Podcasts about Vocabulary

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 1, 2026 is: conscientious • kahn-shee-EN-shus • adjective Conscientious describes someone who is concerned with doing things correctly. It can be used as a synonym for both meticulous and careful. // She has always been a conscientious worker committed to painstaking research. See the entry > Examples: “Earth-friendly, conscientious gardeners learn to slow down and pay attention not only to plants but to the many creatures that share the garden. ... The garden teaches us valuable lessons. It reminds us that balance is achieved not through sorting the natural world into neat categories, but by respecting nature and allowing it to reveal to us its own complicated, interdependent and beautiful gray areas.” — Rita Perwich, The San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 July 2026 Did you know? As Mahatma Gandhi once wrote, “There is a higher court than courts of justice, and that is the court of conscience.” A person who is conscientious makes sure that they are judged well by such a court. This is true for someone who is “governed by their conscience” as the oldest sense of the word is defined—as in “a conscientious leader”—but it is also true for the conscientious person paying close, careful attention to the task at hand. Conscientious came to English from French, centuries after Middle English had adopted conscience from Anglo-French; both ultimately come from the Latin verb scire, meaning “to know.”

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 31, 2026 is: gumption • GUMP-shun • noun Gumption refers to courage and confidence. // It took a lot of gumption to speak up for yourself like that. See the entry > Examples: "Fourth graders devise machines powered by rubber bands and 10-year-old ingenuity, some of the most creative thinking you'll ever witness. Wonders of nature and humanity coexist in these spaces. Behind all this is the gumption and bravery of teachers who set this up." — Adam Johnston, The Daily Herald (Provo, Utah), 13 May 2026 Did you know? English speakers have had gumption (the word, that is) since the early 1700s. The term's source isn't known, but early examples of it are found in Scottish (the related terms rumblegumption and rumgumption can be found there too). Gumption originally referred to common sense, but it is now more commonly used to refer to the kind of courage and get-up-and-go that makes undertaking difficult things possible. Art historians may know a couple additional applications for the word: gumption was historically used both to refer to the art of preparing painters' colors, and as a synonym of megilp, which refers to a mixture of linseed oil and mastic varnish that is used as a vehicle for oil paints.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 30, 2026 is: illustrious • ih-LUSS-tree-us • adjective Illustrious describes a person or deed that is highly admired and respected. // During the ceremony, the illustrious star of stage and screen was presented with a lifetime achievement award. See the entry > Examples: “Two of the most respected professors—an academic power couple—invited me to their home for dinner. I was flattered and excited. When we sat down at the table, my heart sank. The first dish they served was steak tartare. Raw beef, no matter how well seasoned, no matter how swanky the cut, is not my jam. ... And in the home of these illustrious professors, I was ashamed about that. I feared they would consider me unsophisticated for not liking the dish.” — Leslie John, Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing, 2026 Did you know? Today's spotlight is on illustrious, from the Latin adjective illustris, meaning “shining brightly with light.” Illustris itself was probably a back-formation of the Latin verb illustrare, a word with varied meanings, among them “to light up,” “to make clear,” and “to embellish.” (Our word illustrate also comes from illustrare, of course; its original meaning was “to enlighten intellectually, culturally, or spiritually.”) At one time, illustrious could be used synonymously with its immediate Latin forbear to describe things that glow brightly, but that meaning is now considered archaic. The word today is almost exclusively used to describe something—such as a career or achievement—that stands out figuratively, shining brilliantly in the mind's eye. 

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bizpod/BEP423-Marketing-1.mp3 Welcome back to Business English Pod for the first lesson in our series on English for marketing. Throughout this series we'll look at different stages in the marketing process. This includes everything from market research to planning and executing an advertising campaign. In today's lesson, we'll focus on market research. Even the greatest products and services don't sell themselves. In fact, part of what makes them great is the fact that people understand why they need them. Or even if they don't need them, they are convinced they want them. So a great product without any customers isn't really great at all. This is where marketing comes in. Marketers, whether in-house or hired on a contract basis, focus on products, pricing, placement, and promotions. Good decisions in all these areas require good research. Good research helps us understand the people we want to sell to, as well as the other options they may already have. Discussing market research typically begins with understanding your basic business objectives. From there, you can define the scope of the competitive landscape and begin to segment the market, or break it down into different groups of customers. Market research also helps us understand ROI, or the return on investment in specific types of marketing activities. This is critical, because the things we learn in our research should link directly to the english for marketing activities we choose. In today's dialog, we'll hear a conversation with Francine, an account manager at a marketing agency. Francine is talking to Lauren and Josh, who work for a company that sells safety products as well as training services. Their company is looking to expand into the Midwest region of the U.S., and they've hired Francine's company to help them understand how to do that. Listening Questions 1. What goal for the market research does Francine mention at the start of the conversation? 2. What new “market segment” do Lauren and Josh identify? 3. Why does Francine question whether they should repeat the brand awareness research they did in the past? Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module Download: Podcast MP3>>> The post BEP 423 – English for Marketing 1: Discussing Market Research first appeared on Business English Pod :: Learn Business English Online.

Save up to $100 off B1 English Fluency. Do you know pieces of English—but struggle to put them together when you speak? B1 English Fluency will help you build a stronger foundation so you can stop translating, hesitating, and second-guessing yourself. Save up to $100 through August 30: Join B1 English Fluency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 29, 2026 is: kith • KITH • noun Kith is an old-fashioned term that refers to familiar friends, neighbors, or relatives. It is often used in the phrase “kith and kin,” which means “friends and relatives.” // Spending time with kith and kin at the end of the summer is the highlight of our year. See the entry > Examples: “One thing that you could usually count on was the loyalty of your kith and kin, your friends and family. But now it seems that the closeness of family and relatives is more difficult to maintain in the modern world.” — James Morabito, The Buffalo (New York) News, 26 July 2026 Did you know? If you'd used the word kith a thousand years ago, you might have been referring to knowledge, or to a homeland, or to your neighbors and acquaintances. While those first two meanings of kith have long since fallen out of use, the word endures with a meaning very close to that “neighbors and acquaintances” one. Today kith appears almost exclusively in the phrase kith and kin, meaning “friends and relatives.” (Kin, another ancient word, can also refer independently to relatives.) Occasionally you will see kith and kin used to refer only to family members, much to the chagrin of those who despise redundancy in language. If you wish to avoid redundancy charges you'll be sure to include friends as well as family among your “kith and kin.”

