• about me
  • menu
  • categories
    • Kayte Fawcett

    Kayte Fawcett

    My name's Kayte and I've been a teacher for 20 years. I have the English state qualification. (QTS.)

    Wedded bliss. It's a wonderful thing. Not to mention that fact that you now have a mega-easy way of describing your 'special person' to the world. 

    'My husband'.

    'My wife'.

    So simple. So adorable. 

    Forget the travails of 'my partner in life' and 'my significant other'. Once you've signed on the dotted line, you have a beautifully brief alternative.

    "My husband and I think..."

    "My wife and I enjoy eating vegetables on a Sunday..."

    It's like the verbal version of minimalism.

    What could be more straightforward?

    Unfortunately, human beings - contrary creatures that we often are -  prefer to 'add back' a few unecessary complications.

    Hence the rather unflattering words some people use to describe their wife, especially to their friends:

    Ball and chain. (A heavy metal ball and chain used to be attached to the legs of prisoners, to stop them running away. So the phrase describes someone who keeps you in jail - lovely.)

    Trouble and strife. (Cockney rhyming slang, of course. 'Strife' is a violent or angry disagreement.)

    'Er indoors. (Informal and now somewhat dated way of referring to 'her indoors', ie the person who is usually at home, rather than going out to work. In recent years, the equivalent 'im indoors' has gained some popularity.)

    The boss. (Another 'prison-type' term, used to give excuses for not going out on the town. For example: "Go nightclubbing? Sorry, the boss says I need to stay at home and do the washing up.")

    But before you start thinking that alternative terms for your legal partner are all doom and gloom, please note that there are also a number of touching - albeit cutesy - variations you can use between yourselves.

    Step forward:

    Hubby 

    Wifey

    Hublet

    Wiflet


    Awwww...

    'Tying the knot' has never seemed more sweet and appealing.



    continue reading
    posted by . Thursday, August 20, 2020 .
    on day
    Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

    popular posts

    • Are you joyful or ecstatic?
      ‘Joyful’ and ‘ecstatic’, two wonderful words. Both describe being happy. But which is appropriate for how you’re feeling now? Well, it depe...
    • How can you describe your spouse?
      Wedded bliss. It's a wonderful thing. Not to mention that fact that you now have a mega-easy way of describing your 'special person...
    • Saying things are easy
      Saying things are easy…it can be far from simple. Here are some useful expressions to help you. You might want to start with a classic ‘word...
    posted by . Sunday, June 28, 2020 . / /


    Saying things are easy…it can be far from simple.

    Here are some useful expressions to help you.

    You might want to start with a classic ‘word repetition’ expression, ‘easy peasy’. This is particularly handy if you want to keep the mood light-hearted and humorous. Not so good if you want to make a serious point.

    “Of course I can cook dinner for you. Easy peasy!”

    In fact, most of the sayings which describe something being easy are fairly jocular, perhaps because of the nature of what they’re relating.

    Informally, something is ‘a cinch’ or ‘dead (meaning totally) easy’.

    “Doing equations is a cinch.”

    “Learning English vocabulary is dead easy.”

    If you want to get slightly more poetic, you can use ‘a piece of cake’, on the grounds that separating a slice from the main part of the cake is not especially difficult. (Particularly if it’s a chocolate cake…)

    “I can chop this wood in no time. It’s a piece of cake!”



    Or you could use ‘it’s like falling off a log’.

    If you imagine how likely it is that you’ll put your foot wrong and fall when attempting antics those like in the photograph below, you’ll get the picture.

    Easily…

    “Riding a horse is like falling off a log for me.”



    Lastly, ‘Bob’s your uncle’ is often used at the end of a set of simple instructions to say: “…and that’s it. Easy!” or: “Your success is guaranteed.”

    “You just mix the eggs with flour, pour it into a tin and Bob’s your uncle.”

    The phrase dates back to 1887, when British Prime Minister Robert (Bob) Cecil appointed his nephew Arthur Balfour to the post of Chief Secretary for Ireland, which was viewed as a shocking example of nepotism. Thus it became a popular way of saying you’ve got it made, easily.

    In recent years, the expression has gained a more contemporary slant, reflecting the diversity of modern Britain, with the humorous ‘Bob’s your auntie’s live-in lover.’

    And that’s it!


    continue reading
    at
    posted by . Friday, June 26, 2020 . /

    If we say that two people are ‘two sides of the same coin’, it means they’re different but they fit together perfectly. 

