What does “literally” mean?
Some people get very angry when they hear or read the word “literally” used in a way that they think is wrong. So, let’s try to understand what it means and how it should...
Category: Vocabulary
What is a “Jubilee”?
“Jubilee” is another word for “anniversary”. “Anniversary” can be used when celebrating something that happened one, two, three, four years ago and so on, but “jubilee” is normally only used when celebrating something that...
Sanction
Sanction is a strange and confusing word because it has two, almost opposite, meanings. ‘To sanction’, as a verb, can mean either to approve or to punish. ‘Sanction’, as a noun, can mean either...
The difference between “politics” and “policy”
Politics is mainly used about activities relating to government (local, national or international) and to people and organisations that want to influence government. Some examples: He entered politics with the intention of improving people’s...
“Vision” or “eyesight”?
“Vision” and “eyesight” are both used to mean the ability to see. When I go to have my eyes tested, I can say that the optician is checking my eyesight or is checking my...
What does “splash out” mean?
“To splash out” is a phrasal verb. It means “to spend a lot of money”. Examples: • It’s his birthday tomorrow so I’ve decided to splash out on a nice meal. • She splashed...
“Incredible” or “incredulous”?
“Incredible” and “incredulous” are similar words that have different meanings. They are often confused, even by native speakers of English. “Incredible” means that something is unbelievable. “Incredulous” means that someone doesn’t believe something. Examples:...