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 28, 2026 is: cogent • KOH-junt • adjective Cogent is a formal word that describes something that is very clear and easy for the mind to accept and believe. It is used as a synonym of convincing. // At the town meeting, citizens presented many cogent arguments in support of building a new senior center. See the entry > Examples: “The history of art reads here as one long, free verse poem-in-progress, gorgeous and absorbing. Even so, many of the most memorable moments come in the form of cogent micro-essays, smartly curated ensembles of work bearing a legible, lucid premise.” — Leah Ollman, The Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2026 Did you know? A cogent argument is one that really drives its point home because it is clear, coherent, and readily understandable, and perhaps also because of the etymological history of cogent. Cogent comes from the Latin verb cōgere, meaning “to drive or force together.” Something described as cogent fuses thoughts and ideas into a meaningful whole that others can readily grasp and accept. A cogent explanation is a convincing one, and cogent analysis has us nodding along because it is clear and pertinent. Cōgere was formed in Latin by combining the prefix co- with the verb agere, “to drive, lead, or act,” a root which is also the source of our familiar noun agent. Handily enough, one definition of agent is “a means or instrument by which a guiding intelligence achieves a result.” It follows logically then that cogency is often a worthwhile agent, indeed.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 28, 2026 is: cogent • KOH-junt • adjective Cogent is a formal word that describes something that is very clear and easy for the mind to accept and believe. It is used as a synonym of convincing. // At the town meeting, citizens presented many cogent arguments in support of building a new senior center. See the entry > Examples: “The history of art reads here as one long, free verse poem-in-progress, gorgeous and absorbing. Even so, many of the most memorable moments come in the form of cogent micro-essays, smartly curated ensembles of work bearing a legible, lucid premise.” — Leah Ollman, The Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2026 Did you know? A cogent argument is one that really drives its point home because it is clear, coherent, and readily understandable, and perhaps also because of the etymological history of cogent. Cogent comes from the Latin verb cōgere, meaning “to drive or force together.” Something described as cogent fuses thoughts and ideas into a meaningful whole that others can readily grasp and accept. A cogent explanation is a convincing one, and cogent analysis has us nodding along because it is clear and pertinent. Cōgere was formed in Latin by combining the prefix co- with the verb agere, “to drive, lead, or act,” a root which is also the source of our familiar noun agent. Handily enough, one definition of agent is “a means or instrument by which a guiding intelligence achieves a result.” It follows logically then that cogency is often a worthwhile agent, indeed.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 28, 2026 is: cogent • KOH-junt • adjective Cogent is a formal word that describes something that is very clear and easy for the mind to accept and believe. It is used as a synonym of convincing. // At the town meeting, citizens presented many cogent arguments in support of building a new senior center. See the entry > Examples: “The history of art reads here as one long, free verse poem-in-progress, gorgeous and absorbing. Even so, many of the most memorable moments come in the form of cogent micro-essays, smartly curated ensembles of work bearing a legible, lucid premise.” — Leah Ollman, The Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2026 Did you know? A cogent argument is one that really drives its point home because it is clear, coherent, and readily understandable, and perhaps also because of the etymological history of cogent. Cogent comes from the Latin verb cōgere, meaning “to drive or force together.” Something described as cogent fuses thoughts and ideas into a meaningful whole that others can readily grasp and accept. A cogent explanation is a convincing one, and cogent analysis has us nodding along because it is clear and pertinent. Cōgere was formed in Latin by combining the prefix co- with the verb agere, “to drive, lead, or act,” a root which is also the source of our familiar noun agent. Handily enough, one definition of agent is “a means or instrument by which a guiding intelligence achieves a result.” It follows logically then that cogency is often a worthwhile agent, indeed.

The Guy Benson Show 08-28-2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 27, 2026 is: southpaw • SOUTH-paw • noun Southpaw is an informal word for someone who is left-handed. It is especially used for a left-handed baseball pitcher or boxer. // The team's new pitcher is a southpaw with a wicked knuckleball. See the entry > Examples: “The Sox southpaw's perfect game bid ended when the Yankees loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth …” — Gabrielle Starr, The Boston Herald, 7 June 2026 Did you know? Sandy Koufax, Lefty Grove, Whitey Ford—there's no doubt these southpaws are some of the greatest baseball players of all time. What is in doubt is the origin of the word southpaw. One popular theory ties it to the layout of baseball parks. To keep the afternoon sun out of batters' eyes, diamonds were supposedly built so that the pitcher faced west, with their left arm, therefore, pointed south. This theory strikes out however, on account of the earliest known uses of the compound south paw referring simply to one's left hand, unrelated to baseball. It wasn't until later in the century that the word began to be used, via metonymy, first for a left-handed person, and then specifically for a left-handed pitcher.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 26, 2026 is: devolve • dih-VAHLV • verb To devolve is to gradually go from an advanced state to a less advanced state, or to pass something, such as responsibility or power, from one person or group to another at a lower level of authority. // Somehow the debate devolved into a petty competition to see who could get more applause. // Community leaders hope that the new government will devolve more power to the community itself. See the entry > Examples: “He accused board members of personally profiting from the parking and landscaping policies. Board meetings soon devolved into a cacophony of charges, countercharges and shouting.” — Elizabeth Williamson, The New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025 Did you know? Evolve? Check. Revolve? Check. Devolve? Now we're on a roll—literally. All three of these words (and more) evolved from the Latin verb volvere, meaning “to set in a circular course, to cause to roll, to bring round.” The Latin ēvolvere means “to roll out or away”; revolvere means “to roll back to a starting point”; and dēvolvere means “to roll (something) down.” In its earliest uses in the 15th century, devolve literally meant “to roll onward or downward.” Today the word is typically used for a more figurative rolling down, as when an organization devolves power—that is, passes power down—to those at a lower level of authority, or when a deteriorating situation is described as “devolving into chaos.” One word, multiple uses. That's just how English rolls.

In today's episode, you'll join Teacher Tiffani for a real, relaxed conversation with one of her Academy students. Each week, she sits down with them to talk about an aspect of the monthly topic—sharing personal experiences, practicing natural English, and learning how to express ideas clearly and confidently in real-life situations.As you listen, you'll be inspired and also hear useful vocabulary, common expressions, and smooth, everyday phrases you can start using right away. You'll also pick up speaking tips that will help you sound more natural and feel more comfortable responding in conversations. By the end of this episode, you'll feel more confident speaking English—and more prepared to have meaningful conversations on any topic.If you want to sign up for the free English email newsletter, go to https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/newsletter

