-An ungrammatical combination of words in a sentence -A minor blunder in speech -Something deviating from the proper, normal, or accepted order -A breach of etiquette or decorum The city of Soloi (located in Cilicia, an ancient coastal nation in Asia Minior – contemporary Turkey) had a reputation for bad grammar. According to historians, the colonists of Soloi allowed their native Athenian Greek to be corrupted and they fell to using words incorrectly. As a

On the money or right on the money as it also often expressed, is among several idioms about exactitude (preciseness / accurateness). Most sources agree it has to do with horse racing, specifically the related bets. A winning horse would be on the money. A losing one would be out of the money. In short, this means something which is exactly correct – be it a place, an idea, or an amount Example I won

> Undertake something in what appears to be the easiest, quickest, or cheapest way, often by omitting to do something important or ignoring rules. >Economise on time, money, materials or effort, perhaps unwisely >To do something in a cheap and easy way >To do something by the easiest /fastest /cheapest method, at the expense of doing it properly The idiom has been used since the 1800s and related to rounding a corner instead of taking

>To comprehend something that one considers as challenging, confusing, or a foreign concept >To succeed in understanding something difficult or strange >To find a way to accept or uderstand somthing to accept something that one does not particularly want to accept. Example She is willing to pay full price for an expensive handbag, but I just can’t wrap my head aroud that I always wonder how my daughter wrap her head around the finer aspects

>Until the last moment that it is possible to do something >Not decided until the very last minute >A tense situation in a competition where the outcome is clear only at or near the end The origin of the idiom is in horse racing. In the late 19th century, a small wire was strung across the track, above the finish line, to help the judges determine which horse crossed the finish line first. In Scribner’s

Describing action of a person who abruptly gives up a habit or an addiction. The phrase taking cold turkey has also been reported during the 1920s as slang for pleading guilty. The term is also attributed to piloerection (commonly known as goose bumps) that occurs with abrupt withdrawal from opioids (class of drugs which includes heroin), which resembles the skin of a plucked refrigerated turkey. Example My smoking habit was getting out of hand and

There is a theory that many philosophers states that babies are born with minds that are essentially blank slates. English speakers have called that initial state of mental blankness tabula rasa. It is a term taken from a Latin phrase that translates as smooth or erased tablet or clean slate This term started gaining widespread popularity in English language when British Philosopher John Lecoke championed the concept of in his sssay concerning human understanding in

Sometimes known as left hand marriage also, is a form of marriage in certain countries in which a person of high rank, as a member of the nobility, marries someone of lower status, with the stipulation that neither the low-ranking spouse nor their children, if any, will have any claim to the titles or entailed property of the high-ranking partner. Examples / related information from British Monarch > King Edward VIII of England was wanting

  There are several words in English to denote the state of not being happy. Unhappy, irritated, angry, annoyed, unsatisfied, and dissatisfied etc. are a few words which denote this feeling. But when it comes to dissatsified and unsatisfied, the meaning is different and it shall not be used interchangebly. Both are right usages but the meaning differs.The difference between dissatisfied and unsatisfied is subtle and hence you need to use these terms carefully. Dissatisfied

  We use between to refer to two things which are clearly separated. We use among to talk about things which are not clearly separated because they are part of a group or crowd or mass of objects. We use among to suggest a sense of being a part of or surrounded by or included in something else. It is typically followed by a plural noun phrase. Hence, in general between is typically used when

To be common and/or of very little value / available in abundance that there is no major vaue assigned to it. The dime was first minted in 1796. In the 1800s, many goods such as eggs or apples were advertised to cost a dime a dozen in the United States. A phrase that began as a way to tout good value for the money evolved into a phrase that means something nearly worthless by virtue

In cahoots means in an alliance or partnership. In most contexts, it describes the *conspiring activity of people up to no good*. There’s also the rare idiom go cahoots, meaning to enter into a partnership. “Cahoot” may derive from French cahute, meaning “cabin” or “hut,” suggesting the notion of two or more people hidden away working together in secret. “Cahute” is believed to have been formed through the combination of two other words for cabins

>Side by side; close together. >Positioned very close together. The cheek and the jowl, the lower part of the jaw are in close proximity to each other on the face. Example You couldn’t fit a piece of paper in the storage room now—all those boxes are stacked in there cheek by jowl The pedestrians had to walk cheek by jowl along the narrow streets.