    On the English coins pictured below, for instance, there’s a ‘heads’ side, featuring a picture of the queen, and a ‘tails’ side, featuring a picture of a coat of arms including a lion.

    Each side is different, but put the sides together and they make one coin.

    It’s a similar idea to being ‘made for each other’ - it describes people who are so alike that it’s as if someone sat down and designed each person specifically for the other - and is usually used for people in a romantic relationship.


    Other idioms can be used for any kind of close relationship.

    ‘Two peas in a pod’ indicates that two people are similar and metaphorically close.

    “They’re like two peas in a pod. They’re always together.”

    ‘Cut from the same cloth’ indicates that people were ‘made the same’, they’re so similar it’s as though they came from one piece of fabric.



    This idiom is generally negative and is often used to mean that two people are equally ‘bad’.

    “Both in trouble again! They really are cut from the same cloth…”

    For this reason, it is seldom used to describe your own relationship/s.

    People are sometimes described as ‘birds of a feather’, an idiom which draws on a well-known nursery rhyme:
     
    Birds of a feather flock together
    And so do pigs and swine.
    Rats and mice will have their choice,
    And so will l have mine.

    (Pigs and rodents are considered rather disgusting by some people.)

    This saying can be used negatively to dismiss a pair or group of people who spend time together, who you don’t like.

    “I’m not surprised those two get on so well...birds of a feather flock together.”

    “Yes, they all have disgusting manners. Birds of a feather flock together!”

    Like ‘cut from the same cloth’ you wouldn’t usually use it to describe your own relationship/s.


    When a child is similar to their parent/s in a negative way, it’s sometimes said that ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’.

    The child (metaphorically the apple) hasn’t travelled far from their origin, the metaphorical tree.

    “I’m not surprised he ended up in prison, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree you know.” 


    ‘A chip off the old block’ is similar.

    A ‘chip’ is a small object which has broken off a larger one. In this idiom, it refers to a piece of timber which has broken off the original block of wood. It pivots on the fact that the substance is still essentially the same.

    Unlike the previous phrase, it is used positively, often by one of the parents themselves.

    “Just look at the way James handles a rugby ball, he’s a real chip off the old block.”



    continue reading
    at
    posted by . Sunday, June 21, 2020 .

    ‘Joyful’ and ‘ecstatic’, two wonderful words. Both describe being happy.

    But which is appropriate for how you’re feeling now?

    Well, it depends…

    ‘Joy’ is the equivalent of ‘great happiness’. So if you’re feeling joyful, you’re full of great happiness. Fabulous.

    It’s a term often used in connection with Christmas, many traditional songs describe the birth of Jesus bringing joy to the world.

    ‘Joy’ is also associated with other special occasions. ‘Wishing you much joy’ is a popular line for cards given to a bride and groom on their wedding day.

    Another common expression, the - generally - metaphorical to ‘jump for joy’ is popular, no doubt due in part to the ‘bouncy’ effect of the alliteration.

    (Alliteration is where words in the same sentence start with the same sound, giving them a sense of ‘belonging’.)

    “When she heard she’d got the promotion, she was jumping for joy.”

    In addition, it’s nearly - very nearly - onomatopoeic. (Although this usually describes a single word, a word which sounds similar to the word it refers to. Think ‘pop’ or ‘swish’.)

    Interestingly, ‘joyful’ is seldom used with an amplifying adverb.

    In fact, the likes of: “I’m feeling downright joyful’ are almost never heard.

    Ecstatic is the equivalent of ‘extremely happy’.

    Surprisingly, it’s still frequently used with an amplifying adverb.

    It’s important to bear in mind, however, that, as already it’s already a strong term. Therefore, to amplify it, an even stronger word is needed. Something which means ‘wholly’.

    So try ‘totally ecstatic’ or even, perhaps, ‘utterly ecstatic’.

    Enjoy!


    continue reading
    at
    posted by . .

    ‘Having a laugh’…it’s so important. But what if you’re actually having a snigger? Do you know the difference?

    Laughing is the subject of many idioms and proverbs.

    “Laughter is the best medicine.”

    “Laugh and the world laughs with you.”

    Laughing is a positive, joyous, light-hearted response to a joke or amusing situation and usually involves opening your mouth wide, sometimes even throwing your head back.

    ‘Sniggering’ generally involves laughing with your mouth closed, often with accompanying snorting noises, and is usually unkind, directed at someone that the sniggerer feels superior to.