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 25, 2026 is: tilde • TIL-duh • noun Tilde refers to the mark ~ placed especially over the letter n (as in the Spanish señor, meaning "sir") to denote the sound nʸ, or over vowels (as in the Portuguese irmã, meaning "sister") to indicate nasality. When a tilde appears as an independent character, it usually means "approximately" (as in "we'll be there in ~ 30 minutes"). // A familiar example of the tilde appears in the name of the Brazilian city São Paulo. See the entry > Examples: "Californians with accents, tildes and other diacritical marks in their names will soon be able to have their vital records accurately reflect their names." — Linh Tat, Orange County (California) Register, 30 Dec. 2025 Did you know? The terms piña colada and La Niña share more than just a "cool" factor: both are Spanish loan words whose spellings include tildes, those wavy marks which in these examples are placed over the letter n to indicate a blend of the sounds of n and y. Tilde is itself a Spanish borrowing rooted in the Latin titulus, an ancestor of the English words title and titular that means "title" or "inscription." The Spanish and English applications of tilde are distinct. In Spanish, tilde refers most commonly to the accent symbol, while ñ is its own member of the alphabet (pronounced "EN-yay"). In contrast, English speakers use tilde specifically for the aforementioned mark. In addition to functioning as a diacritic—that is, a mark paired with a character to indicate pronunciation—the tilde may be used as an independent character to indicate approximation, negation in logic, or similarity in mathematics.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 25, 2026 is: tilde • TIL-duh • noun Tilde refers to the mark ~ placed especially over the letter n (as in the Spanish señor, meaning "sir") to denote the sound nʸ, or over vowels (as in the Portuguese irmã, meaning "sister") to indicate nasality. When a tilde appears as an independent character, it usually means "approximately" (as in "we'll be there in ~ 30 minutes"). // A familiar example of the tilde appears in the name of Brazil's capital city, São Paulo. See the entry > Examples: "Californians with accents, tildes and other diacritical marks in their names will soon be able to have their vital records accurately reflect their names." — Linh Tat, Orange County (California) Register, 30 Dec. 2025 Did you know? The terms piña colada and La Niña share more than just a "cool" factor: both are Spanish loan words whose spellings include tildes, those wavy marks which in these examples are placed over the letter n to indicate a blend of the sounds of n and y. Tilde is itself a Spanish borrowing rooted in the Latin titulus, an ancestor of the English words title and titular that means "title" or "inscription." The Spanish and English applications of tilde are distinct. In Spanish, tilde refers most commonly to the accent symbol, while ñ is its own member of the alphabet (pronounced "EN-yay"). In contrast, English speakers use tilde specifically for the aforementioned mark. In addition to functioning as a diacritic—that is, a mark paired with a character to indicate pronunciation—the tilde may be used as an independent character to indicate approximation, negation in logic, or similarity in mathematics.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 24, 2026 is: expeditious • ek-spuh-DISH-us • adjective Expeditious is a formal word that is used to describe someone acting in a quick and efficient way, or something done in such a manner. // Both sides hoped for an expeditious resolution of the dispute. See the entry > Examples: “Inspectors were on campus Friday afternoon with a certified arborist to determine which trees are protected and the extent to which any damage or removals have occurred, according to the city. ‘The City is prepared to conduct this inspection work in an expeditious manner and supports the goal of returning students to a safe campus as soon as possible,' the city's statement said.” — Ryan Carter, The Los Angeles Daily News, 10 July 2026 Did you know? Expeditious has had quite the journey through the English language. It comes to us from the related noun expedition, which in turn comes from the Latin verb expedire (“to set free” or “to make ready”). When expedition first set forth in English in the 1400s, it did so with two meanings that are still in use today, “a journey especially by a group of people for a specific purpose” and “efficient promptness.” Expeditious followed as an adjectival form of the latter. Something (such as, say, preparation for a long voyage) done expeditiously is done quickly and efficiently; in other words, it is expedited. Like expeditious and expedition, expedite too comes from expedire.

Anika sat down with Andrew Colsky to explore a powerful counterintuitive truth: by the time a client reaches out to a professional, they have already decided who they are hiring. Drawing from a 30-year career as a trial attorney, litigator, and mediator, alongside his subsequent transition into a licensed mental health clinician specializing in sleep medicine and anxiety, Andrew revealed how human behavior is fundamentally driven by the pursuit of comfort. His insights offer a fresh framework for professional service providers looking to build credibility and master the "Left of Trust" space using modern AI search engines.   In This Episode   The transition from trial law and employment mediation to becoming a licensed mental health clinician Why people don't hire the most qualified professional, but rather the person who makes their fear stop Harry Harlow's surrogate mother experiments and how the innate human drive for comfort dictates decision-making The concept of "Left of Trust" and the massive open space where clients search for answers late at night The new digital land grab: why optimizing for AI search engines today dictates long-term business survival Building the Credibility Generator: automating content creation, YouTube videos, and blog drafts for professionals Vocabulary seating: how using your own natural language online trains AI search engines to recommend you exclusively The free assessment tool on be-picked.com to help service providers analyze their strengths and weaknesses   Timestamps 00:00 Introduction: Understanding the emotional root of why people start legal and professional processes  00:48 Welcome to Your Brand Amplified with Anika Jackson and guest Andrew Colsky  01:31 Andrew's journey from trial attorney and mediator to mental health clinician and entrepreneur  02:54 Leaving the exhausting world of litigation and finding a deeper understanding of human behavior  06:51 The new digital land grab: comparing the early days of the internet to modern AI search optimization  10:28 Expanding into behavioral sleep medicine and building a massive weekly radio audience  13:46 The overt versus covert reality of mediation rooms and the universal need for comfort  15:16 Harry Harlow's wire versus cloth monkey experiments proving comfort is a primary human need  18:40 Discovering treatments for OCD and sleep medicine that create rapid, major shifts for patients  21:00 The genesis of the Credibility Generator: automating administrative marketing hurdles for professionals  24:43 Defining "Left of Trust": the space before a client trusts you where they search for pain relief at 3:00 AM  30:31 Cognitive trust versus affective trust: factual credentials versus the feeling of alleviated distress  34:15 Leveraging digital twins and YouTube videos to answer client pain points without spending hours on camera  38:46 Why waiting to adopt AI search strategies means constantly playing catch-up  40:11 What to expect in Andrew's upcoming book Left of Trust  44:17 A free assessment tool and gold button report on be-picked.com to evaluate your marketing readiness  45:42 Maya Angelou's guiding quote on how people remember how you made them feel   Key Insights & Takeaways   Insight 1: Clients Hire the Person Who Makes the Fear Stop  Professional service providers often lead with cognitive trust credentials—degrees, licenses, and years in practice. However, clients in pain are driven by affective trust. They choose the professional whose material makes their anxiety dissipate and moves them from a state of fear to comfort.   Insight 2: Comfort is an Innate Human Necessity Above All Else Drawing from Harry Harlow's classic 1950s university experiments with baby monkeys and surrogate mothers, human beings inherently seek comfort above all else. Understanding that clients initiate legal or professional processes because they are uncomfortable and seeking a return to comfort is the foundational basis of effective communication and marketing.   Insight 3: The AI Search Era is the New Internet Land Grab  Just as early domain grabbers shaped the original internet, modern AI search engines represent a brand-new frontier. When clients lie awake at night searching for solutions to specific pain points, AI search engines recommend trusted authorities. Professionals who fail to publish content addressing these concerns will forever play catch-up.   Insight 4: Vocabulary Seating Compounds Your Online Credibility  Every professional uses unique words and phrasing to describe concepts. By consistently putting out content—such as blogs, LinkedIn posts, and videos—using your natural vocabulary, you train search engines to connect those specific terms directly to you, making you the inevitable expert clients find when they search.   Insight 5: By the Time They Call, They Have Already Decided  If a professional invests time into building online credibility in the "Left of Trust" space by answering specific client questions across multiple touchpoints, the client's decision is already made before the first phone call. They do not call to evaluate you; they call because they know you are the solution.   Resources & Links Mentioned Be-Picked.com (Andrew's company website featuring a free 15-question strength and weakness report) Left of Trust: Clients Choose You Before They Know You (Andrew's upcoming book) The Credibility Generator (automated content tool for professional service providers) Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine   About Andrew Colsky Andrew Colsky spent over 30 years as a trial attorney, litigator, and mediator, helping build what became the largest employment mediation program in the world. Driven by a lifelong fascination with human thinking and persuasion, he returned to school to earn a mental health degree, becoming a licensed mental health clinician specializing in obsessive-compulsive disorder and behavioral sleep medicine. As a radio host reaching roughly 70,000 listeners per week and an entrepreneur, he combined his legal, clinical, and technological expertise to found Be Picked and create the Credibility Generator. He helps professional service providers understand the science of fear, master the "Left of Trust" space, and build automated digital credibility.   Connect with Andrew Website: https://www.be-picked.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewecolsky/ Like the show? Leave us a rating or review: https://lovethepodcast.com/67940257010b317cdaa9d857Follow the Show: https://followthepodcast.com/67940257010b317cdaa9d857Send a Message: https://podcastfeedback.com/67940257010b317cdaa9d857Check out our Website: https://www.yourbrandamplified.comSpeak to my Delphi Clone: https://www.delphi.ai/amplifywithanika Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 23, 2026 is: prowess • PROW-us • noun Prowess refers to someone's great ability, skill, or talent for something specified, as in “the pop star's vocal prowess” or “a lawyer of great prowess.” // Already a proven virtuoso on guitar, she extends her considerable instrumental prowess to the piano throughout her new album as well. See the entry > Examples: “On another Friday ... I led a nature writing workshop at the library's Fowler branch. ... I had everyone draw a map of a place they loved and populate their maps with landmarks. Then we all went around and shared our drawings. Inevitably (after first acknowledging our lack of artistic prowess) stories emerged. Walks with long-gone, beloved dogs. Times someone had been caught out in bad weather.” — Steve Edwards, Literary Hub, 4 Dec. 2025 Did you know? Prowess is a word with a lot to be proud of. Not only has it performed gallantly for the English language since the 13th century, but it has stayed relatively stalwart in hewing to its original meaning, which is quite an accomplishment. When prowess first joined the ranks of the lexicon, it could be used to refer to bravery, skill, and valor—especially those virtues as encountered in military contexts—or to individual acts of derring-do. The latter was usually used in the plural, as when people waxed rhapsodic about the “prowesses” of knights or some such. Today's “extraordinary ability” meaning, which developed in the 17th century, tends to stick to the singular form, as when it's used to describe those with intellectual prowess, or to someone known for their prowess as a fundraiser. 