-To allow one more latitude or freedom than usual; to be lenient with one. -Give additional freedom to someone -Not judge someone severely -Give someone a break -Make some allowances for someone -Allow a person to something that is usually not allowed The origin of this phrase can be alluded to the docking of ships, where give me some slack meant to loosen the rope. A similar phrase, with a similar meaning but slightly different

When someone is not playing with a full deck he is either mentally, psychologically or intellectually deficient. The deck referenced in not playing with a full deck is a deck of cards. There is a popular story that the origin of this phrase dates back to the 1500s, when a tax was levied against decks of cards. People would get around the tax by purchasing decks of 51 cards instead of 52 cards, thereby not

Of all the citrus fruit the lemon is quite sour and bitter to taste. So, it is often used in negative expressions in the English language. This phrase wants us to find optimism in the face of adversity by suggesting that if life puts you in a difficult situation or gives you bad luck, try to turn it into something positive or to your advantage. >Make the best out of a difficult situation >Turn something

The origin of this phrase comes from the medieval times when travelling by ship was commonplace in order to go to a new territory. The word hatch literally refers to the opening in the deck space of the ship. When the captain suspected bad weather, he would get the men to cover the grating or the open deck with tarpaulin and wooden strips which were known as battens. The sailors would refer to this activity

The phrase on the rocks was originally used for ships which ran aground on rocks and broke apart. Since the late 1800s it has been used figuratively for other disasters or problems. This idiom means, > Likely to fail because of serious problems > In a state of difficulty, destruction or ruin > In a relationship having problems and likely to end soon > In a relationship on the brink of failing Also, it is slang

> A harmless lie > A small or unimportant lie > A lie that that is meant to spare someone’s feelings > To lie about a small or unimportant matter White is often associated with something which is innocent / harmless and hence it is prefixed with lie to derive this meaning. Example Sometimes it is better to tell a white lie than to hurt someone’s feelings. Many times a white lie can seem the

Latin terminology which later became a proverb in English and is widely used in commerce / legal transactions. The meaning of this term is is Let buyer beware. In many jurisdictions, it is the contract law principle that places the onus on the buyer to perform due diligence before making a purchase. A caveat emptor disclaimer is intended to resolve disputes that arise from information asymmetry, a situation in which one among the two parties

A straw man fallacy is a specific misrepresentation of another person’s position and arguing against that false position. A straw man fallacy occurs when someone takes another person’s argument or point, distorts it or exaggerates it in some kind of extreme way, and then attacks the extreme distortion, as if that is really the claim the first person is making. Example In a sentence The marketing team didn’t have all of the details, so they

Well – this four little lines, one over other # is very famous now a days. It is widely used in social media to represent a cause and even big movements were trigerred after pre-fixing the consdensed summry with #. Anyone ever care to think – what is this symbol known as? Well, the answer may be easy. Hash Tag as it is popularly known as and some people may say that it is also

Desiring changes or alterations, usually in regards to one’s life, behavior, or situation. The origin of novaturient comes from the Latin novāre (make new) and ent (present participle ending i.e. word-forming element making a noun or verb an adjective). It is a compelling desire, a deep and energetic call to arms in the name of personal change. Novaturient could be applied to the desire to travel and explore different places or to the yearning for

>Approval / Formal Approval >Commendation / Praise Also, when it was first used in English, it also meant proof / conclusive proof. But this meaning is obsolete as of now. Imprimatur is another word bearing similar meaning (a mark of formal approval) though originally the word means a license to print or publish by Roman Catholic episcopal authority. This word is derived from Latin verb approbare, which means to prove or to approve. Example The

>Conceal or disguise one’s true feelings or beliefs. >To hide under a false appearance Dissemble (from Latin dissimulare, meaning “to hide or conceal”) stresses the intent to deceive, especially about one’s own thoughts or feelings, and often implies that the deception is something that would warrant censure if discovered. Example Children learn to dissemble at a surprisingly early age He dissembled happiness at the news that his old girlfriend was getting married to someone else

