Is it Larp or LARP, and what does it stand for? LARP is an acronym for Live Action Role Playing. Although it had no official name until the 1970s, it has existed for thousands of years. Occasionally, acronyms can be confusing to understand, especially to those unfamiliar with the language …
Jealousy is (1) the unhappy feeling of being replaced in someone’s affections (2) the suspicion that the object of your affection has been unfaithful in your relationship (3) the fierce or watchful guarding of one’s rights (4) a feeling of discontented longing for someone else’s possessions or accomplishments. Jealous is …
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Pharaoh is the title given to ancient Egyptian rulers. Pharaoh is also used as a proper noun in the Bible. Today, referring to someone as a pharaoh means that he is a tyrant. The adjective form is pharaonic. Pharaoh comes from the Egyptian pr-‘o, which means great house. American Pharoah …
To the nines is an idiom, usually used as an adverb, that means the action is done perfectly or to an extravagant extent. The British English version is up to the nines. The phrase itself dates back to the 1700s. It was used in the sense that something made someone so happy …
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Don’t is a contraction of the words do not which means not to perform or complete an action. A don’t is something that should not be accomplished or completed. The common phrase with the plural is spelled dos and don’ts. While dos has an alternate spelling (both dos and do’s is accepted by different people), don’ts is always don’ts and never don’t’s. Interestingly, in the past it …
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In fact is by far the more common idiom. It is phrase that is used to emphasize a particular truth, especially if it is contrary to what would commonly be understood. A good synonym is actually. In point of fact means exactly the same thing, only takes more words to do it. Most …
A fireplace is a place inside or outside a structure that is safe to build a fire. It is at the base of a chimney and is usually made of stone or brick. This can also be an adjective for things that have to do with or are cooked in a fireplace. A hearth can …
Bunk can be a narrow bed or, mainly in the United States, a verb which means to room with another person. It can also be a mass noun for foolishness or nonsense. This is a shortened version of the word bunkum, which has the same meaning. Side note: bunkum may also be spelled buncombe because the …
To black out something is to delete or obscure it. The verb can also be used to put something in complete darkness, either by blocking the light or disabling electricity. A person can black out if he or she loses consciousness or vision for a period of time. The verb also means to institute …
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An idiom is a phrase that is more than the sum of its parts, or in other words, has more of a meaning than the individual words used in the phrase. Examples include pay the piper, for the birds, and pulling one’s leg. Idiom is also a synonym for dialect, a way of …