Podcasts about Vocabulary

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 10, 2025 is: boffo • BAH-foh • adjective Boffo is an informal word that describes things that are extremely good or successful. // The most recent film in the long-running franchise has done boffo business at the box office, a testament to the series' enduring popularity. See the entry > Examples: “A strong showing at the Senior Bowl was followed by a boffo performance at the NFL combine, where the 6-foot-4, 214-pound [Isaac] TeSlaa zoomed through the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds …” — Rainer Sabin, The Detroit Free Press, 27 Apr. 2025 Did you know? Boffo made its print debut as a noun referring to something great: a solid joke or a good punch line. It did so right around the same time—the 1930s, at the dawn of Hollywood's golden age—as boff, a noun with an identical meaning thought to perhaps come from “box office.” Within a few years, boffo began to be applied adjectivally to things that, like a good joke, were a big hit: performances, all-star casts, movies. To this day it is used mostly in the context of performing arts, spectator sports, and other entertainments.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AMERICANENGLISH and get on your way to being your best self. In this immersive summer episode, you'll escape to the sun-drenched shores of an American beach and soak up advanced vocabulary, phrasal verbs, and collocations—all beach-themed and delivered in under 10 minutes (ish

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 9, 2025 is: simulacrum • sim-yuh-LAK-rum • noun A simulacrum is a superficial likeness of something, usually as an imitation, copy, or representation. The plural of simulacrum is either simulacrums or simulacra. // The surprise still succeeded, thanks to the simulacrum of confusion expressed by two guests when they were spotted before the big moment. See the entry > Examples: "Under the lid, there are no strings to move the air, but rather speakers that create an uncanny simulacrum of a grand piano." — Robert Ross, Robb Report, 17 July 2024 Did you know? There is more than a crumb of similarity between simulacrum and simulate: both words come from simulāre, a Latin verb meaning "to pretend, produce a fraudulent imitation of, imitate." At the root of simulāre is the Latin adjective similis, which means "having characteristics in common." Many "similar" words trace back to similis, hence the resemblance between simulacrum and familiar terms like simultaneous, simile, and of course similarity.

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 8, 2025 is: exemplary • ig-ZEM-pluh-ree • adjective Something described as exemplary is extremely good and deserves to be admired and copied. // Our research team was awarded for our exemplary work on the project. See the entry > Examples: “[Director, Oliver] Hermanus again shows highly polished craftsmanship, adding the subtlest hint of sepia tones to evoke the period in the early sections, but never to the point where the characters compete with the settings. His direction of the actors is exemplary, even with characters seen only briefly ...” — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 May 2025 Did you know? It's usually not a good thing if someone wants to make an example of you, unless, of course, it's because you happen to be exemplary. Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, someone or something may be deemed exemplary if they, by their example, are worthy of imitation. Like a few other English words beginning with ex—such as exceptional and extraordinary—exemplary describes that which is a cut above the rest. But though exemplary, which comes from the Latin noun exemplum (“example”), describes something “excellent,” it almost always carries the further suggestion that the thing described is an excellent model to follow.

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 7, 2025 is: procrastinate • pruh-KRASS-tuh-nayt • verb To procrastinate is to be slow or late about doing something that should be done, or about doing or attending to things in general. // Tickets to the event are selling swiftly, so don't procrastinate—buy yours today. // Not one to procrastinate, Harry set to work on the project immediately. See the entry > Examples: "Researchers found that individuals who tend to procrastinate often do so because they fear not meeting their high standards or worry too much about failing. The study also showed that this fear of failure and the habit of overgeneralizing failures (like thinking one mistake means you're a failure) strongly connect perfectionism to procrastination." — Mark Travers, Forbes, 28 May 2025 Did you know? We won't put off telling you about the origins of procrastinate: it comes from the Latin prefix pro-, meaning "forward," and crastinus, meaning "of tomorrow." To procrastinate is to work or move slowly so as to fall behind; it implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy. English has other words with similar meanings, such as defer and postpone, but none places the blame so directly on the person responsible for choosing a later time to do something. Procrastinate is also a malleable word: English speakers have wasted no time creating clever variations, most of them delightfully self-explanatory. Don't let coinages like procrastibake, procrastinetflix, and procrasticlean pass you by; they may not meet our criteria for entry into the dictionary, but their potentials for use are undeniable.

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Have you ever worked hard to create something beautiful, only to have uninvited guests show up and ruin it? That's exactly what happened to Andrew when he transformed his little Seoul yard into an urban paradise! In this episode, Andrew shares a funny story about some unexpected "burglars" who discovered his secret garden. You'll discover who these mysterious visitors are and why they've been "terrorizing" his home all week! Along the way, you'll learn over 15 useful expressions that will make your English sound more natural and native-like, all included in the FREE vocabulary glossary. What you'll learn: Essential home and garden vocabulary you'll actually use in real conversations Natural expressions for describing progress and changes over time How native speakers tell personal stories with humor and suspense Vocabulary for talking about nature and wildlife Perfect for intermediate learners who: Want to sound more natural when sharing personal experiences Love learning through entertaining, real-life stories Important links: Become a Culips member Study with the interactive transcript Join the Culips Discord server Small-group speaking class schedule

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 6, 2025 is: antic • AN-tik • noun Antic refers to an attention-drawing, often wildly playful or funny act or action. It is usually used in its plural form, and is often used disapprovingly. // It wasn't clear which students were ultimately responsible for the antics that unfolded in the cafeteria that day. See the entry > Examples: “A couple of adult gorillas, including one majestic silverback, lay indolently on the ground—seemingly reveling in the early morning sunshine, while a pair of young gorillas tumbled down from a mound and played together on the muddy earth. It was remarkable to see how similar they are to humans. They live in family groups and their movements, antics and expressions are so like ours. In fact, data shows that humans and gorillas differ in only 1.75 per cent of their DNA, far less than previously assumed. (Chimpanzees—our closest relatives—differ only 1.37 per cent from our genomes.)” — Zeineb Badawi, An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence, 2025 Did you know? When referring to one of the grotesques—the fanciful, often fantastical mural paintings found in the ruins of ancient Roman buildings—the Italian descendants of the ancient Romans used the word antico, meaning “ancient thing.” In 16th-century English, antico (itself a descendant of the Latin word for “ancient,” antiquus) became antic, and got applied as both a noun and an adjective in contexts related to decorative art—sculptures, painting, architecture, etc.—inspired by the original grotesques. Antic shifted in meaning over time, eventually gaining the senses we use more often today: antic as an adjective describes the absurd or whimsical, and antic as a usually plural noun refers to attention-grabbing, playful or funny acts and actions.

