
Both words are used in informal contexts to refer to a person who loves to talk. A
blabbermouth is someone who blabbers all the time; he finds it difficult to control his tongue.
He is a dangerous friend to have for when he talks, he doesnt really think and as a result ends up
telling people the secrets of others. The tattler loves to gossip as well, but unlike the
blabbermouth, he is a lot more discreet. He is more like an informer; he will reveal vital
information to others if he has something to gain.
*Be careful what you say in Ranis presence. She is a blabbermouth.
*Jagdish is the department tattler. He keeps the Dean informed about everything.



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How is the word chary pronounced?
The British and the Americans pronounce the word in very different ways. The former
pronounce the char like the word chair and the following y like the I in sit and bit. The
Americans, on the other hand, pronounce it like the word cherry. No matter how you
pronounce chary, the stress is on the first syllable. The word is mostly used in formal contexts
to mean cautious or wary. If someone is chary about doing something, he is unwilling to
take any action because he is afraid of the consequences. This individual is afraid to take risks
and often errs on the side of caution. The word is usually followed by about or of.
*Like most men, Rakesh was chary of expressing his true feelings.
*Ananya is chary about asking people for help.
What is the difference between I will come and I would come?
The use of will in the first sentence suggests that you are definitely coming; there is no
question about it. I would come ..., on the other hand, is an incomplete sentence. The use of
would in the sentence seems to suggest that you will be present if certain conditions are met. I
would come if I had the time. The implication is, you don't have the time, and therefore you will
not be coming. When a native speaker says, I would lend you the money ..., he m0065ans he is
not going to lend the money. The use of would in such sentences is a polite way of saying no
to someone.
If God had really intended men to fly, hed make it easier to get to the airport. George
Winters
August 14, 2012
What is the difference between take heart and take to heart?
The two expressions have very different meanings. When someone tells you something and you
take his comments to heart, you take them very seriously. Very often, the comments are about

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you and you find them very upsetting. The expression usually has a negative connotation. We
often read in newspapers that some children, when scolded, take it to heart and commit suicide.
*Dont take what Malini said to heart. She was just messing with you.
*It's time we took to heart the committees recommendations.
The expression take heart, on the other hand, has a much more positive connotation; it is a form
of encouragement. When you tell someone to take heart, you are telling him to take comfort or
take confidence from something.
*You didnt win, but take heart and start preparing for the next event.
How is the word ibid pronounced?
The I in the first and second syllable sound like the I in sit and bit. The word is
pronounced I-bid with the stress on the first syllable. It comes from the Latin ibidem meaning
in the same place. The word is mostly used in formal styles of writing to refer to a source you
have quoted or cited. In scholarly articles and dissertations, when you quote someone, you are
expected to provide information about the source; the authors name, the title of the book/article,
year of publication, etc. If you quote from the same source again a few paragraphs later and
there are no quotations from or references to other sources in between then, instead of
repeating the same information, you can write ibid after the quote. It means that the quote is
from the same place meaning, it is from the same book, by the same author, etc. Ibid always
refers to what immediately precedes.
What is the meaning of stump speech?
This expression of American origin appears quite frequently in our newspapers and magazines
because of the Presidential race taking place in the United States. A stump speech is the
standard political speech given by a candidate when he is campaigning. Since candidates are
constantly on the move and give speeches in several towns in a day, it is very difficult for them
to come up with a new one for every town. They merely recycle their old one; each individual

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has a standard speech that he uses wherever he goes. The name of the town and the names of
people who need to be thanked are the only changes he makes. Such speeches are called stump
speeches because in the 18th and 19th centuries, candidates stood on the stump of a chopped
down tree to make a speech. Americans use the expression on the stump to mean on the
campaign trail.
Can the expression red eye be used to mean to be angry?
(K. Ananthanarayanan, Kanyakumari)
No, it cannot. The expression you have in mind is to see red it means to be extremely angry.
The term red eye is used to refer to late night flights that people take to reach their destination
by early morning. The fares on these flights are usually cheaper. It is called red eye because the
passengers eyes are usually red due to lack of sleep.
One day youre a signature, the next day youre an autograph. Billy Wilder
October 8, 2012
What is the difference between prognosis and diagnosis?
When you go to a doctor with a problem, he listens to what you have to say, does a few standard
tests, and arrives at a conclusion as to what is wrong with you. The identification of the cause of
your problem is called diagnosis. If you refuse treatment, the doctor may choose to inform you
how the illness will affect you in the days to come, and the complications it may lead to. This
statement that the doctor makes about the likely course of your medical condition is the
prognosis.
*The doctor was unable to diagnose why the patients BP was dropping.
*The surgeon took the parents aside and gave them the gloomy prognosis.

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The first syllable of prognosis rhymes with frog, while the second is pronounced like the
word know. The final syllable sounds like the word sis. The word is pronounced prog-
KNOW-sis with the stress on the second syllable.
What is the meaning of plough a lonely furrow?
In order to plant seeds, a farmer makes use of a plough to dig up his field. The deep line that the
plough makes as it is dragged is called a furrow. The u in the first syllable is like the u in
cut and but, and the second syllable sounds like the word row. The word is pronounced
FU-row with the stress on the first syllable. An individual who ploughs a lonely furrow is
someone who does things on his own; he has no help from others.
*Leave Bhalla out. He prefers to plough a lonely furrow.
Can the word bus be used as a verb?
Yes, it can. When you bus people somewhere, you take them to their destination in a bus.
*The workers are bussed to the factory at six in the morning.
*For the protest, lots of people were bussed in from the districts.
In American English, bus has an additional meaning. Removing the dirty plates and dishes
from tables in a restaurant is known as bussing. The person who does this job is called a
busboy or busser.
How is the word pernickety pronounced?
The e in the first syllable sounds like the a in china and the following r is silent. The
second syllable is pronounced like the word nick, and the final ety sounds like the etty in
pretty and Betty. This word of Scottish origin is pronounced pe-NICK-e-ti with the stress on
the second syllable. The word is mostly used in British English in informal contexts to show
disapproval. It means to focus on trivial or unimportant details. In American English, the word is
spelt persnickety.

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*Bala is pernickety when it comes to punctuation and formatting.
*Roshni is persnickety about what she eats.
What is the meaning of dial down?
The dial in the expression refers to the dial or knob of a radio that controls the volume. When
we dial down something, we reduce or lower its intensity. Nowadays, the expression is mostly
used to talk about ones emotions.
*Vijaya needs to dial down her anger.
*If you want me to listen to you, stop swearing. Dial down your language.
Rich fatty foods are like destiny: they too shape our ends. Unknown
September 24, 2012
What is the difference between phlegmatic and mercurial?
Both words are used to refer to the temperament of a person. A phlegmatic individual is
someone who does not show his emotions; he seldom gets excited or angry about anything. Since
he is not easily upset and remains calm, he is the ideal person to have in a crisis. The ph in the
word sounds like the f in fish and fan, and the vowel in the second syllable is like the a in
act and bat. The word is pronounced fleg-MA-tic with the stress on the second syllable.
A mercurial individual, on the other hand, is rather unpredictable. His mood changes very
quickly and very often; he is happy one minute and angry/sad the next. He is also someone who
frequently changes his opinion about things. Unlike the phlegmatic individual, he wears his heart
on his sleeve.
*Ramesh's colleagues avoid him because of his mercurial temperament.
*The phlegmatic CEO patiently listened to the outburst of the angry workers.

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What is the meaning and origin of set the cat among the pigeons?
If you were to deliberately put a cat inside a cage full of pigeons, what would be the reaction of
the poor birds? They would panic and create a lot of commotion flying from one part of the cage
to the other, trying to keep the cat at paws length! When you put or set the cat among the
pigeons, you are saying or doing something that makes a lot of people angry or worried. Very
often, this is done deliberately. The idiom is mostly used in British English.
*Tell the students they have a test tomorrow. That should set the cat among the pigeons.
How is the word payola pronounced?
The first syllable sounds like the word pay and the following o like the o in so and no.
The a in the final syllable sounds like the a in china. This rather old-fashioned word that is
mostly used in American English is pronounced pay-O-le with the stress on the second
syllable.
It refers to the bribe paid to someone; a concept that all Indians are familiar with.
*The Minister was accused of accepting payola from several American firms.
In the 1930s when music became the staple diet of the radio in the U.S., gramophone companies
did everything possible to promote their records/songs. Some of them bribed the disc jockeys
working for popular radio stations into playing their records repeatedly.
The word is a combination of pay and ola: the second half of the word comes from Victrola;
a gramophone company that was well known in the early 20th century.
Why is the place where grain is stored spelt granary and not grainery?
English has borrowed extensively from many languages. The word grain, for example, has
been borrowed from the French graine. The place where grain is stored, on the other hand, has
been borrowed from the Latin granaria. It is from this word that we get granary, and it
originally meant storehouse for corn. Nowadays, a granary is used to store any grain. By the

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way, while the a in grain is like the ay in bay and day, the first a in granary is like the
a in cat and bat.
A diet is the penalty we pay for exceeding the feed limit. Unknown
September 4, 2012
What is the difference between protg and prodigy?
First, lets deal with the pronunciation of the two words. The o in in both words sounds like the
o in got and not, while the following vowel is like I in sit and bit. The g in protg is
like the s in measure and pleasure, and the final e sounds like the ay in bay and day.
The g in prodigy, on the other hand, is like the j in jam and juice, while the following y
is like the I in hit and bit. One of the ways of pronouncing the two words is PRO-ti-zay
and PRO-di-ji. It is also possible to pronounce the first syllable of protg like the word pro.
A child who excels at something tennis, singing, mathematics, etc. is usually referred to as
a prodigy. These individuals are usually born with this talent; it is not something that is learnt.
Sachin Tendulkar, Mozart and Tiger Woods are examples of prodigies who shot into prominence
at a very young age.
A protg, on the other hand, is someone who is supported by an influential person.
In French, the word literally means 'protected'. A 'protg', therefore, is a person who is under the
protection of someone much older. This individual takes the younger person under his wings and
promotes his/her career. Unlike a prodigy, a protg does not necessarily have to be highly
talented.
*Dont say anything against Mythili. She is the Minister's protg.
*The teacher did not want the prodigy in her class.



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What is the meaning and origin of pin money?
The term pin money is mostly used nowadays to refer to a very small sum of money that a
person earns or is given so that he can spend it on things he wants but may not necessarily
need.
In the past, it referred to the small allowance that a husband gave his wife to buy things for
herself.
*Teaching children English in the evenings gave Usha some pin money.
When the ordinary pin was introduced in England, it was very expensive and always in short
supply. I understand that in the old days pins were sold on one or two days in a year.
The original pin money was the regular allowance that a husband gave his wife so that she
could buy pins when they became available. With the passage of time, when pins became
plentiful, the term pin money began to be used to refer to a small amount of money that one
spent on oneself.
How is the word foible pronounced?
The foi in the first syllable rhymes with toy and boy, while the ble sounds like the ble in
double and trouble. The word is pronounced FOY-bl with the stress on the first syllable, and
it was originally used to refer to the weakest part of a sword the portion from the tip to the
middle. The strongest part was called forte. With the passage of time, foible acquired an
additional meaning. It began to be used to refer to a weakness or a minor fault in the character of
an individual. It can also be used to refer to a strange habit that someone has that may or may not
be annoying.
*Nobody is perfect. Even your new girlfriend has her foibles.



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August 21, 2012
What is the meaning of kith?
Kith is not used on its own nowadays; it only survives in the expression kith and kin. It
comes from the Old English cythth which was an umbrella term for everything known
relatives, friends, acquaintances, places, country, etc. In the 14th century, the expression kith
and kin was used to refer to ones country and relatives. With the passage of time kith
acquired a narrower meaning. Nowadays, kith is mostly used to mean ones friends and
acquaintances.
*Ramya invited all her kith and kin to her wedding.
What is the meaning of omerta?
New members of certain criminal organisations are often made to take an oath that they will
remain silent if they are ever caught by the police. This vow not to divulge information about the
activities of the organisation to any outsider is called omerta. I understand that the Mafia
practises this code of silence. There are various theories about the origin of the word. Some
believe that it comes from the Spanish hombredad meaning manliness. Others think it comes
from the Italian umilta, meaning humility.
*As expected, the two arrested men remained loyal to the oath of omerta.
How is the expression billet-doux pronounced?
The bi in billet sounds like the bi in bit and bin, and the following llet is pronounced
like the word lay. The doux sounds like the word do. This French expression is pronounced
bi-lay DO with the stress on the second word. Doux in French means sweet and a billet is
a note or a document. A billet-doux is a sweet note that you write to someone whom you are
extremely fond of; in other words, its a love letter. The plural is billets-doux.
*When he was in college, Rahul wrote at least three billets-doux a week to his girlfriend.

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What is the difference between manly and mannish?
The word manly has a positive connotation; it is mostly used to refer to the characteristics or
qualities that people associate as belonging ideally to a man. For example, in most cultures,
qualities like courage, decisiveness, strength, bravery, etc. are seen befitting a man. Mannish,
on the other hand, has a negative meaning. The word is mostly used with women who either look
masculine or possess qualities that are mostly associated with men. The manner in which this
individual dresses or behaves is considered unbecoming of a woman.
*The foul-mouthed, beedi smoking Nalini always wore mannish clothes.
*The girls swooned when they heard Jais manly voice on the radio.
What is the origin of honeymoon?
In the old days, it was customary in Greece for the newly married couple to drink mead, a
fermented drink made out of honey, for a period of one month. The moon in the word refers to
the thirty days they drank and made merry. After the initial euphoria, the couple realised that
their love for each other would not remain constant, but would wax and wane like the moon!
Nowadays the word honeymoon is being used to refer to the early stages of any relationship
where both parties are exceedingly happy with each other.
*The Chief Ministers honeymoon with the media is definitely over.
The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but
newspapers. Thomas Jefferson
August 6, 2012
What is the meaning and origin of sit on ones hands?
How much work would you be able to complete if you sat on your hands all morning? Chances
are, you wouldnt get anything done! The expression to sit on ones hands means to do

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nothing. Instead of extending your hand to help others or yourself, you merely sit on them
you choose to take no action.
*As Malas brother, you need to help her. You just cant sit on your hands.
The expression comes from the world of theatre. The people sitting on their hands in this case are
the members of the audience. If the people in the audience choose to keep their hands warm by
sitting on them, what would be the result? The poor performers would get no applause! The
original meaning of the idiom was to fail to applaud.
What is the correct pronunciation of lieutenant?
The British pronounce the lieut like the word left, and the following e like the e in sent
and bent. The vowel in the final syllable is like the a in china. The word is pronounced lef-
TE-nent with the stress on the second syllable. The Americans, on the other hand, pronounce the
lieu like the word loo. They pronounce the word loo-TE-nent. This is how the main
character in the movie Forrest Gump keeps pronouncing the word. Lieutenant, often
abbreviated to Lt., is a low ranking officer in the military or the police. It comes from the
French lieu meaning position or place and tenant meaning to hold; the word literally
means one who takes the place of another. When the superior officer is absent, the Lieutenant
takes command of the men.
Why do we say copycat?
A copycat is someone who apes others; since there is nothing original about this individual, the
word is mostly used to show disapproval.
*The police say that the copycat serial killer has murdered 15 people so far.
But why a cat and not a monkey or parrot; after all, these animals are better known for their
ability to ape people. According to some, the expression came into being because kittens learn by
copying the behaviour of their mother. But then, this is true of most animals dogs, foxes, apes,
dolphins, etc. do the same. Others believe cat was used because in the past, this animal was

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associated with everything evil often, it was used as a term of contempt. Shakespeare used it
in this negative sense in All's Well That Ends Well: A pox upon him for me, he is more and
more a Cat. Anyone who copied others was therefore contemptuously referred to as copycat.
What is the meaning of bleam?
The word does not figure in most standard dictionaries. The two that do list it give very different
meanings. According to one, bleam is a slang term for destroying or ruining something in an
oven or autoclave (device used to sterilise equipment). I bleamed the cake. I was talking to my
friend on the phone. Another dictionary defines it as to transmit or send data. For example,
one could say, Bleam me the figures. Then, of course, you have Bleam, an iPhone app.
I like the word indolence. It makes my laziness seem classy. Bern Williams
July 30, 2012
How is the word divorce pronounced?
The I in the first syllable is like the I in hit, pit and sit, while the second syllable rhymes
with the words force and course. The British pronounce the final e like the ee in see and
bee, while the Americans pronounce it like the ay in bay and pay. The word can be
pronounced di-vor-SEE or di-vor-SAY; in either case, the stress is on the final syllable. A
divorce is a woman who is divorced; a man who is divorced is called divorc. Both words
are pronounced the same way, and both have an accent mark on the e after the c.
*Shekar didnt know that Deepa was a divorce.
Is it okay to say, Everyone had a cell phone in their hand?
People who swear by the rules of grammar would frown on this sentence. They would argue that
everyone is singular, therefore the pronoun that is used to refer to it should also be singular.
According to them, the correct sentence would be Everyone had a cell phone in his hand.
Others who dont wish to be accused of gender bias would come up with an inelegant sentence

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like, Everyone had a cell phone in his/her hand. It is to avoid such clumsy sentences that many
native speakers frequently use their and them to refer to singular pronouns like everyone,
someone, etc. Sentences like If someone calls, tell them Im busy and Everyone had a frown
on their face are quite common. As the grammarian Bryan Garner puts it, Disturbing though
these developments may be to purists, they are irreversible. And nothing that a grammarian says
will change them.
What is the meaning of en bloc?
First, let us deal with the pronunciation. This expression of French origin is pronounced on
BLOCK with the stress on the second word. The literal meaning of this expression is in a
block. In English, it is mainly used to mean all together or as a whole.
*The members of the Ethics Committee threatened to resign en bloc.
*The students wanted the VC to adopt the proposed rules en bloc.
My sister is having a baby and I dont know if Im going to be an uncle or an aunt. Chuck
Nevitt, basketball player.
July 16, 2012
How is the word debacle pronounced?
The de in the first syllable sounds like the word day, and the following a is like the a in
path, father and ask. The final cle is like the cle in uncle and buckle. The word is
pronounced day-BAA-kl with the stress on the second syllable.
When the Indian cricket team went to Australia earlier this year, our pundits predicted a series
win for Dhoni and his boys. This, however, did not happen; we ended up losing all four test
matches. The series turned out to be a disaster; it was a debacle.
The word comes from the French debacler meaning to unbar or free. Originally, it was used
to refer to the flooding that sometimes resulted when the river ice cracked and melted during

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spring. In English, debacle is mostly used to mean a fiasco or complete failure. It is not used to
refer to any natural calamity.
*After the debacle of his first film, no director showed any interest in Ravi.
What is the difference between sympathy and empathy?
When Andy Murray cried after losing to Federer in the Wimbledon final, most of us felt sorry for
him. Since this was the fourth time he was losing in a Grand Slam final, we sympathised with
him. When you feel sympathy for an individual, you feel sorry for the person, but you do not
really understand what the person is feeling or what he is going through.
Empathy, on the other hand, suggests that you are able to put yourself in the other persons
shoes, and are able to experience what he/she does. In this case, you feel with and not just feel
for the individual. It is easy to empathise with someone when you have had a similar
experience. Ivan Lendl, for example, would probably find it easy to empathise with Murray for
he too lost the first four Grand Slam finals he played in.
*Rahul had no sympathy for the poor.
*Usha felt empathy for her son as she too had a lot of pimples when she was a teenager.
What is the origin of the term dry run?
A dry run is a rehearsal or practice for a ceremony or procedure. For example, before staging a
play, actors have a dry run they perform the complete play without stopping. In western
countries, couples getting married do a dry run of the wedding ceremony. This helps them know
what each is supposed to do on the day of the wedding. I understand the expression comes from
the world of fire fighting.
In the early 18th century, firemen often demonstrated to the public how they went about putting
out fires. If this drill was performed without the use of water, it was called dry run. When water
was used, it was called wet run.

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Is it okay for a bank to say, If you are drawing heavy cash, please bring an
accomplice?
No, it isn't. What the note suggests is that if an individual is keen on robbing the bank, he needs
to bring another person along. An accomplice is someone who helps a person commit a crime
or anything illegal. The word has a negative connotation.
You know its time for a second opinion when your neurosurgeon calls your case a no
brainer. W. Asbury Stembridge Jr.
July 2, 2012
What is the meaning and origin of talk nineteen to the dozen?
We have all come across people who can speak non-stop at a very fast pace. Words just pour out
of their mouth, and it becomes very difficult for the listener to get a word in. It is impossible to
have a conversation with such an individual; it is more of a monologue than a dialogue. When
someone talks nineteen to the dozen, he/she speaks very fast without stopping.
*Gayathri was on the phone talking nineteen to the dozen.
No one is really sure about the origin of this rather informal idiom. According to one theory, the
expression comes from the world of mining. In the 18th century, when a mine flooded, engines
powered by steam were used to pump the water out. To keep these engines running, coal was
burnt. A steam engine that was running or going nineteen to the dozen was pumping out 1900
gallons of water while burning only 12 bushels of coal.
How is the word profligate pronounced?
The first syllable sounds like prof., the abbreviation for professor. The I in the second
syllable is like the I in bit and sit, and the a in the final syllable is like the a in china.
The word is pronounced PROF-li-get with the stress on the first syllable. A profligate is
someone who is reckless with his money; he wastes it.

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*Rahul accused his former Vice-Chancellor of profligate spending.
The word comes from the Latin profligare meaning ruin or defeat. Profligate can also be
used to refer to someone who has little or no moral values; a degenerate a person who has
been defeated by vices.
*The bad company he kept turned him into a profligate.
What is the difference between homonym and homophone?
Homo means same and phone means sound. Two words which have the same
pronunciation, but are spelt differently and have completely different meanings are said to be
homophones. Flower, flour; bare, bear; write and right are all examples of homophones.
Homonym, on the other hand, refers to words that have the same spelling and pronunciation,
but their meanings are entirely different. Bear (animal) and bear (carry) and left (past tense
of leave) and left (opposite of right) are examples of homonyms.
Is it okay to say He misused his friends?
Yes. The word misuse can be used with people as well as things. People in power are often
accused of misusing their authority and misusing public funds. In both these cases, the word
misuse means use for the wrong purpose or used wrongly. When you misuse someone,
you mistreat him; you treat the person harshly and rather unfairly. Some dictionaries list this
use of the word misuse as obsolete.
*No one wants to work for Susie because she is in the habit of misusing people.
What is the difference between Hes gone to Moscow and Hes been to
Moscow'?
The first sentence implies that the individual is in Moscow right now. When you say, Hes been
to Moscow, it implies that the individual visited Moscow in the past. When in the past, you
don't really know. But the individual is not in Moscow right now.

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When it comes to work, there are many who will stop at nothing. Bob Phillips
June 18, 2012
What is the meaning and origin of ride one's hobbyhorse?
Some people like to talk about cricket all the time. No matter where they are and who they are
talking to, they somehow or the other bring cricket into the conversation. Once they start talking
about the game, they go on and on. The term hobbyhorse is used to refer to a topic/subject
matter one is passionate about and is willing to talk about at length. When you say that someone
is riding his hobbyhorse or is on his hobbyhorse, you mean that the individual is talking about
his favourite topic. The word can also be used to mean ones favourite hobby.
*Don't mention corruption. If you do, Arvind will get started on his hobbyhorse.
A hobbyhorse was actually a toy that children played with. It was basically a long stick which
had a wooden horse's head at one end.
What is the difference between a newspaper correspondent and a newspaper
reporter?
A reporter is local; he usually works in the city where the newspaper is based or has an office.
A 'correspondent', on the other hand, is based somewhere else he could be abroad or in some
other city within the country. He is called a correspondent because before the era of instant
communication, this individual actually corresponded with the Editor he mailed or posted
his stories to the head office. Unlike a reporter, a correspondent is a specialist; he deals with a
particular area. It could be anything health, finance, sports, politics, etc. Since he is dealing
with an area that he is familiar with, a correspondent may at times include his own take on a
matter. A reporter' is usually assigned stories by the Editor, and every day he might report on
different things. He has no area of specialisation, and whatever story he writes, he merely
presents the facts. Not everyone maintains these distinctions.


