Word of the Day

You’re watching Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for March 5.

Dissociative Identity Disorder Awareness Day

Today’s word is run.

run /rʌn/

take a run at idiom

US, informal

: to attempt to do or solve (something)

"I can't solve this math problem." "Let me take a run at it."

run a risk idiom

: to do something that may result in loss, failure, etc.

You're running a risk by crossing the street without looking both ways.

He is not afraid of running risks.

You’re watching Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for February 25.

National Carpe Diem Day

Today’s word is find.

find /faɪnd/

find one's feet idiom

: to start to be comfortable in a new situation : to begin to be confident or successful

They quickly found their feet in their adopted country.

I was away for a long time, so it will take me a while to find my feet again.

find fault with somebody/something

to criticize someone or something, often unfairly and frequently

She could always find fault with someone after only one date.

He could always find fault with something, either in my writing or in my personality.

You’re watching Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for February 19.

International Tug of War Day

Today’s word is hat.

hat /hæt/

hat in hand adverb

in an attitude of respectful humility

have to go hat in hand to apologize

he was forced to apologize hat in hand for the offensive comment

Having to go to the Copyright Office every three years, hat in hand, to ask for permission to simply fix our stuff is infuriating.

— Kyle Wiens, Wired, 11 Dec. 2020

take one's hat off to idiom

informal

: to give (someone) praise or credit

I (have to) take my hat off to her. She did a great job.

I take my hat off to Ian – without him we’d have never finished this project on time.

You’re watching Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for February 8.

Laugh And Get Rich Day

Today’s word is question.

question /ˈkwestʃən/

out of the question idiom

: not possible or allowed

Asking my father for money was completely out of the question.

Wearing a stained blouse to dinner was out of the question.

A trip to New Zealand is out of the question this year.

a question of idiom

—used to say that one thing results from or requires another

Dance is a question of control and creative expression.

I would love to come, but it’s a question of time.

"I can't go!" "If it's just a question of money, I can let you borrow some."

Is success all just a question of being in the right place at the right time?

You’re watching Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for February 5.

World Nutella Day

Today’s word is map.

map /mæp/

put (something or someone) on the map idiom

: to make (a place, a person, etc.) famous or well-known

The story has put our little town on the map.

The success of his first album really put him on the map in the music industry.

wipe (someone or something) off the map idiom

to completely destroy (someone or something)

The explosion wiped the island off the map.

Some villages had been wiped from the map.

There are bombs so powerful that whole nations could be wiped off the map by them.

You’re watching Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for February 2.

National Groundhog Day

Today’s word is fire.

fire /faɪə $ faɪr/

fire-sale adjective

heavily discounted

fire-sale prices

“For example, while it was in the interest of mortgage lenders to keep families in their homes (in an already depressed market, foreclosed homes sold at fire-sale prices, resulting in big losses for the lender), mortgages were no longer held by a discrete set of banks that we could pressure into participating.”

Excerpt From

Promised Land (9781524763183)

Obama, Barack

This material may be protected by copyright.

come under fire idiom

:to be shot at

The troops were coming under fire from the rear.

: to be criticized

The company has come under fire for using child labor overseas.

light a fire under (someone) idiom

US, informal

: to cause (someone) to move or work more quickly and effectively

I've never seen him work so hard. Someone must have lit a fire under him.

You’re watching Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for January 31.

National Bubble Wrap Day

Today’s word is fit.

fit /fɪt/

fill the bill or fit the bill idiom

to be exactly what is needed : be suitable

We finally found an apartment that filled the bill.

This car fits the bill perfectly. It’s cheap and gets good mileage.

If you fit the bill, send a CV to Rebecca Rees.

throw a fit idiom

variants: or have a fit

to express extreme anger

Dad will throw a fit if he finds out.

Don't have a fit if it doesn't turn out as you want.

She'll throw a fit when she sees the mess you've made.

You’re watching Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for January 30.

National Croissant Day

Today’s word is side.

side /saɪd/

a thorn in the/someone's flesh/side idiom

: a person or thing that repeatedly annoys someone or something or causes problems

He's been a thorn in my side for years.

Money problems have been a thorn in our side since the day we got married.

Health inspectors are a thorn in the side of most restaurants.

keep one's side of the bargain idiom

to honor a promise : do what one has agreed to do

You're allowed to go to the football game tonight, but I expect you to keep your side of the bargain and clean your room.

The Russians kept their side of the bargain, and pulled out of East Germany.

You’re watching Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for January 29.

Curmudgeons Day

Today’s word is yard.

yard /jɑːd $ jɑːrd/

the whole nine yards idiom

INFORMAL•NORTH AMERICAN

everything possible or available

When I was little, my family always had lots of pets - dogs, cats, hamsters, fish, rabbits - the whole nine yards.

The weather was terrible but I wanted to go the whole nine yards and get to the top of the mountain.

yardstick noun

a standard for making a critical judgment : CRITERION

Some feel that test scores aren't an adequate yardstick for judging a student's ability.

Ratings are the yardstick by which TV shows are evaluated by networks.

You’re watching Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for January 27.

National Chocolate Cake Day

Today’s word is brain.

brain /breɪn/

no-brainer noun \ˈnō-ˈbrā-nər \

something that requires a minimum of thought

The decision was a complete no-brainer.

Joining the savings plan is a no-brainer. Just do it.

on the brain idiom

informal

always in one's thoughts

I've had pizza on the brain all day.

He's got sex on the brain.

beat one's brains out idiom

: to try intently to resolve something difficult by thinking

I’ve been beating my brains out all week trying to finish this essay.

He beat his brains out trying to come up with a solution.