    Think of the quiet person standing behind the school bully as they make derogatory remarks to a classmate. Snigger and the world does not snigger with you.

    Sniggering is also used to describe what people might do in response to a smutty joke or piece of innuendo.

    'Chortling’ is fairly similar to sniggering, as the laughter is often directed at someone else’s misfortune. It often refers to a deeper, louder laugh than a snigger.

    In a similar vein, ‘guffawing’ is laughing at someone’s perceived stupidity.

    To 'fall about’ is to laugh so enthusiastically, you can’t stay sitting or standing.

    “He told me a joke and I just fell about!”

    Confusingly, the slang phrase to ‘crack up' is also to laugh hard. (Although it has another commonly-used, informal meaning, to become mentally ill.) Usually, the person who makes you laugh hard is mentioned.

    “She cracked me up.”

    If the individual in question does this regularly, you can say:

    "She cracks me up."

    Just be prepared for everyone to ask for her phone number…after all, laughter is the best medicine...and who doesn't want a dose of that?


    continue reading
    at
    posted by . . / /

    So, you want to buy flowers for your darling heart. What do you ask for?

    Well, there are a number of options depending on your beloved’s preference. (And what’s in your purse/wallet.)

    The most traditional option is a ‘bouquet’.


    This is a group of blooms which have been fastened in a thoughtful way to make them look attractive, so they can be given as a gift.

    A ‘posy’ is similar, but generally smaller and contain ‘country’ flowers such as violets and aromatic asters, which are old-fashioned and sweet-smelling.


    It harks back to the Victorian era, when flowers had their own language of ‘secret meanings’, known as floriography. Perfect for expressing yourself in the emotionally repressed society of the time.

    For example, the aforementioned violets symbolised faithfulness, while yellow roses suggested joy and white roses purity. Thorn Apple meant that you were dreaming about someone.

    So if you wanted to tell a beau - or potential beau - that they make you happy and you’ll stay faithful and pure for them…and that you’re dreaming about them on a nightly basis, a combination of violets, yellow and white roses and Thorn Apple was absolutely perfect.

    You get the idea.

    Incidentally, ‘Posy’ is also a girl’s name, albeit a relatively rare one.

    Flowers are often sold in a florist’s shop in a ‘bunch’, consisting of one, or sometimes two or three types of different flower. These lack the complexity and refinement of a bouquet.

    They are less often bought for other people and more often bought for yourself or to make your home look appealing.

    A ‘stem’, finally, is a single flower. (Sometimes referred to a ‘single stem’ to be clear, but this is really tautology.)


    The most common variety is a rose and a single red rose features in many a romantic film as a gesture of (usually) the hero's esteem.

    Ideal if you’re out of money but in a romantic mood.

    After all, the size isn’t everything.

    To use a popular English proverb: “It’s the thought that counts.”



    continue reading
    at
    posted by . . / /

    Sometimes ‘absolutely’ and similar agreement words are just too formal for the occasion.

    So how can we tell someone we think they’re correct, while still sounding like we’re talking to a familiar person?

    “Dead right!” is a good start. ‘Dead’ as an amplifying adverb, incidentally, is not slang, although it has a extremely informal ring to it. (In fact it’s dead good for emphasising anything in a chatty kind of way.)

    It has no connection to the state of ceasing to be alive and, in fact, has a similar meaning to the aforementioned ‘absolutely’.

    If the other person, in your view, could not possibly in any way be more right, you can use one of the following:

    “That’s spot on, that is!”

    “That’s bang on!”

    Both suggest they’ve aimed something at a target and hit it most effectively. Imagine someone scoring a bullseye* on a dartboard. 


    ‘Bang on’ has a slighty more dramatic edge, as it reflects a loud noise made while hitting the target.

    And although it’s hard to envisage anyone being anything ‘more than right’, ‘too right’ suggests that that’s what someone has achieved.

    “I think he should ditch that bad boss and get a new job!”

    “Too right!”

    It’s the ultimate agreement phrase.Too right it is!



    * A ‘bullseye’ is the area at the centre of a dartboard, it’s marked in red in the photograph above. Hitting it gets the thrower the highest possible score. The act of hitting it with a dart is also known as getting or scoring a ‘bullseye’.

    continue reading
    at
    posted by . . /

    Endearments are used to express affection and show caring to loved ones, family members – especially children – or friends.

    These expressions are incredibly powerful, they transform an ordinary sentence into one which says: “You’re precious to me, you’re one of my special people.” (In fact, the word ‘precious’ itself is a popular endearment.)

