Monday, December 3, 2018 “What does X mean?” / “What is the

meaning/definition of X?” (question): Use this to ask for the meaning or definition of a word or sentence.

“It depends / It depends on …” (expression): Use this to say that the answer changes if the situation is one way or another.

Nickname (noun): A shortened or altered version of a name, usually as a term of familiarity or endearment (e.g. Robert -> Bob, William -> Bill, Susan -> Susie, etc.).

Major (noun): In university, the main topic or academic subject you are studying.

Minor (noun): In university, a secondary topic or academic subject you are studying.

Bachelor’s degree (noun): The 2-year or 4-year diploma from university.

Master’s degree (noun): A diploma superior to the bachelor’s degree.

Doctorate / PHD (noun): The highest level of education you can obtain from a university, past a master’s.

To kiss (verb): To touch one’s lips to something. Cheek (noun): The sides of the face, next to the mouth. To exchange (verb): To trade or swap. To greet (verb): To say hello or introduce yourself to

someone else.

Punctual (adjective): On time, present at a predetermined or prearranged time.

To drop by (phrasal verb): To visit. Helping [of food] (noun): A portion or serving of food

to eat during a meal. Teenager (noun): A person between 13-19 years of

age. To consider (verb): To think carefully about. Rude (adjective): Impolite, brusque. Shameful (adjective): Causing shame or

embarrassment, taking away one’s dignity. Personal space (idiom): The idea that there is an “area”

around a person that strangers or friends shouldn’t enter, to give a person a sense of privacy and comfort.

To pay one’s share [of the bill] (idiom): To pay only the part of the bill that the person ordered.

To split the bill (idiom): To divide a bill equally between two or more people.

To go Dutch (idiom): On a date, to divide the bill 50-50 instead of paying for everything alone.

Plus one (idiom): When invited to a party, to bring a friend along as an “extra” invitee.

Foreigner (noun): Someone who is not from the country.

Native (noun): Someone who is from the country.

To lack (verb): To not have enough of something, or not have something at all.

Strength (noun): Power or developed skill. Weakness (noun): Lack of power, or undeveloped skill. Original (adjective): Happening or existing first or at

the beginning. Premise (noun): A statement or idea that is accepted

as being true and that is used as the basis of an argument.

Focus (noun): A main purpose or interest. Benefits (noun): Something extra (such as vacation

time or health insurance) that is given by an employer to workers in addition to their regular pay

Insurance (noun): An agreement in which a person makes regular payments to a company and for which the company promises to pay money if a person suffers a loss (of their home, or health).

Wednesday, December 5, 2018 To look alike (verb / adjective): To resemble, or look

like, another person. To share many of the same physical traits. (“We look alike. I look like you.”)

Suitcase (noun): A large container used to carry clothing and belongings while traveling.

To fascinate (verb): To cause someone to be very interested in something or someone.

Curious (adjective): Having the desire to learn or know more about something.

Glamorous (adjective): Very exciting and attractive. To weep (verb): To cry very deeply. Architect (noun): A person who designs buildings. Collateral (adjective): Related but not in a direct or

close way. Miniature (adjective): Very small. Longing (noun): A deep desire or want.

Monday, December 10, 2018 Catering (noun): A food service that provides meals to

big events, like weddings, large parties, celebrations, etc.

Dawn (noun): The beginning of the morning. Dusk (noun): The beginning of the night. To tutor (verb): To teach a student or group of

students privately, an academic teaching. Permanent (adjective): Lasting forever, not changing or

being replaced. Permit (noun): A license or document giving you

permission to do something. Wage (noun): Payment or salary for work.

Slavery (noun): A system of economy or society where people are owned like property by other people.

To earn (verb): To obtain or receive through effort and energy.

Tuesday, December 11, 2018 Craze (noun): A currently popular trend or activity, but

which will change in the future. Sketch (noun): A simple drawing done quickly, like a

doodle. To encourage (verb): To make one feel brave or ready

to do an action if they feel unprepared. Feedback (noun): Responses, critiques, or reviews

about something. To heal (verb): To cure or make someone feel better if

they are sick or hurt. To go through a rough/bad time (idiom): To experience

a period of time where one is depressed, hurt, sad, or having problems with their personal life.

Task (noun): Job, responsibility, action that needs to be done.

Vibrant (adjective): Strong and intense, like a color. Fine motor skills (noun): A person’s ability to move and

control their hands and fingers.

