One of my favorite podcasts is “A Way With Words.” Martha and Grant are entertaining at answering callers questions about language, and AWWW is a great source of words. Here are a few I’ve picked up recently.
- Crash blossom: a headline that offers an unintended meaning, such as Violinist linked to JAL crash blossoms
- Bobo: stupid; something not from a legitimate brand
- Complainant: the person or persons making a complaint in a legal case
- Nauseate: to feel sick; to have a feeling of nausea
- Journey proud: excited to being going on a trip, usually the next day
You can get the Vocab Builder every weekday by following me on Twitter.
- Brummagem: showy and cheap
- Jitney: a small vehicle that transports riders for a small fare
- Heebie-jeebies: a case of the jitters; nervousness
- Bogart: “to hoard something or act selfishly”
- Emboloalia: use of lots of filler words, such as like, um, and you know, in conversation
What are your favorite sources of new words? Let me know in the comments section below!
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks, Erin! Glad to have you along for the ride. Here’s a word for you: “awesome” written as “alsom.” I assume it’s a pronunciation-spelling. A bit ironic, perhaps, but some of these uses look like unknowing errors.
I got some new ideas! thank you very much!
Happy to oblige!