> To move about freely or at a will > To speak or write at length or in detail The Latin antecedent of “expatiate” is “exspatiari, which combines the prefix ex– (“out of“) with “spatiari” (“to take a walk“), itself from “spatium” (“space” or “course“). Example The naturalist is known for her willingness to expatiate on any number of issues relating to wildlife and the environment During his book signing, he will expatiate on his

> Harsh criticism > Something that brings in disgrace > Public disgrace or ill fame that follows from conduct considered grossly wrong or vicious It came from the Latin verb opprobrare which means to reproach. Example The bombing of the hosptials during the war was met with widespread opprobrium They’re going ahead with the plan despite public opprobrium Malignign reputation of others in a wilful manner is an opprobrious crime.

> Marked by lack of definite plan, regularity, or purpose > Not connected with the main subjects > Disappointing in progress, performance, or quality The Latin adjective desultorius, the parent of desultory was used by the ancients to refer to a circus performer (called a desultor) whose trick was to leap from horse to horse without stopping. Example She made a desultory attempt at conversation. He wandered around, clearing up in a desultory way.

> Having developed (of a child) certain abilities or inclinations at an earlier age than is usual or expected. > Exhibiting mature qualities at an unusually early age > Exceptionally early in development or occurrence Precocious got started in Latin when the prefix prae, meaning ahead of, was combined with the verb coquere meaning to cook or to ripen to form the adjective praecox which means early ripening or premature Example She was a precocious

> The fact of knowing something in advance; foreknowledge. > Divine omniscience > Human anticipation of the course of events Prescience comes from the Latin verb praescire, which means to know beforehand (Scire means to know which is source of many English words like science, conscience, concious etc.) Example With extraordinary prescience, Jung actually predicted the Nazi eruption” Her prescience as an investor is impressive. He predicted their response with amazing prescience

Usually we came across these terms – Hip Hop , Pop, Rock , Jazz genre of music. Let’s try to understand a bit more about it Hip Hop This is also known as rap music is credited to African / Latino Americans by end of 1960s and through out1970s. As per certain literature, it is credited to DJ Kool Herc, a Jamaican DJ who presented this form of music where in stylized rhythmic music that

Appreciation of fine art calls for understanding the range of art styles to admire and choose from. Here goes seven popular painting styles Realism (Naturalism) This is the ary without stylization or following the rules of formal artistic theory. Artist spends a fair amount of time and effort paying attention to creating an accurate depiction of life forms and objects, perspective creating the illusion of reality, good composition, lights and darks, and color and tone.

A figure of speech is a phrase or word used in a non-literal sense for rhetorical or rich effect. It is an expression that is different from its literal meaning. It is a way of describing something or someone interestingly and vividly. The words or phrases may not mean exactly what they suggest, but they paint a clear picture in the mind of the reader or listener. Types of figure of speech Alliteration Two usually

To announce in public that your past beliefs or statements were wrong and that you no longer agree with them Example After a year spent in solitary confinement, he publicly recanted his views Witnesses threatened to recant their testimony when the court released their names to the paper.

The phrase knock or blow someone’s socks off was initially used in southern part of US in the 1940s, where this phrase referred as defeating someone in the fight. Later, the following meanings were also assigned to it (mostly positive meanings) Doing something which was never done before / impressing someone/ performing something outclass. Example Thushar’s performance at the concert last night just knocked my socks off This exciting news knocked the socks off of

>People who work in anonymity >Someone working tirelessly behind the scenes >A person who advises someone in the public eye >Working without public knowledge or awareness >A person involved in systematic especially secret research Dating back to a speech by Lord Beaverbrook in 1941, when he praised the scientists, researchers, and technical staff working anonymously behind the scenes in the UK during World War 2 as backroom boys Example The president trusts his backroom boys

As there are several confusions pertaining to the formalities to be followed while reaching Oman as per new guidelines, here goes my first hand experience. At first, ensure that you are a valid resient card holder of Sultnate of Oman and then only you will have entry (at least for now). Also, if your last visit was before six months, you might be requiring some piror permission. Otherwise, just follow the below mentioned steps. 1-Prior

