You’re listening to Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for April 7.

Today’s word is nurse, spelled n-u-r-s-e.

nurse /nɜːs $ nɜːrs/ ●○○ verb

[transitive] to rest when you have an illness or injury so that it will get better

Robert's in bed nursing a back injury.

Shaw has been nursing an injury, and will not play on Sunday.

[transitive] to take special care of something, especially during a difficult situation

He bought the hotel in 1927 and managed to nurse it through the Depression.

The couple nursed the business through hard times.

Hillary Clinton, who won the popular vote but lost the electoral count to Trump in 2016, was barely given 24 hours to nurse her wounds before much of the country was tapping its toes anxious for her concession.

— Washington Post, "The president is golfing and exercising White male privilege," 18 Nov. 2020

[transitive] informal if you nurse a drink, especially an alcoholic one, you drink it very slowly

Oliver sat at the bar, nursing a bottle of beer.

Mark was sitting in the corner nursing an almost empty bottle of beer.

With your word of the day, I’m Mohammad Golpayegani.

Join our Telegram channel @lingophoenix to make sure you never miss an episode of Lingo Phoenix’s Word of the Day.

You’re listening to Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for April 6.

Today’s word is plant, spelled p-l-a-n-t.

plant /plɑːnt $ plænt / ●●○ verb

plant sth out (phrasal verb)

to put a young plant into the soil outdoors, so that it has enough room to grow

The seedlings should be planted out in May.

Plant out the geraniums in early June.

plant an idea/doubt/suspicion (in somebody’s mind)

to make someone begin to have an idea, especially so that they do not realize that you gave them the idea

Their conversation had planted doubts in his mind about the partnership.

Someone must have planted the idea of suicide in his mind.

plant noun

a factory in which a particular product is made or power is produced

power plant

Two more car-assembly plants were closed by the strike.

With your word of the day, I’m Mohammad Golpayegani.

Join our Telegram channel @lingophoenix to make sure you never miss an episode of Lingo Phoenix’s Word of the Day.

You’re listening to Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for April 5.

Today’s word is puzzle, spelled p-u-z-z-l-e.

puzzle /ˈpʌzəl / ●●○ verb [transitive]

to cause someone to feel confused and slightly worried because they cannot understand something

a question that continues to puzzle scientists

What puzzles me is why his books are so popular.

What puzzles me is why she doesn't just leave him.

puzzle over something phrasal verb

to think for a long time about something because you cannot understand or solve it

The class puzzled over a poem by Shakespeare.

In years without a pandemic, Americans are firmly divided into two camps: those who can’t resist a bargain and show up in-person, and those who puzzle over why anyone would risk being trampled over a discounted TV.

— Spencer Jakab, WSJ, "Black Friday Is Big in Taiwan, but Why?," 27 Nov. 2020

What remains is the challenge that entertainers, businesses, and activists alike always puzzle over: how to change a culture.

— Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Why a Disgraced Musician Is Dominating the Charts," 25 Feb. 2021

Puzzle out

With your word of the day, I’m Mohammad Golpayegani.

Join our Telegram channel @lingophoenix to make sure you never miss an episode of Lingo Phoenix’s Word of the Day.

You’re listening to Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for April 4.

Today’s word is thumb, spelled t-h-u-m-b.

thumb /θʌm/ verb

: to turn over pages

thumb through a book

I began thumbing through the pages of a gardening catalogue.

a green thumb

the ability to make plants grow and be healthy:

My sister has a green thumb, but I kill most plants that I buy.

For those who have a green thumb, gardening comes naturally.

— Chris Hachey, BGR, "Best Garden Cart," 19 Mar. 2021

With your word of the day, I’m Mohammad Golpayegani.

Join our Telegram channel @lingophoenix to make sure you never miss an episode of Lingo Phoenix’s Word of the Day.

You’re listening to Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for April 3.

Today’s word is father, spelled f-a-t-h-e-r.

father /ˈfɑːðə $ -ər/ verb [transitive]

1. to become the father of a child by making a woman pregnant

He fathered eight daughters and three sons.

2. formal to start an important new idea or system

Bevan fathered the concept of the National Health Service.

Roosevelt fathered the concept of Social Security.

Unfortunately, Edison was not himself a musician, and the technology he fathered was never used for mass-producing serious musical records.

In the West, Fakhrizadeh was commonly referred to as Iran's Robert Oppenheimer, the American scientist who helped father the atomic bomb in 1945, and was considered among the most important nuclear scientists in Iran.