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How is the word cornucopia pronounced?
The first syllable sounds like the word corn and the second like the word you. The cop is
pronounced like the word cope. The I is like the I in bit and sit and the final a like the
a in china. The word is pronounced cor-nyu-CO-pi-e with the stress on the third syllable. It
comes from the Latin cornu copiae meaning horn of plenty. The word is presently used in
English to mean abundant or a great supply of.
*The new supermarket offers a cornucopia of fresh fruit and vegetables.
According to Greek mythology, when Zeus, the king of gods, was a child, he was taken care of
by a goat named Amalthea. One day, while he was playing with the goat, Zeus accidentally
broke off one of her horns. From this horn came an unending supply of food. Traditional
paintings of cornucopia show a horn with lots of fruit and nuts next to it.
Which is correct: See you on Saturday or See you Saturday?
There was a time, of course, when only the first sentence would have been considered
acceptable. Now, both are. The second sentence without the preposition on is frequently used
in American English in informal contexts. In writing and in formal situations, most people would
say See you on Saturday.
Hospitality: making your guests feel like they're at home, even if you wish they were!
Unknown
June 5, 2012
What is the meaning of the word efficacy'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this word. The e' is like the e' in set' and bet', and the
i' and the y' sound like the i' in bit' and sit'. The a' is like the a' in china'. The word is
pronounced EF-i-ke-si' with the stress on the first syllable. Efficacy comes from the Latin

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efficacia' meaning effectiveness'. In English, the word is mostly used to mean the ability to
produce the intended or desired result.
*I'm afraid there is little or no information about the efficacy of the drug.
What is the meaning and origin of red herring'?
Sometimes an argument between two friends becomes quite serious. Tempers flare, they begin to
shout, and it looks as though they might start throwing punches at each other. In order to ease the
tension, we might say something to divert their attention. What we say might have nothing to do
with the argument the friends are having, but we succeed in changing the focus of their attention.
This ploy that we use to divert the attention of our friends is called red herring'. It is a distractor;
a red herring is something that is used to turn the focus of attention from something important to
something totally insignificant. The expression has a slightly negative connotation.
*The killer was never caught because the police were busy chasing red herrings.
A herring' is a fish that emits a very strong smell. In the past, escaped convicts used this fish to
trick the police dogs that were used to track them. While he ran, the fugitive dragged a herring
along with him. After some time, he threw the fish in one direction and he ran off in the other.
The chasing bloodhounds were fooled into following the scent of the herring. The original idiom
was drag a red herring across the trail'; later, it was shortened to red herring'. The colour of the
fish is not red, but grey. It turns red when it is cured' i.e. when it is smoked and salted.
How is the word egalitarian' pronounced?
The e' and the i' in the third and fifth syllables are pronounced like the i' in kit' and pit'. The
ga' sounds like the ga' in gas' and gamble', while the tar' in the fourth syllable rhymes with
fare' and bare'. The a' in the final syllable is like the a' in china'. This rather formal word is
pronounced i-ga-li-TARE-i-en' with the stress on the fourth syllable. It can be used as a noun
and an adjective. An egalitarian is someone who believes in the principle of equality; he believes
that everyone in a society is equally important, and therefore every individual should be given
the same rights and opportunities in life.

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.*Rachna wants the newly formed party to adopt egalitarian principles.
Which is correct: I bet you Swetha is in the library' or I bet Swetha is in the
library'?
Both are correct; in everyday conversation, people tend to drop the you'. These expressions are
mostly used in informal contexts to mean I think' or It's probable that'.
I bet (you) Federer will win the title.
A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country. Texas Guinan
July 23, 2012
What is the meaning and origin of leave someone high and dry?
This idiom, mostly used in informal contexts, means to leave someone stranded. When your
friends leave you high and dry, they desert you in your time of need; you are left to fend for
yourself. You feel totally helpless, and are unable to think of ways to get out of your difficult
situation. Another expression that has more or less the same meaning is leave someone in the
lurch.
*When they sensed trouble, Taruns partners resigned and left him high and dry.
The expression was originally used to refer to ships that had run aground in other words, had
come too close to shore and got stuck in the sandy bottom. When this happened, the ship was
said to be high since most of the vessel was out of water, there was a lot more of the ship to
see. It looked a lot taller than when it was floating. The dry in the expression refers to the
bottom of the ship; a portion that was usually wet was now dry. A ship that was left high and dry
was in a vulnerable position. There was nothing that the captain could do except wait for the high
tide to come in.


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What is the difference between homesick and nostalgia?
(S. Aparna, Chennai)
When the news channels announced the death of the former superstar Rajesh Khanna last week,
a wave of nostalgia swept over people who were 35 and above. In the interviews shown on TV,
some talked about the songs from Rajesh Khannas films and how integral they were in making
their childhood a happy one. Most referred to the 70s as the good old times. Nostalgia is a
longing for the past; you recall the happy events that took place, and wish you could experience
them all over again. You would like to go back in time. Homesickness, on the other hand, has
more to do with the present. When you feel homesick, you long for home it could be your
country or your actual home. In this case, you miss the people and the place you are from, and
the thought I wish I were home runs through your mind constantly.
*During her first two months in Seoul, Hema felt terribly homesick.
*Seeing pictures of his old school made Jai feel very nostalgic.
Is common sense one word or two?
It can be spelt as one word or two it depends on how the word is used. When common sense
is used as a noun, it is spelt as two words. As an adjective, it becomes one word. Some people
choose to use a hyphen, instead common-sense. Not everyone maintains this distinction.
*Gayathri is very intelligent, but has no common sense.
*Laxmans commonsense approach to the problem was refreshing.
How is the word droll pronounced?
The word rhymes with role, pole and coal. When you refer to someone as being droll, you
mean he is funny or humorous in an odd sort of way. The things the person says may not
necessarily have you in splits, but they will keep you amused.

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*The new teacher kept the children entertained with droll stories.
Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to. John
Ed Pearce
July 9, 2012
What is the difference between a snoopy and a nosey person?
If you like your privacy, both are best avoided! Both pry into other people's affairs, and are keen
to know what is happening in their lives. They go to any length to get the information they are
looking for. Of the two, snoopy has the more negative connotation. A nosey person is like the
gossip; everyone knows who he/she is. The nosey individual doesnt hide the fact that he/she is
inquisitive, and is interested in getting the information. If he wants to know something about
you, he may even come and ask you directly. Snoopy, on the other hand, suggests that the
individual is secretive; he never adopts the direct approach. He is sneaky and may use illegal
means to get the information he wants.
What is the meaning of livelong?
The first syllable is pronounced like the verb live I live here. Livelong is considered to
be literary, and is seldom heard in everyday conversation. It comes from the German lief longe;
the expression was used to refer to a period of time it could be, for example, an entire day.
With the passage of time, lieflonge became livelong and underwent a change in meaning.
Nowadays, the word is also used to refer a period of time which is both long and tedious.
Livelong has the stress on the first syllable.
*Rajan sat next to Sunita in the hospital lounge all the livelong night.




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In English films, people keep saying My bad. Is it grammatically correct to
say so?
In terms of grammar, it is not acceptable. But the expression my bad has been part of American
English since the 1970s. It is frequently used in informal contexts to mean my mistake or Im
to blame. It is also used to mean I apologize.
According to one theory, a basketball player named Manute Bol coined the expression. The story
goes that whenever Bol made a bad pass to his teammate, he apologised by saying my bad
instead of my fault. Soon his teammates and players from other teams picked up on the
expression and began using it.
*My friends arrived late because of me. My bad.
How is the word spiel pronounced?
The s sounds like the sh in ship and sheep and the following piel sounds like the word
peel. The word is pronounced SHPEEL. It comes from the German spielen meaning to
play. In English, a spiel is a prepared talk; one that is intended to lure someone into buying or
doing something. This talk is usually lengthy, and as a result rather tedious to listen to. For
example, when we walk into a car showroom and ask the salesperson about a particular model,
he responds by speaking at length about it. The substance of the spiel is prepared in advance
and the salesperson uses it with every customer he interacts with. During the time of elections, a
politician gives the same spiel over and over again. The word has a negative connotation. When
used as a verb, spiel means to reel off'.
*Jyothis father gave us the usual spiel about working hard.
*Hari spieled the names of all the Pulitzer Prize winners.
A lot of fellows nowadays have a B.A., M.D., or a PhD. Unfortunately, they dont have a
J.O.B. Fats Domino

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June 25, 2012
What is the difference between appraise and apprise?
The first vowel in both words is like the a in china. The second syllable in appraise sounds
like the word praise, while the prise in apprise sounds like the word prize. In both cases,
the stress is on the second syllable. When you appraise something, you determine or assess the
value of it. Apprise, on the other hand, means to inform or notify. Both are used in formal
contexts.
*Has the President been apprised of the facts?
*I need to appraise the car before I make an offer.
What is the meaning of straw poll?
Before every important election, news channels go around asking people to identify issues that
are likely to influence their choice of candidate. Based on what a few people say, the reporter
arrives at these key issues. This rather informal way of gathering information to understand
which way the people are leaning is called straw vote. It is also referred to as straw poll. One
dictionary defines it as an unofficial ballot conducted as a test of opinion. The term can be used
with regard to everyday matters as well, not necessarily elections. For example, in a university,
one can have a straw poll as to whether the working hours of the library should be extended.
*I took a straw poll of the immediate members of the family. Not many were interested in going
to Goa during summer.
In the 19th century in the United States, when straw polls were conducted, a potential voter was
given an actual piece of straw. He was then asked a question. If the individual returned the straw
without bending it, it meant that his answer to the question was yes. In order to signify a nay
vote, the voter returned the straw bent.


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How is the word uncouth pronounced?
The first syllable sounds like the un in bun, fun and sun, while the following couth
rhymes with the words youth and tooth. The word is pronounced un-KUUTH with the stress
on the second syllable. It comes from the Old English un meaning not and cunnan meaning
know. Uncouth originally meant not known; later, it acquired the meaning strange. With
the passage of time, uncouth began to mean uncultured. An uncouth individual is someone
who is lacking in manners. This unsophisticated individual is often rude, and frequently says
things that embarrass those around him. Some people use couth as the opposite of uncouth.
Though most dictionaries list couth, it is not as frequently used as uncouth.
*There is no way I'll let you marry him. He is uncouth.
Is it okay to say I was majorly impressed by the book?
Yes, it is. When you say that you were majorly impressed by something, it means you were
very or extremely impressed by it. The word has another meaning as well; it is frequently
used to mean primarily. Though majorly is considered slang, most standard dictionaries list it.
The use of the word is mostly confined to the United States and Canada, and being slang is
seldom used in formal contexts.
*Sunita was majorly upset when Ganesh called off the wedding.
*Nandita is majorly a painter. But she does a lot of social work as well.
A straw vote only shows which way the hot air blows. OHenry
June 11, 2012
What is the difference between frugal' and stingy'?
Both words tell us something about the manner in which a person spends his money. Of the two,
stingy' has a negative connotation. A stingy' individual is someone who has money, but is very
reluctant to part with it. He is a miser; he doesn't like to spend money on himself or on others. He

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is reluctant to spend money on things are essential as well. Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens'
classic A Christmas Carol' was a stingy person. A frugal' person, on the other hand, is someone
who is very careful in the way he handles money; he ensures that he does not waste any of it.
The word comes from the Latin frux' meaning fruit' or produce'. A frugal' individual ensures
that the fruits of his labour don't go to waste, but unlike a stingy person, he is willing to spend on
things that are necessary. Frugal is a much more positive word than stingy'. The word can also
be used with food and clothes. When you say that you had a frugal lunch', it means you had a
simple lunch.
*Abhay was too stingy to tip the waiter.
*Ganeshan has never been known to be frugal with his money.
How is the word lacuna' pronounced?
The a' in the first and last syllables are pronounced like the a' in china', while the cu' in the
second sounds like the word cue'. The word is pronounced le-KYUU-ne' with the stress on the
second syllable. It is also possible to pronounce the first a' like the a' in cat' and bat'. The
plural is lacunae'; in this case, the final ae' is pronounced like the word knee'. The word comes
from the Latin lacuna' meaning hole' or pit'. In English, the word is mostly used in formal
contexts to mean empty space' or gap'. Lacuna is mostly used when talking about the missing
pages in a manuscript or the missing part of a book. Nowadays, in everyday contexts, it is used
to mean deficiency'.
*The evident lacuna in Jeevan's story made the police very suspicious.
What is the meaning of drama queen'?
During the recently concluded French Open Championship, Virginia Wade called Andy Murray
a drama queen'. The expression is mostly used in informal contexts to refer to people who act
overly dramatic in situations. These individuals make a mountain out of a molehill. They get
very upset and angry about very minor problems; they believe their problems are huge. A drama
queen can be a man or a woman. The expression is mostly used to show disapproval.

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*Juhi made such a fuss when the waiter spilled some water on her. I didn't know she was such a
drama queen.
What is the meaning and origin of cut a caper'?
A caper' is a lively skip or hop. Cut a caper' literally means to leap about or dance about in a
playful manner. Nowadays, the expression is mainly used to mean a lively' or playful' leap.
Shakespeare coined this expression in Twelfth Night. The word caper' rhymes with paper'.
*When he heard that he had been promoted, Bala cut a little caper before walking into the boss'
room.
The expression can also be used to mean to play a trick on someone.
I speak twelve languages. English is the bestest. Stephen Bergman
May 28, 2012
What is the meaning of make a good fist of something'?
This is a relatively old expression used in informal contexts in British and Australian English. It
is seldom heard in the land of its origin the United States. When you make a good fist of
something, you succeed in doing it. You do a good job and achieve a certain degree of success.
According to some scholars, the word fist' in the expression is used in the sense of hand'
someone who does physical work. The opposite of this expression is to make a poor fist of
something' meaning to fail or be unsuccessful in your attempt to do something.
*This was Runa's first series as captain. I think she made a good fist of it.
*Anil has a bad temper. He made a poor fist of being a trouble-shooter.



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Why do we say sleep tight'?
The complete saying is Good night. Sleep tight. Wake up bright in the morning light, and do
what's right with all your might. Some people say, Good night, sleep tight. Don't let the bed
bugs bite. When you tell someone to sleep tight', you are not asking him to keep his body stiff.
The tight' in the expression refers to the tightness of the strings that run from one end of the bed
frame to the other. In the old days, only the frame of the bed was made of wood. The middle
portion, the portion on which a person actually lay down, consisted of strings. If these strings
were not tightly strung around the frame, the bed sagged. Since there was no support for the
back, the person got little or no sleep. When the strings were tightly strung, the bed remained
firm and the person lying on it got a good night's sleep. So when you say sleep tight, what you
are actually saying is, I hope your cot is tightly strung.
How is the word canard' pronounced?
The a' in the first syllable of this rather formal word can be pronounced like the a' in china' or
like the a' in cat' and bat'. The ar' in the second syllable sounds like the ar' in park', dark'
and mark'. The word is pronounced ke-NAAD' or ka-NAAD' with the stress on the second
syllable. A canard' is a false piece of information deliberately spread by someone. For example,
during the time of elections, political parties often fabricate stories about the opposition in order
to deceive or confuse people.
*In India, there is a widespread canard that all politicians are dirty.
*The Prime Minister has accused the media of spreading canards.
What are the 50th, 60th, 70th and 80th wedding anniversaries called?
The 50th wedding anniversary is the Golden Jubilee', and the 60th, Diamond Jubilee'. On these
occasions, couples are expected to give each other a gift made of gold/diamond. When a couple
celebrates their 70th wedding anniversary, you wish them a Happy Platinum Anniversary'. The
80th is called Oak'! I guess you need to be like an oak tree to stay married that long! There are a

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few anniversaries in between. The 55th is the Emerald Anniversary', the 65th, the Blue
Sapphire', and the 75th, Diamond Wedding Anniversary'.
I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell you see, I have friends in both places.
Mark Twain
May 21, 2012
What is the difference between imminent' and eminent'?
An eminent' person is a well-known person. He is a giant in his field, and towers over everyone
else thanks to his outstanding achievements. Someone who is eminent is both respected and
admired.
*The eminent historian took ill and was unable to take part in the workshop.
Imminent', unlike eminent', is not used with people. It is used to talk about situations. When
you say that something is imminent', you are suggesting something bad is likely to happen very
soon. The word has a negative connotation. Imminent' comes from the Latin imminere'
meaning to overhang'.
*Despite the best efforts of the public, the closure of the museum seems imminent.
How is the word desultory' pronounced?
There are several ways of pronouncing this word. One simple way is to pronounce the first
syllable like the de' in desk' and den', and the following u' like the a' in china'. The o'
remains silent and the final y' sounds like the i' in bit' and hit'.
The word can be pronounced DE-sel-tri with the stress on the first syllable. It comes from the
Latin deseltorius', and it originally referred to an acrobat in a circus who jumped from one horse
to another while the animals were in full gallop.

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A desultory conversation' is an aimless conversation; one in which the participants display a
lack of interest. They merely keep jumping from one topic to another. The word can also be used
to mean without a clear plan or purpose'.
*Govind's desultory presentation put the audience to sleep.
What is the meaning and origin of up to snuff'?
The expression has been around for several hundred years, and nowadays it is mostly used in
informal contexts to mean satisfactory'. Anything that is up to snuff' meets the required
standard. The idiom is also frequently used in British English to mean alert'.
*Ramesh was excellent, but the rest of the candidates weren't up to snuff.
In the 14th century, the word snuff' was used to refer to the burnt wick of a candle. Later, the
word began to be used as a verb to mean to extinguish' or put out the flame of a candle. In the
mid 17th century, snuff began to refer to the tobacco powder that men frequently inhaled through
their nostrils. This process of inhaling something through the nose began to be called snuffed'.
For several centuries in Europe, taking snuff was a common practice among men of certain
social standing. Snuff was expensive, and only the rich could afford it. The common man
smoked his tobacco, while the wealthy snuffed' theirs. Since the well to do were more interested
in quality rather than quantity, the expression up to snuff' began to mean up to the required
standard'.
Is it okay to say, The hotel is opposite to the railway station'?
(Abhishek, Bangalore)
No, it isn't. Something is always opposite something else, not opposite to' something else. The
word to' is unnecessary.
*There's a very good restaurant right opposite the station.

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A synonym is the word you use when you can't spell the right one and therefore can't find it in
the dictionary. Laurence J Peter
Sometimes the hair at the back of the head refuses to lie flat. It stands up. Is
there a word for this?
You are thinking of the main character in Hank Ketcham's cartoon strip Dennis the Menace,
aren't you? The tuft of hair at the back of Dennis' head always seems to be going in different
directions. To answer your question, yes, there is a word to describe this kind of growth. It is
cowlick'.
*In the afternoon, Prabha's cowlick was more pronounced than ever.
I understand the saliva of a cow is viscous; and if the animal were to lick your head, the hair
would stand erect. According to Norse mythology, when the divine cow Audumbla started
licking a salty iceberg, a man's hair appeared. As she continued to lick, the head and then later
the body of the man emerged!
What is the meaning and origin of a dime a dozen'?
Americans refer to a ten-cent coin as dime'. The five-cent coin is called a nickel' and the one-
cent coin, penny'. The expression dime a dozen' is of recent origin; according to some scholars,
it came into being only in the mid-20th century. It is mainly used in everyday conversation to
mean cheap and plentiful'. If you can get a dozen things for ten cents (dime), the thing you are
buying is very cheap indeed. Over a period of time, the expression has acquired a figurative
meaning as well. Nowadays, it is used to mean common'.
*People who can make good presentations are not a dime a dozen.
*Political scandals in our country are a dime a dozen.
The dime made its appearance in the United States in the late 18th century. The coin was very
small in size because it was mostly made of silver the government didn't want the cost of
making the coin to exceed its worth. In 1965, the American Government changed the

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composition of the coin it became 90 per cent copper and 10 per cent nickel. Since the coin
did not contain any silver, it became cheaper for the government to make the dime. This resulted
in the market being flooded with dimes!
How is the word lief' pronounced?
It is pronounced like the word leaf'. Not many people use this word nowadays as it is considered
old fashioned. It can be used to mean gladly' or willingly'. When used as an adjective, it means
dear' or beloved'. Lief' comes from the Old English leof' meaning dear' or valued'.
*I would as lief partner Ramesh as Sameer.
What is the difference between blokeish' and blokish'?
In terms of meaning and pronunciation, there is no difference. The word bloke', which rhymes
with the words poke', oak' and soak', is normally used in British English in informal contexts
to refer to a man. He is someone who is very ordinary. For example, one can say, Vijay is a
funny bloke. Blokeish/blokish' is used to describe someone who behaves like the stereotypical
male when he is in the company of others talking about sports, cracking dirty jokes, etc. In
British English, the word is used to show disapproval; Americans do not use it all.
*Tapan was too blokeish for Nandini all he could talk about was cricket.
He is as good as his word and his word is no good. Seumas MacManus
April 23, 2012
How is the word touch' pronounced?
The tou' in the first syllable is pronounced like the word two'. The following ch' sounds like
the sh' in ship', shin' and sheep', and the final e' is like the ay' in bay', day' and may'. The
word is pronounced two-SHAY' with the stress on the second syllable. In French, the word
means touched'. When touch was borrowed into English, it was used in the context of a
particular sport fencing. In this sport, two individuals fought each other with swords, and

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whenever someone scored a hit' (i.e. when one person managed to thrust his sword into his
opponent), the person who had been hit acknowledged it by shouting touch. He was admitting
the opponent's sword had indeed touched' him. With the passage of time, touch began to be
used in everyday contexts. During an argument, when your opponent says something and you
respond by saying touch', you are admitting that the individual has made a very good point
one that deserves to be acknowledged.
Politicians keep saying English should be banned. But when it comes to their own children,
they send them to the best English medium schools.
Touch!
Is there a connection between a toad' and toady'?
The word toad', as you probably know, refers to an animal that resembles a frog. Toady', on the
other hand, is normally used to refer to a person; he is usually someone who flatters people in
power in order to gain something from them. The word is normally used to show disapproval.
Some of the other words that have the same meaning are brownnoser', bootlicker', and flunky'.
*No one was really surprised when the Minister's toady was promoted.
What is the connection between a toad' and a toady'? The word toady' comes from toadeater'.
In the past, quack doctors used to visit village fairs to demonstrate how powerful their medicine
was. The doctor would ask his assistant to swallow a live toad; this was a daring thing to do
because in the 16th and 17th centuries, most people believed that a toad was highly poisonous.
Once he had swallowed the toad or at least pretended to have swallowed it the toadeater
writhed in agony for a few minutes before collapsing. As the audience watched anxiously, the
so-called doctor' took out a bottle containing his miracle potion, and held it aloft for everyone to
see. He then approached the seemingly unconscious toadeater, and poured a few drops of the
medicine down his throat. Within a matter of minutes, the assistant would be up and about, ready
to consume another toad! Soon the expression toadeater' was used to refer to the doctor's
assistant. With the passage of time, it began to mean anyone who did things in order to please
influential people. Later, toadeater' was reduced to toady'.

