“Learning” is more popular as the present participle of the verb “learn.” But it has been used as a noun since the 18th century. Is it learning or learnings? And is learnings a word? Discover the truth of what these terms mean and where they come from. You’ll also learn …
In the dictionary, a diktat is defined as an order that is harsh and unilaterally imposed on a people without their permission. It is usually used with the connotation of being issued to a defeated country or people. A dictate is simply a command or order, without the necessity of being harsh. The …
Cleave is a verb with two very distinct definitions. In one sense it can mean to break two things apart, split one item into two pieces, or push something apart with great force. On the other hand, to cleave is to stick with something very closely, like a belief or a person. These …
As a verb alight means for a flying insect or animal to land or perch after flying. This definition can extend to anything descending upon or landing on something. It can also mean for a person to depart or exit a mode of transportation. Archaically alight meant to acquire or meet something or someone …
Homophones are seemingly basic words that sound the same when spoken but actually have totally different meanings and sometimes spellings. Look at the terms “cite” and “site.” They can easily be mixed up because of their identical pronunciation and also because only a single letter separates them in spelling. So, …
A redoubt is a small area that gives protection to soldiers while under attack. The word can also be used for a figuratively safe place for anyone under attack. It is not a verb. A related word is redan. Also a military defense location, it differs from a redoubt in that a redan has an opening …
The term “grudge” refers to a feeling of resentment or ill will towards someone or something, often stemming from a past disagreement or injury. It can also refer to the actual act of holding a grudge or to the specific issue or grievance that is the source of the resentment. …
14 Comments
The traditional distinction between good and well is that good is an adjective describing something as pleasing or of acceptable quality and well is an adverb meaning the action is done in a pleasing or acceptable way. However, both good and well work as adverbs in informal speech and writing. A caveat to this is that well can also be an adjective and …
A wiseacre is someone who pretends to be wise, or when used sarcastically, a wise person. It can also be someone whose actions are funny but also annoying. Other related words are wisenheimer, wise guy, and wiseass. As you can see by the ngram below, the use of wiseacre has dropped off in recent years in favor of …
Umbrage is a noun meaning annoyance or offense. It is almost always used with the verb take and, commonly, the preposition at. History The original meaning of umbrage was the shade of a tree. It came from the Latin word umbra, which means shadow. Over time it gained the connotation of something casting a shadow, or …