Disclaimer – Helpful for Those who wish to choose Vande Bharat Mission Air India / Express flight from Muscat to Mumbai (and Pune) Well – Never thought you will also be a part of it… But seems, we are all in someone else’s movie… I am back home (Pune) on vacation via repatriation flight mission by Hon Government of India via Air India Express. This is travel advisory from Muscat to Mumbai via Air and

Parochialism is the state of mind, whereby one focuses on small sections of an issue rather than considering its wider context. More generally, it consists of being narrow in scope. It may, particularly when used pejoratively (Pejorative means, a word or grammatical form expressing a negative connotation, a low opinion, or a lack of respect toward someone or something) be contrasted to universalism. Literally parochial means of or relating to a church parish our pastor

A quandary is simply a dilemma or state of extreme uncertainty. The word is now a little used, apart from in the phrase in a quandary. In a quandary means Faced with a dilemma – perplexed and uncertain what to do Example What I ‘ve just found out is that someone who came with me from Earth has been put in an ethical quandary Mark is in a quandary about whether or not he should

To reach or surpass the desired standard or performance or more generally to succeed, to have the ability to do something or to be adequate enough to participate or compete It’s not clear exactly why we say cut the mustard. Some have proposed literal derivations, such as cutting down (harvesting) mustard plants. Others have suggested connections to the phrase pass muster (Pass muster means reach an acceptable standard) when a soldier gets approval after troops

>To have friendly banter (playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks) for hours on end > A long and informal conversation with someone > To gossip with friends at leisure Chewing the fat is speculated to be something that was done at leisure by the North American Indians. Farmers in Britain would chew on pork fat when sitting idle or chatting with other farmers. Another speculation is the fact that the phrase originates from the

Also known as hidden unemployment, this refers to a situation where labour that is employed in a job is not actually utilised for the production of goods and services. In other words, such employment does not contribute to the output of an economy and is thus akin (aking means – something of similar character) to a form of unemployment. Sometimes disguised unemployment could simply be a form of underemployment wherein the skills of a labour

This idiom means – improvise, act without preparation, to let things go as they may, determined on the circumstances,according to the demand of the situation, to decide what to do as things happen, instead of planning in advance This expression, which is mostly used in informal contexts, comes from the world of music. When a musician plays it by ear he attempts to play or reproduce a piece of music without looking at the music

Duck and drakes is also a name of stone skipping or skimming game, a pastime game of throwing flat stones across water so as to make them bounce off the surface. This idiom means, – To carelessly misuse one’s wealth – To behave recklessly – Use selfishly to suit oneself – Waste Example They started playing ducks and drakes with their opponents toward the end of the game. I thought that there were the makings

This is a term in linguistics which means – speakers of one language can understand another . Sometimes, even different languages can be mutually intelligible. Mutual intelligibility is a continuum (that is, a gradient concept), marked by degrees of intelligibility, not by sharp divisions. Spirit of mutual intelligiblity is undermined due to various political/social/historical reasons, many people may loathe their neighbors and not wish to admit they have any connection with them, and don’t wish

Juggernaut from Jagannath The English world Juggernaut means a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force. It is derived from Lord Jagannath (Lord of World, Vishnu as per Hindu Religion). History says, a missionary brought the pictuture of an enormous carriage that carried an image of the Hindu god Vishnu in the Indian City of Puri and given pictursque description of the procession.  This tale caught the imagination of English listeners, and by the 19th century, they

Here goes some commonly used words in English which is adopted from languages used in Indian Subcontinent. Shampoo from Champo The first known mention of shampoo is from the 4th century B.C., when Greek historian Strabo wrote about India’s practice of shampooing. The word is from the Hindi word champo, meaning to massage or knead Jungle from Jangala Many still belive that Jangal in Hindi is Indian version of English world Jungle. Well, it’s the

>A sickly or weak person, especially one who is constantly and morbidly concerned with his or her health >Showing undue concern about one’s health. In Latin, “valetudo” refers to one’s state of health (whether good or bad) Example Every time he felt even a little bit sick, the valetudinarian would immediately look up his symptoms on WebMD and schedule a doctor’s appointment. After visiting the emergency room for the third time in a week, his

> Soon afterwards > Repeatedly It is derived from old English eft sōna, literally: afterwards soon. Example They rested two days, and then eftsoons proceeded on their voyage. Eftsoons they vanish and I am again alone.