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Which is correct Is anyone home?' or Is anyone at home?'
(S.V.Harindranth, Visakhapatnam)
Both are correct; the presence or absence of the preposition at' does not bring about a change in
the meaning of the sentence. Americans prefer to say, 'Is anybody home?', while the British tend
to include at'.
I've never been married, but I tell people that I'm divorced so they won't think something is
wrong with me! Elayne Boosler
April 10, 2012
Does one become weary of something' or weary with something'?
In everyday conversation, we mostly hear people say that they are weary of something or
someone'. The expression is mostly used to mean that they are tired or bored of something or
someone.
*After six months in the hostel, Sheba had grown weary of potato curry.
We don't normally say 'weary with something'. It is, however, possible to say weary someone
with something'. When you bore or tire a person with something perhaps with your litany of
complaints or constant requests you weary him/her with it.
*The workers wearied the new Manager with their petty complaints.
The wea' in weary', by the way, rhymes with the words near', dear', and fear'. The word is
pronounced WEA-ri' with the stress on the first syllable.
How is the word riposte' pronounced?
The British and the Americans seem to pronounce this word very differently. The Americans
pronounce the second syllable like the word post' rhyming with host', most', and coast'.

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The British, on the other hand, pronounce the o' like the o' in got', hot', and pot'. In both
varieties, however, the stress is on the second syllable. A riposte' is a quick witty reply to
something that someone has said. It is a retort. Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister who was
sometimes referred to as the British bulldog', was well-known for his ripostes. Once a woman
told Churchill that if she had been his wife, she would have poisoned his tea. To which Churchill
replied, If you were my wife, I'd drink it! Many of us fail to come up with a riposte at the right
time. We think of a clever answer long after the event.
*It's no fun teasing Madhu. She's incapable of coming up with a suitable riposte.
What is the meaning and origin of canary in a coal mine'?
This is an expression that is not heard very frequently these days. The first time I came across it
was in the mid 1980s when I heard The Police sing a song titled Canary in a coalmine'. Gordon
Sumner, better known as Sting', was the band's lead singer. Someone or something that serves
as a warning to others is generally referred to as a canary in a coalmine; the person or thing is an
indicator that the situation is becoming dangerous.
*Before entering the tunnel, we sent in the convicts to see if the air was poisonous. They were
merely canaries in a coalmine.
For several centuries, miners used to carry a caged canary with them when they went to work.
These small songbirds were used to determine how good or how bad the air was inside the
mines. Since mines in the past did not always have a good ventilation system, deadly gases like
methane and carbon monoxide often built up in the shafts, making them dangerous places for
people to work in. The canary was very sensitive to these odourless gases; even a small amount
was enough to kill the bird. As long as the bird kept chirping, the miners knew that the air was
safe; but if the bird curled up and died, it served as a warning to the people that they must leave
the place immediately.
Last week the candle factory burned down. Everyone just stood around and sang Happy
Birthday. Stephen Wright

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March 26, 2012
What is the meaning of blowing smoke'?
This expression is frequently used in American English in informal contexts. Sometimes, when
we wish to impress others, we often resort to making up stories about ourselves. We tell tall tales
so that those around us get the impression that we are much more important than we really are.
When you blow smoke', you attempt to deceive others. In the past, in order to hide the
movements of its men from the enemy, armies made use of smoke screens.
*Raju claimed he was a good friend of Mani Ratnam's. I think he was just blowing smoke.
What is the difference between seasonable' and seasonal'?
Seasonable' suggests that something is normal for a particular time of year; it is appropriate for
the season. For example, Heavy rains in the month of August is seasonable in Hyderabad'. This
suggests that it usually rains heavily in August. The word has an additional meaning as well. It is
also frequently used to mean timely'.
*The seasonable advice given by my father helped me turn the company around.
Seasonal', on the other hand, means depending on the season'; things that change with the
season. In most cold countries, going swimming and going on picnics are seasonal activities; not
many people take part in them during winter.
*The rise in the price of vegetables is seasonal.
How is the word inchoate' pronounced?
The first syllable sounds like the word in', and the second like the prefix co'. The final syllable
is pronounced like the word ate'. The word is pronounced in-CO-ate' with the stress on the
second syllable. It comes from the Latin inchoatus' meaning to begin'. Something that is
inchoate' has just begun; it is in its early stages of development and therefore not fully formed.

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*As she listened to her father, an inchoate idea formed at the back of her mind.
What is the meaning and origin of the word pot luck'?
When you invite people over for a pot luck dinner', you usually don't spend the whole day in the
kitchen making a variety of dishes. In this case, each of the guests will also contribute towards
the meal; each person will bring a dish and share it with others. To ensure that everyone doesn't
bring the same dish, people decide beforehand who is going to bring what.
*All our cousins are getting together this weekend. We are having a pot luck lunch.
This is a word that has been around since the 16th century, and it is a combination of pot'
(cooking pot) and luck'. In the old days, when a guest dropped in unannounced during meal
times, he was told to take pot luck'. In other words, to share with the hosts whatever was
available in the cooking pot. By having come unannounced, the guest was chancing his luck as to
the kind of meal he was going to get. With the passage of time, the expression to take pot luck'
acquired a general meaning to take one's chances' or to take what comes'.
*I have no clue about the courses. I think I'm just going to take pot luck.
I have often wanted to drown my troubles, but I can't get my wife to go swimming. Jimmy
Carter
May 14, 2012
Why do some people refer to sweets as sweetmeat'?
The word sweetmeat' is considered to be old fashioned; some dictionaries label it as being
archaic'. In the past, any sweet delicacy candy, a piece of fruit coated with sugar, etc. was
called sweetmeat. The word meat' in sweetmeat' has nothing to do with animal flesh. In Old
English, the word mete', from which we get the modern meat', meant food'. All items of food,
both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, were called meat'. The original meaning of sweetmeat' was
sweet food'.

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Why are lefthanders frequently referred to as southpaws'?
The word southpaw' comes from the game that is considered by many to be America's favourite
pastime baseball. The newspaper columnist, Finley Peter Dunne, coined the word in the 19th
century to refer to left-handers. The paw' in southpaw' refers to the hand of the pitcher. In the
United States, baseball is usually played in the summer; games between professional teams are
either played in the afternoon or in the evening. To ensure that the batter doesn't have to look
directly into the afternoon/evening sun, the batter's box' or the home plate' faces east. The
pitcher, on the other hand, throws the ball facing west. This being the case, when a left-handed
pitcher winds up for his delivery, his throwing arm always faces south. Hence the term
southpaw' for lefthanders.
What is the meaning and origin of turn turtle'?
A turtle is a reptile like a tortoise; it has a very hard shell to protect it from its enemies and from
the elements. The expression turn turtle' was first used by sailors with reference to a ship or a
boat. When a ship or a boat capsized, it was said to have turned turtle. Nowadays, the expression
is used with all modes of transportation, not just ships and boats. Cars, trucks, and buses can turn
turtle as well. Anything that flips over or turns upside down is said to have turned turtle'.
*Several boats turned turtle during the violent storm.
*Raj was killed when his car hit the divider and turned turtle.
According to one theory, when British sailors visited the Caribbean islands, they found that the
natives caught huge sea turtles quite easily by turning them upside down. Once a turtle was on its
back, it was totally helpless just like the crew of a ship that has capsized. This explains why
another meaning of the idiom is vulnerable'.
How is the word logorrhea' pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word log' and the o' in the second and the a' in the
final syllables are pronounced like the a' in china'. The e' is pronounced like the ee' in need',

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feed', and seed'. The word is pronounced log-e-REE-e' with the stress on the third syllable. It
comes from the Greek logos' meaning word' and rhia' meaning flow'. Logorrhea' literally
means the excessive flow of words. The term is normally used to refer to a communication
disorder in which an individual talks for a long time, but rather incoherently. He may talk to
himself or to others, but much of what he says will be incomprehensible. Dictionaries define it as
incoherent talkativeness'.
The closest to perfection a person ever comes is when he fills out a job application form.
Stanley J Randall
May 1, 2012
What is the meaning and origin of swear like a trooper'?
One of the meanings of the word swear' is to use abusive or filthy language something that
the young guns in our cricket team seem to excel in. Whenever they do something like
scoring a hundred or taking a wicket/catch they celebrate the occasion by swearing! They let
out a string of juicy adjectives that make a lot of people shudder.
*Everyone was shocked when Uma walked in swearing like a trooper.
A trooper' was a soldier of low rank. Unlike the officers in the army, a trooper had little or no
education, and the language he used in his everyday speech was full of profanity. Therefore,
when you swear like a trooper', you are being as coarse as the soldier in the English army. It is
also possible to say swear like a trouper'; meaning, to curse or swear like an actor!
Why do people say Mayday' when they are in trouble?
Mayday' has been used as an international distress signal in radio communication since 1927. It
replaced SOS'; the distress signal used when the telegraph was the main means of long distance
communication. When the pilot of an aircraft or the captain of a ship/boat is in serious trouble
and wishes to let the authorities know that he has a major problem, he usually says, Mayday,
Mayday, Mayday'. The word is always said three times in quick succession. This distress signal

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was coined by Fredrick Stanley Mockford, a radio officer working at Croydon airport in London.
Mayday' does not have anything to do with the month of May. The expression comes from the
French m'aider', which is the shortened form of venez m'aider', meaning come help me'. With
the passage of time, m'aider' became mayday'.
What is the difference between swap' and swop'?
As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference between the two. When you swap' or
swop' something with someone, you exchange' things with the individual. Both words are used
in informal contexts. Though the two words are listed in most standard dictionaries, there are
people who believe that swop' is non-standard; that it is a regional variant of swap'.
*The two classmates swapped/swopped email ids before the teacher walked in.
How is the word obsequious' pronounced?
The o' in the first syllable and the ou' in the final syllable sound like the a' in china'. The se'
is pronounced like the word see', and the following qui' sounds like the qui' in quick', quit',
and quiz'. The word is pronounced eb-SEE-kwi-es' with the stress on the second syllable.
Someone who is eager to please others by doing whatever they want is labelled obsequious'.
The word is mostly used in formal contexts to show disapproval. An obsequious person is very
submissive, and usually flatters those in power. He is a toady'. The word comes from the Latin
obsequiosis' meaning compliant', obedient'.
*Ganesh implored Rekha to stop being so obsequious to her husband.
*Anand's obsequious PA stepped into the Boardroom wearing a fake smile on his face.
The two most beautiful words in the English language check enclosed. Dorothy Parker




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April 16, 2012
What is the meaning and origin of born in the purple'?
This is an expression that has been around for several centuries now. It was originally used to
refer to babies born to the members of the royal family. The room in which a queen gave birth
was usually completely covered in purple. Later, the expression included not just children of
royalty, but also the children of aristocrats and high-ranking officials. Nowadays, it refers to any
infant born to a prominent couple. A child born to well-known actors is born in the purple'.
Some people prefer to say, born to the purple'.
*Umesh was born in the purple. It is not surprising, therefore, that the media have spent the last
five years watching his every move.
The word purple' comes from the Greek porphyra'. It referred to a kind of shellfish that yielded
purple dye. The Phoenicians extracted small quantities of this rather expensive dye in the city of
Tyre'. Since it was expensive and very few people could afford it, Kings chose to make Tyrian
purple', the colour of royalty. They passed laws that ensured that no one other member of the
society could wear clothes of this colour only rulers could wear purple.
Is there a difference between to learn something by heart' and 'to learn
something by rote'?
Both expressions refer to an individual's ability to commit things to memory. We Indians excel
in the art of learning things by heart/rote. As students, we spend a lot of our time memorising
answers to questions. We take great pains trying to commit pages from our textbooks to memory;
and during exams/tests, we successfully reproduce numerous paragraphs word for word. Some
books on usage suggest that of the two expressions, learn by rote' has a slightly negative
meaning. It suggests that we have memorised things without really understanding the content.
The word rote', by the way, rhymes with note', boat', and coat'.


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How is the word heinous' pronounced?
There seems to be two different ways of pronouncing this rather formal word. One way is to
pronounce the first syllable like the word hay'. The other is to make it rhyme with the words
bee', fee', and see'. The ou' that follows sounds like the a' in china'. The word can be
pronounced HAY-nes' or HEE-nes'; in either case, the stress is on the first syllable. Heinous
comes from the Old French hainos' meaning hateful, unpleasant'. A heinous' crime is one that
is evil or wicked; it is the sort of crime that deserves our contempt.
*The soldier was accused of committing heinous crimes during the war.
What is the meaning of I dare say'?
When you add I dare say' to a statement you have made, you are suggesting that although you
are not absolutely certain, you believe the statement you have made is true. As one dictionary
puts it, the expression is used to indicate that one believes something is probable'. The
expression is always used in the first person singular. It is also possible to write dare say' as one
word: daresay'.
*I dare say you are in rather serious trouble.
*It was more a marriage of convenience, I dare say.
Nostalgia is like a grammar lesson: you find the present tense, and the past perfect!
Owens Lee Pomeroy
April 3, 2012
What is the meaning of tinderbox situation'?
(M. Naushad Ismail, Madurai)
The word tinder' is normally used to refer to any material, like dry grass, wood, straw, etc. that
can be used to start a fire quickly. In the old days, every home had a tinderbox. It was a small

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metal box that contained tinder and all the other things required to light a fire. When you
describe someone's house as being a tinderbox', you are suggesting that if it were to catch fire, it
would burn down very quickly. With the passage of time, the word acquired a figurative
meaning; it began to be applied to situations. When you refer to a situation as being a tinderbox',
you are implying that it is rather explosive; one that can turn violent very quickly.
*The tension on campus makes it a tinderbox where riots could break out at any moment.
How is the word noir' pronounced?
The French word noir' is pronounced NWAAR', and it comes from the Latin niger' meaning
black'. It is from niger' that we get the word negro'. The expression film noir' literally means
black film'. I understand the term was first used to refer to the type of detective films made in
Hollywood between 1944 and 1954. Everything about these films was dark the violent
characters, the sleazy settings, and the ominous background score.
Does one give' or take' a test?
It depends on whether you are an examiner or an examinee. In native varieties of English, the
teacher or the examiner gives' a test, and the student or the examinee, takes a test'. In India, the
two verbs are used interchangeably. In our country, when a student says she is going to be
taking/giving a test tomorrow, she means she is going to be writing the test the following day.
She is the examinee.
What is the meaning of April?
April marks the arrival of spring; it is not surprising therefore that according to some scholars,
the word is derived from the Latin aperire' meaning to open'. The month was given this name
because after a cold and dreary winter, Mother Nature comes to life in April. She literally opens'
up in front of our eyes the leaves on plants and trees open, the flower buds open, etc. Others
believe that April' comes from the Latin Aprilis' meaning month of Venus'. They are of the
opinion that the month was named in honour of the Goddess of Love, Venus or Aphrodite. This

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makes sense, for during spring, it's not just flowers that bloom, but love begins to blossom as
well! The Old English word for April was Eastermonad'. It meant Easter month'.
To an adolescent, there is nothing in the world more embarrassing than a parent. Dave
Barry
March 19, 2012
What is the meaning and origin of greenhorn'?
This word of American origin has been around for several centuries now. When it was first used
in the early 15th century, it referred to a young ox or bull since these animals were green' or
inexperienced and their horns hadn't matured, they were called greenhorns'. The following
century, new army recruits began to be called greenhorns'. With the passage of time, the word
began to be used to refer to anyone who had little or no experience; someone who could be easily
duped or cheated. It is in this sense that the word is used today.
*How could you give a greenhorn like Dilip the job?
*Don't underestimate Sudha. She is no greenhorn.
What is the difference between fat' and buxom'?
The word fat' can be used with men and women, buxom', on the other hand, is restricted to
women. Fat' has a negative connotation; it suggests that the person is rather unattractive.
Buxom' suggests that the woman in question is overweight in an attractive sort of way. Some
dictionaries define the word as being healthily plump'. The word comes from the Old English
bugan' meaning bend'. In the past, when a woman promised to be buxom and bonny' to her
husband, she meant that she would bend according to her husband's wishes. She would be
compliant; willing to do whatever her husband wanted her to do. With the passage of time, the
word acquired a new meaning good tempered, lively'. Since people who were overweight
were generally believed to be jolly, the word began to be applied to women who had a full
figure.

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How is the word schmaltzy' pronounced?
The sch' is pronounced like the sh' in ship', sheep' and shin'. The malt' sounds like the word
malt', and the final zy' sounds like the si' in sit', sip', and sin'. The word is pronounced
SHMALT-si' with the stress on the first syllable. It is Yiddish in origin, and in English, it is
mostly used in informal contexts to mean excessively sentimental. When you refer to a piece of
music or a work of fiction as being schmaltzy', you are suggesting that the work is of no
significance; it has no artistic value. The sentiments expressed are so overly exaggerated that you
find it difficult to relate to them. The word is mostly used to show disapproval.
*The play was so schmaltzy that many people walked out after the first act.
*Your favourite author's latest book is pure schmaltz.
Is it okay to say an old adage'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of the word. The first syllable sounds like the word add',
and the age' sounds like the idge' in fridge' and bridge'. The word is pronounced A-dij' with
the stress on the first syllable. An adage is a rather old saying that people frequently use in their
everyday conversation to express some general truth. Out of sight, out of mind' is an example of
an adage. So is, If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all'. Since an adage is by
definition something old, careful users of the language argue that it is unnecessary to add old'
before the word. Native speakers, however, do say old adage'.
Visits always give pleasure if not the arrival, the departure. Portuguese Proverb
Know your English
Hi!
Well, this is a pleasant surprise! Haven't seen you in a while. What brings you over?
I came to ask you if you would ... You don't look too good. Something wrong?

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A really bad headache. Missed my caffeine window this morning, and it's ...
Your caffeine window? What are you talking about?
The expression refers to the usual time you have your coffee. Or some drink that has caffeine in
it.
And if you don't get your coffee at this particular time, you end up with a headache.
Exactly! When I was young, my cousin Devidas ensured that I never missed my caffeine
window. The headache that followed made me very grumpy.
And I suppose Devidas didn't want to put up with a grumpy person.
I guess not. How was your physics test? Was it a walk in the park as you expected it to be?
A walk in the park? Never heard that expression before. Does it mean easy?
That's right! When you say that something was a walk in the park, you mean that it was not
difficult at all. It posed no problems.
Well, the chemistry test was a walk in the park. But unfortunately, the physics test wasn't. It
was tough.
Sorry to hear that. I finally got around to replacing the tap in the bathroom. I thought it would
be difficult, but it was a walk in the park.
Some of the taps in my house need to be replaced as well. Can you do it?
Is that the reason you've come here?
No! I was planning on seeing a film. Was wondering if you'd like to come along.
Not with my headache, I'm afraid. Why don't you ask Bala?
Bala doesn't see movies.

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What are you talking about? Bala is a cinephile.
Cinephile? Does it mean someone who is extremely fond of films?
Yes, that's right. Bala has always been a cinephile.
Like most cinephiles I know, Revathi sees at least two movies in a week.
How does she find the time? I mean, does she ...
I have no idea. Another expression that has the same meaning as cinephile' is movie buff'. Am
I right?
Absolutely. There are many movie buffs in my office. Which movie were you planning to see?
The one that is running in Nataraj. I understand that the new heroine in the film is eye candy.
That's not what I heard. Several people in my office told me she is eye broccoli.
Eye what?
Broccoli. It's a vegetable that not many people are fond of. The first syllable rhymes with rock'
and frock', and the o' in the second syllable sounds like the a' in 'china'. The word is usually
pronounced BRO-ke-li' with the stress on the first syllable. Some people pronounce it BROK-
li'.
But what does the expression eye broccoli' mean?
It means not very god looking. Unattractive. According to Vinod, most of the new heroines are
eye broccoli.
Just shows that Vinod is getting old.
My mother's menu consisted of two choices take it or leave it. Buddy Hackett


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February 27, 2012
What is the meaning of chalk and cheese'?
This is an expression that has been part of the English language for a very long time. According
to some scholars, John Gower was the first person to use it in his text Confessio Amantis'
written in 1390. When you say that two people are like chalk and cheese', you are suggesting
that the two are very different from each other; they have nothing in common. The expression,
which has the same meaning as apples and oranges', can be used with things as well. No one is
really sure about the origin of this idiom.
*I can't believe that Suresh and Vijay are brothers. They're like chalk and cheese.
What is the difference between varsity' and university'?
Varsity' is the shortened form of university', and the word is used in both American and British
English. In England, New Zealand and South Africa, the word is mostly used in informal
contexts to mean university'. In earlier times, it was specifically used to refer to Oxford and
Cambridge. Some dictionaries label this use of the word as old fashioned. Nowadays, varsity' is
mostly used in the context of sports. It refers to the main team of a university/school/college.
*Their son Atul is on the varsity cricket team.
What is the meaning of modus operandi'?
First, let us deal with the pronunciation of this expression. The first syllable mod' rhymes with
the words code', load' and toad'. The op' in operandi' sounds like the op' in cop', hop' and
top', while rand' rhymes with band', hand', and sand'. The final i' is like the ee' in deep',
deem', and seem'. The vowel in the second syllable of both words is like the a' in 'china'. The
word is pronounced mode-es op-e-RAND-ee' with the main stress on the third syllable of
operandi'. The literal meaning of this Latin expression is way of operating'. In English, the
expression is mostly used to refer to one's usual method of doing something. It is frequently
heard on television shows like Law and Order' and CSI'. Whenever the police discover a body,

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one of the first questions the detective asks is, What is the MO?' MO' is the abbreviated form of
modus operandi'.
*The Police Chief was unwilling to discuss the killer's modus operandi.
What is the origin of bikini'?
In 1946, the French designer, Louis Reard, invented the two-piece swimming costume for
women. Around that time, the Americans were using some of the islands in the Pacific to test
their Atomic and Hydrogen bombs. One of the islands where several tests had been carried out
and which was on everyone's lips was Bikini Atoll'. The designer, Reard, decided to call his
creation bikini' because like the bombs being exploded on that island, he wanted the swimwear
to send shock waves but of a different kind, of course!
Which is correct: a European/an European?
The word European' begins with a vowel letter. But when the word is pronounced, the first
sound that emerges is that of a consonant. Since the word begins with a y' sound, European'
should be preceded by a' and not an'.
No, I don't understand my husband's theory of relativity, but I know my husband and I know he
can be trusted. Elsa Einstein
February 20, 2012
What is the meaning and origin of roll up one's sleeves'?
The literal meaning of the expression is to roll up the sleeves of one's shirt and expose one's
arms. The expression has a figurative meaning as well. In informal contexts, it is used to mean to
get ready for a fight or to do some hard work. When you wear a full-sleeved shirt, you usually
roll up the sleeves before beginning any work. This is to ensure that the sleeves don't get dirty or
wet. It is also possible to say, roll one's sleeves up'.
*When the students saw the dirty park, they rolled their sleeves up and got busy.

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*If you want to succeed, you need to roll up your sleeves and take on the world.
What is the word for the fear of dogs?
The word that is normally used to refer to the irrational fear of dogs is cynophobia'. The first
syllable cyn' sounds like the word sign' and the following o' sounds like the a' in china'. The
word is pronounced sign-e-PHO-bie' with the main stress on the third syllable. Cyno' in Greek
means dog', and we all know what phobia' means. People generally say that the opposite of dog
is cat. A person who has a morbid fear of cats is said to have ailurophobia'. The first syllable is
pronounced like the word eye', and the following lu' sounds like loo'. The o' is like the a' in
china'. The word is pronounced eye-loo-re-PHO-bia' with the main stress once again on pho'.
This is one way of pronouncing the word.
What is the difference between leave behind' and forget'?
When you forget' to take something, you fail to remember to take it along with you when you go
somewhere. This act of not remembering is unintentional; you have not deliberately chosen to
neglect doing something. Like forget', when you leave something behind', you do not take the
object with you. There is, however, a subtle difference in meaning. In this case, you may have
deliberately chosen not to take the object with you. You may have decided to leave it behind
intentionally. The expression leave behind' can also be used in the sense of forget' you
neglect to do something unintentionally. Books on English usage suggest that it is all right to
mention the place with leave behind'. For example, it is okay to say, I seem to have left my
phone behind at home. It is not okay to say I've forgotten my phone at home.
*Although Vyomekesh reminded me several times, I forgot to take the umbrella.
*I have no money. I seem to have left my wallet behind at home.