In this episode, we dive into five contemporary English vocabulary words that can replace basic expressions and help you sound more natural in everyday conversations. Join me as I explain the meaning, usage, and real-life applications of "ghosted," "chill," "packed," "legit," and "bail" - words that native speakers use regularly but aren't typically taught in traditional English classes.You'll learn:What it means when someone has "ghosted" you in the dating world or professional settingsHow to use "chill" to describe relaxed people or suggest laid-back activitiesThe versatile ways to use "packed" beyond its literal meaningWhy "legit" is your go-to word for vouching for authenticityWhen and how to use "bail" when plans change unexpectedlyPlus, I'll share a personal story about my mom's 70th birthday celebration that was absolutely packed! Upgrade your English vocabulary with these practical, contemporary expressions that will help you communicate more naturally with native speakers.Resource Available:FluencyPanion Notebook: https://shop.speakenglishwithtiffani.com/products/fluencypanion-your-english-fluency-notebook365-Day English Study Plan: https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/365planIf you want to sign up for the free English email newsletter, go to https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/newsletter

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 5, 2025 is: cantankerous • kan-TANK-uh-rus • adjective A cantankerous person is often angry and annoyed, and a cantankerous animal or thing is difficult or irritating to deal with. // Although the former postman was regarded by some townspeople as a scowling, cantankerous old coot, he was beloved by neighborhood children, to whom he would regularly hand out butterscotch candies from his front stoop with a twinkle in his eye. See the entry > Examples: “The film ‘Hard Truths,' which opens in New York on Friday and nationwide in January, centers on [Marianne] Jean-Baptiste's Pansy, a cantankerous middle-aged woman who spits venom at unsuspecting shop assistants, bald babies, her 20-something son Moses (Tuwaine Barrett) and her dentist, among others.” — Simran Hans, The New York Times, 9 Dec. 2024 Did you know? A person described as cantankerous may find it more difficult than most to turn that frown upside down, while a cantankerous mule/jalopy/etc. is difficult to deal with—it may not turn in your desired direction. It's been speculated that cantankerous is a product of the obsolete word contack, meaning “contention,” under the influence of a pair of “difficult” words still in use: rancorous and cankerous. Rancorous brings the anger and “bitter deep-seated ill will” (as rancor can be understood to mean), and cankerous brings the perhaps understandable foul mood: a cankerous person suffers from painful sores—that is, cankers.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 4, 2025 is: Yankee • YANG-kee • noun Yankee can refer broadly to anyone born or living in the U.S., more narrowly to only those in the northern U.S., or even more narrowly to only those in the states of New England. The broadest use is especially common outside the U.S. // It took the children some time to adjust to being the only Southerners in a classroom full of Yankees. // After years of international travel, he'd grown accustomed to living as a Yankee abroad. See the entry > Examples: "Anthony Pettaway's coworkers at Norfab Ducting have known for the past six years he was good at getting their deliveries to the right department. They also knew from his accent that the receivables department employee was a relocated Yankee." — Jill Doss-Raines, The Dispatch (Lexington, NC), 10 June 2025 Did you know? We don't know the origin of Yankee but we do know that it began as an insult. British General James Wolfe used the term in a 1758 letter to express his low opinion of the New England troops assigned to him, and from around the same time period there is a report of British troops using Yankee as a term of abuse for the citizens of Boston. In 1775, however, after the battles of Lexington and Concord showed that colonials could stand up to British regulars, Yankee was proudly adopted by colonials as a self-descriptor in defiance of the pejorative use. Both derisive and respectable uses have existed ever since.

In today's episode, you will learn a series of vocabulary words that are connected to a specific topic. This lesson will help you improve your ability to speak English fluently about a specific topic. It will also help you feel more confident in your English abilities.5 Vocabulary WordsConversion (Noun): The process of turning a potential customer into a paying customer or completing a desired action on a website.Example Sentences:The website's conversion rate increased significantly after the redesign.Targeted ads can help improve conversion rates by reaching the right audience.The marketing team focused on optimizing the user journey to maximize conversions.SEO (Search Engine Optimization) (Noun): The process of enhancing a website's visibility on search engines to increase organic traffic.Example Sentences:Effective SEO strategies can drastically improve a website's ranking on Google.The company invested in SEO to boost its online presence and attract more visitors.Understanding keyword research is essential for successful SEO implementation.Content Marketing (Noun): A marketing strategy focused on creating, publishing, and distributing valuable content to attract and engage a target audience.Example Sentences:Content marketing has become a vital tool for brands to connect with consumers.The blog was an integral part of their content marketing strategy.By providing informative articles, the company improved its content marketing efforts.PPC (Pay-Per-Click) (Noun): An online advertising model where advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their ad.Example Sentences:PPC campaigns can generate quick traffic to a website, making them a popular choice among marketers.The company allocated a budget for PPC to drive immediate sales during the holiday season.Effective PPC strategies require ongoing monitoring and optimization.Brand Awareness (Noun): The extent to which consumers are familiar with and recognize a brand.Example Sentences:The marketing campaign aimed to increase brand awareness among millennials.Social media plays a crucial role in building brand awareness in today's digital landscape.Increased brand awareness often leads to higher sales and customer loyalty.A Paragraph using the 5 vocabulary wordsDigital marketing is a powerful tool for businesses to reach their target audience and achieve their goals. It involves various strategies, such as SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to improve website visibility in search engine results, PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising to reach potential customers through paid ads, content marketing to create valuable and engaging content to attract and retain customers, and brand awareness to build recognition and trust in the brand. Ultimately, the goal of digital marketing is to drive conversion, which means turning website visitors into paying customers.If you want to sign up for the free daily English vocabulary newsletter, go towww.dailyenglishvocabulary.com

