ninja
n.
A member of a class of 14th-century Japanese mercenary agents who were trained in the martial arts and hired for covert operations such as assassination and sabotage.
From Japanese 忍者.
dandelion
n.
Any of several herbs of the genus Taraxacum having long tap roots and deeply notched leaves and bright yellow flowers followed by fluffy seed balls.
Synonym:
blowball
sunflower
n.
Any plant of the genus Helianthus having large flower heads with dark disk florets and showy yellow rays.
Synonym:
helianthus
windsock
n.
A truncated cloth cone mounted on a mast, used to show the direction of the wind.
Synonyms:
wind cone, air sock, wind sleeve, drogue, sock
origami
n.
The Japanese art of folding paper into shapes representing objects like flowers or birds.
From Japanese 折り紙 (folding paper).
Synonym:
paper folding
pinky swear
n.
An eternally binding act of hooking pinky fingers together in an attempt to seal the deal of a promise that has been made.
The pinky swear originally indicated that the person who breaks the promise must cut off their pinky finger.
In modern times, pinky swearing is a more informal way of sealing a promise. It is most common among school-age children and close friends.
Also known as pinky promise.
nail house
n.
A household who refuses to move and bargains for unreasonably high compensation when the land is requisitioned for a construction project.
From Chinese "Ding zi hu" (钉子户).
gavel
n.
A small hammer used by a judge, chair of a meeting, or auctioneer to draw people's attention or to mark the conclusion of a transaction.
discotheque
n.
A nightclub that features dancing to recorded or sometimes live music and often has showy decor and elaborate lighting.
The word derives from the French word discothèque.
Synonym:
disco
hang glider
n.
A device resembling a kite from which a harnessed rider hangs while gliding from a height.
set-top box
n.
A device that enables a television set to receive and decode digital television (DTV) broadcasts or enables a television set to become a user interface to the Internet.
DTV set-top boxes are sometimes called receivers.
Acronym: STB
high five
n.
A celebratory or mutually congratulatory gesture between two persons performed by each slapping the other's raised right hand.
Also used as a verb.
Give me five!
Idiom (mainly American, informal)
Something that you say when you want someone to hit your open hand with theirs, in order to greet them or to show how pleased you are.
greenhouse
n.
A building with glass walls and roof for the cultivation and exhibition of plants under controlled conditions.
Synonyms:
glasshouse, hothouse, nursery
flattop
n.
A short haircut in which the hair is brushed straight up and cropped flat across the top.
Synonym:
crew cut
aircraft carrier
n.
A large naval vessel designed as a mobile air base, having a long flat deck on which aircraft can take off and land at sea.
Synonyms:
attack aircraft carrier, flattop, carrier
con man
n. slang
A swindler who exploits the confidence of his victim.
Synonyms:
confidence man, con artist
undelete
v.
To restore the last delete operation that has taken place.
Files in Windows and Mac can generally be undeleted because they are only moved to the recycle bin or trash can when they are deleted in an application or file manager.
apron
n.
A garment worn over the front part of the body to keep the wearer's clothes clean while working.
thrust stage
n.
A stage that extends into the audience's portion of a theater beyond the usual location of the proscenium and often has seats facing it on three sides.
Also known as a platform stage or open stage.
creek
n. American English
A small stream, often a shallow or intermittent tributary to a river.
Synonym:
stream
Also called regionally branch, brook, kill, or run.
pile-on
n.
An activity involving several individuals jumping (or piling) on top of an unfortunate victim, forming a pile of people. This person then becomes the target of the pile-on.
Pile-ons are often deliberately instigated as pranks.
This is normally triggered by someone mentioning the words "pile on", or a word phonetically similar, e.g. "pylon".
Synonyms:
stacks-on (Australia), bundle, monkey pile, pig pile, or dog pile.
lightstick
n.
A transparent plastic tube which contains chemical fluids, used for entertainment at parties, concerts, and dance clubs or used in the military for night time performances.
Also called glowstick.
adobo
n.
A Philippine dish of marinated meat (pork or chicken) or fish seasoned with garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and spices.
Post-it
n.
Also Post-it note.
A piece of stationery with a readherable strip of adhesive on the back, designed for temporarily attaching notes to documents, computer displays and so forth.
The names "Post-it" and "Post-it note" are trademarks of 3M, the company which invented and manufactures them. Accepted generic terms for competitors include "sticky notes" or "repositionable / repositional notes."
tattoo
n.
A permanent mark or design made on the skin by a process of pricking and ingraining an indelible pigment or by raising scars.
toaster
n.
A mechanical device used to toast bread, especially by exposure to electrically heated wire coils.
chest expander
n.
A fitness equipment that increases muscle definition in shoulders, arm and chest for building upper body strength.
mandarin duck
n.
An Asian duck (Aix galericulata) having brightly colored plumage and a crested head.
hummingbird
n.
A tiny American bird having brilliant iridescent plumage and long slender bills, and wings specialized for vibrating flight.
lectern
n.
A desk or stand with a slanted top used to hold a text at the proper height for a lecturer.
Synonym:
reading desk
hair mousse
n.
A toiletry consisting of an aerosol foam used in hair styling.
Synonyms:
hair gel, mousse.
hair spray
n.
Toiletry consisting of a commercial preparation that is sprayed on the hair to hold it in place.
It is weaker than hair gel, hair wax, or glue and is sprayed using a pump or aerosol spray nozzle.
tsunami
n.
A very large ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption.
The term tsunami comes from the Japanese language meaning harbour ("tsu", 津) and wave ("nami", 波).
Synonym:
tidal wave
hurricane
n.
A severe tropical cyclone originating in the equatorial regions of the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea or eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean, traveling north, northwest, or northeast from its point of origin, and usually involving heavy rains.
disco ball
n.
A large rotating mirrored ball which projects hundreds of razor thin beams of light around a room when a spotlight is aimed at its surface.
Also called mirror ball.
scuba
n.
A portable apparatus containing compressed air and used for breathing under water.
Scuba is an acronym for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.
Also called aqualung.
syringe
n.
A hypodermic syringe.
A medical instrument used to inject fluids into the body or draw them from it.
locker
n.
A small, usually metal compartment that can be locked, especially one at a gymnasium or public place for the safekeeping of clothing and valuables.
When a room is dedicated to containing many lockers it is often called either a locker room or changing room.
op art
n.
A form of modern abstract art using geometrical patterns that produce optical illusions.
Also known as optical art.
carousel
n. American English
Also carrousel.
A revolving circular platform with seats often formed like animals on which people ride, as at an amusement park.
British English: merry-go-round.
Synonym:
roundabout, whirligig, galloper
tank top
n. American English
A tight-fitting sleeveless shirt with wide shoulder straps and low neck and no front opening.
British English: vest
Australian English: singlet
slang: wife beater
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