An urge to do something inadvisable / An insatiable desire / An irresistible compulsion. Derived from Mid 16th century Latin / Greek kakoēthes ‘ill-disposed’, from kakos ‘bad’ + ēthos ‘disposition’. Example Even smart people who follow diet plan also occasionally succumb to the cacoethes of eating junk food. Jake’s cacoethes of talking out of turn caused a number of distractions in the classroom.

Exulansis The tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people are unable to relate to it. Liberosis The desire to care less about things. Anecdoche A conversation in which everyone is talking, but nobody is listening. Kuebiko A state of exhaustion inspired by acts of senseless violence. Kenopsia The eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that’s usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet

Here goes a few words from the dictionary of obscure sorrows, something which we may feel but difficult to explain. Believe it or not – there are some words which describe all these.. Sonder The realization that each passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own. Monachopsis The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place. Rubatotis The unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat. Jouska A hypothetical conversation that you compulsively

The supine position means lying horizontally with the face and torso facing up, as opposed to the prone position, which is face down. It also means, failing to act or protest as a result of moral weakness or indolence (Wanting to avoid actvity or exertion; lazy) Example The government was supine in the face of racial injustice He was lying supine on the couch

http://sajithnair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/y2mate.com-The-Invention-Nobody-Wanted-That-Became-One-of-the-Top-Selling-Office-Products-of-All-Time_v144P-1.mp4 Sticky notes , also known as Post-it notes or repositionable notes ; are small pieces of paper that feature a light adhesive on the back. The adhesive allows the notes to be attached to a wide variety of documents and surfaces and removed and reattached multiple times. Post-it notes started out as three-inch squares that were canary yellow in color. Today, sticky notes can be found in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and colors.

The verb pique means to make someone angry or annoyed. But when something piques your interest or curiosity, here the verb pique just means to arouse, stimulate, or excite, Also, it can be used as a word to denote the feeling of being offended or resentful after a slight or indignity. Also, it is tightly woven fabric with raised cords In short, one shall derive the meaning of pique based on the occasion / particular

Here goes five latin legal terms and it’s meaning. 1- Ipso facto By the very fact or act /As an inevitable result Eg: If someone is born in the U.S., ipso facto they have a U.S. Social Security number. 2- Quid pro quo Something for something / Something (as consideration) given or received for something else. Eg: Contracts are transient and externally enforced, guaranteed by a quid pro quo exchange. 3- Pro Hac Vice For

To be someone who seems to enjoy doing something that you consider unpleasant / Someone who habitually takes on burdensome or unpleasant tasks or unreasonable amounts of work. Gluttony means over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or wealth items. In certain denominations of Christianity, it is considered as a cardinal sin. Example He’s a real glutton for punishment, taking on all that extra work without getting paid for it. Rose agreed to organize the church

To test someone or something against a standard before taking a decision / to try something or examine it carefully before you buy it. Kicking tyres was a way to vent (Vent in this context means – an opening that allows air) in the early years of motoring, when tyres would often go flat and delay your journey. It is derived from the Latin *E tira kikium, (a kick for good luck) Example Ted is

Dervied from Latin nudius tertius, literally, today is the third day. So, if you ever wondered – is there any word which we can use for Day before yesterday, it is Nudiustertian. Unfortunately, this expression has fallen into disuse. Example I’d ordered the key on-line for £48 that nudiustertian morning and was not expecting it to arrive until the following week.