To be drawn to something (idiom): To be attracted or interested in something.

Authenticity (noun): Legitimacy or being recognized as true.

Daunting (adjective): Imposing, intimidating, or scary, causing people to pause.

Demand (noun): Want or desire for something, usually in a market by customers.

Word of mouth (idiom): Advertising or marketing term to explain when people tell their friends or family about something they bought or experienced, not in a “formal” advertisement.

To climb (verb): To scale, to go up a vertical surface. To crawl (verb): To move on your hands and knees, like

a baby. To burn (verb): To be touched by fire and turn to ash in

the strong heat and high temperature. Angel (noun): In the Christian religion, a creature that

serves God and heaven. Devil (noun): In the Christian religion, a creature that

serves Satan and hell. Kingdom Come (noun): In the Christian religion, the

belief that Jesus and God will return to the world and make a paradise on earth.

To bleed (verb): 1. To spill blood from a body; 2. To combine two or more colors into one.

Bond (noun): Something that traps and keeps one immobile or paralyzed.

To loose (verb): To make something less tight, to free. To carry the cross (idiom): An idiom of religious origin,

to take care of your troubles or problems yourself, without giving them to other people.

Shame (noun): A feeling of guilt or having done something wrong.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018 Intersection (noun): The meeting of two different

streets. Block (noun): The space between two different streets. Square (noun): A city space for pedestrians to walk

through, usually with monuments. Parallel (adjective): Running together and equally in a

horizontal direction. Perpendicular (adjective): Running together and

equally in a vertical direction. [Number + Something] Away from [something]

(prepositional phrase): Used to indicate how many spaces something is compared to another place, such as “My house is two blocks away from the school.”

Row (noun): A horizontal line of objects. Column (noun): A vertical line of objects. Joke (noun): A story or anecdote with a funny ending,

or punchline. Prank (noun): A joke, physical or not, that presents

itself as real to confuse people. Play on words / Pun (noun): A joke based around

vocabulary and words that have multiple meanings. Black humor (noun): A type of humor that makes fun

of serious or taboo topics. Physical/Slapstick humor (noun): A type of humor that

uses the human body as a source of jokes (e.g. Mr. Bean).

Stand-up comedian (noun): A type of humorist that tells stories and jokes in front of an audience.

Stardom (noun): The state of being a very famous performer.

Audition (noun): A short performance to show the talents of someone who is being considered for a role in a play.

Conventional (adjective): Normal, common, ordinary. To ridicule (verb): To make fun of or mock something. To challenge (verb): To argue or disagree with.

Preconception (noun): An idea or opinion that someone has before learning about or experiencing something directly.

To embrace (verb): To accept something openly and readily.

Alarmed (adjective): Worried or frightened.

Thursday, December 13, 2018 To tickle (verb): To use one’s fingers or hands to touch

another person’s skin and make them laugh.

Monday, December 17, 2018 Shellfish (noun): A category of mollusks and seafood

that are bivalves. Raw (adjective): Uncooked food. Rare, medium, well-done (adjective): Ways to describe

how long to cook meat.

Tuesday, December 18, 2018 To catch up (phrasal verb): To reach the expected level

or position of something ahead or above you. To keep up (phrasal verb): To maintain the same level

or position of something next to you.

To develop (verb): To build up or strengthen, like a building, skill, or talent.

To stuff (verb): To put something inside something else, like in cooking (a stuffed turkey, a turkey stuffed with other food; an eggplant stuffed with garlic and pepper).

To skip (verb): To not do or avoid doing an action. Altogether (adverb): Entirely, completely. Whole (adjective): Entire, all of something. Leftovers (noun): Food that was cooked or made for an

earlier meal, but eaten later. Pickled (adjective): Sealed in jars with liquid (vinegar

and salt) and fermented. Dough (noun): A combination of flour and water

before being baked into bread. Chutney (noun): A type of Indian sauce. Hearty (adjective): Filling and caloric. To dunk (verb): To submerge or dip something into a

liquid. To scratch the surface (idiom): To introduce a topic and

still have a lot of information or depth to examine. Legitimate (adjective): Having authority or truth, being

accepted by people as real or original. Fraudulent (adjective): Being fake or not real, an

imitation or pretension.

Frugal (adjective): Economical and careful with money, in a positive way.

Cheap (adjective): Not costing a lot of money, or someone who doesn’t like to spend money (a negative description).

