C’est Comme Ca vs. Comme Ci, Comme Ca – Meaning in English
Being married to a bi-lingual person means I get to hear cool French phrases all the time, like comme ci, comme ca and c’est comme ca. My husband uses those all the time. While I didn’t actually know their meanings, I understood the intent within the context he used them. …
Gage, gauge, and gouge
Besides being a surname, a gage is something given as a security of an obligation, such as a glove or hat in a duel. It is also a variant spelling of gauge, though the latter spelling is much more common. Gauge can be an tool that measures and displays the level of something. Or as …
Sycophant
A sycophant is a person who praises others to make themselves look better, usually people in powerful positions. It is phonetically similar to the word psycho, but does not carry the connotation of being crazy. It’s synonyms are brownnoser, flatterer, or backscratcher. It also makes the word sycophantic and sycophantically. History This comes from the …
Willy-Nilly – Meaning, Origin and Examples
The term “willy-nilly” is a short phrase that can add a touch of humor or whimsy to just about any statement you make. But to use an expression like “willy-nilly,” you need to understand its actual meaning and where it originated from. So, I’ll take a moment to explain all …
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Fracking
Fracking is a shortened version of the word fracturing, but more specifically hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing is a process which uses high-pressured liquid to force gas or oil out of the earth. It is a noun, however, can also be a progressive form of the verb frack, which also makes fracks and fracked. Some dictionaries …
Also-ran
An also-ran is a term to describe someone who lost a race, either athletic or political, by a large margin, or someone of little significance. It is always hyphenated. The plural is also-rans Its synonyms include nonstarter and loser. The thesaurus we referenced listed dark horse as a similar term, however, a dark …
Hairy vs. harry
Hairy can mean either being covered in hair, or causing fear or difficulty. The word has carried this dual meaning since the middle of the 19th century. The word makes the forms hairier and hairiest. To harry is to persistently attack or harass. It has been around since before the 12th century. Its derivatives include harried, harries, …
Garter snake
A harmless North American snake is called a garter snake, not garden snake. Though, technically there is nothing wrong with using that name if you found it in your garden. One point is not to confuse a garter snake from North American with one from Africa. The African snake is extremely venomous. They …
Gambol vs. gamble
To gambol is to playfully skip or frolic. It is spelled as gamboling and gamboled inside the US, and makes gambolling and gambolled outside the United States. However, it is gambol everywhere. To gamble is to bet money or take a risky action. It makes gambled and gambling and is spelled the same everywhere. A gamble is something that is especially risky or without …