The writer J. R. R. Tolkien coined the word by affixing the Greek prefix eu, (meaning good), to the word catastrophe. This means sudden turn of events at the end of a story which ensures that the protagonist does not meet some terrible, impending, and very plausible and probable doom, Peripetia is a similar term which means a sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances, especially in reference to fictional narrative, Example It looked

An ‘e’ in the end could alter the meaning. Many a times, these two words are used interchangeably. Garner’s Modern American Usage puts this error at stage 3 which is commonplace even among many well-educated people but is still avoided in careful usage. Loath Unwilling or reluctant about something Loathe Strongly dislike someone or something or find it disgusting: Example Leader of opposition was loath to speculate on the final outcome of no confidence motion

The Constitution of India defines some privileges and immunities which include freedom of speech in the parliament and freedom from court proceedings for anything said in the parliament for members of parliament / state legislature (Under Article 194 of the Constitution). Rules state that the House has the power to determine and define what constitutes a breach of privilege apart from those already mentioned. Breach of privilege A breach of privilege motion can be moved

To accept something reluctantly but without protest. The act or condition of acquiescing (giving tacit assent / agreement or consent) by silence or without objection; compliance. Derived from latin word quiescere, meaning to be quiet Note: Tacit means (expressed or carried on without words or speech / implied or indicated (as by an act or by silence) but not actually expressed) Example He will acquiesce simply because he is a sick man. She left home

This is a British Theatrical Slang for unintentional laughing by an actor in the scene when he / she is actually intended to play the role without laughing. So, this is spoil a piece of acting by forgetting one’s lines or laughing uncontrollably. It is so-called because the worst time to have the giggles is when one is playing a corpse. Famous actor Peter Sellers (Pink Panther fame). is normally known for breaking the character

http://sajithnair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/y2mate.com-Sophies-Choice-_-The-Choice_DZ9bht5H2p4_v240P.mp4 Sophie’s choice refers to an extremely difficult decision a person has to make. It describes a situation where no outcome is preferable over the other. This can be either because both outcomes are equally desirable or both are equally undesirable. Origin Sophie’s Choice is the title of a 1979 novel by William Styron, and in 1982 Sophie’s Choice was made into a critically acclaimed film starring Meryl Streep In the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz,

Devoid of significance / interest / dull. It is derived from the Latin jejunus, which means “empty of food,” “meager,” or “hungry.” As an adjective, it can be used in several ways as detailed in examples. Example She made jejune remarks about life and art. Juvenile; immature; childish: – jejune behavior. Lacking knowledge or experience; uninformed – Jejune attempts to design a house. Deficient or lacking in nutritive value – A jejune diet.

Obtain something by dishonest or devious ways / trickery. In informal conversation we can use the term wangle which also convey same meaning (to succeed in getting or doing something by persuading someone or by being clever in some way) Example He finagled an extra day off from work by telling his boss it was an religious holiday – even though he’s an atheist He somehow finagled his way into the army as a lieutenant.

A sense of one’s own worth; self-respect. This is a French Word which can be literally tranlated as self love. It is widely used in English also to denote confidence, self-assurance, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-regard, self-respect. Example Our amour propre forces us to look more closely at ourselves than at others. If I have wounded your amour-propre, you have done me a more serious injury.

Both words have almost similar meaning. Aplomb means complete and confident composure or self-assurance. In general it is used to define a situation handled with confidence and style Sangfroid means self-possession or imperturbability especially under strain (Derived from Latin words sanguis “blood” and “frigidus” “cold”) Example She played several roles with equal aplomb He displayed remarkable sangfroid when everyone else was panicking during the crisis. The gambler seemed to take both his wins and his

http://sajithnair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/WhatsApp-Video-2020-09-16-at-6.25.25-PM.mp4

Courtesy:  To creator (whoever he / she is. Received via whatsapp)

In general means, assign an inferior rank or position to someone / something. Also depending on situation, it can be defined as > To assign to a place of insignificance or of oblivion : put out of sight or mind > To assign to an appropriate place or situation on the basis of classification or appraisal > To place (generally a sports team) to a lower ranking division Often, it is even used to mean

Literally – this can be defined as charactersitics of prose as distinguised from poetry. So, the meaning can be extended to unimaginative / dull / everyday or ordinary kind of narratives of situations. Way back in 1600s, any text that was not poetic was prosaic. Back then, “prosaic” was not having any aegative connotations and it simply indicated that a written work was made up of prose. Later, poetry is viewed as the more beautiful,

http://sajithnair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/WhatsApp-Video-2020-09-16-at-12.32.33-AM.mp4