    Perhaps that’s why it can be rather disconcerting when taxi drivers chuck such terms about with relative impunity. It’s degrading the very idea of expressing esteem.

    “Yeah, of course I can take you south of the river darlin’. Why do you ask?”

    Obviously, there are people who enjoying receiving endearments from anyone, even random strangers.

    In fact, call me biased - I personally love the Geordie accent - but when a cabbie from Newcastle asks: “Where do you want to go pet?” I can’t help but melt.

    It conveys a warmth which – to me at least - seems entirely sincere. I may be a sucker – well, ok, I’m definitely a sucker - but I can't help but be charmed by such diffuse tenderness.

    Here, I’ve brought you a compilation of some of the most popular endearments in the UK.

    Although I’ve grouped them in order to highlight their meanings, many, as you’ll see, cross over into more than one category.

    Please note that - perhaps surprisingly - they are rarely gender-specific, except where specified.


    Food endearments, sweet:

    Sugar
    Sugar pie
    Sugar plum
    Cupcake
    Muffin (Be careful though, ‘muffin top’ refers to the somewhat unappealing sight of someone’s midriff hanging over their too-tight trousers. Imagine the shape of the bun and you’ll get the picture. Make sure the recipient of your endearment doesn’t think you’re calling them fat.)
    Honey
    Hun
    Hinny
    Honey pie
    Honey bun
    Honey bunch

    Food endearments, savoury:

    Pickle
    Pumpkin
    Sausage

    Cute animal and bird endearments:

    Lambie/lambiekins (Diminutive version of lamb.)
    Duck/y
    Cock (Also a term for the male appendage, but popular in some parts of the North of England. It goes without saying, be careful with this one.)
    Chick/s (F) (Note the ‘s’ does not necessarily denote a plural here, the ‘chicks’ version can just as readily be used to address one person. For example, you could say to your sister: “Hi chicks, how are you doing?”)
    Chicken (In other contexts, this can suggest someone is a coward. Again, be cautious.)
    Pet 

    Floral endearments:

    Sweet pea
    Buttercup
    Petal
    Flower 
    Blossom

    Variations on sweetheart:

    Sweetheart
    Sweetiheart
    Sweetie
    Sweets
    Sweetness
    Sweetie pie
    Sweetie pops
    Cariad (Welsh for sweetheart/darling/love. So it also belongs in the category below.)

    Endearments which suggest someone is valued:

    Precious
    Preciousness
    Treasure
    Darling
    Darl
    Darling heart
    My dear (Dear on its own can be rather sarcastic. For instance, you might say: “Of course, dear,” when you disagree with someone.)
    Dearest
    Beloved
    Love 

    Endearments which suggest someone is beautiful:

    Beautiful
    Beauty
    Loveliness
    Bonny (wee) lad/lass

    Endearments which suggest the person brings joy:

    Sunshine

    Endearments which suggest goodness:

    Angel

    The following expressions are used for children, but also for adults, particularly where you want to express protectiveness:

    Pickle
    Sausage
    Pumpkin
    Poppet
    Lambie/lambiekins
    Snickerdoodle

    Endearments which express protectiveness, but are applied to adults:

    Baby
    Babe
    Bae

    If you're not sure, the following choices are generally the safest:

    Pet
    Sunshine
    Flower
    Lad (M)
    Lass (F)
    Chuck

     

    There you go, flower. Have fun trying them out... 


    continue reading
    at
    posted by . . /

    How do you describe the room you sleep in at home?

    Well, there are a number of suitable words, depending - mainly - on the size of it.

    Any room with a bed in is, predictably, a bedroom.

    However, the largest bedroom in a house, which usually houses a double bed, is referred to in British English as the ‘master bedroom’. ‘Master’ is more often used on its own in American English, as is ‘master suite’, which describes a bedroom which is directly connected to a bathroom or shower room.

    In British English, you would say the master bedroom is en suite. (French for ‘in sequence’.)

    ‘Master’ is an original version of something from which copies can be made. So a ‘master bedroom’ is the main sleeping space in a home.

    What, then, do we call the other bedrooms in a dwelling?

    Some homes have a ‘guest room’ or ‘spare room’. (Although it’s rarely ‘spare’, it’s often the most-used room and houses anything which doesn’t have a place in another area.)

    A tiny bedroom, which only fits a single bed at the most, is, appropriately, called a ‘box room’.