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 22, 2026 is: august • aw-GUST • adjective The word august, which is pronounced with the accent on "gust," describes someone or something marked by majestic dignity or grandeur. // We toured the old mansion's august halls and expansive grounds. See the entry > Examples: "His tone is temperate, but the words echo through the State Capitol's Assembly chamber, the august backdrop for his speech." — Maya Singer, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026 Did you know? The Roman republican calendar spanned just ten months, from March (then Martius) through December. The last five months were each named for their numerical place on the calendar: Quintilis (fifth), Sextilis (sixth), September (seventh), October (eighth), November (ninth), and December (tenth). January and February were eventually added to create a twelve-month year, obscuring the relationship between these months and their titles. So it was a welcome change when the Roman Senate honored Gaius Octavius (aka Octavian), the first Roman emperor, by changing Sextilis to Augustus—the designation taken by Octavian from the Latin adjective augustus meaning "worthy of honor" or "venerable." Although August has been the English name of the eighth month of the year since before the 12th century, it wasn't until the late 1500s that august came to be used as an adjective (pronounced aw-GUST), more or less as augustus was in Latin.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 21, 2026 is: rigmarole • RIG-uh-muh-rol • noun Rigmarole refers to a long, complicated, and annoying process, description, etc. // We went through the rigmarole of installing, registering, and activating the software before we found out it wouldn't work. See the entry > Examples: “Over the last 10 years or so, I've had an on-again, off-again relationship with running. On the one hand, I love it for the mental benefits. My mind always feels clearer after a run and it can be an escape from the rigmarole of life. But on the other hand, it seems that every few years, some mild injury befalls me that slows my momentum, or I move to a new city and lose the routine of running at a time and place.” — Maura Fox, The San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sept. 2025 Did you know? In the Middle Ages, the term Rageman or Ragman referred to a game in which a player randomly selected a string attached to a roll of verses and read the selected verse. The roll was called a Ragman roll after a fictional king purported to be the author of the verses. By the 16th century, ragman and ragman roll were being used figuratively to mean “a list or catalog.” Both terms fell out of written use, but ragman roll persisted in speech, and in the 18th century it resurfaced in writing as rigmarole, with the meaning “a succession of confused, meaningless, or foolish statements.” In the mid-19th century rigmarole (also spelled rigamarole, reflecting its common pronunciation) acquired the sense referring to a complex and tedious procedure.

What if everything we know about teaching reading is upside down? In this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer sits down with tech entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and innovator David Chalk to unpack a remarkable story of literacy, neurodiversity, trauma, and redemption. Key Highlights & Discussion Points:

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 20, 2026 is: divulge • dih-VULJ • verb To divulge something, especially secret or private information, is to make it known. // Rather than divulge the baby name we've chosen, we're waiting till the little one arrives to make introductions. See the entry > Examples: “Sun Ra's agent had called, he said. ... The Arkestra was heading out on tour soon, to Europe, and Sonny wanted the three of us to join him. ... After we'd calmed down, Don divulged the hitch: the tour would take us away for the school year's last weeks, meaning we would miss exams and also all the end-of-college parties.” — Michael Lowenthal, Place Envy: Essays in Search of Orientation, 2026 Did you know? Information divulged is typically secret, or known only to insiders, and it isn't usually shouted from the rooftops. But when divulge first entered English in the 15th century, it did so as a synonym of proclaim: divulging involved declaring or announcing something to the public, a duty of town criers from Lizard Point to Dunnet Head. The word's source is the Latin verb vulgare, “to make known,” which traces ultimately back to the Latin noun vulgus, meaning “common people” or “mob.” While nowadays divulge can presumably involve blabbing to the rabble, the word usually implies a more careful and considered approach to sharing sensitive information.