Miser (noun): A wealthy person who is very tight-fisted or hates to spend his or her money.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018 A while (noun): An indefinite amount of time, longer

than a short time. Recent (adjective): In the near past. Soon (adjective): In the near future. Buffet (noun): A type of cafeteria or restaurant where

food is served and you choose what and how much you want to eat.

Several (adjective): Many, a number of. Study (noun): Research, published scientific document. High blood pressure (noun): A medical condition where

a person’s heart has to pump harder to circulate blood around the body.

Diabetes (noun): A medical condition where a person’s body can’t break down insulin and causes sugar to build up in the blood.

Outcome (noun): Result, conclusion.

Correlation (noun): A link or connection between two things.

Among (preposition): Included, in the middle of. Aggressive (adjective): Hostile, angry, wanting to fight. To reach out [to someone] (phrasal verb): To contact

or communicate with someone. To step out (phrasal verb): To leave an area or room

for a short period of time. A bite to eat (idiom): Food.

Monday, January 7, 2019 Deep sea diving (noun): An activity where people wear

oxygen tanks and masks and swim in deep water. Coral reef (noun): A stretch of underwater coral, a type

of plant that grows on rocks in the ocean. Snorkel (noun): A type of swimming mask with a tube

to breathe out of the water. Life vest (noun): A buoyant vest worn to float and help

people swim on the surface of water, as well as for emergencies.

Parachute (noun): A device made of canvas and wire, used to jump from a very high height, like out of a plane. It makes people fall to the ground slowly.

Hot air balloon (noun): A type of floating vehicle using a very large balloon of heated air, carrying people in a basket below it.

Resolution (noun): A promise to oneself to improve. Holiday (noun): A day, or period of time, where people

don’t work and spend it relaxing. Vacation (noun): A trip for tourism or relaxation taken

during a holiday. Typical (adjective): Normal, common, regular. Fireworks (noun): An explosive toy with colors and

sparks, fired into the sky to produce color and images.

Tuesday, January 8, 2019 Brand (noun): The maker of a product, such as Nike for

shoes or Sony for electronics. Model (noun): The specific product within a line, like

the iPhone 7 or Samsung 7. Malfunction (noun): An error or problem with a

machine or program. Opposite (adjective): The reverse of something, or

other side of something. To cure (verb): To heal or treat someone who is sick so

they feel better and remove the disease. Cough drop (noun): A type of medicine, like a lozenge,

taken for sore throats or colds.

Branch (noun): 1. The limb of a tree; 2. Another location for a business, like a bank.

Brunch (noun): A combination of breakfast and lunch. Pattern (noun): 1. A repeating sequence of shapes,

numbers, or colors; 2. A consistent repetition of the same thing, like a routine.

Subsidy (noun): A government grant or tax break given to a business or industry to promote that industry.

To go off (phrasal verb): To leave for a place. Food truck (noun): A truck customized to be able to

produce food in a portable kitchen. Socks (noun): Knitted or woven covering for the foot

usually worn under shoes and extending above the ankle and sometimes to the knee.

Crazy (adjective): Very strange or unusual; very much of something [informal].

Talented (adjective): Having a lot of special or natural ability.

Down Syndrome (noun): A genetic condition that causes mental impairment and physical disabilities. Caused by a third copy of chromosome 21.

Disability (noun): A mental or physical problem or impairment.

Developmental (adjective): Having to do with development.

Delay (noun): A pause, slowing, or postponement. Charity (noun): The act of giving money, food, or other

kinds of help to people who are poor, sick, etc. Supplies (noun): Raw materials used to make a

product. Hiring (noun): Getting employees and staff for a

business. Mission (noun): A task that you consider to be a very

important duty. To review (verb): To careful looking at or examine the

quality or condition of something or someone; examination or inspection.

Revenue (noun): Money that is made by or paid to a business or an organization.

Wednesday, January 9, 2019 To look for (phrasal verb): To search or seek. To look into (phrasal verb): To look inside, to examine

something, or look for information. Rusty (adjective): 1. Being oxidized on the surface; 2.

Out of practice or training (idiom).

Thursday, January 10, 2019 Plus: + [addition]

Minus: – [subtraction] Times: x [multiplication] Divided by: ÷ [division] Equals: = Percent: % [percentage] Corporal punishment (noun): Punishment or discipline

involving physical hitting. Museum (noun): A building where interesting and

valuable things (such as paintings or historical objects) are collected and shown to the public.

