Word of the day

Word of the Day



Let's start


word of January 14th, 2008


teeny-weeny
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part of speech: adjective


صغير جدا meaning: very small


example


I will have a teeny-weeny piece of cake


Aren't you even a teeny-weeny bit jealous


I like the car, too, but there's just one teeny-weeny little problem: we can't afford it


Just a teeny weeny slice of cake for me, please - I'm supposed to be on a diet


word of January 13th, 2008


nifty
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part of speech: adjective


مفيد و فعّال meaning: good, pleasing or effective; useful


example


This nifty little machine can do just about anything


I need a nifty little gadget for squeezing oranges


word of January 12th, 2008


betray
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part of speech: verb
other verb forms: betrays, betrayed, betraying


يخون meaning: to not be loyal to your country or a person, often by doing something harmful such as helping their enemies


example


They betrayed their country by selling its secrets to other governments


She is very loyal and would never betray a friend


He betrayed his wife with another woman


I can't believe you lied to me. I feel as if you've betrayed our friendship


other related forms
betrayal: noun
betrayer: noun

word of January 11th, 2008


vengeance
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part of speech: noun


الثأر meaning: harm done to someone as punishment for an injury or offense they have done to someone else : revenge


example


The fire was set as an act of vengeance


He swore vengeance against his son's kidnapper


Angry protesters wanted to inflict vengeance on the killer


word of January 10th, 2008


confetti
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part of speech: noun


نِثارٌ يُنْثَرُ على العَروسَيْن meaning: small bits of brightly colored paper made for throwing (as at weddings)


example


As the clock struck twelve, my little brother leaped into the air, hurled two fistfuls of confetti skyward, and shouted, "Happy New Year!"


Confetti covers the floor every year on January 1


word of January 9th, 2008


shrewd
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part of speech: adjective


حاد الذَّكاء، حَكيم، ثاقِب الرأي meaning: showing quick practical cleverness


example


He was shrewd enough not to take the job when there was the possibility of getting a better one a few months later


"His face looked shrewd and wise, as though he knew a great many things, many of them not worth knowing."


She is a shrewd politician who wants to avoid offending the electorate unnecessarily


It was a shrewd move to buy your house just before property prices started to rise


other related forms
shrewdly: adverb
shrewdness: noun


word of January 8th, 2008


comrade
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part of speech: noun
plural form: comrades


رَفيق meaning: a close friend


example


Many of his comrades were killed in the battle


He misses his comrades from his days in the Army


other related forms
comradely: adverb
comradeship: noun

word of January 7th, 2008


ponder
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part of speech: verb
other verb forms: ponders, pondered, pondering


يُفَكِّر بِعِنايَه meaning: to think carefully about something


example


She sat back for a minute to ponder her next move in the game


Journalists pondered why the leading goal-scorer of the World Cup had not scored all season


Our teacher asked us to ponder the question, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"


He continued to ponder the problem as he walked home


other related forms
ponderer: noun

word of January 6th, 2008


googol
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part of speech: noun


عدد كبير يُرمز له بـ 1 يتبعه 100 صفر meaning: a very large number that is expressed in numerals as one followed by one hundred zeroes


example


Jay entered the radio station's contest, even though he figured the odds of winning were about a googol to one


word of January 5th, 2008


frisson
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part of speech: noun


شعور مفاجئ بالاثارة او الخوف meaning: a sudden feeling of excitement or fear


example


When we think a story hasn't been invented, there's an extra frisson in reading it


They love the frisson of hearing about such terrifying creatures as the Cyclops


As the music stopped, a frisson of excitement ran through the crowd

word of January 4th, 2008


probity
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part of speech: noun


ثقة تامة meaning: complete honesty



example


I have always found Bentner to be a model of probity in our dealings


Her probity and integrity are beyond question


He enjoys an exaggerated reputation for probity


word of January 3rd, 2008


nadir
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part of speech: noun


اسوأ لحظة؛ لحظة الامل او الانجاز الاقل meaning: the worst moment, or the moment of least hope and least achievement



example


The defeat was the nadir of her career


By 1932, the depression had reached its nadir

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part of speech: verb
other verb forms: rants, ranted, ranting


يَتَكَلَّم بِغَضَب وضَجَّه meaning: to talk angrily



example


He's still ranting (and raving) about the damage to his car


He's always ranting (on) about the government


I get fed up with my mother ranting and raving (about my clothes) all the time


Other related forms
rant: noun
ranter: noun
rantingly: adverb

word of January 1st, 2008


fragile
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part of speech: adjective


سريع الإنْكِسار، هَش meaning: easily damaged, broken or harmed


example


Be careful with that vase - it's very fragile


The assassination could do serious damage to the fragile peace agreement that was signed last month


I felt rather fragile (= weak) for a few days after the operation


Other related forms
fragility: noun
fragileness: noun
fragilely: adverb


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