Learning kitchen vocabulary in Italian is essential because the kitchen is such an important part of everyday life in Italy. Knowing these words helps you feel more confident using Italian in daily life.Start learning Italian today!1. Explore more simple Italian lessons: https://italianmatters.com/2572. Download the Italian Verb Conjugation Blueprint: ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/freebieverbblueprint⁠⁠⁠3. Subscribe to the YouTube lessons: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/italianmatters⁠⁠⁠The goal of the Italian Matters Language and Culture School is to help English speakers build fluency and confidence to speak the Italian language through support, feedback, and accountability. The primary focus is on empowering Italian learners to speak clearly and sound natural so they can easily have conversations in Italian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 19, 2026 is: balmy • BAH-mee • adjective Balmy is an adjective that is often used to describe weather that is warm, calm, and pleasant. It can also be used to describe someone or something (such as an idea) that is foolish or irrational. // After a long, eight-hour drive, we were rewarded with a mild, balmy evening at our vacation spot on the shores of Lake Erie. // Despite being a devout Green Bay fan, she finds the idea of attending games in head-to-toe yellow and green body paint to be a bit balmy. See the entry > Examples: “Everyone is encouraged to bring chairs, snacks and coolers, and remember the flashlights for the walk back to the parking lot. Leashed dogs are welcome, too. These evenings are all about enjoying good music on a balmy summer night.” — The Sun (Elizabethtown, New York), 18 June 2026 Did you know? Aromatic ointments and fragrances are the bomb. They are also, literally, balms: healing substances and soothing scents with the power to ease both mind and body. The original balm, what Latin-speakers referred to as balsamum, was the oleoresin of a species of balsam tree. In Anglo-French, balsamum became basme and baume, spellings which entered Middle English and later became balm. Balm eventually begat the adjective balmy, used to describe things with a balm's comforting, calming qualities, as when Shakespeare's Othello speaks of “balmy slumbers.” Today balmy is typically used to describe the weather—balmy breezes, balmy temperatures, balmy spring afternoons, et al—conditions that are neither too hot nor too cold, but just right—Goldilocks conditions, even.

In today's episode, you'll join Teacher Tiffani for a real, relaxed conversation with one of her Academy students. Each week, she sits down with them to talk about an aspect of the monthly topic—sharing personal experiences, practicing natural English, and learning how to express ideas clearly and confidently in real-life situations.As you listen, you'll be inspired and also hear useful vocabulary, common expressions, and smooth, everyday phrases you can start using right away. You'll also pick up speaking tips that will help you sound more natural and feel more comfortable responding in conversations. By the end of this episode, you'll feel more confident speaking English—and more prepared to have meaningful conversations on any topic.Enroll now: https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/365system

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 18, 2026 is: oxymoron • ahk-sih-MOR-ahn • noun An oxymoron is a combination of words that have opposite or very different meanings, such as "cruel kindness" or "open secret." In broader usage, oxymoron can also refer to something (such as a concept) that is made up of contradictory or incongruous elements. // Some of Shakespeare's most famous plays are filled with oxymorons such as "loving hate" and "tragical mirth." See the entry > Examples: "Even the most environmentally aware beauty editors I know (perhaps that's an oxymoron, given the amount of product we have to test for our jobs…) use sheet masks on a weekly basis, and the trend is showing no signs of slowing." — Melanie Macleod, Hello Magazine, 15 Apr. 2026 Did you know? The ancient Greeks exhaustively classified the elements of rhetoric, or effective speech and writing, and gave the name oxymoron—literally "pointed foolishness"—to the deliberate juxtaposing of seemingly contradictory words. The roots of oxymoron, oxys meaning "sharp" or "keen," and mōros meaning "foolish," are nearly antonyms themselves, making oxymoron nicely self-descriptive. Oxymoron originally applied to a meaningful paradox condensed into a couple of words, as in "lonely crowd" or "sweet sorrow." Today, however, what is commonly cited as an oxymoron is often simply a curiosity of language, where one or both elements have multiple meanings (shrimp in "jumbo shrimp" doesn't mean "small"; it refers to a sea creature), or a phrase whose elements seem antithetical in spirit, such as "organized chaos."

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 17, 2026 is: lackadaisical • lak-uh-DAY-zih-kul • adjective Something or someone described as lackadaisical is lacking in interest, enthusiasm, or zest. // Feeling particularly lackadaisical in the summer heat, they lazily tossed a ball back and forth. See the entry > Examples: "The defense was lackadaisical at best, while the offense wasn't much better." — Shreyas Laddha, The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, New York), 7 Feb. 2026 Did you know? We're too enthusiastic about the lexicon to be lackadaisical about words, but lackadaisical itself is rooted in the sort of sorrow that can put a damper on one's passion for vocabulary expansion. When folks living from the late 17th to the late 19th century had one of those days when nothing goes right, they could cry "Lackaday!" to express their sorrow and disappointment as a shortened form of the expression "alack the day." (Alack is an interjection used to express sorrow or regret.) By the mid-1700s, the adjective lackadaisical had been formed to describe such weary and exasperated folks, as well as their half-hearted doings and sayings. Today the word has lost some of its dreariness and most often describes the languid and lazy.

In this solo episode, Hallie unpacks one of her go-to therapy strategies for grades 4-12: word webs. She covers why this simple visual tool does so much heavy lifting in mixed therapy groups, how it hits multiple goals at once, and why it beats another boring vocabulary worksheet every time. If you've been looking for a way to teach vocabulary that actually sticks (and doesn't require a Pinterest-worthy setup), this episode is for you.Bullet Points to Discuss: What word webs are and how they help students connect meaning to a word instead of just memorizing a definition Why word webs support deeper processing and long-term carryover for vocabulary retention Which students benefit most from this visual, low-prep approach Ways to adapt word webs to feel age-appropriate for older, "too cool for therapy" students Using word webs to build emotional vocabulary beyond happy, sad, and mad How to introduce and scaffold the skill so it doesn't overwhelm students early onHere's what we learned: Word webs give repeated, meaningful exposure to a word, which is what makes vocabulary stick. No fancy prep needed. A whiteboard or sticky notes will do. One word web can hit different goals for different students in the same group. Start small and build complexity gradually to avoid overwhelming students. Making it relevant to their world (sports, social media, career goals) is what keeps older students engaged.Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 16, 2026 is: zeugma • ZOOG-muh • noun Zeugma refers to wordplay in which a single word relates to other words in such a way that it means something different in each case, as in “building a boat and a reputation” and “open a book along with your mind.” // A clever use of zeugma was demonstrated by Groucho Marx's character Rufus T. Firefly in Duck Soup (1933): “You can leave in a taxi. If you can't get a taxi, you can leave in a huff. If that's too soon, you can leave in a minute and a huff.” See the entry > Examples: “... in an evocative use of zeugma—my favorite literary device ... [Oyinkan] Braithwaite writes, ‘The old house and everyone in it was falling apart.'” — Hudson Warm, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2 Nov. 2025 Did you know? “Zeugma, like the pun, is economical: it contracts two sentences into one . . .; it links unrelated terms—mental with moral, abstract with physical, high with low—and thus generates surprise,” wrote Walter Redfern in Puns (1984). Zeugma, which has been a part of the English language since the 15th century, comes from Greek, where it literally means “joining.” But even those who are unfamiliar with the word are likely well acquainted with the clever wordplay to which it refers—zeugma is a beloved device of lyricists, probably for the economy noted by Redfern. Notable examples come from Alanis Morissette (“You held your breath and the door for me”), Taylor Swift (“The wine is cold like the shoulder that I gave you”), and the Beatles (“Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name”).