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How do you pronounce the lieu' in lieu of'?
Lieu' rhymes with the words dew', few', and cue'. It comes from the Old French lieu'
meaning place'. The expression in lieu of' is mostly used in formal contexts to mean instead of
something' or in the place of something'. In English, lieu' occurs only in this phrase.
*On the trip, Sudha chose to use her debit card in lieu of cash.
*The family decided to feed the poor in lieu of spending money on rituals.
He is the kind of politician who would cut down a redwood tree, then mount the stump and
make a speech for conservation. Adlai E. Stevenson
January 31, 2012
Why is the wife always referred to as the better half'?
Many people think that this rather old fashioned expression can be used only to refer to one's
wife. This however is not true. Native speakers of English use it to refer to one's spouse the
better half' can be the husband or the wife! The expression has been around for many centuries;
in fact, the first person to use it was the Roman poet Horace. When he employed the term for the
first time, he used it to refer to his friend, and not his spouse. With the passage of time, better
half' acquired a totally different meaning. It was used to refer to an individual's soul. By the time
it was borrowed into English, the term meant one's friend or one's lover. It was in this sense that
Sir Philip Sydney used it in his famous book Arcadia. It was only years later that the term began
to mean what it does today one's spouse.
*Unlike Usha, her better half seldom has anything interesting to say.
What is the meaning and origin of blue-eyed boy'?
This is a rather old expression that is mostly used in British and Australian English. The
Americans prefer to say fair-haired boy'. A blue-eyed boy' is usually a young man who receives
special treatment by those in power; he is admired by his bosses, and being their favourite is

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often groomed by them to become a leader. When you refer to someone as being the fair-
haired/blue-eyed boy, it indicates that you are not particularly fond of the individual. The
expression is mostly used to show disapproval. It is also possible to say blue-eyed girl/fair-
haired girl'. Another expression that has more or less the same meaning is apple of one's eye'.
*Bala was never the blue-eyed/fair-haired boy of the administration.
*Ritu, the blue-eyed/fair-haired girl of the media, was present at the meeting.
A lot of companies in India have started producing creams which lighten' one's compelxion;
there are many people in our country who want to become fair'. Being fair is seen as being a
good thing. This is not something that is peculiar to India. Even in Western mythology, the hero
was always fair'; he usually had light coloured hair (blond) and blue eyes. The villain, on the
other hand, was dark complexioned (when compared to the god like' hero) and had dark hair.
What do you call someone who loves words?
The word that you have in mind is logophile'. It comes from the Greek logos' meaning word'
and phile' meaning lover of'. Though compilers of dictionaries are confirmed logophiles, they
tend not to include this word! Other words listed on the Internet that have the same meaning are
verbivore' and verbophile'.
*If you want to know the meaning of the word, talk to Virat. He is a logophile.
What is the meaning of i.e'?
It is the abbreviated form of the Latin phrase id est' meaning that is'. People normally use it to
mean in other words'. The abbreviated form is used when you wish to explain in a different way
something that you have said; when you wish to paraphrase.
*Violators, i.e., people who haven't paid the fee, will be asked to pay a penalty.
Australia is an outdoor country. People only go inside to use the toilet. And that's only a recent
development. Barry Humphries

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January 9, 2012
What is the difference between comic' and comical'?
Both words are derived from the Greek komos' meaning intentionally funny'. When you say
that something was comic' or comical', you mean that it made you laugh or brought a smile to
your face. Careful users of the language maintain a subtle distinction between these two words.
Something that is comic' is intended to be funny; it is a deliberate attempt to make you laugh.
The use of the comedian in films is meant to keep the audience amused he is meant to make
people laugh. Sometimes, we end up laughing even when the person is not trying to be funny.
For example, in some of our old films, the way the characters talk and the way they act are rather
comical'. The situation may be serious, but the manner in which the hero cries sometimes has us
in splits. In this case, the hero's intention is not to make us laugh, but feel sad. A comical'
situation is one that makes us laugh although it may not have been the original intention.
What is the meaning of to be well-heeled'?
The expression is mostly used in informal contexts to mean prosperous' or wealthy'. The
opposite is down-at-the-heels'.
*We should be able to get some money from Javed. His family is well-heeled.
Several theories have been put forward to explain the origin of this idiom. According to one, the
heel' refers to the heel of a shoe/boot. People who were fairly well to do, always wore a good
pair of shoes/boots and a good pair of socks. Those who were poor, usually walked around with
shoes/boots that were worn out and their socks invariably had holes in them. Hence the term,
down-at-the-heels' to refer to the poor. There is a saying, You can tell a man by his shoes.
How is the word impugn' pronounced?
The first syllable sounds like the im' in impossible' and imply', and the following pugn'
rhymes with the words tune' and dune'. The word, which is mostly used in formal contexts, is
pronounced im-PYUUN' with the stress on the second syllable. Politicians in our country are

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always questioning the integrity of people belonging to another party. They are constantly
levelling charges against an opponent in order to plant seeds of doubt among the people about
the individual. When you impugn someone's character, you are calling into question his integrity;
you are implying that he is not as honest as he seems to be. The word comes from the Latin
impugnare' meaning to assault, to attack'. Impugn originally meant to beat someone physically;
nowadays, it is used to refer to a verbal assault.
*When nothing else worked, the candidate started impugning his opponent's character.
*I don't think you should impugn Govind's competence as a teacher.
Is it okay to say Mrs.X, the widow of the late Prime Minister ...'?
The word widow' suggests that the woman in question has already lost her husband. The late
Prime Minister' suggests the same thing; it makes it clear that the individual is no longer alive.
There is no need to include both widow' and the late' in the same sentence. Books on usage
suggest it would be better to replace widow' with wife'.
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most. Mark Twain
March 5, 2012
How is the word rapporteur' pronounced?
The a' in the first syllable sounds like the a' in cat', bat', and fat'; the second syllable sounds
like the word port'. The final eur' sounds like the ir' in first', thirst', and shirt'. The word is
pronounced ra-por-TEER' with the stress on the final syllable. It is used to refer to someone who
has been identified by a committee or an organisation to carry out research on something, and
submit a full-fledged report. Someone who functions as a reporter and gives a brief account of
the proceedings can also be called rapporteur'.
*The rapporteur listened very patiently to what both parties had to say.


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What is the meaning and origin of on the wagon'?
This rather informal expression is used to refer to someone who abstains from drinking alcohol.
The individual is usually someone who drank a lot in the past, but is now attempting to kick the
habit. The opposite is 'off the wagon'. In this case, an individual who had stopped drinking, takes
to the bottle again.
*Rahul is a changed man. He's been on the wagon for six months now.
The original form of this expression was on the water wagon' or on the water cart'. The
wagon/cart in the idiom was not used to distribute water among people; it was, in fact, employed
to keep the streets clean. During the 1890s, there was a concerted effort by many in the United
States to bring about Prohibition. Men who vowed to stop drinking would often get onto the
water wagons. They took an oath that when they became thirsty, they would not visit the bar;
instead, they would down a couple of glasses of water from the wagon.
What is the difference between kiss up to someone' and kiss someone off'?
These two expressions of American origin are considered slang and are mostly used in informal
contexts. When you kiss up to someone', you flatter them; you do everything possible to get into
their good books. The expression is mostly used to show disapproval.
*Just do your job, Ram. There is no need to kiss up to anyone in this office.
The slang expression kiss someone off' has several different meanings. One of them is to write
off someone or something'; to reject.
*My boss kissed off all my suggestions.
Is it okay to say, We will be landing momentarily in Hyderabad'?
In terms of grammar, there is nothing wrong with the sentence. The meaning, however, is rather
ambiguous. In American English, momentarily' means shortly' or very soon'. The sentence
suggests that the plane will be arriving in Hyderabad very soon. Momentarily' also means for a

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short time' or for a moment'. The sentence could also mean that the plane will be landing in
Hyderabad for a few seconds before taking off! To avoid the ambiguity, we could say, We will
be landing in Hyderabad soon'.
What is the meaning of unbeknown'?
This is a word that is seldom heard in everyday conversation. It is mostly used in formal contexts
to mean without the knowledge of'. In British English, it is also possible to say unbeknownst'.
*Unbeknown to his mother, Vyomekesh bought an expensive watch for his uncle.
I may have said the same thing before. But my explanation, I am sure, will always be
different. Oscar Wilde
February 20, 2012
What is the meaning of ballpark estimate'?
The expression is mostly used in American English to mean an approximate figure. When you
ask a mechanic how much the repairs will cost, he usually gives you a rough estimate. The figure
he quotes is called a ballpark estimate' or a ballpark figure'. In this case, it is not a wild
estimate. The price he has stated will be very close to the final one that you will have to pay.
There won't be too big a difference between the ballpark figure and the actual figure. The word
ballpark' is used in American English to refer to a stadium.
*There were a hundred people at Sujatha's party. That's just a ballpark estimate.
What is the meaning and origin of swan song'?
This relatively old idiom is mostly used to refer to the final appearance of an individual before he
retires or dies. Originally, the expression was used to refer to the final performance of a musician
or an actor. Nowadays, of course, it is being used to refer to the final achievement or public
appearance of any individual; the profession to which he belongs is no longer considered
important.

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*According to the legendary actor, last night's performance was his swan song.
*The completion of the project is my swan song. I retire at the end of the month.
In the old days, people believed that unlike the noisy duck, the beautiful swan remained mute
most of its life. They were of the opinion that the only time the bird exercised its vocal cords was
just before its death.
The expression swan song' alludes to the ancient belief that a swan burst into a beautiful song
just before it died. Why swan' and not some other bird? In Greek mythology, Apollo (the God of
Music and the Sun God) and Aphrodite (the Goddess of Love) considered the swan to be sacred.
According to Socrates, the bird broke into a melodious song because it realised that it would
soon be in the company of its master Apollo.
Many well-known writers have been called swans': Shakespeare was dubbed the Swan of
Avon', Homer was given the title Swan of Meander', and Virgil was called the Mantuan Swan'.
What is the meaning of lest'?
This rather literary word is mostly used in formal contexts. The word is a contraction of the
phrase les te' meaning less that'. With the passage of time, the phrase was reduced to lest'
meaning for fear that' or in order that'. The use of this word suggests that you would like to
prevent something from happening. It can also be used to mean to avoid the risk of'. The word
rhymes with best' and nest'.
*You must run away lest you be forced to marry the old man.
*The Registrar refused to step out lest the angry students beat him up.
Is it okay to say, I pity for him'?
We occasionally hear people say, 'I pity for him' and I pity on him'. Both sentences are wrong.
You usually say, 'I pity him'. It is possible to take pity on someone' and feel pity for someone'.

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*I took pity on Raju and helped him with the project.
*The child was full of pity for the injured dog.
Everything comes to him who waits, except a loaned book. Kin Hubbard
February 7, 2012
What is the meaning and origin of play it by ear'?
There are occasions when we do not plan too far ahead; in such cases, our response to a situation
depends on how the event unfolds. Usually, we improvise. Our responses are not thought out
before hand; we do whatever we think is the right thing to do in that particular situation. This
manner of dealing with something is called playing it by ear'.
*I have no clue how Nalini's parents are going to react. I'll have to play it by ear.
*Mukund, I know you are a control freak, but this time you'll have to play it by ear.
This expression, which is mostly used in informal contexts, comes from the world of music.
When a musician plays it by ear', he attempts to play or reproduce a piece of music without
looking at the music sheet. He plays the piece from memory, and uses his ears to determine if
what he is playing is correct or not.
How is the word conduit' pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word con' and the following du' like the word dew.
The final syllable sounds like the word it'. One simple way of pronouncing the word is KON-
dew-it' with the stress on the first syllable. It is normally used to refer to the pipe or passage
which allows wires or water to pass through. The word can also be used to refer to a channel
which carries something from one place to another or from one person to another it could be
information, money, etc.
*Villages near the border have always been a conduit for the sale of illegal drugs.

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What is the meaning of give me a break'?
This is an expression frequently used in American English in informal contexts. When somebody
says something, and you respond by saying give me a break', it suggests that you don't believe
what the person has just told you. It's another way of telling the person that he was being
preposterous' or plain ridiculous.
*Rukmani has been made a Professor! Give me a break.
*Your are keen on helping the poor! Give me a break.
What is the difference between change' and alter'?
The difference is one of degree. When you alter' something, you usually make minor changes to
it. For example, when you alter your trousers, you make the required small changes so that they
fit you better. Similarly, when you make alterations to your house, you merely redecorate it. The
overall structure of the house remains the same; whatever changes you make are around this
existing structure. Change', on the other hand, can be significant or slight. It is considered to be
the less formal of the two words, and is used in a wide range of contexts. When a person changes
his clothes, he replaces what he was wearing with something different.
What is the origin of thesaurus'?
The word comes from the Greek thesauros' meaning treasure chest' or storehouse'. It was only
when Roget published his thesaurus in 1852 did the word acquire the meaning that it has today:
a collection of words arranged according to sense.
Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter, and those who
matter, don't mind. Dr. Seuss




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January 23, 2012
How is the word cognoscente' pronounced?
The first syllable rhymes with the words fog' and dog', while the second o' sounds like the a'
in china'. The sc' is pronounced like the sh' in sheep' and ship'. The syllable itself rhymes
with bent' and sent', and the final e' sounds like the i' in bit' and hit'. The word is pronounced
cog-ne-SHEN-ti with the stress on the third syllable.
This is one way of pronouncing this word of Italian origin. Cognoscente' is used in formal
contexts to refer to people who are well informed about a particular subject; these individuals
usually have a great understanding of the fine arts. The singular form of this word is spelt
cognoscenti'.
*Prahlad, the music cognoscenti, explained the subtler points of the raga.
What is the meaning of coffee table book'?
A coffee table book is normally hardbound, relatively large in size and contains a lot of
illustrations/photographs. It is rather expensive and is designed to be pleasing on the eye; it
usually does not contain too much text. These books mostly deal with the arts, and are generally
found lying on coffee tables where the visitor to a house can see and admire them.
It is because of the lack of textual content that the term is sometimes used pejoratively to refer to
books which deal with subjects in a superficial manner; books that give importance to style
rather than substance.
When one refers to a song as being coffee table music', you mean that it is ear candy. David R
Brower is credited with the idea of designing such books.
What is the difference between obtain' and attain'?
Obtain' means to get'; when you obtain something, you are in possession of it. You gain a
physical object. The use of this word does not necessarily imply that you have put in a lot of hard

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work to get what you want. For example, it has now become possible for people to buy a PhD
degree. They don't really earn it by doing the necessary work; they get it by merely paying for it.
It is also possible to attain' a degree. When you do this, you are implying that you worked very
hard to get the degree. The word attain' is normally used to mean to accomplish' or reach a
stage of'. Unlike obtain', attain' can also be used with abstract things. For example, people who
have been meditating for a number of years attain' peace of mind. The use of this word suggests
that the individual has put in a lot of work to reach this stage.
What is the meaning of to cold finger' someone?
This rather new expression has more or less the same meaning as give someone the cold
shoulder'. When you give someone the cold shoulder, you usually look through the person. You
ignore him/her and do everything possible to make the individual feel unwelcome. When you
cold finger' someone, you give him the cold shoulder while you are online! Sometimes, people
send us an SMS or message us on Facebook/Orkut. By choosing to ignore it, and not to respond
to it, we are giving the person the cold finger'! Why finger? Because it's the fingers that we use
to type the message!
Advice is like castor oil; easy to give, but dreadful to take. Josh Billings
January 3, 2012
What is the difference between neophyte', beginner', and new beginner'?
The first word is pronounced KNEE-o-fight' with the stress on the first syllable, and it is
frequently used to refer to a beginner or someone who is learning about an activity he has
recently become involved in. Since the word sounds fancier than beginner', it is now common
for many people to use the two words interchangeably in most contexts. Careful users of the
language, however, object to this. They contend that neophyte' should be used only in the
context of religion. The word comes from the Latin neo' meaning new' and phytos' meaning
planted'. It was originally used to refer to a newly ordained priest or someone who had been
recently converted. As for the expression new beginner', it is a tautology. Someone who is a
beginner' is new'; the word new' is redundant.

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*You need experienced people for the job. Vimal is a neophyte/beginner.
*The way Malar plays the guitar, it's obvious she's no neophyte/beginner.
In cricket, why is the word duck' used to refer to zero'?
The original expression used was duck's egg'. This term was used to refer to zero' because of
the similarity in shape between a duck's egg and the number. With the passage of time, duck's
egg' was reduced to duck'.
What is the meaning and origin of cackling geese'?
Cackle' rhymes with the word tackle' and it is usually used to refer to the high pitched and
rather annoying sound made by hens, geese, etc. When used with people, it refers to the loud,
shrill laughter or their loud chatter.
*The girls started cackling when they saw Sharukh at the airport.
The expression cackling geese' is mostly used to mean saviour' or protector'. The full form of
this expression is the cackling geese saved Rome'. Those of us brought up on Asterix' comics
know that the Romans had problems subduing the Gauls. Around 390 BC, the Gauls invaded
Rome and attempted to plunder the Temple of Juno (Jupiter) on Capitoline Hill; this temple was
well known for the riches it contained. The Gauls tried to trick the Romans by climbing the hill
during the night. A few of the Gauls managed to climb over the high wall and slip in.
Unfortunately for them, one of the geese in the temple heard the intruders and began to cackle.
This alerted the Roman soldiers, and they managed to toss their enemies over the wall. I
understand that geese make very good watchdogs some say they are even better than dogs!
What is the meaning of game changer'?
The word is normally used to refer to people or their ideas. When you call someone a game
changer', you mean that the person has thought out of the box, and has come up with an idea that
will change the way things have been done till now. The Internet, for example, is a game changer
as far as gathering information is concerned. Before it became an integral part of our life, most

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people went to the library or discussed matters with other people to be in the know. Nowadays,
you can sit at home and write a PhD dissertation surfing the Net all you need to do is copy
and paste!
I feel so miserable without you, it's almost like having you here. Stephen Bishop
December 26, 2011
What is the meaning of pancake people'?
This is a term coined by the playwright Richard Foreman to refer to the present Internet-
dependent-generation. In 2003, he wrote, I think we are producing a race of people who are
paper thin almost pancake people who cover a lot of territory. A pancake, like the Indian
dosa, is fried on both sides; it is thin and flat and is usually eaten for breakfast. Freeman suggests
that thanks to the Internet, the present generation has unlimited access to information, and they
read up on a broad range of subjects as they surf the information highway. Like the pancake,
however, these individuals spread themselves really thin, and in the process fail to acquire any
intellectual depth. They acquire bits of information about various subjects, but do not delve into
any one area. They often fail to retain the information they have acquired as it is available on the
Net. Like the pancake, these people are flat, spread thin with small bits of information, and have
little or no depth.
*Getting the pancake people to write something without access to the internet is next to
impossible.
What is the difference between edible' and eatable'?
Anything that can be safely consumed by a human being can be termed edible'; the eating of this
substance will not kill or harm the person. An edible substance may not necessarily taste good,
but it will not harm anyone. Eatable', on the other hand, has more to do with the taste of the
dish. What is considered eatable' may vary from one person to another. A curry with too much
salt is edible, but it may not be considered eatable by some people. Chicken, for example, is

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edible', but vegetarians would not consider it eatable'. Not everything that is edible' is
eatable'.
*Shruthi, throw those mushrooms away. They are not edible.
*Yukthi had made a number of dishes. Not all of them were eatable.
What is the meaning of fag end'?
The expression is mostly used in informal contexts in British English to refer to the last part of
something; very often, the most boring or the least important/interesting part of something.
*Irfan began to bowl well only towards the fag end of the season.
*The Chairman walked in at the fag end of my presentation.
The word fag' in the expression refers to the frayed end of a rope or a piece of cloth i.e. a rope
or cloth which is worn out along the edges. In England, the word fag' is used to refer to
cigarettes'. Initially, it was used to refer to cheap cigarettes', later on, to cigarettes in general.
What is the meaning and origin of hightail it'?
This expression is frequently used in informal contexts in American English. When you hightail
it out of some place', you flee or leave the place quickly. You take to your heels.
*When I heard that Promod was coming, I hightailed it out of there.
*Naveen hightailed it out of the house as soon as he got the call from his father.
Many animals run when they sense they are in danger. Some animals, like rabbits, deer and
horses raise their tail high when they flee.
I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork. Peter De Vries


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December 13, 2011
What is the difference between ill' and sick'?
There is a tendency to use the two words interchangeably nowadays. Americans seem to prefer
sick', while the British seem partial to ill'. Books on English usage suggest that of the two, ill'
is considered to be formal, and the malady associated with it is of a serious nature. Sick', on the
other hand, is mostly used to refer to minor ailments like cold, cough, fever, sore throat, etc.
These subtle distinctions are not always maintained in everyday speech.
Native speakers of English frequently use the word sick' to mean nauseous. When someone
says, I feel sick or I think I'm going to be sick, he is saying that he is going to vomit or throw
up. When someone who has been ill/sick applies for leave, he applies for sick leave' and not ill
leave'.
*Ramakanth has been ill/sick for nearly two weeks now.
What is the meaning and origin of without rhyme or reason'?
This is a relatively old idiom that is frequently used in everyday conversation to mean without
any purpose or reason'. When you do something without rhyme or reason, you do it without
really thinking things through; there is an absence of common sense.
*Meera quit her well-paid job without any rhyme or reason.
Sir Thomas More, the author of Utopia, is believed to have made this idiom popular. A young
writer apparently went to More with a manuscript, and asked him for feedback. After reading it,
the Chancellor of Henry VIII suggested that the young man convert it to rhyme. The budding
writer did as he was told, and showed it to Sir Thomas. After reading it, More apparently told the
writer, Now it is somewhat better, for it is rhyme; whereas before, it was neither rhyme nor
reason. Not everyone believes this story.


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Can a house be labelled handsome' as well?
The word handsome' can be used to describe a good-looking man or a woman with attractive
features. A handsome woman' is usually big built. Houses and buildings can be described as
being handsome as well. When you say that a house is handsome, you are implying that it is
large, impressive and attractive to look at. The word can be used with other things as well:
animals, clothes, trees, etc.
*Rani bought a handsome house very close to the library.
How is the expression rara avis' pronounced?
There seem to be different ways of pronouncing this Latin expression. The first syllable of rara'
sounds like the word rare', and the second a' like the a' in china'. The second word rhymes
with the name Davis'. The expression is pronounced rare-e A-vis' with the main stress on the
first syllable of avis'. In Latin rara' means rare' and avis' means bird'; the expression literally
means rare bird'. In everyday context, the expression is mostly used to refer to a unique person
or thing.
*You are lucky to have found someone like Vikram. He's quite the rara avis if you ask me.
He had occasional flashes of silence that made his conversation perfectly delightful.
Sydney Smith of Thomas Macaulay
November 29, 2011
How well do you know your English?
How is the word schadenfreude' pronounced? What is the meaning of bumf'? Can the
expression double whammy' be used with good things? For twenty years now, S. Upendran has
been dealing with such questions and more through his Know Your English' column in The
Hindu but sourcing the quote that ties up this weekly column is what takes up more of his time,
he says.