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 3, 2025 is: desultory • DEH-sul-tor-ee • adjective Desultory is a formal word used to describe something that lacks a plan or purpose, or that occurs without regularity. It can also describe something unconnected to a main subject, or something that is disappointing in progress, performance, or quality. // After graduation, I moved from job to job in a more or less desultory manner before finding work I liked. // The team failed to cohere over the course of the season, stumbling to a desultory fifth place finish. See the entry > Examples: “One other guy was in the waiting room when I walked in. As we sat there past the scheduled time of our appointments, we struck up a desultory conversation. Like me, he'd been in the hiring process for years, had driven down from Albuquerque the night before, and seemed nervous. He asked if I'd done any research on the polygraph. I said no, and asked him the same question. He said no. We were getting our first lies out of the way.” — Justin St. Germain, “The Memoirist and the Lie Detector,” New England Review, 2024 Did you know? The Latin adjective desultorius was used by the ancient Romans to describe a circus performer (called a desultor) whose trick was to leap from horse to horse without stopping. English speakers took the idea of the desultorius performer and coined the word desultory to describe that which figuratively “jumps” from one thing to another, without regularity, and showing no sign of a plan or purpose. (Both desultor and desultorius, by the way, come from the Latin verb salire, meaning “to leap.”) A desultory conversation leaps from one topic to another, and a desultory comment is one that jumps away from the topic at hand. Meanwhile a desultory performance is one resulting from an implied lack of steady, focused effort.

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Take our free English fluency quiz. Find out if your level is B1, B2, or C1.  Do you love Business English?  Try our other podcasts: All Ears English Podcast: We focus on Connection NOT Perfection when it comes to learning English. This podcast is perfect for listeners at the intermediate or advanced level. This is an award-winning podcast with more 4 million monthly downloads. IELTS Energy Podcast: Learn IELTS from a former Examiner and achieve your Band 7 or higher, featuring Jessica Beck and Aubrey Carter Visit our website here or https://lnk.to/website-sn Send your English question or episode topic idea to support@allearsenglish.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 2, 2025 is: galumph • guh-LUMF • verb To galumph is to move in a loud and clumsy way. // I could hear them galumphing around in the attic in search of old family photo albums. See the entry > Examples: “Dragons! Dragons roaring! Dragons squawking! Dragons sizing each other up! Dragons galumphing over the sand so awkwardly it reminds you that dragons are creatures of the air, not the earth.” — Glen Weldon, NPR, 28 July 2024 Did you know? Bump, thump, thud. There's no doubt about it—when someone or something galumphs onto the scene, ears take notice. Galumph first lumbered onto the English scene in 1872 when Lewis Carroll used the word to describe the actions of the vanquisher of the Jabberwock in Through the Looking Glass: “He left it dead, and with its head / He went galumphing back.” Carroll likely constructed the word by splicing gallop and triumphant, as galumph did in its earliest uses convey a sense of exultant bounding. Other 19th-century writers must have liked the sound of galumph, because they began plying it in their own prose, and it has been clumping around our language ever since.

It always feels like an easy out to say a podcast conversation is “wide-ranging”, but when the guest has written best selling books for attorneys on everything from Introversion to Fear, it seems like the only descriptor broad enough to fit. Heidi K Brown is the Associate Dean of Upper Level Writing at the New York School of Law. Inspired by her own experiences untangling a fear of public speaking during her litigation career, Heidi is passionate about helping lawyers at every level find their authentic legal-voices through her teaching and her writing. Her books include, The Introverted Lawyer: A Seven-Step Journey Toward Authentically Empowered Advocacy,  Untangling Fear in Lawyering: A Four-Step Journey Toward Powerful Advocacy, and The Flourishing Lawyer: A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Performance and Well-Being, and the recently released travel memoir - The Map I DrawWe discuss the importance of writer-identity and how she's helping her students to find their voices so that they can advocate from a place of authenticity. Of course, with the rise of Generative A.I., Heidi has had to pivot HOW she teaches - and the story of the first encounter with Chat GPT is worth the listen alone. We also talk about her own journey into the law, how she learned to leverage her introversion to her advantage, and how attorneys can benefit from embodying the mentality of professional athletes 

Vocabulary pill about changing, times and clothes and habits, and so on.Credits: “Your Intro” by Audionautix (http://audionautix.com/) courtesy of Creative Commons (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)- “Cambia-menti” by Vasco Rossi, 2013.Diventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pillole-di-italiano--4214375/support.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 1, 2025 is: verbose • ver-BOHSS • adjective Someone described as verbose tends to use many words to convey their point. Verbose can also describe something, such as a speech, that contains more words than necessary. // The article documenting their meeting presented an odd exchange between a verbose questioner and a laconic interviewee. See the entry > Examples: "The dense, verbose text—over which some actors stumbled, understandably, on opening night—created a dizzying journey through a war between gods and mortals fought across time and place." — Rosa Cartagena, The Philadelphia Daily News, 19 Feb. 2025 Did you know? There's no shortage of words to describe wordiness in English. Diffuse, long-winded, prolix, redundant, windy, repetitive, rambling, and circumlocutory are some that come to mind. Want to express the opposite idea? Try succinct, concise, brief, short, summary, terse, compact, or compendious. Verbose, which falls solidly into the first camp of words, comes from the Latin adjective verbōsus, from verbum, meaning "word." Other descendants of verbum include verb, adverb, proverb, verbal, and verbicide ("the deliberate distortion of the sense of a word").

Get your estimated IELTS Band Score now with our free 2-minute quiz. Want to get a guaranteed score increase on your next IELTS Exam? Check out our 3 Keys IELTS Online course. Check out our other podcasts: All Ears English Podcast: We focus on Connection NOT Perfection when it comes to learning English. This podcast is perfect for listeners at the intermediate or advanced level. This is an award-winning podcast with more 4 million monthly downloads. Business English Podcast: Improve your Business English with 3 episodes per week, featuring Lindsay, Michelle, and Aubrey Visit our website here or https://lnk.to/website-sn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This step-by-step training manual from one of the world's top mental skills coaches will teach you how to train your mind like the very best. Whether or not you're an athlete, you'll find exercises, techniques, and tools in this book that will improve every area of your life. Your life will take on new meaning as you move beyond the pursuit of happiness to a life of purpose and fulfillment. As a professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization, Jim Murphy's sense of worth revolved around his performance. He was focused on achievement but also afraid of failure. When he started coaching professional and Olympic athletes, he often encountered the same mindset. He became obsessed with learning how the best in the world performed with poise under pressure. After years of research, interviews, and writing, Murphy had a revelatory insight: the pursuit of extraordinary performance and the pursuit of the best possible life are the same path. Murphy learned that the very best athletes compete for competition's sake. Winning might still result, but it's never the goal. True fulfillment comes not through achievements and possessions, but in seeking enriching experiences and meaningful relationships. Based on the powerful principles of love, wisdom, and courage, INNER EXCELLENCE trains you to lead with the heart and live a life devoid of fear, one where you feel truly alive.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

