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11 International Idioms That Sound Downright Hilarious in English
Tie a bear to someone (German) Fooling people is a universal trick. In English, we say “pulling a fast one” or “pulling the wool over someone’s eyes.” In German, you might say you’re “tying a bear on...
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17 Common Food Names You Probably Pronounce Wrong
Bruschetta Don’t say: Broo-sheh-tuh… Instead say: Broo-SKET-tuh The post 17 Common Food Names You Probably Pronounce Wrong appeared first on Reader's Digest.
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Dictionary Editors Say This Is the Most Misused Word in the English Language
A traffic jam when you’re already late. A free ride when you’ve already paid. The fact that the King James Bible is the most shoplifted book in the United States. One of these three things is an...
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10 Place Names You’ve Been Pronouncing All Wrong
Boise, Idaho There’s no surer way to mark yourself as an outsider in potato country than by pronouncing it BOY-zee. The locals say BOY-see, thanks very much! They may still let you buy some of their...
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10 Funny Vintage Slang Words People Should Start Using Again
Mutton Shunter Definition: Policeman Usage: “Is the President in town or something? There’s mutton shunters on every blasted corner!” If you like vintage words, you’ll also enjoy the origins of popular...
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30 Hilarious Made Up Words You’ll Want to Start Using
“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean— neither more nor less.” —Through the Looking Glass I agree with Mr. Dumpty: Words have...
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12 Quirky Words That Don’t Have An English Translation — but Totally Should
Tingo To borrow objects one by one from a neighbor’s house until there is nothing left. (Pascuense language of Easter Island) We can predict where you grew up based on how you say these 9 words. The...
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We Now Know What SOS Really Stands For
“Save Our Ship!” “Save Our Souls!” “Save On Socks (at Sal’s Irregular Sock Emporium)!” These are all things that “SOS,” the international abbreviation for distress, does not stand for. Best known for...
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13 Hilarious Examples of How Not to Use a Thesaurus
Do you reach for your thesaurus as a surefire way to sound smarter (or irrefragably phrenic?) Watch out. Misuses of words (and other malaprops) can make you sound like you’re trying too hard and...
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10 Old-Fashioned Words That Make You Sound Smart
Freck Definition: Verb—”To move swiftly or nimbly” Usage: The only way to survive the streets of New York City is to freck through the crowds, especially the slow movers, and never turn around. The...
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Here’s Where Your Favorite Slang Words Actually Came From
Legit Most people may think this word originated with MC Hammer after he released his 1991 hit, “2 Legit 2 Quit,” but it actually showed up during the later half of the 19th century in theater groups....
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The Surprising Meaning Behind These 8 Really Weird Words
Yes… Even prairie dogs do it. The post The Surprising Meaning Behind These 8 Really Weird Words appeared first on Reader's Digest.
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9 Everyday Idioms You’re Getting Wrong
What is an idiom? If you’re going to live in the United States or converse with English speakers, you’ll need to master our most commonly used idioms. What’s an idiom, you ask? Google.com’s handy...
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11 Funny Animal Names That Don’t Sound Real (But Are)
Zebroid Well, you can’t beat these funny animal names. You know how a zebra has stripes? Just imagine those black and white streaks across half the body of a regular equine creature. That’s what can...
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18 Words for Things You Never Knew Had a Name
Aglet The plastic covering on the end of a shoelace is an aglet. They make it easy for laces to wave through your shoes without unraveling. In ancient Rome, wealthy people made their aglets out of...
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10 Irritating Phrases You Should Stop Writing in Emails
“We need to …” Translation: XYZ needs to be done, but … I’m not actually going to come out and directly tell any of you to do it. The post 10 Irritating Phrases You Should Stop Writing in Emails...
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13 Funniest Words Added to the Dictionary in the Last Decade
How did these words make it into the dictionary? Language is used to decipher the world in which we live, and that world is ever-changing. So are the words we use to describe it. Dictionaries keep...
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Only English Majors Will Know These 26 Words from the Thesaurus
Spruce up your vocabulary The English language can be a beast. On top of its own linguistic foundation, it includes hundreds of borrowed words, from wanderlust (German) to ballet (French). Mix in...
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What If the Person Who Named Walkie Talkies Named Everything?
Let’s name things like the Walkie Talkie A few years back, Reddit user dirtknapp asked the Internet: “What would the person who named Walkie Talkies have named other things?” The answers went on for a...
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75 Funny Words You’ve Never Heard Before
Friendlily No, it’s not misspelled. It sounds wrong, but—trust us—it’s right! Many weird words seem fake at first. Do you know what this one means? The definition: To do something in a friendly way....
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