— Saphora Smith, NBC News, "Scientist seen as architect of Iran's nuclear program assassinated," 27 Nov. 2020

With your word of the day, I’m Mohammad Golpayegani.

Join our Telegram channel @lingophoenix to make sure you never miss an episode of Lingo Phoenix’s Word of the Day.

You’re listening to Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for April 1.

Today’s word is sport, spelled s-p-o-r-t.

sport /spɔːt $ spɔːrt/ verb [transitive]

to wear in a way that attracts attention

Here’s the word used in a sentence:

She showed up at the party sporting a bright red hat.

He sported new sneakers.

Eric was sporting a new camelhair coat.

Back in the 1960s he sported platform heels and hair down past his shoulders.

With your word of the day, I’m Mohammad Golpayegani.

Join our Telegram channel @lingophoenix to make sure you never miss an episode of Lingo Phoenix’s Word of the Day.

You’re listening to Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for March 31.

Today’s word is tax, spelled t-a-x.

tax /tæks / ●○○ verb [transitive]

to make someone have to work hard or make an effort

Here’s the word used in a sentence:

He only has to read a short report - it shouldn't tax him too much.

tax somebody’s patience/strength

The kids are really taxing my patience today.

It shouldn’t tax your brain too much.

tax‧ing /ˈtæksɪŋ/ adjective

needing a lot of effort SYN demanding

The job turned out to be more taxing than I’d expected.

The Tour de Ski is a series of eight races at three venues in 10 days and is generally considered one of the most taxing events in the sport — physically and mentally, as Schumacher will attest.

— Beth Bragg, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska cross-country skiers claim 9 of 22 spots on U23, World Junior ski teams," 16 Jan. 2021

With your word of the day, I’m Mohammad Golpayegani.

Join our Telegram channel @lingophoenix to make sure you never miss an episode of Lingo Phoenix’s Word of the Day.

You’re listening to Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for March 30.

Today’s word is pine, spelled pine.

pine /paɪn/ verb [intransitive]

to become sad and not continue your life as normal because someone has died or gone away

Here’s the word used in a sentence:

Six months after he left, she was still pining.

pine for somebody/something phrasal verb

if you pine for a place or for something, you miss it a lot and wish you could be there or have it again

After two months in France I was pining for home.

if you pine for someone, you feel very unhappy because they are not with you

Karen had been pining for her friends back home in Colorado.

Even those who bought iPhone 11 models last year might pine for these new ones.

— Joanna Stern, WSJ, "iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro Review: The Best iPhones—but Not for the 5G," 20 Oct. 2020

With your word of the day, I’m Mohammad Golpayegani.

Join our Telegram channel @lingophoenix to make sure you never miss an episode of Lingo Phoenix’s Word of the Day.

You’re listening to Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for March 29.

Today’s word is second, spelled s-e-c-o-n-d.

second /ˈsekənd/ verb [transitive]

to give support or encouragement to

to formally support a suggestion made by another person in a meeting

Here’s the word used in a sentence:

I would like to second the motion to adjourn.

“Let's call it a day.” “I'll second that.”

. . . Bryan Sutton, who seconded the motion against fox hunting.

Your application must be proposed and seconded by current members.

Smokey Robinson: I Second That Emotion

With your word of the day, I’m Mohammad Golpayegani.

Join our Telegram channel @lingophoenix to make sure you never miss an episode of Lingo Phoenix’s Word of the Day.

You’re listening to Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for March 28.

Today’s word is best, spelled b-e-s-t.

best /best/ verb [transitive]

to be better or more successful than someone else at doing something SYN outdo

Here’s the word used in a sentence:

He bested his opponent in just two rounds.

They were bested by their opponents.

Democrats are aware of that history and built an unprecedented turnout operation for these runoffs, hoping to best the Republicans’ own aggressive effort.

— Cameron Mcwhirter, WSJ, "Georgians Vote in Runoff Races That Will Determine Senate Control," 5 Jan. 2021

Those absentee and provisional ballots, however, are not enough to best the 77% turnout rate.

— Hannah K. Sparling, The Enquirer, "Ohio voter turnout breaks record with more than 5.8 million votes," 4 Nov. 2020

With your word of the day, I’m Mohammad Golpayegani.

Join our Telegram channel @lingophoenix to make sure you never miss an episode of Lingo Phoenix’s Word of the Day.