As per plastic surgeons, the days of people wanting to look like a celebrity are over. Now, more and more people want to look like themselves, to be precise a phone-edited version of themselves. Several plastic surgeons have shared their experiences whereby they encountered requests sounding similar to what a filtered Snapchat picture would look like. The term Snapchat Dysmorphia was also coined to represent this trend and we cannot help wonder how much these

Kesavananda Bharati Sripadagalvaru, the Kerala seer (a person of supposed supernatural insight who sees visions of the future) passes away at the age of 79 in Septemeber, 2020. For legal enthusiasts, this name is very important as the property rights of Edneer Mutt case before Honorable Supreme court of India helped define the basic structure of Indian Constitution. All this effort was to answer just one main question. Was the power of Parliament to amend

This documentary should make you quit social media –  By Amulya Gopalakrishnan at Times of India, 14 September, 2020 The Social Dilemma, the new Netflix documentary tells a story most of us are familiar with, but conveys it it with a scalding urgency. What are we submitting to, as we sleepwalk through our lives, staring at our screens, , twitching to our notifications? What will it take to wake to wake up. Courtey: Nishore, my friend

Expurgate means removing matter thought to be objectionable or unsuitable from (a text or account). Hence, it is a form of censorship which involves purging anything deemed noxious or offensive from an artistic work, or other type of writing of media. Bowdlerize is a synonym which also means the same. English editor Thomas Bowdler, who in 1818 published the Family Shakespeare, an expurgated edition of Shakespeare’s plays that omitted or changed any passages that, in

This phrase is a wonderful ancient Greek proverb. It is said that an abundance of owls famously roosted in the rafters of the original Parthenon. This means, something that is pointless / a useless or futile act / something which is highly uneconomical / something superfluous. Take coal to New Castle also convey the same meaning. Example There is not point in buying gifts for her wealthy friends, ‘It’s like bringing owls to Athens The

A very meager, slim, or frugal amount of resources, especially money or fuel. There are various variants of this idiom –  live off (or on) the smell of an oily rag , running on the smell of an oily rag , get by off the smell of an oily rag. If the idiom is used when referring to a car, it is being suggested that the car is extremely fuel efficient. If it is used

Having great success over a period of time or showing a sudden burst of energy. This idiom can be used in many situations. It can refer to a burst or sudden rise to stock prices, for sports results, a sudden burst of activity (for these situations it seems to have positive connotations) and for heavy alcohol consumption. Example The team has been on a tear in recent weeks. The economy is on a tear, but

Jamtara is a district of Jharkhand State and people here mainlty speak Hindi, Santali and Bengali languages. It is also nick named as phishing capital of India. It got this title because of the fact that there were numerous incidents of phishing across country whose center point was this small town. Karmatar, a small town, has slowly emerged as the epicentre of cybercrime in the country. Many of its ”vishing” (a term coined in Jamtara

Something that two or more people argue about strongly over a long period of time. The commonly accepted origin of the phrase is the image of two animals, usually dogs, fighting over the last bone of dinner. Neither will give up his position, and the bone is seen as the specific point of arguing. A similar phrase bone of dissension was used in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, but fell out of favor. Either the

> Something that causes trouble or unhappiness > Anything that causes discord or jealousy > An object or topic that sows anger, dissent > A cause of strife, argument or rivalry Example > Both of them got attracted to the same person and that has become an apple of discord between them >The ancestral property sharing became an apple of discord between the brothers

Bee’s Knees means an excellent or ideally suitable person or thing. Where as Bee in the bonnet means, to keep talking about something again and again because you think it is very important (as you are being obsessed about it or worried about it) Example Well, isn’t she just the intellectual bee’s knees To us, it was the bee’s knees Try this chocolate. It’s the bee’s knees Do you like my new shoes? I think

To have a secret advantage that is suddenly revealed to change the game. It is used a secret advantage that you can use later Example He did not just leave his house. He had a card up his sleeve that he did not even reveal to his family, which was his new flat in a posh locality. She still has one card up her sleeve – she knows the director.