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bizpod/BEN62-Quantum-Computing.mp3 In this Business English News lesson on quantum computing, we look at business English vocabulary related to technology. Quantum computing is emerging as a promising technology alongside AI. Unlike traditional computers, quantum computers use qubits, which can exist in multiple states at once. This allows them to solve certain complex problems much faster. The technology is still developing, but investment is growing. The global quantum computing market is expected to increase from $700 million in 2026 to $1.7 billion by 2033. Several quantum computing companies have also entered, or are preparing to enter, public markets. A major challenge has been errors that can destroy fragile quantum states. Recent progress in quantum error correction has helped researchers reduce these errors and move closer to reliable, large-scale quantum computers. This could make applications such as advanced materials and drug research more practical. However, businesses should be careful about the hype. Quantum computing is unlikely to replace traditional computers or AI. Instead, experts expect hybrid systems that combine quantum computers with classical computing and AI. Potential applications include drug discovery, financial optimization, supply-chain planning, and energy-grid modeling. Although progress is encouraging, commercial success is not guaranteed. The technology remains at an early stage, and companies themselves acknowledge that large-scale commercial use may still be many years away. Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | Lesson Module Download: Podcast MP3>>> The post Business English News 62 – Quantum Computing first appeared on Business English Pod :: Learn Business English Online.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 15, 2026 is: circumscribe • SER-kum-skrybe • verb To circumscribe something is to limit its range or activity. // The president's decision-making power was carefully circumscribed by the company's board. See the entry > Examples: “A mid-credits scene that shows Santos and Mel at a karaoke bar performing a duet ... might seem to be a throwaway. But it's more like a glimmer of a happy ending. By blowing off steam together, Mel is forming an independent identity and Santos is finding a healthy outlet for her anger. This could be the first step, for both of them, towards escaping a life circumscribed by work …” — Judy Berman, Time, 16 Apr. 2026 Did you know? To circumscribe something is to limit its range or activity, but there is no circumscribing the range of influence the Latin ancestors of circumscribe have had. Circumscribe comes via Middle English from the Latin verb circumscribere (which roughly translates as “to draw a circle around”), which in turn comes from circum-, meaning “circle,” and scribere, meaning “to write or draw.” Among the many descendants of circum- are circuit, circumference, circumnavigate, circumspect, circumstance, and circumvent. Scribere gave us such words as scribe and scribble, as well as ascribe, describe, and transcribe, among others.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 14, 2026 is: vacuous • VAK-yuh-wus • adjective Vacuous is a formal word indicating a lack of thought, intelligence, or substance. // Despite a lengthy advertising campaign pitching the film as a masterwork, critics ultimately assailed it as dull and filled with self-important characters spouting vacuous platitudes. See the entry > Examples: "Harper Lee was not slight, was not vacuous. To Kill a Mockingbird is an artefact of its time … but it had its place in moving the arc of history and still does." — Erica Wagner, The Observer (London), 18 Oct. 2025 Did you know? As you might have guessed, vacuous shares the same root as vacuum. Both come from the Latin adjective vacuus, meaning "empty." This root also gave us the noun vacuity (the oldest meaning of which is "an empty space") as well as the verb evacuate (originally meaning "to empty of contents"). Its predecessor, the verb vacāre, is also an ancestor of the words vacation, vacancy, and even void. All of these words suggest an emptiness of space, or else a fleeing of people or things from one place to another. Vacuous appeared in English in the middle of the 17th century, at first literally describing something that was empty. Centuries later it acquired its figurative usage, describing one who is lacking any substance of the mind.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 13, 2026 is: salvo • SAL-voh • noun In military contexts, salvo refers to various actions involving discharge or release of bombs, rockets, artillery, etc., as well to the bombs or projectiles released in such an action. In general use, salvo is usually used to refer to a strong or sudden verbal attack, but it can also refer to a sudden occurrence of applause, laughter, etc., from many people. // The troops were driven back by a salvo of cannon fire. // The editorial's opening salvo was a list of grievances against the mayor's policies. // The conclusion of her performance was answered with a salvo of cheers and applause. See the entry > Examples: “Nas dropped Illmatic, his unimpeachable opening salvo, when he was only 20, taking a haunted stroll through his Queensbridge adolescence on ‘Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park).' An undercurrent of nostalgia weaves throughout his 30-year discography.” — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 8 Jan. 2026 Did you know? No opening salvo here: salvo in phrases like “an opening salvo” is a kind of attack, especially one that is strong or sudden. Usually, such salvos are verbal attacks, like a critical remark aimed at a debate opponent, or a pointed accusation at the start of an editorial. But salvo can also refer to attacks of a more perilous kind, including various martial actions involving bombs, rockets, and artillery. (It can also refer to the bombs or projectiles released in a salvo.) The word arrived from Italian in the late 16th century with a complex meaning: it referred to a simultaneous discharge of two or more guns, either in military action or as a salute. The word's ultimate source is the Latin word salve, meaning “hail!,” which was an ancient Roman greeting. In English, salvo is sometimes used for a sudden occurrence of applause, laughter, etc., from many people, which sounds to us like the best kind of all.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 12, 2026 is: gnomic • NOH-mik • adjective Gnomic is a formal word that describes something cryptically said or written in few words. // The painter is notorious for offering terse, gnomic responses to questions about her work that leave interviewers and critics scratching their heads. See the entry > Examples: “Indeed, the album that ‘Michelangelo Dying' reminds me of most is [Laurie] Anderson's seminal ‘Big Science,' from 1982. ... Both albums feature gnomic lyrical pronouncements. (‘Rigid, collapse,' [Cate] Le Bon chants on the track ‘About Time,' reminiscent of Anderson talk-singing, ‘Big Science, Hallelujah.')” — Rumaan Alam, The New Yorker, 26 Sept. 2025 Did you know? A gnome is an aphorism—that is, a short phrase that expresses a true or wise idea. Gnomes are sometimes couched in metaphorical or figurative language, they are often quite clever, and they are always concise. We borrowed the word gnome in the 16th century from the Greeks, who based their word gnōmē on the verb gignōskein, meaning “to know.” (The other gnome—referring to the dwarf of folklore—comes from New Latin and is unrelated to the aphoristic gnome.) We began using gnomic, the adjective form of gnome, in the late 18th century. It describes a style of writing, or sometimes speech, characterized by pithy phrases, which are often terse to the point of mysteriousness.