To urge (verb): To try earnestly or persistently to persuade someone to do something.

Troops (noun): An army or soldiers. To be in the hands of [someone] (idiom): To belong, be

owned, or be controlled by someone. To display (verb): To put somewhere for people to see. Inalienable (adjective): Impossible to take away or give

up. Wound (noun): Injury or damage to the body. Statute of limitations (noun): A law that states the

amount of time that must pass before a crime can no longer be punished or a right can no longer be given.

Moral (adjective): Concerning or relating to what is right and wrong in human behavior.

Opportunity (noun): An amount of time or a situation in which something can be done.

Monday, January 14, 2019 Spoiled (adjective): A person who is harmed in

character because they were treated too leniently or indulgently.

Lenient (adjective): Permissive, merciful, or tolerant regarding punishment.

Indulgent (adjective): Having or indicating a tendency to be overly generous to or lenient with someone.

To throw a tantrum/fit (idiom): To have an outburst of childish or unreasonable anger, frustration, or ill temper.

Anxiety (noun): Stress or nervousness, causing people to be anxious.

Proficiency (noun): Ability or skill in something. Relieved (adjective): Calm and relaxed after a nervous

or stressful feeling. Free time (noun): Time that can be spent on recreation

or fun, without work or labor.

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Autism (noun): A mental genetic condition that makes a person unable to socialize properly, autistic.

Asperger’s syndrome (noun): A syndrome where people can’t understand body language or social communication well.

Temperate (adjective): Mild weather, not too hot or too cold.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 Skeptical (adjective): Someone who doesn’t believe

things at face value (meaning, without evidence), or who remains unconvinced by an argument. Not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations.

Gullible (adjective): Someone who believes everything they hear or read without proof, ingenuous or naïve.

Ingenuous (adjective): Innocent and unsuspecting. Ingenious (adjective): Clever, intelligent, smart. Scam (noun): A fraudulent or deceptive act or

operation. A confidence game where people believe in someone’s lie and lose their money.

Pep talk (idiom): An encouraging speech or conversation with someone to make them feel more confident or strong.

Thursday, January 17, 2019 Not hold one’s breath (idiom): Not expecting

something to happen, even though one would like it (“I want to be a famous actor, but I’m not holding my breath.”).

Keep dreaming / Dream on (expression): Maintain your delusion, it is not possible, unrealistic. (“You think it’s going to be hot tomorrow during winter? Keep dreaming!”).

Road rage (idiom): A type of anger and stress that occurs when driving, especially in heavy traffic.

Hot-blooded (idiom): Someone with a short temper or gets angry easily.

To have a short fuse (idiom): Someone who has little patience and “explodes” very easily.

To wreck (verb): To break something until it doesn’t work, like a machine.

To smash (verb): To break into small pieces. Baseball bat (noun): A wooden stick used in the sport

of baseball to hit the ball. Customer (noun): A person or group that buys goods

or services from a business. To aim (verb): To get, find, or have a target or

objective. To be at ease (adjective): To be relaxed, not stiff.

Lifelike (adjective): Realistic, close to life. Model (noun): An example or pose. Mannequin (noun): A figure shaped like a human body

that is used for making or showing clothes. Negative (adjective): Harmful or bad. Cathartic (adjective): Releasing of strong emotion,

relaxing, emptying out negative energy. Obituary (noun): The section of the newspaper, or a

news story, that describes the life of someone who died recently.

Article (noun): A news story. Column (noun): In a newspaper, a writer, reporter, etc.

who has his or her own private space to write what they want.

Monday, January 21, 2019 Graffiti (noun): Street art or writing. To vandalize (verb): To ruin, destroy, or deface

property using spray cans, tools, etc. in a criminal way. Mural (noun): Graffiti or street art that is wanted,

commissioned, or paid for to bring color and art to the street.

Witness (noun): Someone who observes a crime happening; someone who can attest to the legality of something.

Smuggling (noun): A crime where people illegally bring something into or out of a country.

Couchsurfing (idiom): To “crash,” or spend time and sleep temporarily, in your friends’ apartments or homes while traveling or looking for a new place to live.