Take our free English-level quiz here to find out what your current English level is.  Do you love All Ears English?  Try our other podcasts here: Business English Podcast: Improve your Business English with 3 episodes per week, featuring Lindsay, Michelle, and Aubrey IELTS Energy Podcast: Learn IELTS from a former Examiner and achieve your Band 7 or higher, featuring Jessica Beck and Aubrey Carter Visit our website here or https://lnk.to/website-sn If you love this podcast, hit the follow button now so that you don't miss five fresh and fun episodes every single week.  Don't forget to leave us a review wherever you listen to the show. Send your English question or episode topic idea to support@allearsenglish.com In charge of hiring for your company? Go to Indeed and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Hiring? Indeed is all you need. Go to https://www.indeed.com/aee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 30, 2025 is: expunge • ik-SPUNJ • verb To expunge something is to remove it completely, whether by obliterating it, striking it out, or marking it for deletion. Expunge is most commonly applied in cases in which documentation of something is removed from an official record. // Due to an error, the charges were expunged from their record. See the entry > Examples: “... Bland et al. found that an offer to expunge a criminal record after participation in a rehabilitation program reduced crime as well as the measure of harm. This appears to indicate that motivation drives rehabilitation—which is important to consider in judging character in the present.” — Wendy L. Patrick, Psychology Today, 1 Dec. 2024 Did you know? In medieval and Renaissance manuscripts, a series of dots was used to mark mistakes or to label material that should be deleted from a text, and those deletion dots—known as puncta delentia—can help you remember the history of expunge. Puncta comes from the Latin verb pungere, which can be translated as “to prick or sting” (and you can imagine that a scribe may have felt stung when their mistakes were so punctuated in a manuscript). Pungere is also an ancestor of expunge, as well as a parent of other dotted, pointed, or stinging terms such as punctuate, compunction, poignant, puncture, and pungent.

◆ In this episode, I am talking about tourists and my college life in Kyoto, using vocabulary and grammar from GENKI 1. (GENKI 1 is a Japanese textbook meant for beginners at JLPT N5 / CEFR A1 level.)   ◆ This story was originally released as Ep.10 on May the 7th, 2024. I just re-recorded it and created a listening comprehension exercise, answer key, vocabulary list and transcript for it for Patreon members, which was not available when it was first released.   ◆ You will need to be a subscriber to my Patreon monthly membership to listen to it. The sample audio file is available on my Patreon site.   ◆ Patreon Here are the benefits for my Patreon members : (Note : The benefits you get vary based on the tier you select.) - Podcast episodes  - Vocabulary lists with English translation - Transcripts - Listening comprehension exercises (These are all in Kanji with Furigana.) - Answer keys for the exercises - Photos related to the episodes with captions  - Extra information & fun facts related to the episodes Check out  my Patreon page for more information : patreon.com/JapanesewithMeg   ◆ You are cordially invited to... - leave me a review on Apple Podcast - rate my podcast on Spotify