    In the case of some lucky people, a ‘box room’ can be transformed into a ‘walk-in wardrobe’. (A clothes storage room with enough space for them to stand in while they select an outfit.)

    There. Now you can sleep soundly, knowing which type of room you’re going to sleep in…


    continue reading
    at
    posted by . . /

    Picture the scene: you’re off for a special day at the health spa. You have a whole series of wonderful sessions planned: a manicure, a pedicure, a sauna, a whirlpool bath, a deep tissue massage. (Ok, maybe two deep tissue massages.) Absolute heaven… 

    “About time,” you might think. “I’m in need of some self-care.”

    ‘Self-care’ is something you do to make yourself feel better when you’re ill or to stop yourself becoming ill. 

    But is your spa visit actually ‘self-indulgence’?

    Technically speaking, it is. ‘Self-indulgence’ is defined as the act of allowing yourself to have or do anything that you enjoy.

    However, it’s perhaps a sign of the times that the everyday usage has taken on a somewhat negative connotation, as though this kind of behaviour is somehow not permissible. 

    ‘Indulge’, in the broader sense, means to allow yourself or another person to have something enjoyable. It particularly suggests that this ‘something’ is consumed in a greater quantity than is good for you/them.

    “I love chocolate and I’m not afraid to indulge myself.”

    “I’m not bothered about holidays in the sunshine, but I like to indulge my husband sometimes.”

    ‘Pamper’ is often used in a similar way. It actually means to give someone special treatment, making them as comfortable as possible and giving them whatever they desire.

    “She pampers that dog of hers, it’s so spoilt.”

    No wonder people have trouble associating the word with ‘self’ and references to ‘pampering’ yourself are often met with a frown.

    The term is closely linked to ‘self-interest’.

    Acting with ‘self-interest’ involves considering the advantage to yourself when making decisions. It involves deciding what’s best for you and, in usage, heavily implies that that’s the only thing you consider.

    Lovely.

    “She only ever acts in her own self-interest.”

    Being ‘self-centered’, meaning you’re only interested in yourself and your own activities, is also used in this way.

    “He really is in his own universe, he’s so self-centred he never considers anyone else.”

    In fact, synonyms for ‘self-centred’ are the highly unflattering ‘egocentric’ and ‘egoistic’. 

    So are there any positive terms for treating yourself kindly?

    One recent addition to the language is ‘me time’. This doesn’t carry such a weight of social judgement, implying as it does that such a time is rare and ‘snatched’.

    ‘Me time’ is not something to feel guilty about.

    Hooray! It’s time for some self-respect. 

    Ok, and maybe also some serious bliss.

    Ummmmmm…


    continue reading
    at
    posted by . .

    Ah yes, gratitude. That warm feeling you get when someone does something wonderful for you.

    “I’m so grateful for those scones you baked me.”

    Is ‘thankful’ a true synonym in its everyday usage? Generally not. ‘Thankful’ is not so commonly directed at another person and, in fact, is most often employed for situations.

    “I’m so thankful for the fact that I’m on holiday tomorrow.”

    Sometimes, ‘thankful’ is also used when reflecting on a situation which didn’t happen.

    “I’m just thankful I didn’t waste longer on that man.”

    So probably the best substitute is ‘appreciative’, a word which recognises the actions of another person.

    “Jane carried my bags up the stairs for me and I was so appreciative.”

    How can we ‘ramp up’ ‘grateful’ then? Try adding interesting adverbs.

    Don’t bother with lukewarm adverbs like ‘fairly’. They sound fairly nonsensical when combined with a strong word like ‘grateful’.

    Instead, choose from the stronger variants. ‘Terribly’, ‘hugely’, ‘incredibly’ and ‘extremely’ are all perfect here. 

    Now we come to two words which are often listed as synonyms for ‘grateful’, but have slightly different, rather more ominous, meanings.

    Think of the word ‘debt’…and shudder. It’s frequently found on people’s lists of most-disliked words. The derived ‘indebted’ has a much heavier meaning than grateful.

    “I am in your debt. As you’ve done something for me, I now have to do something for you in return.”

    Likewise, the similar ‘beholden’.

    The underlying notion of both these words is that if someone does something kind for you, you owe them a return favour.

    Idiomatically: “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.”

    Perhaps the other person just got pleasure from scratching yours?


    continue reading
    at
    posted by . .

    How can you tell someone you like the way they look?

    Whatever you choose to say, sounding sincere is the most important thing, so make sure you select a word or phrase you can deliver accordingly.