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In an interview, Dr. Upendran talks about how the English language has changed over time and
feels there is a need for newer forms of literature to be studied. He also shares his views on
English grammar, the syllabus and job opportunities for those pursuing higher studies in the
English language.
How important is keeping up with changing trends in the English language?
Nowadays, there are so many interesting things happening with the language. Everyday, a new
phrase is born. For instance, the phrase cell phone samba' refers to a person who runs around a
room trying to catch the signal. Or, textual satisfaction' is when people pick up their phones to
check if they have a new text message and if they do, they are satisfied.
It is important to see how language has changed in the present context. For instance, the title of
the movie, The Gay Sisters' [a 1942 American drama film], has a completely different meaning
today.
If changing trends have to be taken into consideration, will we see Indian universities offering
electives in subjects such as the analysis of Harry Potter books or fantasy novels like some
universities abroad are doing?
The problem with the traditional B.A. or M.A. literature courses that are offered is that most
students find the reading material rather boring. The course is also such that there is little or no
focus on what is being written now. Why not give students a choice which will create an interest
in reading? Once, an interest is cultivated, the students themselves will pick up old texts and
have a read. Books such as Harry Potter create this interest in reading.
Any suggestions for a change in syllabus?
One of the things the traditional courses can do is to begin by teaching the latest work that is out,
get the students interested and then offer two or three optional courses to choose from. This will
be similar to the credit system that is available in some universities abroad such as in America
which lets you choose the subjects. The interesting thing is that if a person is pursuing an M.A.
in English Literature, he can also opt for a few courses in linguistics or cultural studies.

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However, for this to work, teachers should be interested in teaching newer pieces of work. While
most teachers are used to dealing with older texts, for people who decide on the syllabus for
higher education, classics are important.
What are the job opportunities for a person pursuing higher studies in English?
When I was growing up if a person said he wanted to specialise in English he was immediately
termed dumb as such courses were usually the last option people would resort to. But today, if a
person's English is good and he has good communication skills then he can find employment in
several places. For instance, multinational companies look for people, who can communicate
well both verbally and orally and so do publishing firms. While teaching is a wonderful
profession, unfortunately, it is the last option people seem to resort to. I even tried to convince
some of my brightest students to take up teaching.
Have the number of students opting for English courses increased or decreased over the years?
The numbers are more or less the same. Nowadays, students are a lot more demanding from what
they were 15 or 20 years ago. Back then, they listened and maybe questioned occasionally. Now,
they challenge you a lot more.
Is the focus more on grammar and the rules of the language?
The problem is that people tend to focus a lot on grammar. If you don't know the rules it is no
big deal. As long as you are communicating properly it is all fine. Interacting with English
speakers is the best way to learn and pick up the language.
Have there been any questions you have received for your column that have bowled you over?
I sometimes get requests about words that I never knew existed. A couple of months ago, I was
asked about a word which means the fear of the number 13 [Triskaidekaphobia].
How do you find the standard of English in the dailies?

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Nowadays, many of the old timers are complaining about the style of writing in newspapers. I
find that the style of writing is very chatty. Perhaps, this is the style that this generation wants.
While twenty years ago, a sentence was as big as a paragraph; now, stories are much shorter and
simpler.
The key is to keep the language as simple as possible. Make use of simple language and use it in
a creative sort of way.
November 22, 2011
How is the word sumptuous' pronounced?
There are several ways of pronouncing this word. The first syllable rhymes with the words
pump', lump' and bump'. The following t' sounds like t' in tune', tumour', and Tuesday'.
The u' is like the u' in put', and the final ou' is like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced
SUMP-tyu-es' with the stress on the first syllable. Some people pronounce the t' like the ch' in
cheese', chew' and chips'. The word comes from the Latin sumptuosus' meaning costly,
expensive'. In English, the word is mostly used to refer to expensive things that can be consumed
or enjoyed. The word is not used with people.
*We went to the new restaurant and had a sumptuous meal.
What is the difference between ambivalent' and indifferent'?
People who get a scholarship to study in a foreign country are often plagued by doubts. On the
one hand, they are happy they have been given an opportunity to study abroad; they look forward
to the experience. At the same time, they feel sad that they have to leave their family members
behind and live in a place they know nothing about. They have mixed feelings about going, and
they don't really know what to do. The existence of two rather contradictory feelings in an
individual at the same time is called ambivalence'. It comes from the German ambivalenzin', a
word coined by the Swiss psychologist Eugen Bleuler. In Latin, ambi' means both' and
valentia' means strength'. So, when you are ambivalent about something, you are being pulled
by two strong, but often, contradictory things.

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*Jai's attitude towards the cell phone is not ambivalent. He hates the gadget.
When you are indifferent' about something, you show no interest in it. You remain unconcerned,
and do not waste your time thinking about it. There are no emotions tugging at you.
*There are a few people in India who are indifferent to cricket.
*People have become indifferent to the rampant corruption that is going on.
What is the meaning of social chameleon'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of chameleon'. The ch' is like the k' in king' and kill',
and the following mel' is pronounced like the word meal'. The second e' is like the i' in bit'
and kit', and the final o' like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced ke-MEAL-i-en' with the
stress on the second syllable. A chameleon is a lizard which has the ability to change the colour
of its skin to match its surroundings. It has the ability to stay hidden. When you refer to a person
as being a chameleon, you are implying that the individual like the lizard keeps changing in
this case, he keeps changing his opinions about things in order to keep other people happy. A
social chameleon' is someone who has the ability to adapt himself to any given situation. He has
the ability to talk to people from all walks of life. The expression can be used negatively to refer
to someone who changes his behaviour depending on who he is with.
*We need a social chameleon like Nalini to do this survey.
*Harsha is a social chameleon. He's nice to his boss, but not to his juniors.
Laugh and the world laughs with you. Snore and you sleep alone.Anthony Burgess
November 8, 2011
What is the meaning of flabbergasted'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The English pronounce the first a' like the a' in cab',
nab' and lab', and the second like the ar' in park', dark', and mark'. The Americans, on the

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other hand, pronounce the second a' like the a' in the first syllable. The first e' is like the a' in
china', and the second like the i' in bit', hit', and pit'. The word is pronounced FLA-be-gaa-
stid' with the main stress on the first syllable. It is mostly used in informal contexts to mean to be
astounded, surprised or shocked.
* When I told Prema she hadn't got the promotion, she sat flabbergasted.
* I was flabbergasted when I saw Meera's grandmother watching the WWF tournament.
Though the word has been around since the 18th century, nobody is really sure about its origin.
Some believe it is a combination of flabby' and aghast'.
What is the meaning and origin of Faustian bargain'?
According to most stories, Faust was a German scholar who was rather unhappy with his lot in
life. The devil, Mephistopheles, appears and promises him that in return for his soul, he will give
Faust unlimited power and knowledge. The greedy scholar signs on the dotted line and
experiences all the worldly pleasures; but, in the process, condemns his soul to hell. A Faustian
bargain' or Faustian deal' therefore is a deal that one makes with the devil; a bargain that
ultimately results in one's ruin. The person who makes such a deal is called a Faust or Faustus.
The expression is mostly used nowadays to refer to a bargain made for temporary gain without
taking into consideration future consequences. A much more common expression used nowadays
is make a pact/deal with the devil'.
* In order to win the elections, our leader has made a Faustian bargain with some of the extreme
right wing parties.
How is the word ubiquitous' pronounced?
The u' sounds like the letter u', and the following i' like the i' in bit', hit', and sit'. The quit'
is pronounced like the word quit' and the final ou' like the a' in china'. The word is
pronounced yu-BIK-wi-tes' with the stress on the second syllable. The word is mostly used in
formal contexts to mean omnipresent'.

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* We didn't really enjoy the concert because of the ubiquitous mosquitoes.
What is the meaning of dun for'?
What is it that some of the banks supposedly do when you fail to repay the loan that you have
taken from them? They hire people to harass you day and night till you return the amount. These
individuals call you up at odd hours of the day and sometimes pay a personal visit to your
home/office when you least expect it. The expression that best describes this persistent demand
for the repayment of the loan is dun for'. According to one theory, the word comes from Joe
Dunn, a London bailiff who was well-known for tracking down defaulters.
* If you don't repay the amount Nikhil, they will dun you for it day and night.
Television has proved that people will look at anything rather than each other. Ann
Landers
December 19, 2011
What is the meaning and origin of break a leg'?
This is an expression used mostly in the world of theatre to mean good luck'. Actors and
musicians are never wished good luck'; before they walk on to the stage, they are usually told
break a leg'. This form of wishing people is beginning to be used in other contexts as well.
*I heard you are trying out for the band. Break a leg.
*When Roshni auditioned for the lead in Sakunthala, I told her to break a leg.
There are many theories to account for this rather strange expression. One that finds favour with
most scholars is the following. People who worked in theatre were a superstitious lot; they
believed the evil spirits that haunted every theatre took delight in ruining every play that was
staged. So when you wished an actor good luck', the spirits ensured that bad luck fell on him. In
order to outwit the spirits, theatre professionals began to wish actors ill luck like breaking a
leg rather than good luck.

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What is the difference between substitute' and replacement'?
Though there is a difference in meaning between the two words, people tend to use them
interchangeably in most contexts. A substitute' is usually temporary. When a substitute fielder is
called on to the field, he is usually there for a short period of time; he returns to the pavilion the
moment the main player steps onto the field. A substitute may or may not be as good as the
original. A substitute teacher, for example, may or may not be as good as the permanent teacher.
If he is not as good, he is adequate enough to do the job at hand for a short period of time. The
word replacement', on the other hand suggests permanence. The replacement is usually better or
of the same quality as the thing replaced. It is never inferior to what is being replaced.
*Till the product becomes available again, you can use this as a substitute.
*Vivek is trying to find a replacement for the injured Ganpat.
What is the meaning of no free lunch'?
The expression is used in informal contexts to mean that nothing in life is free; one has to pay for
the services or goods provided. The standard expression there ain't no such thing as a free lunch'
was often reduced to an acronym TANSTAAFL'.
*Majid gets a fat salary, but seldom finds time to relax. There is no such thing as a free lunch, I
guess.
In the old days in America, people who bought drinks were given free food. To ensure that
people consumed a lot of liquor, bar owners added extra salt to the food items. In order to quench
their thirst, customers drank more beer.
How is the word scourge' pronounced?
The sc' sounds like the sk' in skill', skit' and skin' and the following ourge' is pronounced
like the word urge'. The word is pronounced skurge'. It comes from the Old French escorge'
meaning to whip'. A scourge' is someone or something that causes lot of suffering, trouble or
destruction. It can be used as a noun and a verb.

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*AIDS continues to be a scourge in India and other developing countries.
*The dictator had killed many people. But he wasn't scourged by guilt.
Generation Gap: the one war in which everyone changes sides. Cyril Connolly
December 5, 2011
There are some people who are afraid to get married. Is there a word for this
kind of fear?
The word you are looking for is gamophobia'. The first syllable rhymes with cram', dam' and
Sam', and the following o' is like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced ga-me-PHO-bia
with the stress on the third syllable. It comes from the Greek gamo' meaning marriage'.
Someone who has gamophobia has the morbid fear of getting married or being in a relationship;
this individual fears commitment. The opposite of gamophobia' is anuptophobia' it is the
fear of being or staying single! A state of bliss that some married individuals would love to
return to!
How is the word tsetse' pronounced?
The set' sounds like the word set' and the final e' is like the i' in bit', kit', and sit'. The word
is pronounced TSET-si' with the stress on the first syllable. A simpler way of pronouncing this
word is TET-si'. The tsetse' is a blood-sucking fly found in Africa that feeds on both animal
and human blood. Its bite can prove fatal to animals.
What is the meaning and origin of top drawer'?
This is a shortened version of a relatively old expression out of the top drawer', and it was
initially used to refer to the social standing of an individual. When you said that someone was
top drawer', it meant that the individual was of a very high social standing. He and the members
of his family belonged to the highest class. Nowadays, the expression is used with things and
people to mean the best' or excellent.

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*Chetan has been saving money to buy a bike a top-drawer model.
*The Vice-Chancellor said that he would only hire people who were top drawer.
The drawer' in the expression refers to the chest of drawers or cupboard in which people kept
their belongings. In the old days, the top drawer was usually reserved for the best and most
important items expensive jewellery, new clothes, etc.
Why do people talk about the minutes' of a meeting?
Most people mistakenly think that in the context of a meeting, the word minutes' refers to time.
It does not. M...i...n...u...t...e, as we all know, can be used to refer to time and also to the size of
an object. When you say that something is minute (pronounced my-NEWT), you mean that it is
very small. Both words come from the Latin minutus' meaning small'. I understand the original
expression was minuta scriptura' meaning small writing'. In the old days, when someone
recorded the minutes of a meeting, he made sure that the letters he wrote on the page were small
in other words, they were minute'. Later, when the final version of the document was written,
the size of the letters increased.
What is the meaning of yob'?
This is a word mostly used in British English in informal contexts. If you reverse the word yob',
what do you get? You get the word boy'! A yob' or yobbo' is someone who is relatively young,
who behaves in a rather rude manner. He is often loud and at times prone to violence.
*The yobs at the street corner spend their evening teasing girls.
Middle age is when your broad mind and narrow waist begin to change places. E. Joseph
Crossman




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November 29, 2011
What is the meaning of chickens have come home to roost'?
When used as a noun, the word roost' refers to the place where birds rest. It could be anything
the branch of a tree, a henhouse, etc. When a bird roosts somewhere, it rests there. This rather
old saying, chickens have come home to roost', is normally used to mean that the bad things that
someone has done in the past have come back to bite or haunt the individual. In other words, you
are telling someone that he has to face the consequences of the deeds done in the past though
he may have committed them a long time ago.
*Ganesh is going out of his way to hurt people's feelings. He doesn't realise that the chickens
will come home to roost someday.
*The Minister was sent to prison 30 years after committing the crime. The chickens finally came
home to roost, I guess.
The original form of this 700 year-old expression was curses are like chickens; they always
come home to roost'. The bad deeds that one may commit in one's lifetime are being compared
with chickens. Hens and chickens in farms usually potter around all day looking for food. When
the sun is about to set, they return to the safety of their henhouse to rest/roost. Geoffrey Chaucer
is believed to have used this expression in his Canterbury Tales.
What is the difference between step sister' and half sister'?
When Cinderella's father married the second time, he married a woman who was already the
mother of two children. These girls, who were to harrass Cinderella later on, were her step-
sisters. The term suggests that the heroine and the two girls didn't have a parent in common. The
biological father and mother in both cases were different. In the past, kings used to marry several
women and have children with each one of them. In such cases, the children were half brothers
and half sisters. All of them had a parent in common they had a common father.
What is the meaning of quid pro quo'?

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This Latin expression literally means something for something'. In English, it is mostly used to
mean to give something to someone in return or exchange for something else. Other frequently
used expressions that have a similar meaning are, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours',
tit for tat', etc.
*The Government denied that there was any quid pro quo involved in their decision.
Quid' rhymes with mid' and kid' and the o' in pro' and quo' sounds like the o' in go' and
so'.
What is the difference between New York minute' and Facebook minute'?
A New York minute' is a very short period of time; it is actually less than a minute. The
relatively new expression Facebook minute' means the exact opposite. It is used to refer to a
relatively lengthy period of time. Very often people say they will check their messages on
Facebook and get back to you in a minute. Once they log in, they forget about their promise, and
stay online for a long period of time.
*Vivek gave me a New York minute to answer the question.
*Sandhya got back to him in a Facebook minute. By then, all tickets had been sold out.
User: The word computer professionals use when they mean idiot'.Dave Barry
November 15, 2011
What is the meaning and origin of sing for one's supper'?
This expression was apparently popularised by the well-known nursery rhyme, Little Tommy
Tucker'. According to the rhyme, the poor lad had to sing for his supper'. The expression is
mostly used nowadays to mean to work for one's pay. When you sing for your supper, you
usually do something for someone in order to get something you need or desire.

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In the old days, a minstrel or travelling musician used to go from one town to another in order to
perform. Very often, he would be invited by the owner of a tavern (pub) to entertain the evening
crowd. In exchange for the songs he sang and the poems he recited, the wandering minstrel used
to be paid in kind and not in cash the tavern owner provided him with a hot meal. The minstrel
literally sang for his supper.
Why do we say to learn by heart'?
We Indians are very good at this; we are past masters in the art of memorising things. We may
not understand what it is that we have learnt by heart', but we have no problem in reproducing it
during an exam. The question that arises is, why by heart'? Surely, the brain is the organ we use
to remember things, and not the heart. This seems very obvious to us today, but it wasn't so
obvious to the ancient Greeks. They, in fact, believed that emotion, memory and intelligence
were situated in the heart, and not in the head. They were of the opinion that in order to learn or
remember something, you had to make use of your heart and not your head. This belief was
passed on from one generation to another all across Europe. In England, it resulted in the
expression learn by heart'. Other common expressions used today that have more or less the
same meaning are mug up', swot', and cram'.
What is the meaning of printer's devil'?
It is not uncommon for people to refer to the errors that one finds in a printed manuscript or a
book as printer's devils'. A quick glance at the Internet shows that people across the globe, not
just in India, use this expression to mean printer's errors'. Funnily enough, standard dictionaries
do not list this as one of the possible meanings of the term. They all define printer's devil' as a
printer's apprentice'; this individual, usually a very young boy, worked in a printer's office and
performed several tasks. In addition to being an errand boy, he was also in charge of sweeping
the office, and washing the black ink off the ink rollers. This often resulted in his clothes and
some parts of the body becoming black. Since the devil was associated with all things black, the
poor apprentice began to be called printer's devil'. Some well-known printer's devils were Mark
Twain, Benjamin Franklin and Walt Whitman.

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According to another theory, Titivillus, a demon who worked for the devil, haunted every
printing press. When a page had been typeset, this mischievous spirit created havoc by
rearranging letters in words and sometimes removing an entire line. The errors that showed up in
the final product were often blamed on the poor apprentice!
How many times have you committed suicide? Actual question asked by a lawyer.
October 31, 2011
What is the meaning and origin of turn a Nelson's eye'?
The expression has been around for several hundred years, and it has the same meaning as turn a
blind eye' to something. When you turn a blind eye to a problem, you choose to deliberately
ignore it; you pretend the problem does not exist.
*How can Gautam turn a Nelson's eye to the rampant corruption in his department?
*The Vice-Chancellor turned a Nelson's eye to the drug problem on campus.
The Nelson in the expression refers to Horatio Nelson, the inspirational British naval officer who
was blind in one eye. In 1801, at Copenhagen, Nelson led the main attack against a fleet of
Dutch and Norwegian ships. During the height of battle, Nelson's superior officer, Admiral Hyde
Parker, signalled him to withdraw. When Nelson's men saw the signal, they informed him of it.
Nelson then took out his telescope and looked through it using his blind eye. He is believed to
have said, I have only one eye, and I have the right to be blind sometimes. I really do not see the
signal. Nelson ordered his men to continue fighting, and a few hours later, after a hard fought
battle, he emerged victorious.
What is the difference between unsatisfied' and dissatisfied'?
Unsatisfied' is the opposite of satisfied'. A person who is unsatisfied about something is less
than satisfied because this individual hasn't got enough of the thing he or she wanted. This
feeling of unhappiness is usually temporary. A dissatisfied' person, on the other hand, is a
discontented individual; he feels terribly disappointed or frustrated about a person, thing or

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situation. This feeling of unhappiness is usually about the lack of something, and it is not always
short lived. It is something that constantly weighs on his mind. Though an unsatisfied individual
does not get enough of what he wants, he may not actively feel dissatisfied about it.
*In our country, there is an unsatisfied demand for good schools.
*Bhaskar has been dissatisfied with his job for several years now.
What is the meaning of per se'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this Latin expression. The first word is pronounced like
the word per', and the second, like the word say'. It is pronounced per-SAY' with the main
stress on the second word. Per se' means of or by itself'. For example, one can say, Driving,
per se, is not something I really enjoy.' The use of per se' in the sentence suggests that you are
looking at driving in isolation. You are in no way comparing driving with anything else; you are
not considering it in relation to any other thing.
*My boss, per se, isn't an interesting person to talk to. But he has wonderful contacts.
*Uma's job, per se, isn't very interesting, but she manages to make some easy money.
Does the word disremember' exist?
Yes, it does. The dictionaries that have listed disremember' define it as a word used in informal
contexts in American English to mean to forget' or fail to remember'. Some label the word U.S
dialect'; it is not considered to be a part of Standard English.
*My last vacation was terrible. It's something I would like to disremember.
Prayer of the modern American: Dear God, I pray for patience. And I want it right now'!
Oren Arnold



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October 25, 2011
What is the difference between graveyard' and cemetery'?
Though these two words are used interchangeably to refer to a place where people are buried,
there is a subtle difference in meaning between the two. Graveyard' is the older of the two
terms, and it is mostly used to refer to a burial ground which adjoins a church. In the old days,
people were buried close to the church; the nobles and the rich, in fact, were sometimes buried in
crypts beneath the church. With the increase in population, the old graveyards became full and
new burial sites, called cemeteries', came up a little away from the town/city. The word
cemetery' comes from the Greek koimeterion' meaning dormitory, resting place'. It was seen as
a person's final resting place; unlike a graveyard, a cemetery does not adjoin a church. People are
buried in graveyards; in a cemetery, it is possible to bury an individual's ashes as well.
What is the meaning and origin of skeleton in the cupboard'?
If someone has a skeleton in his cupboard, he has an embarassing or a dark secret which he
hopes will remain hidden; he doesn't want anyone to find out what it is. Americans tend to say
closet' instead of cupboard'.
*When the press started snooping around, they found several skeletons in the CM's
cupboard/closet.
There are several explanations as to the origin of this idiom. Some believe it is based on a story.
Others believe that the idiom is the result of something that many practicing doctors actually did
in the 17th and 18th centuries hide a human skeleton at home. Before the 19th century, the
only body that a doctor was allowed to cut open was that of a dead prisoner. In order to study
human anatomy, some unscrupulous doctors hired grave robbers to steal recently buried bodies
for them. Once the dissection had been done, they proceeded to store the skeleton in a cupboard.
Soon people started suspecting that every doctor had a skeleton in his cupboard!
What is the meaning of beau geste'?

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First, let us deal with the pronunciation of this French expression. The eau' in beau' sounds like
the o' in so', no', and go'. The g' in geste' is pronounced like the s' in pleasure', leisure',
and measure'. The este' that follows is like the est' in best', west', and nest'. The phrase is
pronounced bo ZEST' with the main stress on the second word. It literally means beautiful
gesture'. The expression is mostly used to refer to a noble, but meaningless gesture.
*When they heard that I'd been dropped, the other team members said they would talk to the
manager. But their beau geste didn't really change anything.
What do you call someone who fears germs?
The fear of germs is called mysophobia'. The first syllable is pronounced like the word my' and
the second like the word so'. The word is pronounced my-so-FO-bia' with the main stress on
the third syllable. The word comes from the Greek mysos' meaning uncleanness'. Other
common expressions to refer to this fear are germaphobia', bacteriophobia' and bacillophobia'.
A mysophobe is someone who keeps washing his hands very frequently because he is mortally
afraid of dirt and contamination.
Men are like Government bonds. They take a long time to mature. Unknown
October 10, 2011
How is the word schadenfreude pronounced?
The scha' in this word of German origin is like the shar' in sharp' and shark', while the e' in
the second and final syllable sounds like the a' in china'. The eu' is like the oy' in boy', toy',
and coy'. The word is pronounced SHAA-den-froy-de' with the stress on the first syllable. In
German, Freude' means joy' and Shaden' means harm'. When a politician suffers a misfortune
of some kind, most people feel happy. This feeling of delight or joy that we get when terrible
things happen to other people is called schadenfreude'.
*The leader of the opposition watched the in-fighting with schadenfreude.