Tuesday, January 22, 2019 Pack animal (noun): 1. An animal used to carry heavy

loads; 2. An animal that works together in a group. Beast (noun): A wild animal, usually a large or

dangerous four-footed one; a domestic animal. Burden (noun): Something oppressive or worrisome,

the bearing of a load. Strength (noun): The quality that allows someone to

deal with problems in a determined and effective way. Comfortable (adjective): Allowing you to be relaxed,

causing no worries, difficulty, or uncertainty. Fearful (adjective): Scary, making one afraid. Failure (noun): A lack of success. To fall for [someone] (phrasal verb): To become in love

or infatuated with someone. Pouch (noun): A small bag to carry things in, or a

pocket of folded skin especially for carrying the young

(as on the abdomen of a kangaroo) or for carrying food (as in the cheek of a hamster).

Hoarder (noun): Someone who collects things in their home obsessively, including things that would commonly be thrown away: bags, old food, or broken items.

To cling (verb): To hold onto something or someone very tightly.

To associate (verb): To connect two ideas together with one common thread.

Rodent (noun): A type of animal that is part of the rat family, such as mice, rats, beavers, etc.

Antique shop (noun): A type of shop or store that sells old items that may or may not be valuable, frequented by collectors.

Dog days (idiom): Days that are so hot, they cause people to act lazy or slow.

Catnap (noun): A short, light sleep; a doze. Until the cows come home (idiom): Not for a long time. To fight like cats and dogs (idiom): To fight fiercely,

with strong rivalry. To rain cats and dogs (idiom): To rain heavily. Stubborn like a mule (idiom): To be extremely

stubborn.

To have the memory of a fish (idiom): To be forgetful and unable to remember things.

To kill two birds with one stone (idiom): To solve two problems with one solution.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (idiom): It’s better to have something now than not have it and want more.

Monday, January 28, 2019 Board game / Tabletop game (noun): A game played on

a special board, usually with dice or pieces to represent the players and game mechanics.

Chore (noun): 1. A task to do around the house, like washing or cleaning; 2. A tiresome, boring, or bad job.

Misconception (noun): A wrong idea or thought, caused by misunderstanding something.

Tax bracket (noun): Tax level or division, how much one pays depending on their income.

Audit (noun): A government or company review of a business’s books, income, and expenses.

Reimbursement (noun): A payment returned to someone because of a benefit or program that subsidizes it, or overpayment (like in taxes).

Deduction (noun): A reduction in a person’s taxes if the state allows for it (e.g. children get a tax deduction because it’s expensive to raise kids).

Austerity (noun): A government policy of cutting back on social programs and payments, with the goal of paying state debts.

To tighten the belt (idiom): To be more frugal or economical, especially in bad economies.

Contingency (noun): An emergency or backup plan or second option in case of problems or sudden issues.

Tuesday, January 29, 2019 Acronym (noun): A word where each letter of the word

stands for a different word (e.g. CIA = Central Intelligence Agency; UNESCO = United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

In poor taste (expression): Something that isn’t socially acceptable, funny, or conventional (e.g. “That joke the comedian told about disabled people was in poor taste. Everyone criticized him for it.”)

Courier (noun): A delivery person who handles packages or mail.

To rip someone off (phrasal verb): To take advantage of someone and cheat someone out of a fair deal; to

abuse their trust, usually by making them pay too much money for something.

Thursday, January 31, 2019 Great minds think alike (expression): Intelligent people

think the same thing; usually said to mean two people had the same idea.

Sensationalist (adjective): Attention-grabbing and exaggerated, as in news.

If it bleeds, it leads (expression): A story that has violence gets the front page of the newspaper.

Sex sells (expression): Sex and lust are popular to buy, so make something sexy if you want it to sell.

Yellow journalism (idiom): Sensationalist news meant to inflame the public and make the government take action in a certain way.

To play devil’s advocate (expression): To make an argument that you personally don’t believe in order to discuss a topic in more detail.

Era (noun): An age or period of time. Welfare (noun): Government assistance given to

people who are either very poor, unemployed, or old; to people who can’t contribute much to society.

Universal Basic Income (noun): An idea where people are given money by the government, without restrictions or limitations.

To have strings attached (idiom): To have conditions that restrict or apply to something, like welfare.

Monday, February 4, 2019 Mobile (adjective): Able to move around. Flood (noun): A condition where water overflows or

covers areas that were above the water level. Mudslide (noun): Like an avalanche, where earth and

mud is displaced and buries things under it.

Tuesday, February 5, 2019 At-risk (adjective): In danger of being harmed or

damaged, such as by genetic or hereditary diseases or social problems.