    If you want to compliment a woman’s looks, ‘pretty’ is a fairly common term, perhaps too common, making it somewhat run-of-the-mill*.

    In fact, it’s roughly on a par with the bland ‘nice’.

    For this reason, it’s often best to use an amplifying adverb, such as ‘incredibly’ or ‘dead’, so the woman in question doesn’t feel you’re damning her with faint praise**.

    “You look incredibly pretty with your hair curled like that.”

    ‘Lovely’ is on a similar level. So once again, an amplifying adverb comes in handy here.

    “You look dead lovely in that dress.”

    Comparing a woman’s beauty to something, using a simile***, can also be flattering.

    “You look as pretty as a picture.”
    “You look like a princess.” (Like something out of a fairy tale.)
    “You look like a film star.” (A profession renowned for their physical attractiveness.)

    These compliments can be used platonically, as can ‘beautiful’, a fairly strong word suggests someone is attractive, but not necessarily in a sexual way. It can also be applied to objects, scenery and suchlike.

    When applied to a person - either male or female - it has the added bonus of also being able to describe their personality.

    They can be ‘beautiful inside and out’.

    The most common amplifying adverb to use with ‘beautiful’ is ‘absolutely’.

    “You look absolutely beautiful tonight. I’m so proud of you.”

    ‘Bonny’ is a variation on this, commonly used in Scotland and the north of England.

    “He’s a bonny lad.”

    Superlatives are also great here. Try ‘amazing’, ‘delectable’, ‘wonderful’ and ‘fantastic’ are extremely flattering. All these words collocate with ‘absolutely’ for even more emphasis.

    “You look absolutely wonderful tonight.”

    ‘Utterly’ collocates with amazing, ‘totally’ with delectable.

    “You look utterly amazing in that shade of lipstick.”

    “You look totally delectable in that suit.” 

    ‘Sic’ means excellent in British English slang.

    Confusingly, it sounds exactly the same as the word for ill, so here, as is often the case, context is everything.

    “Your shoes look sic.”

    ‘Gorgeous’ means very beautiful or pleasant, but is generally used to imply that the speaker finds a person sexually attractive.

    ‘Foxy’ also implies this, as does - unsurprisingly - ‘sexy’.

    The word ‘handsome’ is often - though not always - chosen in preference to ‘beautiful’ when the subject is a man.

    If someone is a little self-conscious about receiving compliments, a light-hearted, humorous approach can be helpful.

    For example, if someone is dressed particularly smartly for a special occasion, you might tell them: “You scrub up well.”

    (To ‘scrub’ is to rub something hard in order to clean it. So you are jokingly saying that when they make that extra effort, it pays off.) 

    Superlative versions of adjectives are great for everyone.

    “You’re the most beautiful man/woman in the room/in the village/in Great Britain.”

    A wonderful, though rather underused term, is ‘effulgent’.

    It means radiant, as well as very beautiful or full of goodness.

    So it’s a super evocative version of ‘beautiful inside and out’.

    What greater compliment could there be?



    * Everyday, ordinary.
    ** Praising someone in such a vague way that actually, you’re insulting them. Another example would be: “You look ok, not bad.”
    *** A comparison which uses the words ‘like’ or ‘as’.
    continue reading
    at
    posted by . Wednesday, June 17, 2020 .

    To be ‘relaxed’ is to become calm and happy, not stiff or tense.

    When you relax, you ‘unwind’.

    Imagine a ball of wool, wrapped tightly around itself, all the strands are pulled tight.

    Now imagine unwinding it, slowly releasing the tension…the wool becomes ‘relaxed’…

    But what about ‘chilled’?

    Well, to ‘chill out’ is to relax completely, so it’s stronger than simply being ‘relaxed’.

    “She sat in a comfy chair and chilled out.”

    Lucky her.

    Perhaps it’s part of her overall approach to life.

    “You’ll find her easy to get on with, she’s a chill/ed woman.”

    Annoyingly, it can also sometimes be used as a command.

    “Please stop worrying and chill out!”

    This does not show concern for the person doing the worrying, you just want them to stop annoying you.

    Needless to say, such an expression is often met with: “Chill out yourself, grouchbag!*”



    * Informal word for a miserable person, composed of ‘grouch’ meaning an angry, moaning person and ‘bag’, which is often added to the end of mild insults, for example ‘ratbag’.

    continue reading
    at
    Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
    back to top
    Kayte Fawcett .
    design + code lovelogic