David Placek is the founder of Lexicon Branding, a company that focuses exclusively on the development of brand names for competitive advantage. Lexicon is behind iconic names such as Sonos, Microsoft's Azure, Windsurf, Vercel, Impossible Foods, BlackBerry, Intel's Pentium, Apple's PowerBook, and Swiffer. Over 40 years, David's team has named nearly 4,000 brands and companies, employing over 250 linguists and pioneering naming innovation.What you'll learn:1. The three-step process that generated names like Windsurf and Vercel2. How a name can give you the edge that no marketing budget can buy3. Why you won't “know it when you see it”4. Why Microsoft called Azure “a dumb name” before it became their billion-dollar cloud platform5. Why polarizing opinions are the strongest signal that you've found the right name6. How every letter of the alphabet creates a specific psychological vibration7. The diamond framework: a 4-step process any founder can use to find their perfect name8. Why domain names don't matter anymore in the age of AI—Brought to you by:WorkOS—Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUsStripe—Helping companies of all sizes grow revenueOneSchema—Import CSV data 10x faster—Where to find David Placek:• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-placek-05a82/• Website: https://www.lexiconbranding.com—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to David and Lexicon Branding(04:44) The story of Sonos(09:27) The psychology of naming(11:33) The initial resistance to Microsoft's Azure(14:35) The importance of a great brand name(18:11) The three steps of naming: create, invent, implement(28:23) Qualities of great brand name creators(31:24) How long the naming process takes(32:12) The Windsurf case study(36:10) Naming in the AI era(39:37) When to change your name(43:10) The role of linguists(45:54) The power of letters in branding(48:15) The Vercel case study(50:12) The implementation phase(52:52) Client management and market success(55:16) The diamond exercise(01:04:23) Suspending judgment(01:07:31) Polarization and boldness(01:11:01) Domain names(01:12:48) Final thoughts and lightning round—Referenced:• PowerBook: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerBook• Pentium: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentium• BlackBerry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlackBerry• Swiffer: https://www.swiffer.com/• Impossible Burger: https://impossiblefoods.com/• Vercel: https://vercel.com/• Windsurf: https://windsurf.com/• CapCut: https://www.capcut.com/• Azure: https://azure.microsoft.com/• Sonos: https://www.sonos.com/• John MacFarlane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-macfarlane-08a8aa20/• Harry Potter: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_(film_series)• The Call of the Wild: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Call_of_the_Wild• Everyone's an engineer now: Inside v0's mission to create a hundred million builders | Guillermo Rauch (founder and CEO of Vercel, creators of v0 and Next.js): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/everyones-an-engineer-now-guillermo-rauch• Sound symbolism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_symbolism• Anduril: https://www.anduril.com/• Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com/• Inside Bolt: From near-death to ~$40m ARR in 5 months—one of the fastest-growing products in history | Eric Simons (founder and CEO of StackBlitz): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-bolt-eric-simons• The rise of Cursor: The $300M ARR AI tool that engineers can't stop using | Michael Truell (co-founder and CEO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-rise-of-cursor-michael-truell• Building a magical AI code editor used by over 1 million developers in four months: The untold story of Windsurf | Varun Mohan (co-founder and CEO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-untold-story-of-windsurf-varun-mohan• Y Combinator: https://www.ycombinator.com/• Chevrolet Corvette: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette• Viagra: https://www.viagra.com/• In vino veritas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vino_veritas• Infoseek: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infoseek• Andy Grove: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Grove• Churchill at War on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81609374• Yellowstone on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/Yellowstone-Season-1/dp/B07D7FBB8Z• 1883 on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/1883-Season-1/dp/B0B8JTS8QW• 1923 on Paramount+: https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/1923/• Taylor Sheridan on X: https://x.com/taylorSheridan• Hardy fly rods: https://www.hardyfishing.com/collections/fly-rods• T.E. Lawrence quote: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/11340-all-men-dream-but-not-equally-those-who-dream-by• Lawrence of Arabia: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056172/• DreamWorks: https://www.dreamworks.com/—Recommended books:• Thucydides' Melian Dialogue: Commentary, Text, and Vocabulary: https://www.amazon.com/Thucydides-Melian-Dialogue-Commentary-Vocabulary/dp/0692772367• Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life: https://www.amazon.com/Resilience-Hard-Won-Wisdom-Living-Better/dp/054432398X/• Churchill: Walking with Destiny: https://www.amazon.com/Churchill-Walking-Destiny-Andrew-Roberts/dp/1101980990—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 29, 2025 is: impetus • IM-puh-tus • noun Impetus refers to a force or impulse that causes something (such as a process or activity) to be done or to become more active. It is often used with for and sometimes with to. // Her work provided the major impetus behind the movement. // The tragic accident became an impetus for changing the safety regulations. // The high salary and generous benefits package were impetus enough to apply for the job. See the entry > Examples: “... using the many tools now available, I built a family tree with over twelve hundred names of people living in some two dozen countries. If there is anything approaching a single story of humanity, it is surely one of movement, whatever the impetus.” — Diana McCaulay, LitHub.com, 27 Feb. 2025 Did you know? Impetus provides the “why” for something: it can be understood as a driving force (as when winning a competition is the impetus for training), an incentive (as when increased skills serve as an impetus for taking a class), or encouragement (as when difficulties are the impetus for improvements). But its root packs more of a wallop: Latin impetus means “assault” as well as “impetus,” and it comes from impetere meaning “to attack.” (Impetere itself comes from petere, meaning “to go to, seek.”) If these origins seem a tad aggressive for such a genteel-sounding word as impetus, consider phrases and idioms like light a fire under someone and push comes to shove, both used when a strong impetus is provided for someone to act, decide, or accomplish something.

This enlightening episode explores how personal storytelling can become a powerful tool for achieving English fluency. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced learner, discover how your life experiences can transform into engaging practice material for mastering the English language.Key Topics Covered:The fundamental connection between storytelling and language fluencyFive essential elements of effective storytelling: Characters, Plot, Setting, Conflict, and ResolutionReal-world examples of ESL learners navigating life challenges while learning EnglishHow emotional investment in personal stories reduces language anxietyPractical applications of storytelling in different contexts (professional, educational, personal)Featured Stories Include:A Brazilian marketing graduate adapting to New York City's corporate cultureA Chinese mother's determination to enroll her child in American schoolsAn Indian tech professional learning to navigate cultural idioms in the MidwestA Polish grandmother's journey to connect with her English-speaking grandchildrenA Turkish artist's path to international recognition through language learningResource Available:FluencyPanion Notebook: https://shop.speakenglishwithtiffani.com/products/fluencypanion-your-english-fluency-notebookSpeak English Like A Native Course: https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/selnIf you want to sign up for the free English email newsletter, go to https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/newsletter

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Part Two: Practical Implementation and BeyondBuilding on her foundational principles, Hiebert delves deeper into practical classroom implementation, distinguishing between narrative and informational text vocabulary demands. She explains how stories use varied, sophisticated words for familiar concepts—characters "lumber" rather than simply "walk" or "eavesdrop" instead of "listen"—while informational texts introduce entirely new concepts requiring background knowledge development alongside vocabulary instruction.The conversation takes a modern turn as Hiebert shares her innovative use of artificial intelligence tools like Claude to create sophisticated semantic maps and organise word relationships. She provides specific prompts teachers can use: "Which of these words are really important to generalise to other topics?" and "Can you put them into important categories?" This approach transforms technology from a simple definition-lookup tool into a thinking partner that helps identify patterns and relationships.Hiebert addresses concerns about overwhelming linguistic instruction by emphasising that students don't need to know everything before they can engage meaningfully with texts. She advocates for giving children fundamental insights about how language works rather than exhaustive technical knowledge, comparing effective vocabulary instruction to basketball coaching—providing strategic guidance rather than micromanaging every movement.The discussion reveals alarming trends in American education where interventions promise to teach 150 letter-sound correspondences, which Hiebert warns will "kill a kid's interest" in reading. She advocates for statistical learning through extensive reading rather than explicit instruction of every possible pattern.Throughout both segments, Hiebert consistently emphasises that children are naturally brilliant learners who develop word consciousness through meaningful engagement rather than drill-and-practice methods. Her approach transforms vocabulary instruction from passive memorisation into active investigation, offering educators research-backed alternatives that honour both language complexity and student intelligence. The conversation concludes with her invitation for continued collaboration and her promise to share practical resources including AI prompts, semantic map examples, and implementation guidelines with the Australian teaching community.TEXT PROJECT WEBSITE BY FREDDY HIEBERTText Project website - free student texts (Plus +)SPECIFIC RESOURCES FROM FREDDY HIEBERT, AS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST1. AI Semantic Map Examples You will find an example in this ILA presentation .As well as the presentation, the following paper, which is in review at a journal, gives examples of maps and grids created with AI2. ILA Website PresentationFundamentally, the ILA presentation will have a similar structure to the above presentation:See the ILA webinar here on YouTube.3. AI Prompt ExamplesThe above presentations and the paper (Leveraging AI) should give some examples).4. 'The Story of English' Picture Visual representation showing bratwurst (German) in baguette (French) with yogurt (Greek)Illustrates how English draws from multiple language traditions5. Etymology ResourcesStories of Words develops students' interest in fascinating words like snickerdoodles and terrapin. Using the TExT model, this 16-volume series explores vocabulary through four word-formation methods: borrowed words, life themes, manipulated words, and technological innovations.6. Text Models ExamplesText Models Examples are here.From Freddy: "This site at TextProject provides illustrations of texts that I have developed with AI assisted. I should emphasise that I do AI-assisted, not simply AI-generated. A text typically goes through numerous iterations and I also analyse the texts to determine its distribution according to word zones (more on word zones)And I'm attaching a blog on Word Zones as well  JOIN TEACHIFIC NOW AND SAVE!Join Teachific  today. Access thousands of resources and a growing number of 'anytime' courses within your membership.FURTHER INFORMATIONTune in to "Teacher's Tool Kit For Literacy," a free podcast where accomplished literacy educator Sharon Callen and her team share valuable insights and tips. With over 30 years of experience, they provide strategic learning solutions to empower teachers and leaders worldwide.  Subscribe on your favourite platform for exclusive literacy learning content.  Apple, Spotify,  Google, YouTubeRead our insightful blogs, which make valuable connections between resources, podcasts and courses.Visit our Cue Learning website and sign up for the Teacher's Toolkit Weekly newsletter to stay updated on resources, events and discover how Cue can support you and your school.Explore Teachific, our vast collection of PDF resources, to enhance your teaching toolkit. And get even more support from our growing number of 'anytime' online courses.Connect with the latest news and other educators by joining our Teacher's Toolkit Facebook groupExplore upcoming live or online webinar  eventsHave questions or feedback? Reach out to us directly at admin@cuelearning.com.au

