A friendly reference for new English
What does it mean? New words and slang, explained with sources
Slang, acronyms and old words with new uses, in plain English: where each one turns up, how it is used, and what the explanation rests on.
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Raglan describes a sleeve sewn in two straight, slanted lines from the neckline down to a point under the arm, so the sleeve continues to the collar instead of ending at a separate shoulder or armhole seam. The same word also names a loose overcoat made with those sleeves.
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A speed bag is a small, air-filled leather (or similar) bag hung from a rebound platform or stand that boxers use for fast, rhythmic punching practice to train hand-eye coordination, timing, and keeping the hands up.
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The Flatiron Building is a triangular 22-story skyscraper at 175 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan; its nickname comes from the wedge-shaped block that already looked like a cast-iron clothes iron, and the structure was originally named the Fuller Building.
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As internet slang, LOLL means "laugh out loud literally," a stronger spin on LOL. As an English verb, to loll is to lounge or hang loosely in a relaxed way.
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As a noun, incense is a substance burned to make a sweet smell, often in religious ceremonies. As a verb (different stress), to incense someone is to make them extremely angry.
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A nettle is a wild plant with stinging hairs on the leaves; as a verb (especially British English), to nettle someone is to annoy or slightly anger them. Grasp the nettle means to deal bravely with a difficult or unpleasant task.
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A whelp is a young dog or other carnivore cub; as a verb, to whelp is to give birth to such young. In older or harsh speech it can also mean an insolent youth.
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Hound is a noun for a hunting dog (or, informally, a person who pursues something avidly) and a verb meaning to chase or harass someone persistently.
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A bicuspid is a premolar tooth with two cusps (points), sitting between the canines and the molars; as an adjective, bicuspid describes a body part that has two points, such as a bicuspid aortic valve.
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Maturated is the past tense and past participle of maturate: it means became mature or brought to maturity, and in pathology it can mean that a wound or lesion formed or discharged pus (suppurated).
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Slang4 entries
Informal expressions used in conversations, online communities, and everyday life. Meaning can change with context and tone.
New usages1 entry
Familiar words used in a different way. These entries focus on the contemporary sense and distinguish it from the ordinary meaning.
Words20 entries
Words worth understanding, with plain-English definitions, original examples, and sources for further reading.
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Every entry opens with a plain definition you can read in one breath.
How it is really used
Where the word turns up, the tone it carries, and examples written to show typical use.
Sources you can check
Numbered references beside each meaning, so you can see what the explanation rests on.