Predisposition (noun): Being likely to develop a condition due to historical or natural factors.

Intern (noun): A person who works in a job to obtain skills or training before becoming a full-time employee.

To enunciate (verb): To speak clearly and sound out each syllable of a word or sentence.

Wednesday, February 6, 2019 Poker face (idiom): A facial expression that shows no

emotion or doesn’t reveal what the person is feeling. Blackface (noun): A racist art form where white-

skinned performers would darken their skin to act like a stereotype of a black person.

Stereotype (noun): A general pejorative statement that says everyone of a particular race, gender, or nationality acts or does something the same, or is a certain way (e.g. “Everyone from Mexico is lazy. Black people are criminals. Irish people love to get drunk.”)

Caricature (noun): An exaggerated picture or drawing of a person that makes particular features more prominent than others.

To clash (verb): To fight or make battle, physically or verbally.

To resign (verb): To choose to abandon a position of power.

To amuse (verb): To entertain or make other people happy.

To dehumanize (verb): To take away someone’s humanity and make them look like an animal, alien, or monster.

Offensive (adjective): Socially unacceptable or making someone feel like their dignity is being attacked.

Homogeneous (adjective): Something that is all the same or one race, color, etc.

Heterogeneous (adjective): Something that is different or with different races, colors, etc.

Wage slavery (noun): An economic concept where people work long hours for very little pay, and have no way to save money, change jobs, or spend money on anything except survival.

Thursday, February 7, 2019 Honorary (adjective): Not legally a part of a group or a

member of something, but recognized as one in spirit. To wear many hats (expression): To have many

different responsibilities or tasks. Drum (noun): A musical instrument that is made with a

thin layer of skin or plastic stretched over the end of a round frame and that is played by hitting the skin or plastic with sticks or with your hands.

Hooked (adjective): Very interested in and enthusiastic about something.

Accomplishment (noun): Having completed a task or job, feeling proud about doing it.

Achievement (noun): A synonym of accomplishment, something that you did successfully.

Accomplished (adjective): Someone who has many accomplishments or achievements.

Compliment (noun): A positive thing to say to someone to make them happy or feel good.

Harvest (noun/verb): The process or period of gathering crops, or plants used as food, when they are mature.

Heritage (noun): The traditions, achievements, beliefs that are part of the history of a person or group.

To bust a move (expression): To make a dance pose, or begin dancing.

To be your own boss (expression): To be self-employed or own one’s own company.

Undecided (adjective): Unsure or not having made a decision yet.

Corporate espionage (noun): Spying on other companies or businesses and trying to steal their secrets or customers.

Trade secrets (noun): Company secrets or confidential information that businesses use to operate.

Payroll (noun): In business and work, a list of names of employees who are paid by the business.

To pay someone under the table (idiom): To pay someone who is not on the payroll, and thus declare no income or taxes.

Time sheet (noun): In work or business, a sheet of paper or document that tracks how much time an employee spent working or on break.

Perk (noun): A benefit from a job that is not salary or money-related, like dental care, a company car, paid vacations, etc.

Parental leave (noun): A benefit or perk of a job where new parents can take time off work to raise their newborn child. Fathers get paternity leave, mothers get maternity leave.

Double-edged sword (idiom): Something “cuts both ways,” meaning it has positive and negative sides to it.

Vocational job (noun): A job in maintenance, repairs, construction, etc. which are considered “doing work with your hands” or “blue-collar.”

Workshop (noun): A class, meeting, or training program where people in a career come together to learn from each other and practice new skills.

Correspondence course / Distance education (noun): A course or class taken without needing to be physically present in a class or building, with work being e-mailed or sent in the mail for official evaluations.

Taboo (adjective): Socially unacceptable or wrong, condemned by society; a topic that should not be discussed or talked about.

Tuesday, February 12, 2019 Cynical (adjective): Believing that people are motivated

by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity.

Scourge (noun): A person or thing that causes great trouble or suffering.

Thursday, February 14, 2019 Twin (noun): An identical sibling, or double. Excerpt (noun): A sample or example passage or part

of a book, movie, etc. Greed (noun): The sensation of wanting more, feeling

that what you have isn’t enough. Debt (noun): Money owed to a lender. Affluence (noun): Wealth or a level of comfortable

living. Oligarch (noun): An extremely rich individual with

power in government or law. Pernicious (adjective): Having a harmful effect,

especially in a gradual or subtle way. To sow the seeds (idiom): To plant a seed to bear fruit,

meaning to prepare the results of the future. Implosion (noun): Collapse inward.