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Is winningest a real word?
Yes, it is. It is a word that is frequently used in American English in the context of sports. When
you say that someone is the winningest Indian captain', you mean that the individual has won
more games as captain than anyone else. The word has been listed in several American
dictionaries.
*They tell me that Michael Phelps is the winningest Olympian.
Of late, the word seems to have acquired another meaning; it is being used to mean most
charming'.
*According to Ramesh, Sujatha has the winningest smile on campus.
What is the origin of sent on a leather hunt?
This is an expression mostly used in the context of cricket. When the batting team is plundering
runs by hitting the ball to various parts of the field, most commentators and sports writers say
that the fielding team was sent on a leather hunt'. What they mean by this is that the poor
fielders were kept busy chasing the leather' (cricket) ball. The expression is extremely popular
in India. Native speakers of English seldom use it.
Why is the American government called Uncle Sam?
No one is really sure about the orgin of this expression. What most people agree on is that the
name Sam' in the expression does not refer to any well-known American President or any
famous General.
One story doing the rounds is that an ordinary meat inspector by the name of Sam Wilson' was
responsible for the creation of the term Uncle Sam'. This venerable gentleman lived in the
United States in the 19th century, and was hired by the U.S army to certify the meat that had
been bought by them. Wilson's fellow workers, out of respect for him, made it a habit of calling
him uncle Sam'. Whenever he inspected the meat and found it to be of good quality, he put his
initials on the container. Instead of scribbling SW' (Sam Wilson), he used to write US'. When

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people asked whether the initials US' stood for the United States', Wilson replied that it stood
for Uncle Sam'! There is however little evidence to support this story.
The U.S Army has been making use of Uncle Sam as its spokesperson for many years; most of
the posters it uses in its recruiting drives carry a picture of this individual. He is generally shown
as an elderly gentleman with a stern look on his face. He has a goatee, and wears a top hat with
the stars and stripes of the American flag.
All right everyone, line up alphabetically according to your height. Casey Stengel
September 26, 2011
What is the meaning and origin of sit below the salt'?
This rather old-fashioned expression is used to refer to a person of very low status. An individual
who sits below the salt' has little or no social standing; others generally look down upon him.
*As several prominent cricket players turned up for the function, the hockey players sat below
the salt.
*At the dinner party, Ganpat sat below the salt with the likes of me.
This is an expression that has been around for over four hundred years. In the past, when guests
were invited to dinner, a relatively large salt shaker was placed in the middle of the long dining
table. The most important people among the guests were always seated next to the host. These
individuals who were seated at the host's end of the table were considered to be above the salt'
in other words, they were people of very high social standing. Guests who were of a lower rank,
sat at the lower end of the table; they sat below the salt'.
What is the difference between genius' and prodigy'?
The word prodigy' is mostly used with relatively young people who have a natural ability to
excel at one or two things music, mathematics, sport, etc. These individuals are born with
these remarkable abilities or qualities; they are not learnt. Tiger Woods, the well-known golfer,

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and India's Sachin Tendulkar are examples of prodigies. Even as teenagers, their exceptional
talent won them the admiration of all those who saw them in action. A prodigy need not
necessarily be very intelligent; his IQ may or may not be very high. A genius, on the other hand,
generally has a rather high IQ. He may or may not be street smart, but he has exceptional
intellectual power or natural ability. Now that Tendulkar is no longer young, he is referred to as a
genius'. He is a prodigy who has gone on to become a genius. Not every prodigy becomes a
genius. It is also possible to be a genius without having been a prodigy.
How is the word quintessential' pronounced?
Quint' rhymes with the word squint' and the syllables that follow are pronounced like the word
essential'. The word is pronounced kwin-ti-SEN-shell' with the stress on the third syllable.
When you say that an individual is a quintessential of something, you are implying that he is a
perfect example of it.
*According to my wife, John is the quintessential American.
Is it okay to say, It is a walkable distance'?
Yes, it is. Many people, however, prefer to say, It is within walking distance.' Dictionaries that
include walkable', define it as short enough or close enough to be accessible by walking'.
Therefore, any place that is walkable' is so close that you can walk there.
*Take the car. The library is definitely not a walkable distance from here.
The word is now also being used to mean suitable for walking'. For example, when you say
London is a very walkable city, you mean that it is a city that provides the facilities that make it
easy for people to walk from one place to another.
The secret of teaching is to appear to have known all your life what you just learned this
morning. Unknown


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September 13, 2011
What is the meaning and origin of Aunt Sally'?
Aunt Sally is the name of a game played in some parts of Britain where the figure of a woman's
head with a clay pipe in her mouth is mounted on a pole. Players who participate in the game,
stand at a distance and throw sticks or balls at the head in the hope of knocking down the pipe.
This mounted head is called Aunt Sally, and the game is a regular feature in most carnivals and
county fairs. Over a period of time, Aunt Sally' has acquired a figurative meaning. Nowadays, it
is used to mean someone or something that is set up as an easy target for people to make fun of.
An Aunt Sally is a scapegoat; an object or a person set up for the purpose of being knocked
down.
*The politician has become everyone's Aunt Sally.
What is the difference between energise' and enervate'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of enervate'. The first e' sounds like the e' in end',
bend' and send', while the second is like the a' in china'. The final vate' rhymes with ate',
hate' and date'. This rather formal word is pronounced EN-er-vate' with the stress on the first
syllable. Like the word enervate', energise' has the stress on the first syllable. Their meanings,
however, are very different; enervate' is the opposite of energise'. When you are energised',
you feel full of energy or enthusiasm. Your energy levels rise and you begin to feel very active.
*Rahul felt energised after his early morning walk.
*Political parties are going to have a difficult time energising the voters.
When something enervates' you, it exhausts you. It makes you feel tired; you feel drained
mentally or physically. The word comes from the Latin enervare' meaning to weaken'.
*The enervating disease is taking its toll on Kamini.
*The game was even more enervating than Rahul had expected.

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How is the word nuance' pronounced?
This word of French origin can be pronounced in different ways. One simple way is to
pronounce the nu' like the word new' and the ance' like the ans' in answer'. The word is
pronounced NEW-aans' with the stress on the first syllable. It comes from the French nuer'
meaning to shade'. In English, the word can be used as a noun and a verb to mean a slight or
subtle difference in meaning, appearance or sound.
*Being unfamiliar with the nuances of the language, Sheela failed to appreciate the humour in
the play.
*Dilip spent a lot of time studying the nuances of the actor's facial expressions.
What is the meaning of scarce as hen's teeth'?
We all know that a hen does not have any teeth. Therefore, when you say that something is as
scarce as hen's teeth, you are implying that it is very rare; perhaps even non-existent. It is also
possible to say scarcer than hen's teeth'. The idiom is mostly used in American English.
*Recent events have shown that an honest politician is as scarce as hen's teeth.
*On the day of the bundh, taxis and autos were scarcer than hen's teeth.
The magician and the politician have much in common: they both have to draw our attention
away from what they are really doing. Ben Okri
August 30, 2011
What is the meaning of Homeric laughter'?
The Homer' referred to in this expression is the Greek poet who is believed to have written the
Iliad and the Odyssey, and not the leading character in the well-known television show, The
Simpsons'. People laugh differently. Some laugh silently, while others tend to guffaw. Homeric
laughter' refers to laughter of the latter kind. The individual laughs loudly and at times

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uncontrollably; it is usually prolonged, and the entire body shakes during the process. Such belly
shaking laughter is called Homeric laughter because this is how the gods laughed in Homer's
classics. When you think about it, this is how the crazy Homer Simpson laughs as well!
What is the difference between artist' and 'artiste'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of artiste'. The iste' in the second syllable sounds like the
word east'. The word is pronounced ar-TEAST' with the stress on the second syllable. An
artiste is someone who practices some form of performing arts; he is usually a professional
entertainer. He displays his talent in front of a live audience. Singers, dancers, and acrobats can
be called artistes'.
The word artist', on the other hand, is a general term used to refer to someone who excels at
something he may or may not perform in front of an audience. He is someone who makes an
art of his profession.
The well-known painters M.F. Husain and Michealangelo were great artists. A thief who excels
in cracking open safes can also be called an artist. So can someone who excels at cooking.
Singers and dancers who are good at what they do can be called artists as well. Nowadays, there
is a tendency to use artist' in most contexts.
How is the word captious' pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word cap', and the t' that follows sounds like the sh' in
ship', sheet', and shoe'. The final iou' sounds like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced
CAP-shes' with the stress on the first syllable. This is a rather formal word and it is mostly used
to mean to find fault with trivial things. A captious critic is someone who takes pleasure in
criticising people or things; no matter how trivial the fault may be, he finds great delight in
highlighting them.
*The captious critic wasted our time objecting to the font size and colour.


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What's the difference between lastly' and last, but not least'?
Both these are used when you mean finally'. When you are providing a number of reasons why
people should not smoke or drink, you can conclude by saying, lastly' or last but not least'. The
word lastly' signals that you have come to the end of your list. You have no more points to
make. You are not saying how good your last point is. The use of the expression last but not
least' suggests that although you are including this as your final point, it is not in any way
inferior that to those that preceded it. You are claiming that it is as strong a point as those that
went before it. This is not implied by lastly'; it can suggest that the point you are making is an
afterthought.
Never believe anything until it has been officially denied. Claud Cockburn
Chennai, October 17, 2011
How is the word pescetarian' pronounced?
The first syllable pes' rhymes with mess', bless', and chess', while the e' in the second
syllable sounds like the a' in china'. The last three syllables are pronounced like the tarian' in
vegetarian'. The word is pronounced pes-ke-TAY-ri-en with the stress on the third syllable. A
pescetarian' is someone who eats fish, but does not eat meat. The word can also be spelt
pescatarian'. It comes from the Italian pesce' meaning fish'.
*According to this article, Steve Jobs was a pescetarian.
What is the meaning and origin of in the swim'?
When you say that someone is in the swim of things, you are implying that the individual is
actively participating in the things happening around him. He is in the thick of things'. The
expression can also be used to mean to be up-to-date'; someone who is well informed. The
opposite of this expression is out of the swim of things'.
*It took Sachi only one day to get in the swim of things.

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*If you want more information, talk to Ratna. She is in the swim.
The swim' in the expression has nothing to do with the activity of swimming. The word, in fact,
comes from the world of fishing. Fishermen, or anglers, as they are sometimes called, use the
word swim' to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty. So, if you
are a fisherman and wish to catch a lot fish, where would you be? You would be where the action
is, you would be in the swim'!
What is the difference between valuable' and invaluable'?
The two words are not the opposite of each other; both can be used with people and things. A
valuable' object is one that is worth a lot of money.
An invaluable' object, on the other hand, is priceless. It is worth a lot more than a valuable'
object; its worth, however, is often difficult to determine.
*The painting that Rajee donated to the museum was invaluable.
*Ganesh has a few valuable paintings at home
A valuable member' of a team is someone who contributes to the team's success. If you refer to
someone as being an invaluable member', you are implying that he is indispensable. If the team
were to lose him, it would suffer. A valuable member can be replaced, an invaluable member
cannot be.
*It was one of the valuable suggestions made at the meeting today.
*What I am today is all thanks to my father's invaluable advice.
What is the meaning of bumf'?
This word is mostly used in informal contexts in British English. Bumf', also spelt bumph', is
the combination of two words: bum fodder'. It was originally the slang term for toilet paper.
Nowadays, the word is used to refer to any printed material that is unwanted or uninteresting to

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read. The flyers that we get when we visit a supermarket, the various promotional materials from
companies, and the literature that accompanies most products can all be called bumf'. Boring
official documents can be called bumf' as well.
*Padmaja went to the industrial exhibition and came home with a lot of bumf.
Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room. Stanley Kubrick
October 3, 2011
What is the meaning and origin of Who is going to bell the cat'?
This relatively old idiom means to perform a dangerous or a risky task. When you ask someone
Who is going to bell the cat?', you wish to know as to which individual has the courage to do
something dangerous.
*We need to inform the Minister that it's his son who has been leaking information to the media.
But who is going to bell the cat?
The expression comes from the world of Aesop's fables. In this particular story, a group of mice
hold a meeting as to what they can do to prevent the housecat from sneaking up on them. A
mouse suggests that if a bell were hung around the cat's neck, then everyone would know where
the animal was. The question was, who was going to perform the dangerous task of putting a bell
around the cat's neck?
What is the difference between disinterested' and uninterested'?
The difference in meaning between the two words has become somewhat blurred in recent times.
Uninterested' is the opposite of interested'; when you say you are uninterested' in a topic, you
mean that it doesn't interest you; you find it boring.
*People are shocked when I tell them I'm uninterested in cricket.

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Someone who is disinterested' about something is objective' or impartial'. Like a judge in the
courtroom, he does not take sides. Since he has no personal interest in the matter, he is able to
listen to both sides of the argument with an open mind before arriving at a fair decision.
*A good umpire should be disinterested in the outcome of a match.
Though careful users of the language object, there is a tendency nowadays to use uninterested'
and disinterested' interchangeably especially, in informal contexts. In fact, the second
meaning that most dictionaries list for disinterested' is uninterested'.
How is the word omerta' pronounced?
The o' is pronounced like the o' in so', go', and no', and the following er' like the ir' in
shirt', dirt', and thirst'. The final a' sounds like the a' in task', ask', and mask'. The word is
pronounced o-mer-TAA' with the stress on the final syllable. This is one way of pronouncing
the word. In the past, whenever an individual joined a criminal organisation, he used to take an
oath that he would not tell others about the various activities of the people he was working for.
He swore to secrecy, and no matter what, kept his mouth shut. Under no circumstances did he
cooperate with the police. This code of silence which members of the Mafia and other criminal
organisations adopted was called omerta'. Breaking omerta often resulted in death. Nowadays,
omerta' or the code of silence is being enforced by many organisations not just criminal ones.
*The mantra of the new political party is omerta.
Which is correct: remanded to custody' or remanded in custody'?
People are always remanded in custody' and not to custody'. When you are remanded in
custody', the court sends you back to jail till the trial begins. If the court grants you bail, then you
say remanded on bail'.
*The accused has been remanded on bail.
In politics, absurdity is not a handicap. Napoleon Bonaparte

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September 20, 2011
What is the meaning and origin of Soapy Sam'?
This is an expression that is mostly used to show disapproval. When you label someone Soapy
Sam', you are suggesting that the smooth talking individual is a slippery customer and is not to
be trusted. When he is in the company of others, this individual will put on a show of being very
friendly; he will try to please people by praising them.
*I wouldn't get too close to Sandeep, if I were you. Everyone calls him Soapy Sam.
The name in the expression refers to Samuel Wilberforce, a bishop in the Church of England,
who lived in the 19th century. He excelled in the art of public speaking, and on several occasions
viciously attacked Darwin's theory of evolution. It was Benjamin Disraeli who gave the bishop
his nickname. He is believed to have said that Wilberforce's behaviour at times was unctuous,
oleaginous, saponaceous. Dictionaries define saponaceous' as soapy or having the
characteristics of a soap'.
What is the meaning of tongue typo'?
The spelling mistakes that you make while typing a document are called typos'. Sometimes
when we speak, we make mistakes as well. For example, instead of saying India will win the
match', we might accidentally say, England will win the match'. Such an error was earlier called
slip of the tongue'. It is now being called tongue typo'.
*The new teacher was nervous; his lecture was full of tongue typos.
What is the difference between detract' and distract'?
The word detract' is usually followed by from'. When something detracts from another, it takes
away or reduces the importance or value of the thing. It diminishes the importance of the object
or person; in other words, it makes the object seem less valuable or less important than it really
is.

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*The shortcomings in no way detract from the remarkable achievements of the player.
Distract', on the other hand, means to divert the attention of someone. When you distract
someone, you take his attention away from what he is doing; the individual loses focus. This act
of diverting one's attention may be intentional or accidental.
*Mukund didn't allow the noise from the crowd to distract him.
How is the word voluminous' pronounced?
The first o' and the final ou' sound like the a' in china'. The u' in the second syllable is
pronounced like the oo' in pool', fool', and cool', and the following i' is like the i' in it', pit',
and sit'. The word is pronounced ve-LYOO-mi-nes' with the stress on the second syllable.
When you say that something is voluminous, you are implying that it is large; it contains many
things.
*Sangeetha requires time to go through the voluminous file.
Sometimes it rains when there is bright sunshine. Is there a term for this?
Yes, there is. I understand the general term for this is sunshower'. This word, which is not found
in most dictionaries, can also been written as two words sun shower. In informal contexts, in
some varieties of English, this phenomenon is referred to as monkey's wedding'.
God created man, but I could do better. Erma Bombeck
October 25, 2011
What is the difference between graveyard' and cemetery'?
Though these two words are used interchangeably to refer to a place where people are buried,
there is a subtle difference in meaning between the two. Graveyard' is the older of the two
terms, and it is mostly used to refer to a burial ground which adjoins a church. In the old days,
people were buried close to the church; the nobles and the rich, in fact, were sometimes buried in

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crypts beneath the church. With the increase in population, the old graveyards became full and
new burial sites, called cemeteries', came up a little away from the town/city. The word
cemetery' comes from the Greek koimeterion' meaning dormitory, resting place'. It was seen as
a person's final resting place; unlike a graveyard, a cemetery does not adjoin a church. People are
buried in graveyards; in a cemetery, it is possible to bury an individual's ashes as well.
What is the meaning of beau geste'?
First, let us deal with the pronunciation of this French expression. The eau' in beau' sounds like
the o' in so', no', and go'. The g' in geste' is pronounced like the s' in pleasure', leisure',
and measure'. The este' that follows is like the est' in best', west', and nest'. The phrase is
pronounced bo ZEST' with the main stress on the second word. It literally means beautiful
gesture'. The expression is mostly used to refer to a noble, but meaningless gesture.
*When they heard that I'd been dropped, the other team members said they would talk to the
manager. But their beau geste didn't really change anything.
What do you call someone who fears germs?
The fear of germs is called mysophobia'. The first syllable is pronounced like the word my' and
the second like the word so'. The word is pronounced my-so-FO-bia' with the main stress on
the third syllable. The word comes from the Greek mysos' meaning uncleanness'. Other
common expressions to refer to this fear are germaphobia', bacteriophobia' and bacillophobia'.
A mysophobe is someone who keeps washing his hands very frequently because he is mortally
afraid of dirt and contamination.
Men are like Government bonds. They take a long time to mature. Unknown
September 5, 2011
Why is it you are always late? I've been waiting here for over half an hour.
I'm so sorry. I didn't know how to get here. So I asked Suresh, and he...

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Why did you ask him? Don't you know that Suresh is directionally challenged?
Directionally challenged? What does it mean?
A person who is directionally challenged has problems figuring out which is left and which is
right. He gets confused. This person can neither give proper directions nor understand them
when they are given.
So this person may say right' when he means left'?
Or he may turn left when you ask him to turn right'.
Well, if that's the case, Uma is definitely directionally challenged.
Did you manage to meet the person you've been chatting with on the net?
You mean Dilip? Yes, I met him yesterday. He...
What's he like?
Very different from what I had expected.
What do you mean?
Whenever we chatted, he sounded confident and outgoing. I thought he would be the life of the
party. But face to face, he is rather shy.
Dilip is probably a webtrovert.
I have come across the words introvert' and extrovert'. Who is a webtrovert?
A webtrovert is exactly like your friend Dilip. He is someone who is extremely shy in real life.
But when he logs on to a social network, he comes across as being an extrovert.
I see. Have you met a lot of webtroverts?

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You know me. I seldom make an attempt to talk to people I know. So chatting with people I
don't know and I can't even see is definitely out of the question. So tell me, what does Dilip like
to do?
He told me he likes to chat on the net, and loves to watch the videos on YouTube.
I see. Does he spend...
Can you call someone who spends a lot of time watching YouTube videos a couch potato?
A couch potato is someone who spends a lot of time watching TV. He...
I know who a couch potato is, but
There is a word for a person who watches a lot of videos on YouTube. He's usually called a
youtuber.
Isn't the potato also called a tuber?
That's right. When you call someone a youtuber'...
A youtuber is probably someone who is like the potato. He takes root at the computer table and
doesn't move. He spends a lot of time browsing YouTube videos.
A very good definition. ******
I would imagine that if you could understand Morse code, a tap dancer would drive you crazy.
Mitch Hedberg
August 23, 2011
Is it okay to say He has a soft corner for her'?
This is an expression mostly used in India to mean to have warm feelings for someone or
something. You have a great deal of affection for the person or thing, often without knowing

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why. The individual for whom you have this affection may not deserve it or may not return it.
Native speakers of English do not use this expression. They tend to say have a soft spot for
someone', not soft corner'.
*The kids in my class have a soft spot for the lame puppy.
*Why Ganesh has a soft spot for Urmila is beyond me.
How is the word disparage' pronounced?
The dis' in the first syllable sounds like the dis' in dismiss', distance' and disturb'. The a' in
the second syllable is like the a' in cat', bat', and hat', and the final rage' rhymes with bridge'
and fridge'. This rather formal word is pronounced dis-PA-ridge' with the stress on the second
syllable. When you disparage someone, you ridicule or make fun of the individual.
*The disparaging comments Harish made about the boss stunned everyone.
*Whatever you do, don't disparage me in front of my in-laws.
What is the meaning of take the mickey out of someone'?
This is an expression that is mostly used in British English in informal contexts. When you take
the mickey' out of someone, you are teasing or making fun of the individual. You often make
the individual seem silly by imitating his mannerism or by playing a joke on him. It is also
possible to say take the mick out of someone'.
*If you attempt to take the mickey out of Ram, you'll get into trouble.
*Aren't you tired of taking the mickey out of him all the time?
Scholars believe that the expression is an example of rhyming slang. The original expression was
to take the piss out of someone'. With the passage of time piss' was replaced by Mickey Bliss'.
Nobody really knows who this Mickey Bliss was; some people say that the name was used

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because bliss' rhymes with piss'. Later, the rhyming element (bliss) was dropped, and what
remained was take the mickey out of someone'.
What is the difference between mess' and kitchen'?
A kitchen' is a place where food is cooked, and a mess' is a place where people go to eat. You
can eat in the kitchen, but you don't cook in the mess. According to dictionaries, mess' is mostly
used in the context of the military. For native speakers, a mess' is a place where military
personnel eat' or socialise'. In India, we use this word to refer to any place where people gather
to eat. This probably explains why we talk about the hostel mess'.
Is it okay to say, Could you repeat that again?'
There is nothing wrong with the sentence grammatically. We often hear people say repeat that
again', but the use of again' is unnecessary. When you ask someone to repeat something that he
has said, you are requesting him to say it again. Dictionaries define repeat as to say something
more than once'. It is enough if you say, Could you repeat that?'
The mistake a lot of politicians make is in forgetting they've been appointed and thinking
they've been anointed. Claude D. Pepper
August 16, 2011
What is the fear of darkness or night called?
The word that you have in mind is nyctophobia'. The y' sounds like the i' in bit', hit' and sit',
and the following c' is like the k' in kit', kiss', and kill'. The first o' is pronounced like the a'
in china'. One way of pronouncing this word is nik-te-FOE-bia' with the stress on the third
syllable. In Greek, nykto' means night'. A person who is extremely scared of the night or of
darkness is said to be nyctophobic'.