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 28, 2025 is: restive • RES-tiv • adjective Restive can describe a person or group feeling impatience or uneasiness, or it can describe someone who is stubbornly resistant to control. // The audience grew increasingly restive as the speaker droned on and on. // The school's focus on artistic expression helps restive youths stay engaged in their learning. See the entry > Examples: "One of the most important triggers for industrial revolution in England was the draining of the population from the rural areas into the cities. ... [T]his meant that there was a growing shortage of agricultural workers and a concomitant fall in food production both in terms of quality and quantity. The immediate consequence was that available food not only became more expensive but increasingly so with time. Under these circumstances, the workers became restive, demanding the provision of the food they needed to save themselves from starvation." — Adebayo Lamikanra, The Nation (Nigeria), 13 Apr. 2025 Did you know? Restive is descended from the Anglo-French verb rester, meaning "to stop, resist, or remain." Its initial meaning in the 15th century was "stubbornly resisting control or guidance; obstinate in refusal," and for some time the word was primarily applied to animals such as horses. Over the next few centuries, restive gained additional, closely related meanings (such as "inflexible," "sluggish," and "persistent") and the word often described people as well as animals. In the 19th century this semantic drift extended to encompass the meaning "marked by impatience or uneasiness." Although the original "balky" sense of restive hasn't died out completely, it is overshadowed by this more recent "fidgety or impatient" one. Some usage guides still recommend against using restive in this modern sense, despite well over a century and a half of skilled writers employing it. If you're among the restive (earlier meaning) ones who balk at new meanings of words, we apologize if this news makes you feel restive (newer one).

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3647: Mark Fisher explores how the words we use can shape and reshape our mindset, suggesting three common words to eliminate for a more empowered, open, and constructive inner dialogue. By swapping out “problem,” “mistake,” and “no” for more proactive alternatives, we can build stronger beliefs, reduce stress, and deepen connection with others. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://markfisherfitness.com/3-words-to-delete-from-your-vocabulary-why-words-matter/ Quotes to ponder: "But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought." "Every single word is a reflection of how we perceive the world around us." “Saying ‘Yes - and - ' tells the other party that you are listening and agree with at least part of what they're saying.” Episode references: 1984 by George Orwell: https://www.amazon.com/1984-Signet-Classics-George-Orwell/dp/0451524934 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 27, 2025 is: oblige • uh-BLYJE • verb To oblige a person or entity to do something is to require or force them to do it, either because of a law or rule, or because it is necessary. To simply oblige someone is to do them a favor. // The law obliges the government to release certain documents to the public. // When my friend said he needed someone to taste test his new recipe for the cooking competition, I was happy to oblige. See the entry > Examples: “I was irked 30 years ago when our neighbor said she intended to install a free-standing fence between our driveways. … It seemed unneighborly to humans and wildlife alike. We were a family who spent more time outdoors than in, always nearby when our neighbor pulled into her driveway. Once the fence was up, she was no longer obliged to speak to us.” — Margaret Renkl, New York Times, 2 June 2025 Did you know? If you are obliged by a rule or law you are metaphorically bound by it—that is, you are required to obey it. The idea of binding links the word to its Latin source, ligāre, meaning “to fasten, bind.” But in other common uses, the idea of binding is somewhat masked: it is applied when someone is bound by a debt for some favor or service, as in “We're much obliged to you for the help,” but in the phrase “happy to oblige” it simply expresses a willingness to do someone a favor, as in “They needed a ride and we were happy to oblige.”

In today's episode, you will learn a series of vocabulary words that are connected to a specific topic. This lesson will help you improve your ability to speak English fluently about a specific topic. It will also help you feel more confident in your English abilities.5 Vocabulary WordsAnxiety (Noun): A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.Example Sentences: She experienced intense anxiety before her job interview.Many people deal with anxiety when faced with stressful situations.Managing anxiety through meditation can be highly effective for some individuals.Depression (Noun): A mental health condition characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest in activities.Example Sentences: Depression can affect anyone, regardless of age or background.He sought professional help to manage his depression.Symptoms of depression often include fatigue and difficulty concentrating.Resilience (Noun): The ability to recover from or adjust to adversity or challenging situations. Example Sentences: Building resilience is key to maintaining mental health during tough times.Her resilience allowed her to bounce back from the difficulties she faced.Therapy can help strengthen emotional resilience.Stigma (Noun): A mark of shame or discredit often associated with a particular condition or behavior, such as mental illness.Example Sentences: There is still a stigma attached to seeking therapy for mental health issues.Efforts are being made to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.Educating people about mental health can help break down the stigma.Coping (Verb): Dealing effectively with something difficult or stressful.Example Sentences: She developed healthy coping mechanisms to manage her stress.Some people cope with anxiety through exercise or mindfulness practices.Learning new ways of coping can help individuals overcome mental health challenges.A Paragraph using the 5 vocabulary wordsMental health is a crucial aspect of overall well-being. It encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social states. Many people experience mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, these conditions often carry a stigma, leading to feelings of shame or embarrassment. Developing coping strategies can help individuals manage mental health difficulties. Remember, resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity and challenges, and it plays a vital role in maintaining mental health. By understanding and addressing mental health challenges, we can create a more compassionate and supportive society for everyone.If you want to sign up for the free daily English vocabulary newsletter, go towww.dailyenglishvocabulary.com