To seem angry all the time because you think you have been treated unfairly or feel you are not as good as other people. In general, an angry attitude from someone who feels unfairly treated Example He’s got a chip on his shoulder about not having been to university. He got a chip on his shoulder for frequently receiving direction from his sister He’s not going to make any friends if he walks around with

>An impossibility >A dream or fantasy >Something that is unlikely to happen / won’t work > A hope, plan or idea that will most likely fail Similar meanings are conveyed through the idioms when pigs fly and when hell freezes over Example His plans of becoming an astronaut are a pipe dream, he should be more realistic. As she bent her head to receive the gold medal, she realised competing for her country in the

> Rooting out the practice of corruption > Preventing to uprooting something that is harmful This idiom originally means the draining swamps to get rid of or lowering the mosquito population Example Nations need to take strong actions to drain the swamps breeding terrorists. No matter how critical it is draining the swamps would be just about impossible unless we citizens take action against it in the union.

> To be the last in a sequence of unpleasant things > To be the last tolerable thing after which something cannot be accepted This is the shortened version of the phrase the last straw that broke the camel’s back. The phrase has been used since the mid 1700s. The phrase has had many variations over the years. There is an earlier phrase dating back to the 1800s that states the last feather breaks the

Crazy; mentally unsound; extremely foolish. So,if you say that someone is off their rocker, you mean that that person is behaving in a very strange or silly way or having or showing a very abnormal or sick state of mind. Bedlam / Bonker etc. are another word which is having similar meaning. Also, someone who is off (one’s) rocker is also referred to as mad as a hatter also. Example I’m going to go off

This idiom means – to be completely unexpected and often unusual. If someone or something is out in left field, they are unusual and unconventional Example Her comments came out of left field Their marketing strategy is way out in left field She is kind of out of left field, but she is fun

A procrastinator / delayer. In short, this term can be applied on one who delays or lingers. So, when you come across someone who postpones work (especially out of laziness or habitual carelessness). here is the term to categorize them. Roman Statesman Fabius Maximus is surnamed as conctator for the same reasons as mentioned above. Example Now given cunctator’s style of editing, he may have been intending to remove that at a later point.

A employee having many diverse activities or responsibilities. Also, used as a term for a person, as a handyman or servant, employed to do all kinds of work around the house. The term jack of all trades also conveys (though not exactly), a similar meaning. The word is originated from Latin as a combination of two words viz – faciō (“do, make”) + tōtum (“everything”). Example We can’t afford to hire more staff for the

A feeling of goodwill (being friendly and wanting to help), especially one that exists between a speaker and an audience. Aristotle uses the term “eunoia” to refer to the kind and benevolent feelings of goodwill that a spouse has and that form the basis for the ethical foundation of human life. In Psychology , this means – A state of normal adult mental health. This is the shortest english word which uses all the vowels

The desire or fondness of buying. Emacity became obsolete in the twentieth century, replaced by less elegant terms such as retail therapy , compulsive buying and shopaholics. Similar sounding world emaciate means to cause to lose flesh so as to become very thin Example I couldn’t control my emacity and I had to buy another suitcase to carry home everything I bought on vacation.

Pauciloquent (To be pronounced as paw-sil-o-kwent) If you are a person of few words, then this is the term for you. This is a great way for you to tell people you are a person of few words, without having to say that whole long statement. Laconic is a synonym with same meaning. Stylistically, it is also mentioned as being aphoristic. Exact opposite for being pauciloquent is – bloviate which means talk at length, especially

This word is having a specific meaning in the sporting even of fencing – here it means, a fencer’s quick return thrust following a parry /rounterattack made after successfully fending off one’s opponent. In general, we can use this term as a quick, clever reply to an insult or criticism Words having similar meaning Repartee Conversation or speech characterized by quick, witty comments or replies / Adroitness (means – cleverness) in reply Rejoineder Quick reply

Bel espirit (To be pronounsed as bel ez -spree) A person of great wit / intellect / fine and gifted mind. It’s a French word which is widely being used in English also.. often to be add a charm in conversation or create literary appeal. It’s plural is beaux-esprits (to be pronounced as boh-ez-spree) After all – in Arabic and Urudu, it’s said that human beings are Ashraful Makhluqat (which means – Noblest of all