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What is the meaning of powerpuff presentation'?
Nowadays, whenever someone gives a lecture or a talk, the person usually makes sure that there
is a PowerPoint presentation to go along with it. In many organisations, it has become
mandatory. The object of showing slides is to ensure that they complement what the speaker is
saying. Sometimes, instead of worrying about the content of the presentation, the presenter
begins to focus all his attention on the slides he is going to use. He spends a lot of time ensuring
that they are visually pleasing. He spices up the presentation using all kinds of gimmicks
flashy animation, incredible sound effects, etc. By keeping the members of the audience
entertained through pleasing visuals, the speaker is hoping that they will fail to realise that there
is very little substance in the talk. A powerpuff presentation' is one which has little or no
substance, but which scores very highly on visuals.
*You can't expect anything more than a powerpuff presentation from Mohan.
How is the word asthma' pronounced?
The as' in the first syllable is pronounced like the word ass', while the a' in the final syllable
sounds like the a' in china'. The th' remains silent. The word is pronounced ASS-me' with the
stress on the first syllable. The Americans tend to pronounce the s' like the z' in zip' and zoo'.
The word comes from the Greek asthma' meaning short breath, a panting'.
What is the meaning and origin of bury the hatchet'?
A hatchet' is a small axe with a very short handle, and Native Americans excelled in using it as
a weapon in their fights against their enemies. When the chiefs of two warring tribes wanted
peace, they would meet, smoke a peace pipe' and then proceed to bury two hatchets. This act
symbolised that there would be no more fighting between the two tribes. In 1680, the Native
Americans performed a similar ritual with the white men who had settled in the colony of New
England. Samuel Sewell wrote, Meeting with the Sachem (Indian chiefs), they came to an
agreement and buried two axes in the ground, which ceremony to them is more significant and
binding than all the Articles of Peace, the hatchet being the principal weapon. Unfortunately for
the Native Americans, the white man didn't think that this symbolic act was binding; for years

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later, he proceeded to slaughter the so called savages' by the thousands. Nowadays, the
expression bury the hatchet' is mostly used to mean to put an end to your quarrel with someone;
you sort out your differences, and make peace with him/her.
*The two families have been at each other for 20 years. I don't think they'll ever bury the hatchet.
Never accept a drink from a urologist. Erma Bombeck
August 2, 2011
What is the meaning of teller' in Automated Teller Machine (ATM)?
It means to count'; the machine counts the money before giving it to you. It does the same job as
that of the bank teller'. The word teller' comes from the Old English tellan' meaning to
calculate' or count'. Over a period of time, tellan' acquired another meaning to narrate. This
gave us the verb tell'. With the passage of time, the original meaning (to count') fell out of use,
and the second one (to narrate') became the principal meaning of the word. Teller' meaning
count' survives in a limited number of terms: bank teller, ATM, etc.
Is it okay to say I live in Quarter no: 25'?
No, it isn't. In India, we generally use the word quarters' to refer to the accommodation provided
to us by the organisation we are working for. The word is not the plural of quarter'. When you
want to give someone your address, you have to say Quarters number', and not Quarter
number'.
What is the meaning of gubernatorial'?
Let's deal with the pronunciation of the word first. The u' is like the oo' in pool', cool', and
fool, and the following e' and a' are like the a' in china'. The o' in the fourth syllable sounds
like the au' in caught', naught', and taught'. The word, meaning of or relating to governor', is
pronounced goo-be-ne-TAU-ri-el' with the stress on the fourth syllable. The Indian media are

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extremely fond of this word. It comes from the Latin gubernare' meaning to steer or govern'.
Gubernatorial is mostly used in American English.
*It is difficult to predict which party will win the gubernatorial elections.
What is the meaning of frazzle'?
This word which rhymes with razzle' and dazzle' is mostly used in informal contexts to mean
completely exhausted' or completely burnt'. It can be used both as a noun and an adjective.
*Shebani had worn herself to a frazzle looking after her ailing father.
*By the time Veda got off the phone, the curry had been burnt to a frazzle.
*Rajesh looked frazzled before the meeting with his boss.
What is the difference between country' and nation'?
Many people tend to use the words interchangeably nowadays. Careful users of the language,
however, maintain a distinction between the two. A country' is often defined as a self-governing
political entity; it is mostly used to refer to the geographical characteristics of a State. A nation',
on the other hand, is mostly used when talking about the people. When you talk about a nation,
you are referring to the tightly-knit group of people who often share a common culture and
history. The word is seldom used to refer to a place. India is a large country, but a poor nation.
Since the people living in different parts of South America share a common language, and a
common culture, it is possible to talk about the nations of South America. A country may consist
of many nations. For example, take the case of the Soviet Union. Before it broke up, it was one
big country containing many nations.
Television has proved that people will look at anything rather than each other. Ann
Landers


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July 19, 2011
What is the difference between spouse' and wife?
The word spouse' can be used to refer to the husband or the wife. A wife can refer to the
husband as her spouse, and the husband can refer to the wife as his spouse. The word comes
from the Latin sponsus' meaning to pledge or promise. Wife', on the other hand, is used to refer
to the female partner in a marriage. It comes from the Old English wif' meaning woman'. Wife'
meaning woman' still survives in words like midwife' and fishwife', and in the expression old
wives' tale'.
Is it okay to say bested'?
Yes, it is. Most of us use best' as an adjective (Ramu is the best student in class), adverb (Which
do you like best?) and a noun (The best deserves to be rewarded). It is also possible, however, to
use best' as a verb. When used in this manner, the word means to defeat or overcome someone.
*The champion was bested in straight sets by a younger and fitter opponent.
What is the meaning of guesstimate'?
This word which began to be used by statisticians in the 1930s is a combination of two words:
guess' and estimate'. When you guesstimate', you make an educated guess; a rough estimate.
When you estimate something, you arrive at some sort of conclusion based on facts or data. In
the case of guesstimate', you are making a prediction without adequate information. Some
dictionaries define the word as an estimate using a mixture of guesswork and calculation'. Like
the word estimate', guesstimate' can be used as a noun and a verb.
*Vittal's guesstimate is that the share prices will go up by another Rs. 50.
*Bhanu's task is to guesstimate how many will buy the product.


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Why do we say brand new'?
When you say that the jeans that you are wearing are brand new', you mean they are absolutely
new. You have bought them recently and are perhaps wearing them for the first time. The word
brand' comes from the Old English baernan' meaning burn'. When animals are branded',
people usually burn a mark on their skin. The expression brand new' has been around since the
Middle Ages, and it was mostly used to refer to new pottery and any form of metal work. A pot
that was brand new' was one that had just been removed from the furnace it had been placed in
for hardening. It was also common practice to refer to these articles which had been just removed
from the furnace/fire as fire new'. Shakespeare used this expression in Richard III: Your fire-
new stamp of Honour is scarce current.
How is the word quinquennial' pronounced?
The first syllable quin' rhymes with the word swing', and the e' in the second syllable sounds
like the e' in set', pet', and get'. The i' is like the i' in bit' and fit' and the final a' sounds like
the a' in china'. One way of pronouncing the word is kwing-KWE-ni-el', with the stress on the
second syllable. The fifth anniversary of any event can be called quinquennial'. The word can
also be used to refer to an event that happens every five years or to something that lasts for five
years.
Evening news is where they begin with Good evening', and then proceed to tell you why it
isn't. Unknown
July 5, 2011
What is the difference between far-fetched' and far-reaching'?
The word far-fetched' is mostly used to show disapproval. When you say that someone's story or
account of something is far-fetched', you are suggesting that you do not believe what the person
has said. The story contains so many improbable elements that it is difficult to swallow.
Common sense suggests what the person has said is unlikely to be true. An idea that is far-
fetched' is impractical.

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*The child's far-fetched excuse for being late made the teacher laugh.
When something that you do has a far-reaching' effect, it influences many people or things. The
changes which the action brings about are usually significant and widespread.
*If strictly implemented, the new rules will have far-reaching benefits for all students.
How is the word controversy' pronounced?
There seems to be two different ways of pronouncing the word. One way is to pronounce the
con' like the word con' and the following o' like the a' in china'. In this case, the word is
pronounced KON-tre-ver-si' with the stress on the first syllable. Some people pronounce the
first o' like the a' in china' and the second like the o' in don' and con'. They pronounce the
word ken-TRO-ver-si' with the stress on the second syllable. Both pronunciations are
acceptable.
What is the meaning and origin of run the gauntlet'?
In everyday contexts, the expression is mostly used to mean to be severely criticised by many
people'. When you run the gauntlet, you face or endure a series of problems or threats. The idiom
can also be used to mean to be attacked from all sides'.
*The Minister had to run the gauntlet of angry farmers for attempting to promote genetically
modified seeds.
The gauntlet' in the idiom has nothing to do with the gloves that knights of the bygone days
wore. The word is a corruption of the Swedish gattalope', meaning run along a narrow path'.
According to historians, when a soldier in King Gustavus Adolphus' army committed a crime, he
was severely punished he was asked to strip to his waist, and run the gauntlet. The narrow
path which he had to run through consisted of two rows of men in this case, his comrades-in-
arms. As the soldier ran between the rows, the men on both sides flogged him with their whips
and stabbed him with their knives. The length of each row was determined by the seriousness of
the crime. Very often, the soldier died before he reached the end of the line.

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What is the meaning of que sera, sera'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this expression. The que' is pronounced like the name
Kay'. The e' in sera' is like the a' in china', and the a' is like the a' in path' and bath'. This is
one way of pronouncing this expression which means what will be, will be'. In the well-known
song Que Sera Sera' made famous by Doris Day, a child asks her mother whether she will be
pretty and rich when she grows up. The wise mother replies, Que sera, sera, whatever will be,
will be, the future's not ours to see, que sera, sera.'
"When a man retires and time is no longer a matter of urgent importance, his colleagues
generally present him with a watch.R.C. Sherriff
August 9, 2011
Why do people say biting remark'?
This is an expression which is mostly used to show disapproval. When you make a biting
remark', you usually say something which is intended to wound or hurt the feelings of the person
at whom the words are directed. You are deliberately being harsh and unkind; the language you
use may seem clever, but the intention is to cause pain. It is also possible to talk about biting
criticism' and biting wit'.
*Renu's biting remarks about the bride left everyone stunned.
According to some scholars, the expression owes its origin to the Greek philosopher Zeno. The
story goes that Zeno and a few of his friends attempted to overthrow the tyrant Nearchos, but
failed. The philosopher was captured and sentenced to die. The tyrant ordered his men to place
Zeno in a large bowl, and then proceed to pound him to death using sticks. After suffering this
torture for some time, the dying Zeno whispered that he was willing to reveal the names of his
co-conspirators. When Nearchos came close to Zeno, the dying philosopher bit off the tyrant's
ear. This act gave rise to the proverb A remark more biting than Zeno's', and it is from this we
get biting remark'.

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What is the difference between incomparable' and uncomparable'?
The word uncomparable', though not listed in most dictionaries, is a legitimate word.
Dictionaries that do include it state it is old fashioned. When you say that two things are
incomparable' or uncomparable', you are implying that the two cannot be compared; they are so
very different that comparison of any kind is impossible.
*You are wasting your time; the two are incomparable or uncomparable.
Incomparable' has an additional meaning as well. When you say that something or someone is
incomparable', you are suggesting the thing/person is unique.
*The incomparable Sachin Tendulkar was present at the meeting.
How is the word rendezvous' pronounced?
The e' in the first syllable sounds like the o' in hot', and pot', while the e' in the second is
pronounced like the ay' in day', and bay'. The final ous' sounds like the oo' in cool', and
pool'. The word is pronounced RON-day-voo' with the stress on the first syllable. It comes
from the French rendez' meaning present' and vous' meaning you'. The word, originally meant
present yourselves', nowadays is mostly used to refer to the place where a particular group of
people usually present themselves or meet.
*The coffee shop is a popular rendezvous for the students.
The word can also be used to refer to a secret meeting at a particular place or time.
*Don't be late for our rendezvous.
Why is luck always associated with Lady'?
Well, I guess we have to thank the Romans and the Greeks for that. They believed that the god of
fortune was a woman. Since then, luck has always been associated with a woman. The Romans
called her Fortuna, and she was capable of bringing good and bad luck to someone.

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*We lost the first two matches quite badly. Looks like Lady Luck has deserted us.
The way my luck is running, if I was a politician I would be honest. Rodney Dangerfield
July 26, 2011
Which is correct: None of them have/has'?
Both are acceptable. The word none' comes from the Old English nan' meaning not one'. There
was a time when careful users of the language argued that since none' is singular, it should be
followed by a singular verb and a singular pronoun. None of the children was allowed to enter
his room. Nowadays, of course, one can use either a singular or a plural verb: None of the
children were/was allowed to enter their/his room. When none' is preceded by almost', then a
plural verb is preferred. Almost none of the Ministers were present at the meeting.
What is the meaning of parlance'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of the word. The first syllable sounds like the word par'
and the a' in the second syllable sounds like the a' in china'. The word is pronounced PAA-
lens' with the stress on the first syllable. It comes from the French parler' meaning speak'. Like
the word jargon', parlance' refers to the type of language that people belonging to a particular
profession use in their conversation. It can also be used to refer to the style of speaking that
certain sections of a community choose to adopt.
*Please, no legal parlance. Tell us in a language we'll understand.
What is the origin of birdie' in golf?
In golf, a player is allowed a certain number of strokes to sink the ball into the hole. This fixed
number for each hole is called par'. If the individual takes one shot less than the prescribed
number to tap the ball into the hole, then he is said to have made a birdie'. The word comes from
the Old English brid' meaning bird'. With the passage of time, brid' became bird, and like
many words acquired an additional meaning. It began to mean excellent'; soon the word was

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used to refer to things and people of excellence. Since a golfer achieved something amazing by
tapping the ball into the hole one stroke under par, this excellent achievement began to be called
birdie'. Later, bird' became synonymous with guy' and fellow'. This meaning survives even
today.
What is the difference between luxurious' and luxuriant'?
Although both words are derived from the Latin luxus', they have, over a period of time,
acquired slightly different meanings. Luxurious is related to the word luxury'; it means
characterised by wealth and comfort'. The word can also be used to mean giving great
pleasure'.
*They spent their vacation in a luxurious hotel near the beach.
*Jai sighed, stretching luxuriously in the bathtub.
Luxuriant', on the other hand, means abundant growth'. It is mostly used with reference to
vegetation and an individual's hair.
*Sneha's luxuriant hair was the envy of her friends.
The word can be used figuratively to mean fertile'.
*Some of the students have a luxuriant imagination.
What do you call someone who plays the flute?
The most common word to refer to this individual is flutist'. Some people use the word flautist'.
The au' sounds like the au' in caught', naught', and taught'. In both cases, the stress is on the
first syllable.
The nice thing about being a celebrity is that if you bore people they think it's their fault.
Henry Kissinger


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July 12, 2011
Is it okay to say real fact'?
We often hear Indians say, It is a real fact' and It is a true fact.' It is not uncommon for native
speakers of English to come up with such sentences as well. Careful users of the language,
however, would frown on them. They would argue that real' and true' are redundant in these
sentences. When you say that something is a fact', you are implying that the piece of
information is true, there is proof that it is real. It is therefore unnecessary to use true' or real'
with fact'.
How is the word satchel' pronounced?
The satch' rhymes with the words hatch', catch', and patch'; the following e' sounds like the
a' in china'. The word is pronounced SATCH-el' with the stress on the first syllable. Before the
introduction of backpacks', children used to carry their books to school in a satchel. It was a
rectangular bag, usually made of thick cloth, with a long strap to go around the shoulder.
*Somebody should tell Madhavi to discard her old satchel.
What is the meaning and origin of three ring circus'?
When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are implying that it is rather
confusing. There are so many activities taking place at the same time that they leave you
confused or annoyed.
*I can't study at home. My visiting relatives have turned it into a three-ring circus.
*It was a three-ring circus with my wife screaming, her cell phone ringing, and the TV blaring.
The expression, as expected, comes from the world of entertainment the circus. The area
where the artists perform their acts for the audience is called the ring'. In the past, some of the
circuses were so big and so grand that they had three acts taking place simultaneously in three
different rings'. It was left to the individual to decide which ring' he wanted to focus on. The

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different acts taking place at the same time were often spectacular, and left the spectator
wondering where to look.
What is the origin of left wing'?
Nowadays, Communist parties everywhere are referred to as the Left'. The expression left
wing' came into being during the time of the French Revolution. I understand that when the
French National Assembly met in 1789, the nobles, who didn't want any changes in the way
things were run, sat in the right side of the room in which the meeting took place. The First
Estate, or the revolutionaries who wanted radical changes to be brought about, sat in the left
wing. This seating arrangement resulted in the conservatives being called right wing' and the
liberals left wing'. This practice of the Left sitting to the left of the presiding officer continues in
many countries even today.
What is the opposite of flammable'?
Something that can easily catch fire can be labelled flammable' or inflammable'. The two words
mean the same thing. The in' in inflammable' does not mean unable to' but able to'. The
opposites of these two words are non-flammable' and non-inflammable'.
Politicians are like the bones of a horse's fore-shoulder not a straight one in it.Wendell
Phillips
http://english-u.blogspot.in/2011/02/know-your-english-november-2010.html
Know Your English
What is the meaning of cyber hoarding'?
What is the difference between gulp back' and gulp down'?
What is the meaning of clarion call'?
Is it okay to say on the anvil'?
What is the meaning of my way or the highway'?
Why does put up your dukes' mean put up your fists'?
What is the meaning of diva'?

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What is the difference between headmaster' and principal'?
How is the word circa' pronounced?
December 2010
KNOW YOUR ENGLISH
What is the meaning and origin of the expression play possum?
How is the expression higgledy piggledy' pronounced?
Is there a difference in meaning between I haven't had problems
with the students so far' and till now'?
What is the meaning of Cassandra'?
How is the word apartheid' pronounced?
What is the difference between departed' and dead'?
What is the meaning of cousin twice removed'?
What is the meaning and origin of give someone the bird'?
What is the meaning of open a can of worms'?
How is the word eulogy' pronounced?
What is the origin of the word indigo'?
What is the meaning of gone for a toss'?
What is the difference between tread on' and tread upon'?
January 2011
What is the meaning of Kilkenny cats'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this word. The first syllable sounds like the word kill',
while the second rhymes with the words pen', ten', and den'. The final y' is like the i' in it'
and bit'. The word is pronounced kill-KEN-i' with the stress on the second syllable. When you
say that two people fought like Kilkenny cats, you mean they fought valiantly till the bitter end.
*The two political parties fought like Kilkenny cats over the matter.
Kilkenny is actually the name of a small town in Ireland. According to one theory, the people in
this town took great delight in tying the tails of two cats together and enjoyed watching the
terrified animals fight each other in order to get free. If the stories doing the rounds are to be

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believed, on one occasion, the two cats ended up eating each other the only thing that remained
were the tails' of the two animals. A tall tale indeed!
Know Your English
What is the difference between con someone into something' and con
someone out of something'?
What is the meaning and origin of sail under false colours'?
How is the word conglomerate' pronounced?
Is it okay to say, The film has its moments'?
What is the difference between comptroller' and controller'?
What is the meaning and origin of neck and crop'?
How is the word raucous' pronounced?
Which is correct: Let's go to the movie' or Let's go to the movies'?
What is the meaning of Kilkenny cats'?
How is the word dossier' pronounced?
What is the difference between bravado' and 'bravery'?
What is the meaning of spinning one's wheels'?

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Know Your English (Jan2001)

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Know your English
``HAPPY NEW Year!''
``A Happy New Year to you too. You don't look too good. What's wrong? Too
much dancing last night?''
``Not really. I stayed awake till 5:00 in the morning. That's all.''
``You look terrible. Go into the drawing room and take a load off your feet.''
``What load are you talking about? I don't have anything on my feet!''
``When someone says, `get a load off your feet', it means they want you to sit
down and relax.''
``I see. But didn't you say, `take' a load off your feet the first time?''
``That's right. You can either say, `take a load off your feet', or `get a load off your
feet'. Both are acceptable.''
``So, can I tell someone, `Come on in, and take a load off your feet'?''
``You certainly can. Here's another example. Get a load off your feet and have a
drink.''
``A drink! That's nice. What is it that you are offering?''
``Nothing actually. That was just an example.''
``You are such a lousy host. Anyway, what did you do during the Christmas
break?''
``Nothing much actually. Just let the grass grow under my feet.''
``Just let the grass grow under your feet? What does that mean?''
``It means that I didn't do anything. I just....''

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``....didn't do anything, eh? Sounds like you all right. Geetha is the only person I
know who doesn't let the grass grow under her feet.''
``Most people I know who work in Government offices let the grass grow under
their feet.''
``Isn't that what people working in Government Departments are supposed to do?
That's one of their basic requirements, isn't it? Many of my cousins think that I let
the grass grow under my feet. Anand keeps telling me this all the time.''
``How is Anand doing by the way? Does he like the new job?''
``He is still finding his feet.''
``Finding his feet! Has he lost them? Ha! Ha!''
``Ha! Ha! The expression `to find....''
``....I know what the expression `to find one's feet' means.''
``You do?''
``Of course, I do. It means getting used to a new situation. Am I right?''
``Absolutely. When I joined the company, my boss said that I would need time to
learn about how the company works. He said that I would find my feet gradually.''
``When my cousin went to the States, she was miserable. But when she called us
up last week, she said that she was finally beginning to find her feet.''
``That usually happens to people who push off to the States. First, they hate the
place. Later, they fall in love with it and they don't want to come back home.''
``That's true.''
``Here's another example. When my cousin Gayathri was made the Principal of
her college, she was all at sea. Now, she is slowly finding her feet.''

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``Your cousin Gayathri? Isn't she an actress?''
``No, that's my cousin Ambika. Gayathri is the one who wrote a couple of plays.''
``Does she still write....?''
``....I don't think so. The last one she wrote, the audience voted with its feet.''
``Another expression with feet? What does it mean?''
``When you `vote with your feet', you show your displeasure about something by
walking out. You ....''
``....in other words, if you don't like something, you just get up and walk.''
``That's right. When the superstar's latest movie was released, a lot of people
voted with their feet. Many walked out after the first half an hour.''
``When the Chairman began to talk about his new proposal, many of the
shareholders voted with their feet.''
``That's a very good example. Most women do not like the new detergent that we
have come up with. They are voting with their feet.''
``The next time a politician visits our constituency, we should vote with our feet.''
``That's a good idea. Hey, do you want to help me clean the garage? It will be
fun.''
``Well, since you have used so many expressions using the word `feet', I have
only one thing to say.''
``What's that?''
``My foot!''

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``We are sorry to announce that Mr. Albert Brown has been quite unwell, owing to
his recent death, and is taking a short holiday to recover.'' - Parish Magazine
KYE PART IV
Know your English 18-6-13
Is it okay to say Im running 75?
We Indians are always in a rush. When we are driving, we are in such a tearing hurry to get to
our destination that we ignore all traffic rules.
It is not surprising, therefore, that we are always running some particular age. In our country,
when you ask someone his age, we usually get a complicated reply: Ive completed 39 and am
now running 40.
The expression running 40, though common within India, is unheard of in native varieties of
English. Instead of running, they tend to say going on. Remember the famous song from
Sound of Music: I am sixteen going on seventeen? Is it wrong to say running 40? In India,
you can run with the expression!
What is the meaning of puffery?
This is a word mostly used in American English to refer false praise.
Whenever a new product is launched, there is usually hype around the event. In order to promote
the product, people praise it to the skies often, making it sound like it is the best thing since
sliced bread!
This hype or exaggerated praise that is often resorted to by advertisers and those in the public
relations profession is called puffery. In informal contexts, the British refer to it as puff.
*Dont believe a word Mukund says. Its just marketing puffery.
*Tell it like it is. There should be no puffery in the ad.
Some people drop the e and pronounce the word PUFF-ri. Otherwise, the word is pronounced
PUFF-e-ri.
What is the meaning and origin of a fig leaf?
According to the Bible, when Adam and Eve tasted the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, they
became aware that they were naked. In order to hide their nudity, they used fig leaves to cover

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themselves. Nowadays, the expression a fig leaf is used figuratively to mean something that is
used to conceal a problem, difficulty or embarrassment.
*Voluntary retirement is just a fig leaf. The man is actually being fired.
What is the difference between skulking and sulking?
When you sulk, you are unhappy about something, and as a result, do not interact with those
around you. You make it clear to everyone that you are unhappy; you sit in one corner of the
room, and mope. One can be in a sulk or one can have a case of the sulks.
*Whats wrong with Meera? Shes been sulking all morning.
*Dont go anywhere near Swami. Hes got a serious case of the sulks.
The word skulk comes from the Norwegian skulke meaning to shirk or malinger. In British
English, the word is used to refer to someone who pretends to be unwell in order to avoid doing
work. It can also be used to mean to lie in wait for someone or move about in a stealthy manner.
People usually skulk when they intend to harm another person.
*Get on with the job. I know you are just skulking.
*The girls panicked when they spotted three men skulking behind the building.
My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance. Erma Bombeck
KYE PART V
Why is 111 in cricket called a Nelson?????????
The number 111 is sometimes called a "nelson" (particularly as a score in cricket or darts) after
Admiral Nelson, who allegedly only had "One Eye, One Arm, One Ball" near the end of his life.
(This is sometimes bowdlerized to say that he lost "One Eye, One Arm, One Life" during his
naval career.) Another suggestion is that the number is derived from his three great victories,
thus Copenhagen, Nile & Trafalgar which gives the sequence "Won - Won - Won".