You know how I love to share a great find, and this week I've got a real winner for your vocabulary program. On this episode of "Highly Recommended," I'll tell you about a new tool I just found and why it's so high impact for helping kids learn new words. Let's dive in. Word Dissector App Link: https://word-dissector.irrc-tools.org/  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Get my popular free hexagonal thinking digital toolkit Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram.  Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the 'gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!  Sources: Cambridge Dictionary Online. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/ Kerkhoff, Shea. (2026). Adolescent Literacy: Integrating the Sciences of Reading and Writing in Grades 4-12. Bloomsbury Academic. Merriam Webster Online. https://www.merriam-webster.com "Word Dissector." (2026). Iowa Reading Research Center Morpheme Lab. https://word-dissector.irrc-tools.org/ Your Dictionary. https://education.yourdictionary.com/education/for-students-and-parents/greek-and-latin-word-roots.html

Enroll now: https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/365systemIn today's episode, you'll join Teacher Tiffani for a real, relaxed conversation with one of her Academy students. Each week, she sits down with them to talk about an aspect of the monthly topic—sharing personal experiences, practicing natural English, and learning how to express ideas clearly and confidently in real-life situations.As you listen, you'll be inspired and also hear useful vocabulary, common expressions, and smooth, everyday phrases you can start using right away. You'll also pick up speaking tips that will help you sound more natural and feel more comfortable responding in conversations. By the end of this episode, you'll feel more confident speaking English—and more prepared to have meaningful conversations on any topic.If you want to sign up for the free English email newsletter, go to https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/newsletter

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 11, 2026 is: baptism of fire • BAP-tiz-um-uv-FYRE • noun A baptism of fire (or baptism by fire, as it is sometimes referred to in the U.S.) is an introductory or initial experience that is a severe ordeal. In military contexts, baptism of fire specifically refers to a soldier's first exposure to enemy fire. // The newly recruited player faced a baptism of fire as the team went head to head with their greatest rival. See the entry > Examples: "It was my first day on the slopes, and in my naivety I had tackled Avoriaz's famous Boulevard des Skieurs after one three-hour lesson, before I could even really turn. At 36, this was a baptism of fire." — Jaymi McCann, The Week, 23 Jan. 2026 Did you know? The military sense of baptism of fire can be found in, among other texts, a 1907 history of a Massachusetts regiment in the Civil War: "That night we camped sixteen miles from Baton Rouge where we remained until the 21st, on which day we received our baptism of fire." Users of that sense, referring to a soldier's first exposure to enemy fire, as well those employing the more general sense of an especially difficult initiation, both allude (knowingly or unknowingly) to a Biblical passage: "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me . . . will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Matthew 3:11, RSV). The use of baptism of fire to refer to such a spiritual baptism dates to at least the early 1600s. Non-biblical, metaphorical use for any introductory or initial experience that is a severe ordeal arose in the mid-1850s.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 10, 2026 is: pedagogical • ped-uh-GAH-jih-kul • adjective Pedagogical is a formal word used to describe things that are of or related to teachers or education. // The new professor is known for particularly engaging pedagogical methods. See the entry > Examples: “It's a predictable part of every academic year at my institution: that time when we faculty are asked to submit course proposals and space requests. ... But the prosaic task of picking a classroom has hidden potential: It's a chance to manifest a new pedagogical vision; it's an instantiation of values in a time of profound change.” — Rachel Hastings, Inside Higher Ed, 4 June 2026 Did you know? Pedagogical was coined in the late 16th century from a Greek adjective of the same meaning. That adjective, paidagōgikos (“suitable for a teacher or trainer”), in turn comes from the noun paidagōgos, meaning “tutor.” The English word pedagogue (which can simply mean “teacher” but usually suggests one who is particularly pedantic or dull) comes from the same root. Although the words educational and teacher make the grade in most contexts, pedagogical and pedagogue are useful additions to the class.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 10, 2026 is: pedagogical • ped-uh-GAH-jih-kul • adjective Pedagogical is a formal word used to describe things that are of or related to teachers or education. // The new professor is known for particularly engaging pedagogical methods. See the entry > Examples: “It's a predictable part of every academic year at my institution: that time when we faculty are asked to submit course proposals and space requests. ... But the prosaic task of picking a classroom has hidden potential: It's a chance to manifest a new pedagogical vision; it's an instantiation of values in a time of profound change.” — Rachel Hastings, Inside Higher Ed, 4 June 2026 Did you know? Pedagogical was coined in the late 16th century from a Greek adjective of the same meaning. That adjective, paidagōgikos (“suitable for a teacher or trainer”), in turn comes from the noun paidagōgos, meaning “tutor.” The English word pedagogue (which can simply mean “teacher” but usually suggests one who is particularly pedantic or dull) comes from the same root. Although the words educational and teacher make the grade in most contexts, pedagogical and pedagogue are useful additions to the class.

In today's episode, you'll join Teacher Tiffani for a real, relaxed conversation with one of her Academy students. Each week, she sits down with them to talk about an aspect of the monthly topic—sharing personal experiences, practicing natural English, and learning how to express ideas clearly and confidently in real-life situations.As you listen, you'll be inspired and also hear useful vocabulary, common expressions, and smooth, everyday phrases you can start using right away. You'll also pick up speaking tips that will help you sound more natural and feel more comfortable responding in conversations. By the end of this episode, you'll feel more confident speaking English—and more prepared to have meaningful conversations on any topic.Enroll now: https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/365system