Abstract: There are many questions that can be asked about the translation of the Book of Mormon. This paper focuses on a single question: What was the relationship between the English translation and the Nephite text? Of course, without the original, we must speculate, but it is suggested that there are two concepts used in […] The post Expanding the Descriptive Vocabulary for the Translation of the Book of Mormon first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 26, 2025 is: sumptuous • SUMP-shuh-wus • adjective Sumptuous is used to describe things that are very expensive, rich, luxurious, or magnificent. // The celebratory meal was a sumptuous feast of dishes from our host's homeland. See the entry > Examples: “With comfy living areas with bistro tables, sumptuous marble bathrooms, and large private lanais with sweeping views of the ocean, mountain, or gardens, guests have ample room to spread out, relax, and really make themselves at home.” — Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025 Did you know? Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens may be a few of your favorite things, but are they sumptuous? Alas, though the best things in life are often free, sumptuous is a child of the Latin word sumptus, meaning “expense,” and it typically describes things that can only be had at some significant expense. A sumptuous lifestyle, for example, is more likely to involve silver-white bling than a silver-white winter that melts into spring. Sumptus has another English relation, this one tied even more closely to conspicuous consumption: sumptuary laws are largely historical regulations limiting extravagant expenditures and habits, especially on moral or religious grounds. (The sump is consumption is coincidental; that word comes from consume, which has its roots in Latin sumere meaning “to take up, take.”)

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 26, 2025 is: sumptuous • SUMP-shuh-wus • adjective Sumptuous is used to describe things that are very expensive, rich, luxurious, or magnificent. // The celebratory meal was a sumptuous feast of dishes from our host's homeland. See the entry > Examples: “With comfy living areas with bistro tables, sumptuous marble bathrooms, and large private lanais with sweeping views of the ocean, mountain, or gardens, guests have ample room to spread out, relax, and really make themselves at home.” — Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025 Did you know? Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens may be a few of your favorite things, but are they sumptuous? Alas, though the best things in life are often free, sumptuous is a child of the Latin word sumptus, meaning “expense,” and it typically describes things that can only be had at some significant expense. A sumptuous lifestyle, for example, is more likely to involve silver-white bling than a silver-white winter that melts into spring. Sumptus has another English relation, this one tied even more closely to conspicuous consumption: sumptuary laws are largely historical regulations limiting extravagant expenditures and habits, especially on moral or religious grounds. (The sump in consumption is coincidental; that word comes from consume, which has its roots in Latin sumere meaning “to take up, take.”)

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 25, 2025 is: flotsam • FLAHT-sum • noun Flotsam refers to the floating pieces that remain after a shipwreck, or more broadly to any floating debris or wreckage. It is also used figuratively to refer to miscellaneous or unimportant material, often in the phrase "flotsam and jetsam." // Driftwood and other flotsam washed onto the beach. // Their apartment was adorned with the flotsam and jetsam of thrift stores and yard sales. See the entry > Examples: "The Vancouver multidisciplinary artist and educator [Alex Tedlie-Stursberg] works in various mediums, using found objects and natural materials scavenged from the ocean's edge and the landscape of the city. Detritus and flotsam become parts of beautiful sculptures, tableaus and assemblages in this artist's hands." — Dana Gee, The Vancouver (British Columbia) Sun, 23 Nov. 2024 Did you know? English speakers started using flotsam, jetsam, and lagan as legal terms in the 16th and 17th centuries, with flotsam itself dating to the first years of the 17th. The three words were used to establish claims of ownership of the three types of seaborne, vessel-originated goods they named. Flotsam was anything from a shipwreck (the word comes from Anglo-French floter, meaning "to float"), and jetsam and lagan were items thrown overboard to reduce the cargo weight of a ship. Lagan was distinguished from jetsam by having a buoy attached so the goods could be found if they sank. In the 19th century, when flotsam and jetsam took on extended meanings, they developed synonymous applications and are today often paired, lagan having mostly been left at sea.

This episode explores the fundamental mindset of building your vocabulary, extending beyond literal words to conceptual understanding and mental models, and how Large Language Models (LLMs) can be a powerful tool for expanding and refining this crucial skill for career growth, clarity, and navigating disruptions.Uncover why building your vocabulary is a fundamental skill that can help you navigate career transitions, disruptions (such as those caused by AI), and changes in roles.Understand that "vocabulary" goes beyond literal words to include mental models, understanding your own self, specific diagrams (like causal loop diagrams or C4 diagrams), and programming paradigms or design patterns. This conceptual vocabulary provides access to nuanced and powerful ways of thinking.Learn how LLMs can be incredibly useful for refining and expanding your conceptual vocabulary, allowing you to explore new subjects, understand systems, and identify leverage points. They can help you understand the connotations, origins, and applications of concepts, as well as how they piece together with adjacent ideas.Discover why starting with fundamental primitives like inputs, outputs, flows, and system types can help you develop vocabulary, and how LLMs can suggest widely used tools or visualisations based on these primitives (e.g., a scatter plot for XY data).Explore why focusing on understanding the "why" and "when" of using a concept or tool is a much higher leverage skill than merely knowing "how" to use it, enabling you to piece together different vocabulary pieces for deeper insights.