A score of 111 or multiples thereof (called "double nelson", "triple nelson" etc.) is considered an
ill omen in cricket, because the figures "111" resemble a wicket without bails. Some people,
most notably David Shepherd, develop superstitions around nelsons.

What is the meaning and origin of turn a Nelson's eye'?
The expression has been around for several hundred years, and it has the same meaning as turn a
blind eye' to something. When you turn a blind eye to a problem, you choose to deliberately
ignore it; you pretend the problem does not exist.

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*How can Gautam turn a Nelson's eye to the rampant corruption in his department?
*The Vice-Chancellor turned a Nelson's eye to the drug problem on campus.
The Nelson in the expression refers to Horatio Nelson, the inspirational British naval officer who
was blind in one eye. In 1801, at Copenhagen, Nelson led the main attack against a fleet of
Dutch and Norwegian ships. During the height of battle, Nelson's superior officer, Admiral Hyde
Parker, signalled him to withdraw. When Nelson's men saw the signal, they informed him of it.
Nelson then took out his telescope and looked through it using his blind eye. He is believed to
have said, I have only one eye, and I have the right to be blind sometimes. I really do not see the
signal. Nelson ordered his men to continue fighting, and a few hours later, after a hard fought
battle, he emerged victorious.
What is the difference between unsatisfied' and dissatisfied'?
Unsatisfied' is the opposite of satisfied'. A person who is unsatisfied about something is less
than satisfied because this individual hasn't got enough of the thing he or she wanted. This
feeling of unhappiness is usually temporary. A dissatisfied' person, on the other hand, is a
discontented individual; he feels terribly disappointed or frustrated about a person, thing or
situation. This feeling of unhappiness is usually about the lack of something, and it is not always
short lived. It is something that constantly weighs on his mind. Though an unsatisfied individual
does not get enough of what he wants, he may not actively feel dissatisfied about it.
*In our country, there is an unsatisfied demand for good schools.
*Bhaskar has been dissatisfied with his job for several years now.
What is the meaning of per se'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this Latin expression. The first word is pronounced like
the word per', and the second, like the word say'. It is pronounced per-SAY' with the main
stress on the second word. Per se' means of or by itself'. For example, one can say, Driving,
per se, is not something I really enjoy.' The use of per se' in the sentence suggests that you are
looking at driving in isolation. You are in no way comparing driving with anything else; you are
not considering it in relation to any other thing.
*My boss, per se, isn't an interesting person to talk to. But he has wonderful contacts.
*Uma's job, per se, isn't very interesting, but she manages to make some easy money.
Does the word disremember' exist?
Yes, it does. The dictionaries that have listed disremember' define it as a word used in informal
contexts in American English to mean to forget' or fail to remember'. Some label the word U.S
dialect'; it is not considered to be a part of Standard English.

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*My last vacation was terrible. It's something I would like to disremember.
Prayer of the modern American: Dear God, I pray for patience. And I want it right now'!
Oren Arnold
Know your English 3-9-13
What is the meaning of ultracrepidarian?
First, let us deal with the pronunciation of the word. The first two syllables are pronounced like
the word ultra, and the following crep rhymes with prep and rep. The I is like the I in
bit, hit, and sit, and the dar is pronounced like the word dare. The word is pronounced
ul-tra-krep-i-DARE-ien with the stress on the fifth syllable. An ultracrepidarian is someone
who is in the habit of giving advice on matters he himself knows nothing about like a
politician! This Latin word literally means beyond the shoe.
*My ultracrepidarian uncle will be spending two weeks with us.
The story goes that when the Greek painter Apellis displayed his beautiful painting of Alexander
the Great, a shoemaker pointed out that the sandals in the painting did not have the required
number of loops. The artist thanked him, and immediately set about making the required
changes. Once they had been carried out, the emboldened shoemaker began to comment on other
aspects of the painting the shape of Alexander's legs, his robes, etc. Apellis put an end to it by
saying, Sutor, ne ultra crepidam, meaning shoemaker, not above the sandal. The wise painter
was trying to tell the shoemaker that he should limit his comments to his area of expertise
shoes and avoid passing judgment on things he knows nothing about. William Hazlitt, the
well-known essayist, coined the word ultracrepidarin in 1819.
What is the difference between as if andas though?
In terms of meaning, there is no difference between the two expressions. They can be used
interchangeably when you are referring to how someone looks or behaves. In formal contexts,
the verb that follows these expressions is usually in the plural. In everyday conversation,
however, people generally make use of the singular verb.

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*Arthi looked as if/as though she were going to throw up.
How is the wordresuscitate pronounced?
The e in the first syllable and the i in the third are pronounced like the i in hit, bit and
fit. The second syllable sus rhymes with bus, us and fuss, while the final syllable rhymes
with fate, date and late. The c is silent. The word is pronounced ri-SUS-i-tate with the
stress on the second syllable. It comes from the Latin resuscitatus meaning to revive or raise.
Nowadays, the word is mostly used to mean to revive someone who is unconscious or is very
close to death.
*While he was in hospital, he had a heart attack. The doctors were unable to resuscitate him.
Resuscitate has a figurative meaning as well; it is used very often nowadays to mean to make
something active and vigorous again.
*The government is trying to resuscitate the countrys economy.
Is it okay to say,She is a nice car?
Although most people would say It is a nice car, English allows the pronoun she to be used
with ships, cars and countries. Also, with hurricanes!
I love mankind. Its the people I cant stand. Charles Schultz
KYE SEPTEMBER 2013
How is the word convalesce pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word 'con', and the 'a' in the second sounds like the 'a' in
'china'. The final 'lesce' is pronounced like the word 'less'. The word is pronounced 'con-ve-
LESS' with the stress on the final syllable. It comes from the Latin 'con' meaning 'together' and
'valescere' meaning 'to grow strong'. Usually after an illness, people take rest in order to recover
their strength. This period of time one spends trying to recuperate after a serious illness or

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accident is called 'convalescing'. In some countries, what we call 'nursing homes' are referred to
as 'convalescent homes'.
*After the surgery, Mahesh spent nearly six months convalescing.
What is the meaning of I would like to powder my nose?
Some people don't like using words like 'bathroom', 'lavatory', 'toilet', etc. They feel rather
embarrassed to use these words in everyday conversation. If they wish to know where the
bathroom is, they find a roundabout way of asking for it. Women use the expression 'I would like
to powder my nose' to mean that they would like to use the bathroom. Another expression that
has the same meaning is, 'I'd like to wash my hands'. Bathrooms are often referred to as 'powder
rooms' because women use it to freshen up. They touch up their makeup while they are there-
applying a bit of lipstick and dabbing a little bit of powder on their nose to make sure that it
doesn't shine. Other words that are frequently used to refer to the bathroom are 'restroom', 'john'
and 'facility'.
What is the meaning of skedaddle?
First, let us deal with the pronunciation of the word. The first syllable is pronounced like the
word 'ski', and the second like the word 'dad'. The final 'dle' sounds like the 'dle' in 'candle' and
'handle'. One way to pronounce the word is 'ski-DAD-el' with the stress on the second syllable. It
is mostly used in informal contexts to mean to run away or leave quickly.
*When the kids saw the Principal, they skedaddled.
No one is really sure about the origin of the word. It became quite popular during the American
Civil War (1861-65); soldiers who beat a hasty retreat during a battle were said to be
'skedaddling'. Men who refused to fight and ran off to Canada to escape being conscripted were
labelled 'skedaddlers'.
Is it okay to say Me and my children went to the park yesterday?

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There is nothing wrong with the sentence. In fact, even native speakers of English come up with
such sentences, especially in informal contexts. It is common to hear people say 'Me and my
friends played football yesterday'. People who are fond of grammar, however, would maintain
that such sentences are wrong. They would argue that the pronoun 'me' can occur only in the
object position of a sentence. According to them, one should say, 'My children and I went to the
park yesterday' and 'My friends and I played football'.
What is the meaning and origin of hang up ones gloves?
It has the same meaning as to hang up ones boots in other words, to retire. The gloves
used in the expression refer to the ones that a boxer wears during a bout. In the past, hang up
ones gloves was used whenever a boxer decided to call it a day. Nowadays, of course, the
idiom is used to refer to any individual who is retiring. Similarly, the expressions hang up ones
fiddle and hang up ones sword were used when a musician and someone from the military
retired. They are seldom heard today.
*Meera says she will be hanging up her gloves soon.
What is the difference between stare and glare?
When you stare at someone, you look at the person rather intently; your eyes are wide open and
you keep looking at the individual for some time. There may be several reasons why you stare at
someone or something it could be one of admiration or amazement. Fear is another reason
why a person may stare at something or someone. Parents often tell their little ones not to stare at
others. When you glare at someone, you look at thewm angrily or threateningly there is no
other emotion involved here. You dont glare at someone in amazement. Glaring suggests
hostility, and unlike staring, the look that you give the individual may not last very long.
*Would you please stop staring at the pimple on my nose?
*Mala glared at Vatsan, but he pretended not to notice.
How is the word hubbub pronounced?

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The ub in the first and second syllable sounds like the ub in tub, pub, and sub. The word
is pronounced HUB-ub with the stress on the first syllable. Scholars believe that it comes from
the Irish ababu; a blood curdling battle cry that Irish soldiers employed to intimidate their
enemies on the battlefield. In everyday contexts, hubbub is normally used to refer to a loud
noise, usually unpleasant, that is created when a lot of people get together.
*The hubbub at the ceremony gave me a splitting headache.
The word can also be used to mean a noisy, but exciting situation.
*Even today, there is considerable hubbub surrounding Tendulkar.
What is the meaning of honestly in the following sentence: Honestly, I dont
understand why she just doesnt fire Rahul?
The word honestly is frequently used in speech to indicate ones emotion or mood. In the
example that you have given, it suggests that the speaker is angry or irritated. The person is
unable to understand why Rahuls boss hasnt given him the pink slip. Honestly is used in
everyday conversation to convey a range of emotions mild disapproval, disgust, surprise, etc.
*Honestly, look at the mess that woman has made.
Theres one way to find out if a man is honest ask him. If he says, Yes, you know he is a
crook. Groucho Marx
What is the difference between make a pitch for someone and make a play
for someone?
When you make a pitch for someone, you speak in support of the individual. During elections,
for example, the president of a political party makes a pitch for the local party candidate. He
makes a determined effort to promote the individual, and in the process tries to persuade the
people to vote for him. It is also possible to make a pitch for something. When you do this, you
try to promote something an idea, a product, etc.

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*As usual, the selectors made a pitch for players from their zone.
*I lost respect for the star when he started making a pitch for a fairness cream.
When you make a play for someone, you do things to attract the attention of another person;
perhaps you wish to have a romantic relationship with him/her. When you make a play for
something, you do everything to get what you want an important job, assignment, etc.
*Nageshwar made a play for the Directors post.
*The manager made a play for the young secretary.
How is the word finagle pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word fin, and the following a is like the ay in pay,
day and say. The final gle sounds like the gle in angle, bugle and juggle. The word is
pronounced fi-NAY-gl with the stress on the second syllable. It is mostly used in informal
contexts in American English to show disapproval. When you finagle someone into doing
something, you trick or deceive him into doing it; you get what you want by cheating or conning
someone. A person who dupes others is called a finagler.
*Ritika finagled a discount on the textbooks by claiming to be a teacher.
*Gitesh has the reputation of being a finagler.
What is the meaning and origin of fag end?
When you talk about the fag end of something, you are referring to the most uninteresting part
of an event; it is usually the last part of something, and is always the most boring or the least
significant part.
*A few students walked in at the fag end of the Principals speech.
*Harish becomes slightly depressed during the fag end of the cricket season.

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We know that cigarettes are informally referred to as fags, but the fag in fag end has nothing
to do with cancer sticks or cigarettes.
The frayed end of a long piece of rope or a long piece of cloth was usually called the fag end.
According to scholars, the word fag was a corruption of the word flag. In the past, one of the
meanings of flag was to droop or hang down limply. Since the frayed end of a rope or cloth
hangs limply, they began to be called fag end. Later, the term fag end began to be used to
refer to a cigarette butt. With the passage of time, the end was dropped and the word fag
began to be used to refer to cigarettes in general.
If you wish to smoke, please take your butt outside. Anonymous
What is the meaning and origin of go against the grain?
This expression was in existence long before Shakespeare started writing his plays. According to
scholars, however, it was the dramatist who popularised the use of the idiom. He first used it in
his play Coriolanus. When you tell someone that he is going against the grain, you mean that
he is doing the exact opposite of what he normally does. He is not doing what is expected of him.
*Shwetha doesnt like asking people for help. It goes against the grain.
*He is going against the grain by trying to be an honest politician.
According to one theory, the expression comes from the world of carpentry. The fine lines that
you find on a piece of wood are called grain. If you wish to smoothen wood, for best results,
you should run the tool you are using along the grain, and not against it.
Why is a woman sometimes referred to as black widow?
In the insect world, a black widow is a poisonous spider that usually consumes or eats its partner
after mating with him. In the case of human beings, the term is frequently used to refer to a
woman who murders her husband or her significant other. There is a term to refer to a man who
murders his wife bluebeard. It is the name of a character from a literary folktale (La Barbe
Bleue). In the story, the villain is a vicious French aristocrat with an ugly blue beard. This

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individual is in the habit of killing the woman he marries. When he marries for the seventh time,
his new wife turns the tables on him with the help of her family, she manages to kill him.
Some believe that the story is based on the life of the French aristocrat Giles de Rais; a serial
killer who made many women disappear.
How is the word prescient pronounced?
There seem to be different ways of pronouncing this rather formal word. Some people rhyme the
first syllable presc with the word fresh, while others pronounce it like the word press. The
following i is like the i in bit, kit and sit, and the e is like the a in china. The word
can be pronounced PRESH-i-ent or PRESS-i-ent with the stress on the first syllable. It comes
from the Latin prae meaning before and scire meaning to know. The word literally means
having the ability to foretell or predict what is likely to happen in the future.
*No one was willing to listen to his prescient warnings.
*Rahul predicted the outcome with amazing prescience.
When you call someone calculating are you being complimentary?
No, you are not; you are being the exact opposite. When the word calculating is used with an
individual, it suggests that the person is devious or crafty. You are saying he is a scheming
individual, always driven by self-interest. Most people disapprove of those who are calculating.
*I dont like Laxman. He is cold and calculating.
Life was much easier when Apple and Blackberry were just fruits. Unknown
Is it okay to say, The children are well versed with the rules of English?
People are usually well-versed in something and not with. When you say that someone is well
versed in something, it means that the individual is very knowledgeable about it; it could be a
particular subject or an area. This knowledge has been gained through experience, and not

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necessarily by reading books. In your example, you are saying that the children know the rules of
grammar thoroughly.
*Surprisingly, the American was well-versed in Tamil literature.
*The professor was well-versed in Carnatic music.
What is the meaning and origin of make the grade?
This is an expression mostly used in American English in informal contexts. When something
that you have done makes the grade, it means that you have done it satisfactorily; the required
standard has been met. This expression is mostly used in the negative, and can be used with
people as well. Measure up, pass muster and make the cut are other expressions that have
more or less the same meaning.
*Sarvesh wanted to get into IIT, but he failed to make the grade.
*Sujathas chocolate cake didnt quite make the grade.
There are several theories regarding the origin of the expression. According to one, grade has
nothing to do with school the class a student is in or the marks he has got on a test.
In American English, grade is also used to refer to a gradient or a slope. In the context of the
idiom, it refers to the steep incline a train has to climb. A train that makes the grade is one that is
successful in climbing a steep incline or slope.
What is the difference between talking terms and speaking terms?
The expression on talking terms is an Indianism. Native speakers of English would say
speaking terms. When two people are not on speaking terms, they are not on friendly terms;
they do not talk to each other.
*Im on speaking terms with everyone in my office.
*Im told the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar are not on speaking terms.

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Is it okay to say, Radhas daughter is in the family way?
The expressions in the family way and in a family way are frequently used in India in
everyday contexts to mean that a girl/woman is pregnant or is expecting.
Native speakers would consider them to be rather old fashioned and may use them in order to
sound humorous. In everyday contexts, native speakers would say: She is expecting/with
child/pregnant/going to have a baby.
How is the word cuisine pronounced?
The first syllable of this French word sounds like the qui in quick and quit. The following
s is like the z in zip and zoo, and the final ine like the een in teen, keen and seen.
The word is pronounced kwi-ZEEN with the stress on the second syllable. Dictionaries define
it as style of cooking.
*The restaurant is well known for its vegetarian cuisine.
I dont eat snails. I prefer fast food. Strange de Jim
What is the meaning and origin of son of a gun?
The expression was originally used to refer to an illegitimate child. Over the years, son of a gun
has been used to express very different emotions. In American English, it is frequently used to
indicate surprise or shock. That son of a gun actually beat up the Principal. It can also be used
in informal contexts to refer to a mean person; it is a euphemistic way of calling someone a
mean bastard. Anand, that son of a gun, still hasnt returned my money. Strangely enough,
son of a gun can also be used as a term of endearment. The son of a gun won the
championship!
In the old days, it was standard practice for women to accompany sailors on long voyages.
Babies were often delivered on the ship. The delivery normally took place next to the canons.
Since all deaths and births on a ship had to be recorded, the newborns details were written up as

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well. If it was unclear as to who the father was, then next to the fathers name, the word Gun
was written referring to the cannon next to which the child was born. Against the childs
name, the word son was written!
Why do we say, He works for the UN, but He works for IBM?
The definite article is used when we are referring to a well-known organisation. For example,
Sheela works for the UN/BBC. But in the case of well-known international business
companies, the definite article is not used.
*Aditya is keen on working for IBM/Sony/BP.
Is it okay to refer to a student as being a backbencher?
In India, the term backbencher is used to refer to a student who sits in the back row; he is
someone who is not interested in his studies. He is every teachers nightmare for he takes great
delight in disrupting class. This meaning of back-bencher does not exist in native varieties of
English.
In British English, the word is normally used to refer to Members of Parliament who sit in the
backbench. These individuals are not Ministers and do not hold a prominent position in the
Government or in the opposition. While in our Parliament, both frontbenchers and back-
benchers create pand-emonium, mercifully in our classrooms, it is the backbencher!
*The backbenchers dont want a special class.
How is the word profligate pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word Prof' the following I is like the I in bit and
kit. The a is like the a in china and the final e is silent. The word is pronounced PROF-
li-get with the stress on the first syllable.
This is one way of pronouncing the word. When used as a noun, the word means someone who
spends recklessly.

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It can also be used to refer to someone with very low morals.
*Vinita doesnt realise she is married to a profligate.
*The Ministers profligate activities went unpunished.
Do something productive. Stop being yourself! Sarcasm Society
What is the difference between advert and advertorial?
Advert is the abbreviated or shortened form of advertisement. The word is mostly used in
informal contexts in British English. As far as the pronunciation is concerned, the first a is like
the a in cat and bat, and the er is like the ir in shirt, bird and third. The word is
pronounced AD-vert with the stress on the first syllable. An advertorial, on the other hand, is
a combination of two words: advertisement and editorial. Dictionaries define it as an
advertisement found in the print media that is written like an editorial the advertisement is
made to look like an objective news story. Information about the product is given in an objective
rather than promotional manner.
The advertorials that are aired on TV are called infomercials combi-nation of information
and commercial.
What is the meaning of discomfit?
First, let us deal with the pronunciation of the word. The com in the second syllable is
pronounced like the word come. The word is pronounced dis-COME-fit with the stress on the
second syllable. When you discomfit someone, you make the person rather uneasy or
embarrassed. The verb can also be used to mean to ruin someones plans. The original meaning
of this French word was to be utterly defeated or frustrated. But because discomfit sounded
a lot like discomfort, the meaning of the word gradually changed. Nowadays, the word is
mostly used to mean to disconcert or embarrass. The original meaning of this word is
considered archaic.
*The constant telephone calls discomfited him in his attempt to finish the project.

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Which is correct: iced tea or ice tea?
If you are a stickler for grammar rules, then it should be iced tea. But when iced is said
quickly, the final d sound is seldom heard. As a result, most people think it is ice tea and not
iced tea. Many are surprised when they see iced tea written on packages. It is interesting to
note that the dessert that most of us love to eat (ice cream) was originally called iced cream.
Over a period of time, it became ice cream. The same thing happened to iced water as well.
Everyone says ice water nowadays.
*Would you like to have some iced/ice tea?
Is it okay to say, How many years have you been put up in these quarters?
In India, there is a tendency to use the phrasal verb put up to mean to live or stay in some place.
In native varieties of English, when you inform someone that you have been put up in some
place, you mean that you will be staying there for a very short period of time. The expression is
mostly used to mean a temporary accommodation.
One cannot be put up in a hotel or an apartment for months together.
*Jayanthi asked if I could put her up for the weekend.
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But in practice, there is.
Yogi Berra
10-9-13 The Hindu
What is the meaning and origin of 'heads up'?
This American expression has several different meanings. One is to warn someone that
something is going to happen, and that he needs to be prepared for whatever may come his way.
The expression is also frequently used in everyday contexts to refer to someone who is wide-
awake and alert.

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*We got the heads up about the Chairman's proposed visit.
*Surprisingly, our team played a very heads up game.
Nobody is really sure about the origin of the expression. According to one theory, a person who
is wide awake and alert usually keeps his head up to ensure that he is able to see what is
happening around him. Someone who feels sleepy or drowsy, on the other hand, always keeps
dropping his head. According to another theory, the expression heads upwas used in the 19th
century to mean straighten up or keep your head up. Some believe that the modern use of the
expression comes from the heads-up display screen that gives pilots vital information about
their aircraft. In the past, since the screen was installed close to the windshield, the pilot was able
to monitor the readings without taking his eyes off the flight path. He was able to do both
provided he had his head up.
Is it okay to say, She bought an expensive pair of cooling glasses?
Indians frequently refer to the dark-lensed glasses that they wear in order to protect their eyes
from the bright sun as cooling glasses. Native speakers of English do not use this term, and will
probably have a problem figuring out what we mean by it. Shades, dark glasses, sunglasses,
and sun specs are some of the terms that they use instead of cooling glasses.
*Sathvika, as usual, looked cool in her shades/sun glasses.
*The villain in the film was always wearing a baseball cap and dark glasses.
How is the word nonchalant pronounced?
The first syllable is pronounced like the word non and the following ch is like the sh in
ship, shoot and sheet. The a in the second and third syllables is pronounced like the a in
china. One way of pronouncing this French word is NON-she-lent with the stress on the first
syllable. It comes from the Latin non being not and calere meaning be hot. Someone who
is nonchalant looks calm and relaxed; he is a cool person. The word can be used to show

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disapproval as well; it can be used to suggest that the person shows no interest or enthusiasm
about things happening around him.
*The star got out of his car, and gave a nonchalant wave to his adoring fans.
*Hema gave her resignation letter, and walked out of the room nonchalantly.
Is it okay to say, The cardboards you bought yesterday are no good?
Being an uncountable noun, the word cardboard is always followed by a singular verb. The
plural of cardboard is cardboard.
*The cardboard you bought is not particularly good.
*We won't be able to use the cardboard. It is damp.
******
Flattery is all right so long as you don't inhale. Adlai Stevenson