Redistribution (noun): Distribution [of wealth, for example] after it has already been distributed.

Caveat (noun): A warning or caution. The be-all and end-all (expression): The center, or

essence, or most important thing of a situation that can be targeted for effect.

Obnoxious (adjective): Annoying, tiring. Livelihood (noun): How one earns their living, or job. Nasty (adjective): Unpleasant or nauseating, mean. Single (adjective): Not dating or married. Divorced (adjective): Having been married, but ended

the relationship. Widowed (adjective): Having a husband or wife who

died. Comprehension (noun): Understanding. Compatible (adjective): Matching, coordinating, or

complementing each other. To owe (verb): To have a debt you need to pay

someone. Knot (noun): A tied length of rope, string, lace, etc. Clutter (noun): Stuff, a mess of objects. Instrument (noun): A tool or a musical device. Hiking (noun): Walking in nature. Deal-breaker (noun): Something that cannot be

negotiated and can cause a deal to be canceled or end.

Gambling (noun): Betting money on games of chance, like roulette, cards, horse racing, the lottery, etc.

Trap (noun): A device used to capture someone or something and prevent movement.

Tramp (noun): A vagabond or homeless, jobless person.

Vow (noun): A promise or binding oath.

Tuesday, February 19, 2019 Wheelbarrow (noun): A simple machine with one

wheel, two handles, and a basket, used to carry heavy loads.

Cart/Trolley (noun): A simple machine with four wheels, one handle, and a basket, usually used to carry things like food or other objects.

Thin-skinned (adjective): Bad at taking criticism, thinking people are attacking you personally when they give feedback.

Thick-skinned (adjective): Good at taking criticism, able to separate professional criticism from personal.

“He can dish it out, but he can’t take it” (expression): This person gives a lot of criticism, but can’t accept it.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

To put your foot in the door (idiom): To be in the introduction or beginning process for a new opportunity.

Springboard (noun): A trampoline or device used to get height.

Thursday, February 21, 2019 Leap year (noun): A year where February has 29 days

and the year is 366 days long. Nepotism (noun): The practice of hiring or employing

people who are in the family to positions of authority, like in politics or business.

Accountability (noun): Taking responsibility for one’s job or tasks, and having the rules or law enforced.

Conflict of interest (noun): A situation where someone with power makes a decision that could benefit them personally, like a politician supporting a company that paid for his or her election.

Laidback (adjective): Relaxed, untroubled. To make small talk (idiom): To have a conversation

which is not important about things that aren’t important.

Tribunal (noun): A court or council of law. Discrimination (noun): Racism, sexism, or another

prejudiced action towards a person for who they are.

Novel (adjective): New, original. Ancestry (noun): Heritage, traditions, roots. Standoffish (adjective): Aloof, distant and cold in

manner, unfriendly. Farfetched (adjective): Unlikely and unconvincing,

implausible. Intentional (adjective): Consciously and willingly

wanting to be done. Shift lead (noun): Leader of a work shift, like the head

waiter of the morning time. Merely (adverb): Simply, just. To berate (verb): To scold or criticize someone angrily. Borderline (adjective): Close to a state, almost. Accommodating (adjective): To make others feel more

comfortable or accepted.

Monday, February 25, 2019 To bundle up (phrasal verb): To dress warmly. To shiver (verb): To shake from cold or fear. Goosebumps (noun): The small white dots and raised

hair from your skin when you feel cold or afraid. Frostbite (noun): A medical condition where the

extremities of the body, like fingers, ears, or your nose, don’t receive enough blood and can freeze.

Procedure (noun): The method or process to do something.

Uh-uh (idiom): An utterance that means “no” when you say a high “uh” followed by a low “uh.”

Uh-huh/Mm-hmm (idiom): An utterance that means “yes” when you say a low “uh/mm” followed by a high “huh/hmm.”

To complain / To make a complaint (verb): To say something is wrong and make a negative comment about it.

To praise (verb): To say something is good and make a positive comment.

Lease (noun): The paperwork a tenant signs that acts as an agreement with the landlord.

Plumber (noun): A worker who fixes problems with water pipes.

Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Leftovers (noun): Food that is cooked or made the days

before and eaten later when it remains.

