L’Esprit de l’Escalier: a State Every Introvert Has Experienced
There is a state that is experienced by introverts the world over. L’espirit de l’escalier is a French idiom meaning to have the wit of the staircase. Although it sounds like it means nothing, it is something we have all experienced. It is something we can all relate to, but…
14 Origins of Phrases You Probably Use Every Day but Had No Idea about
Have you ever walked into a tiny room and thought ‘I couldn’t swing a cat in here?’ Have you ever ‘rubbed someone up the wrong way?’ These are examples of phrases we use all the time, but do you know their origins? I love words. I love metaphors, words that…
10 Little-Known Origins of Words That Come from People’s Names
Does anyone fancy a ham and cheese stamford? You might be eating one right now if that particular Earl had invented what we all now know as the sandwich. Here are some other origins of words that come from people’s names. It’s a famous story but let’s just recap for…
13 Commonly Misused Words That May Belie Your Intelligence
Our language is a wonderful tool. We use it to communicate our innermost thoughts and feelings. Writers in particular love to seek out words that add nuance and layers to their work. But in doing so, they can sometimes pick commonly misused words. It can be tempting to pop that…
23 Weird Words That Have Different Meanings to Those You Imagine
Our language is full of weird words that look as if they mean one thing but actually imply something completely different. For example, take the word bucolic. If you didn’t already know what this word meant, you might surmise that it was a medical word connected to an illness of…
27 Foreign Words You Didn’t Know You Were Using Every Day
Some words are so intrinsically embedded into our unconscious that we don’t even realise they are foreign words. Take the internationally-known distress call of ‘May Day!’ for example. It derives from the French verb for help – 'aider'. In the 1920s, people were getting used to new international radio communications.…
25 Aesthetic Words Every Book Lover Will Appreciate
The English language is full of beautiful sounding words that are a delight to hear. How many of these aesthetic words do you know? Some of the most beautiful words in the English language conjure up a sense of something magical. Finding the perfect words for a sensation or feeling…