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 24, 2025 is: noisome • NOY-sum • adjective Noisome is a formal and literary word used to describe things that are very unpleasant or disgusting; it is used especially to describe offensive smells. Noisome can also mean “highly obnoxious or objectionable” as in “we were put off by their noisome habits.” // The noisome odor of a trash can in the alley was so strong that even diners seated inside the adjacent restaurant complained to staff. See the entry > Examples: “During the fourteenth century, the bubonic plague outbreak that came to be known as the Black Death claimed thousands of victims, condemning them to a rapid and painful end. As the sufferers deteriorated, the disease tainted them with a tell-tale, repellent stench, which seemed to confirm smell as the root cause of the illness. ... Noisome dwellings were set right by fumigation, while rooms were doused with strong-smelling substances like vinegar and turpentine—anything to keep at bay the dreaded miasma.” — Ashley Ward, Where We Meet the World: The Story of the Senses, 2023 Did you know? Noisome looks and sounds like a close relation of noisy, but it's not. While noisy describes what is excessively loud, noisome typically describes what is excessively stinky. (It is also used to describe things offensive to the senses generally, as well as things that are highly obnoxious, objectionable, or simply harmful.) Noisome comes from the synonymous Middle English noysome, which combines the suffix -some, meaning “characterized by a specified thing,” and the noun noy, meaning “annoyance.” Noisy, incidentally, comes ultimately from Latin nausea, meaning “nausea.”

Improve your vocabulary, pronunciation and pace while reading a book out loud with me! We're reading the ‘Let Them' book by Mel Robbins. Not only is it an excellent practice, it's also a great way for us to understand how WE can adopt this theory in our lives. Download the PDF here to follow along and improve your vocabulary [Free!] https://bit.ly/4likIrM More ‘read out loud' videos: https://bit.ly/4fx9j4t

The other day was the 53rd anniversary of the break-in at the Watergate Hotel, which not only caused a lot of political uproar, it had a big linguistic legacy: the suffix -gate to mean a scandal. Today, as part of Four Letter Word season, we have a list of -gates - royal, sporting, political, food, showbiz - it's a non-exhaustive list because there are so many, and new ones are being spawned all the time. Content warning for all sorts of bad human behaviour.At theallusionist.org/gate you'll find a transcript of this episode, plus links to more information about many of the -gates, and to the rest of Four Letter Word season.Also check theallusionist.org/events for upcoming live shows, including a special collab with Material Girls podcast, and an event with Samin Nosrat for her new book Good Things.Support the show at theallusionist.org/donate and as well as keeping this independent podcast going, you also get behind-the-scenes glimpses about every episode, livestreams with me and my collection of dictionaries, and the charming and supportive Allusioverse Discord community.This episode was produced by me, Helen Zaltzman, on the unceded ancestral and traditional territory of xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. The music is by Martin Austwick. Download his songs at palebirdmusic.com and listen to his podcasts Song By Song and Neutrino Watch.Find the Allusionist at youtube.com/allusionistshow, instagram.com/allusionistshow, facebook.com/allusionistshow, @allusionistshow.bsky.social… If I'm there, I'm there as @allusionistshow. Our ad partner is Multitude. If you want me to talk compellingly about your product, sponsor an episode: contact Multitude at multitude.productions/ads. This episode is sponsored by:• Understance, a growing Vancouver BC company making thoughtfully designed, pretty and comfy bras, undies and sleepwear. They're having a sale on June 26-July 1 so get over there and stock up at understance.com or at their stores in Vancouver, Burnaby, Calgary and Toronto. • Squarespace, your one-stop shop for building and running your online forever home. Go to squarespace.com/allusionist for a free 2-week trial, and get 10 percent off your first purchase of a website or domain with the code allusionist.• Home Chef, meal kits that fit your needs. For a limited time, Home Chef is offering Allusionist listeners fifty per cent off and free shipping on your first box, plus free dessert for life, at HomeChef.com/allusionist.• Rosetta Stone, immersive and effective language learning. Allusionist listeners get 50% off unlimited access to all 25 language courses, for life: go to rosettastone.com/allusionist.• Quince, luxurious clothing and homewares at prices 50-80% lower than comparable brands. Go to Quince.com/allusionist for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 23, 2025 is: wherewithal • WAIR-wih-thawl • noun Wherewithal refers to the means, skills, resources, or money that is needed to get or do something. // The company does not have the financial wherewithal to expand into other markets at this time. See the entry > Examples: "... it is heartening to know that there are people of real influence who have the will and wherewithal to help lift the city out of the doldrums." — Scott Wright, The Herald (Scotland), 15 May 2025 Did you know? If wherewithal sounds like three words smashed together, that's because it is—sort of. Wherewithal combines where and withal, an adverb from Middle English that is itself a combination of with and all. In the past, wherewithal was used as a conjunction meaning "with or by means of which" and as a pronoun meaning "that with or by which." Today, however, it is almost always used as a noun to refer to the means or resources a person or entity has at their disposal. It refers especially to financial resources, but other means such as social influence, ability, and emotional capacity may also be termed as "wherewithal."

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 22, 2025 is: bemuse • bih-MYOOZ • verb If you are bemused by something, you are confused or bewildered by it, and often also somewhat amused. // The contestant seemed somewhat bemused by the question, but gave the correct answer. See the entry > Examples: “The duck touched down on the surface of Raymond James Stadium just minutes before the Bucs scored their own touchdown. ... Many of the staff not assigned to work on the field were bemused by the sight of Anchor carrying a duck out of the stadium. They held cellphones and took pictures.” — Rick Stroud, The Tampa Bay (Florida) Times, 1 Jan. 2025 Did you know? In 1735, British poet Alexander Pope lamented, in rhyme, being besieged by “a parson much bemus'd in beer.” The cleric in question was apparently one of a horde of would-be poets who pestered Pope with requests that he read their verses. Pope meant that the parson had found his muse—his inspiration—in beer. That use of bemused harks back to a 1705 letter in which Pope wrote of “Poets … irrecoverably Be-mus'd.” In both letter and poem, Pope used bemused to allude to being inspired by or devoted to one of the Muses, the Greek sister goddesses of art, music, and literature. The lexicographers who followed him, however, interpreted “bemus'd in beer” as meaning “left confused by beer,” and their confusion gave rise to the “bewilder” sense of bemuse. The newer (and very common) use of bemuse to mean “to cause to have feelings of wry or tolerant amusement” is a topic of some dispute, as discussed here.