Category: Word lovers

Word lovers
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Word of the week: Venerate

Venerate (verb) [ve-nə-ˌrāt] “I was reading a book the other day and came across a word that isn’t used that much so I thought I’d include it here. Venerate. The book was referring to a ‘venerated member of the police force’. According to the Macquarie Dictionary it means ‘to regard

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Hats off to these adverbs

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re taking our hats off

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Hand in the till

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re not stopping till we

Read More »
Word lovers
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Word of the week: Imprecation

Imprecation (noun) [im-pri-key-shuh-n] “This is used to describe when you’re swearing at someone wishing them ill or even wanting them to die. So you might say: ‘The man yelled vicious imprecations at the mugger who tried to steal his car.’” To hear Valerie and Allison chat more about this and

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Loose vs Lose

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re clarifying loose vs lose…

Read More »
Word lovers
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Word of the week: Ineffable

Ineffable (adjective) “The Macquarie Dictionary says this means something: ‘that cannot be uttered or expressed; inexpressible; unspeakable’. The example they give is ineffable joy. Now, this word is often associated with God in that it’s too great or massive or huge to be explained in words. You might experience ineffable

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Let the games begin

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we run rings around the

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Peak vs peek vs pique

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week we’re sneaking a peek… Q:

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Luxurious vs luxuriant

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week we’re living a life of luxury…

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: “One of the only?”

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we explore the phrase “one

Read More »
Word lovers
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Word of the week: Paean

Paean (noun) [pee-an] “This comes from Ancient Greece and refers to a song that gives thanks to a god (specifically Greek god Apollo). Since it’s not likely we are singing such things these days, it’s now used to describe a form of rapturous or extravagant praise. So you might say:

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: What’s the GO?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, it’s all systems GO… Q:

Read More »
Word lovers
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Word of the week: Antediluvian

Antediluvian (adjective) [anti-duh-LOO-vee-in] “This cute word means ‘in the period before the flood’ – as in the one Noah was in! But it can be also used in a humorous fashion to refer to something that is antiquated or old-fashioned or outdated. So you might say: ‘Her grandfather’s antediluvian opinions

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: The French connection

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, please excuse our French… Q:

Read More »
Word lovers
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Word of the week: Specious

Specious (adjective) [spee-shus] “No, this is not a typo. I don’t mean spacious. According to the Macquarie Dictionary, specious is something that is apparently good or right but without real merit. So you might have a ‘specious argument’ or say ‘the artistic work had a specious air of quality but was

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Myriad possibilities!

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, the possibilities are myriad… Q:

Read More »
Word lovers
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Word of the week: Polemical

Polemical (adjective) [po-LEM-ickle]   “This means controversial, especially when it’s associated with a particular doctrine. And a polemic is a noun that means a controversial argument. So you might say that a chef who writes a blog post about how everyone should be on a Paleo diet has written a

Read More »
Word lovers
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Word of the week: Inchoate

Inchoate (adjective) in-ko-hayt “This comes from the Latin word meaning ‘to yoke’ (like when you attach an ox to a plough) and according to the Macquarie Dictionary, it means something that has just begun, or is immature, rudimentary or lacking organisation. So you might say ‘his idea was inchoate’ or ‘the

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Bate vs Bait

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re waiting with bated breath…

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Comparing notes

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re comparing comparisons… Q: It’s

Read More »
Browse posts by category

Courses starting soon

×

Nice one! You've added this to your cart