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 9, 2026 is: anecdote • AN-ik-doht • noun An anecdote is a short narrative about an interesting, funny, or biographical incident. // Dinner with our uncles means lots of anecdotes involving the mischief they got into as kids. See the entry > Examples: “Standing in front of a room of about 40 people … [NASCAR driver, Lavar] Scott told stories about his racing family. ‘One time, my grandmother raced my grandfather, and she flipped her Mustang,' said Scott. The anecdote was greeted with a chorus of laughs.” — Devin Jackson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2026 Did you know? The Byzantine historian Procopius wrote three historical works in Greek. In the first two, he dealt with wars and public works projects, but the third was different. Referred to as the Anekdota, from the Greek adjective anekdotos meaning “unpublished,” it contained bitter attacks on the emperor Justinian, his wife, and other notables of contemporary Constantinople. Understandably, it was not published until after Procopius's death. English speakers originally used an anglicized version of the book's name for similar secret or unpublished histories or biographies, but by the 17th century, the meaning of anecdote had been broadened to cover brief and interesting or amusing tales of events or incidents.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 8, 2026 is: nurture • NER-cher • verb Nurture is most often used to mean “to help someone or something grow, develop, or succeed.” It can also mean “to take care of someone or something that is growing or developing by providing food, protection, a place to live, etc.,” or “to hold something, such as an idea or strong feeling, in your mind for a long time.” // Art teachers nurture their students' creativity. // She nurtured a secret ambition to be a professional singer. See the entry > Examples: “Parks are good for people. They nurture community, even alongside busy roads and next to dense housing; especially there, in fact.” — Cheryl Fox, The Park Record (Park City, Utah), 3 July 2026 Did you know? When nurture was first adopted from Anglo-French into English in the 14th century, it referred, as it does in the phrase “nurture vs. nature,” to training or upbringing, i.e., to the care and attention given to someone or something that is growing or developing. It wasn't until a century later that the verb nurture settled into the language, first with meanings having to do with feeding and caring for young—meanings nourish had been, er, nurturing for a hundred years. The words come by their overlapping meanings etymologically: both come from the Latin verb nutrire, meaning “to suckle” or “to nourish.” The figurative use of nurture, meaning “to further the development of,” followed centuries later. Mary Wollstonecraft applied it in her 1792 book, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, writing, “Public spirit must be nurtured by private virtue.”

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 7, 2026 is: invidious • in-VID-ee-us • adjective Invidious is a formal word used to describe things that are unpleasant and likely to cause bad feelings in other people. Such bad feelings may include resentment, discontent, animosity, or envy. // Psychologists caution against drawing invidious comparisons between other people's lives as portrayed on social media and one's own. See the entry > Examples: “The gap between romantic expectation and mundane reality, frankly, never ceases to amaze with this team. France, somehow, get better, on paper, with every tournament. Talent keeps coming through at a relentless, invidious rate.” — James Horncastle, The New York Times, 16 June 2026 Did you know? If invidious reminds you of the word insidious (“gradually or subtly causing harm”), you've got a nose for negativity—at least the lexical kind. It's not that using the word invidious will harm you gradually, but that both words, in addition to rhyming and coming from Latin, are all about bad vibes. The two are otherwise unrelated; insidious comes from Latin insidiae, “ambush,” while invidious is instead a relative of envy and comes from the verb invidēre, meaning “to look askance at” or “to envy.” The link between envy and invidious is largely invisible today, as invidious is typically applied to that which is unpleasant (such as “an invidious position”) or is likely to cause harm or resentment (“invidious comparisons,” “invidious discrimination”).

We often assume that we feel an emotion first, and then we scramble to find the right word to describe it. But modern psychology tells us that the opposite is actually true: the vocabulary you possess dictates the depth, nuance, and reality of what you can feel. In this episode, we are going to explore how expanding your emotional vocabulary—and borrowing a few brilliant words from the ancient philosophers—can literally rewire your nervous system and help you construct a more peaceful reality. New Episode of the Happiness Podcast with Dr. Robert Puff, Ph.D., Newport Beach Psychologist

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 6, 2026 is: torpor • TOR-per • noun Torpor is a formal word for a state of inactivity and sluggishness. It can also be used, especially in the context of hibernating and estivating animals, to refer to a state of lowered physiological activity. // The magazine offers lots of ideas for activities designed to shake off the torpor of a rainy day. See the entry > Examples: “Especially during migration in the spring and fall, bats can get tired. If they are caught in a cold snap, they can go into torpor, like a mini-hibernation, to help survive the cold period when there aren't insects available to eat for energy.” — Tara Hohoff, The Conversation, 28 May 2026 Did you know? Cheer up, sleepy Jean (or sleepy Gene)—we know what torpor can mean, and we're happy to share. Torpor can mean a few things, actually. Most commonly it refers to a state of mind and body characterized by inactivity and lack of energy, as on a torrid (no relation) summer day when one has little desire to do much more than lie around daydreaming. While people may be able to shake off torpor that sets in when the heat takes away the will to get things done, it's a bit harder for animals, for whom the word has a more technical meaning. An animal in torpor is in a state of lowered body temperature and metabolic activity, usually because of extreme heat or cold. The torpor can last a few hours or it can be months before the creature wipes the sleep out of its eyes.  Torpid, the related adjective (both torpid and torpor come from the Latin verb torpēre, meaning “to be sluggish or numb”) also has both technical and nontechnical applications, as in “torpid animals” or “a torpid economy.”

(00:00) The guys talk about influencers and being online, then they talk about a man online named Mike Fadele who does peoples taxes, and they react to his videos. (00:19:22.78) Nesn Sportscaster and Anchor Tom Caron joins Toucher and Hardy to talk about the Red Sox, Marcello Mayer trade, Adley Rutschman trade, Adley injury and return date, Caleb Durbin, how is this lineup doing so well, Ceddanne Rafaela, who scares you in the AL, and Crochet coming out of bullpen. (00:32:39.91) The guys talk about a story on the Boston Globe about a guy who was accused of assault and ran away and was found last month, vocabulary and being able to say certain words, and living under an alias. Please note: Timecodes may shift by a few minutes due to inserted ads. Because of copyright restrictions, portions—or entire segments—may not be included in the podcast.CONNECT WITH TOUCHER & HARDY: linktr.ee/ToucherandHardyFor the latest updates, visit the show page on 985thesportshub.com. Follow 98.5 The Sports Hub on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Watch the show every morning on YouTube, and subscribe to stay up-to-date with all the best moments from Boston's home for sports!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 5, 2026 is: colloquial • kuh-LOH-kwee-ul • adjective Colloquial is used with words like term and word and expression to describe language that is used in familiar and informal conversation. // The author can switch from formal academic language to a charmingly colloquial style, depending on the audience and subject of her writing. See the entry > Examples: "The American woodcock is a native North American bird species found in Wisconsin and much of the eastern United States and Canada. Known by a host of colloquial names, including timberdoodle, ... bogsucker and mudsnipe, the species is about the size of the American robin ..." — Paul A. Smith, The Green Bay (Wisconsin) Press-Gazette , 1 May 2026 Did you know? The noun colloquy has since the 15th century referred to a conversation or dialogue, and when the adjective colloquial was formed in the mid-18th century it had a similar focus. (Both words trace back to the Latin verb colloquī, meaning "to converse.") Over time, however, colloquial developed a more specific meaning related to language that is most suited to informal conversation, and it ultimately garnered a secondary use for language that is so informal as to be inappropriate for a given situation. For instance, when writing an academic paper about Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton, it would not serve to say that the crew of the Endurance was "in quite a pickle" when they became trapped in ice off the Caird coast. Although pickle does indeed mean "a difficult situation" in this context, its flavor—ahem—may be considered too colloquial, that is, "unacceptably informal," for academic use.