Wednesday, February 27, 2019 Credit union (noun): A financial institution that acts like

a bank, but members of the union are also owners.

Credit unions are usually local and have requirements to join or obtain credit from.

Finances (noun): Your monetary “health,” a combination of your assets and liabilities, or money you have and money you owe.

Asset (noun): Something that you own already, like your cash savings or investments.

Debts (noun): Something that you owe to a lender, like student loans or credit card debt. Also called liabilities.

Liquid asset (noun): Something that is easy to liquidize and turn into cash money, like stocks or bonds.

Non-liquid asset (noun): Something that is difficult to liquidize and turn into cash money, like land or property.

Insurance (noun): An agreement in which a person makes regular payments to a company and for which the company promises to pay money if a person suffers a loss (of their home, or health).

Mortgage (noun): A type of loan that is paid over instalments to the bank, usually for homes and properties.

To lay off (phrasal verb): To make someone lose their job not because they were a bad worker or fired, but because there isn’t enough work or money to keep the worker.

Bankruptcy (noun): A financial situation where a person or business cannot pay all of its debts anymore and close the business or lose all credit.

Stock (noun): A share or part of ownership in a company.

Bond (noun): A contract where a lender has given money to a country, municipality, or business and expects to be repaid with interest over a time period.

Miscellaneous (adjective): Things of various types or from different sources, mixed, extra, or diverse. For example, if you make categories for your budget and an expense doesn’t fit in any predetermined category, you can put it under “miscellaneous expenses.”

Peace of mind (noun): Having a relaxed, unstressed mind and thoughts.

Scarcity (noun): Lacking resources that are limited. Financial literacy (noun): Being able to “read” money

or know and understand how money works in a financial system.

Stall (noun): In a market, the stand where the salespeople put their goods for sale.

Philanthropy (noun): The desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes. Usually

donating a large amount of money or dedicating oneself to a cause.

Magnate (noun): A wealthy and influential person, especially in business. A tycoon, industrialist, or mogul.

Monday, March 11, 2019 Eligible (adjective): Qualified for something, having the

right to get something. Pride (noun): A feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction

derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.

To wound (verb): To hurt or injure. To shatter (verb): To break into small pieces. To afford (verb): To be able to pay for something. Shortage (noun): A state or situation in which

something needed cannot be obtained in sufficient amounts; a lacking of something.

Ingredient (noun): A basic component of a recipe. To earn your daily bread (idiom): To do work of any

kind for a living; to earn money by some means. Riot (noun): A type of protest that becomes destructive

or violent, order has broken down.

To harness (verb): To control and make use of something, like energy.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019 Dowry (noun): A wedding gift, usually paid by one

family to another, as a way to strengthen the bonds and relationships between the two families of the people getting married.

To cost an arm and a leg (idiom): To be very expensive. To pay through the nose (idiom): To pay a lot of money

for something. Break a leg (idiom): Good luck! Shake a leg (idiom): Start moving. Full house (idiom): Everyone is present and/or

watching, all spectators are here. Arrogant (adjective): Someone who acts or is too

proud.

Wednesday, March 13, 2019 Currency (noun): The money of a country, like the

American dollar or the Japanese yen. Desert (noun): A geographical environment that is very

dry and has sand.

To desert (verb): To abandon your post as a military soldier without permission.

Dessert (noun): A sweet food eaten after a meal. To flee (verb): To run away or escape. Shelter (noun): A place of refuge, a place of protection,

a safe place. Dissenter (noun): Someone who disagrees with and

disobeys an order, like a police officer or soldier. Asylum (noun): Protection from a government to

protect yourself from persecution. To stand by someone (phrasal verb): To support

someone. Troop (noun): Soldier. To surrender (verb): To abandon your position or give

yourself up to the authorities. Crisis (noun): A severe or intense problem. Intervention (noun): An interruption or support for one

side when there is a conflict or fight. Coalition (noun): An alliance of people or groups who

join together temporarily for a cause. Firearm (noun): A gun. Rebel (noun): Someone who is a member of a group

that wants to overthrow the government.

Scandal (noun): Reporting of a crime or bad things that becomes public knowledge and causes protests or an outcry.

Sanction (noun): An economic restriction put against a country to punish them for human rights violations or other causes.

Embargo (noun): No trade done with a country at all. Propaganda (noun): Government art and messaging

used to manipulate or control social thinking or how people think about their country.

Advertising (noun): Marketing products for people to buy.