Word of the Day, “Boy"

By Henry Hsu

This word is simple and easy. The definition of boy in the dictionary says:
a boy is a young male human, a child or a youth.

Actually boy is a profound and difficult if we use it as a compound word. Now I arrange some of them in sequence from simple to difficult to introduce and to see how much do you know about the boy.

Boy! Isn’t it hot!

1. Atta boy, used as an exclamation or interjection means excellent, marvelous, fabulous, etc. Usually being spoken from the senior to the junior, for example, Nina! When you found your son has done something great in school, never forget to praise him by saying “Atta boy”!

2. Soldier boy, it means when young men grow up to 20 years old or more, they need to serve in the army for a period of times for their country. When in serving, we call them “soldier boy” in Taiwanese we say: 阿兵哥. For example, soldier boys are usually released from barracks at weekend.

3. The boys in blue, I have 3 explanations for you to guess which is correct,
A. The boys wearing in blue clothes.
B. The boys suffering from melancholia.
C. The police. Usually used in the US, the people in blue uniform execute the enforcement power. (The same meaning as cop or the police.)

4. Boy wonder, this phrase has two meanings: one is a child prodigy or a child with high talent. The other is a promising young man who is very successful in every walk of life. For example, Jim is a boy wonder in our club, he is good at calligraphy.

5. Boy racer, something bad or illegal or speeding and joyriding on the street at night or midnight, especially endangering the public securities. For instance, it would be dangerous when you meet boy racers at night. You’d better keep them away.

6. Teddy boy (teddy bear, bower boy, wide boy), it refers to a noisy violent person who causes trouble by fighting, threatening, extorting, bully etc. Synonyms are hooligan, rascal and gangster. For example, a teddy boy broke the window of my car I could do nothing but accepted bad luck without complaint.

7. Boys’ town, it is a building in which many juvenile delinquents such as bully boys are kept to reform or to re-educate. (The same as reform school, reformatory, or youth detention center.)

8. Backroom boy, a man who does important work or has good idea to carry out a significant plan or project but is not seen or known about by the public. They are anonymous. (Also called think-tank, a group of intelligent elites or heroes behind the curtain.)

9. Blue-eyed boy, this means the man or boy in a group who is most praised and favored by his superiors or someone in authority. Therefore he receives a better treatment than others.(The same as fair-haired boy.) For example, Ching-Yang is always a blue-eyed boy in his superior’s eyes.

10. Boy night out, it refers to a gathering or a party held at night which is particular for male only, females are not allowed to attend. Any volunteer want to make a sentence with boy night out or girl night out? (Stag party or hen party)

11. One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy. This phrase is from Chinese slang. Any one wants to make a wild guess what it means? This phrase means one monk carries a bucket of water with his hand to drink, two boys on their shoulders, 3 boys none of them is willing to carry so no water to drink.

Resume (Word of the Day, 2010/2/3)

resume/rɪˋzjum/[transitive]
►to start doing something again after stopping or being interrupted.
–-She hopes to resume work after the baby is born.
–-Not only is there an urgent requirement to resume economic growth, but we have to re-think where that growth takes place and whom it benefits.
Resume doing something
–-He will resume training as soon as the injury is better.

resume/rɪˋzjum/[intransitive]
►if an activity or process resumes, it starts again after a pause.
–-Pumping operations would resume this morning.
–-Peace talks will resume tomorrow.
–-Economic growth resumed only in the late 1990s, but even today GDP (Gross Domestic Product) remains below that of 1990 in many of the countries.

resume/rɪˋzjum/
Resume your seat/place/position
►to go back to the seat, place, or position where you were before.
–-Will the delegates please resume their seats?
–-Senator Arbib, resume your seat. When there is silence we will proceed.

resumption/rɪˋzʌmpʃən/[singular, uncountable noun]
►the act of starting an activity again after stopping or being interrupted.
–-Both countries are now hoping for a quick resumption of diplomatic relations.
–-Economic resumption is extremely important as it affects the entire community’s recovery efforts and is a major indication of how long it takes the community to redevelop.
►a short account of something such as an article or speech which gives the main points but no details [= summary]
–-He gave a resume of the year's work and wished the Society another successful year.
►[American English] a short written account of your education and your previous jobs that you send to an employer when you are looking for a new job. [=CV, curriculum vitae British English]
–-You're required to submit a resume.

e-resume/ˋiˏrɛzjume /
electronic resume
►an electronic written record of your education and previous jobs that you send to an employer over the Internet when you are looking for a new job.
–-Having an e-resume is a must for today's job search because the Internet has become a mainstream recruiting tool.

Innovation (Word of the Day, 2010,1/20)

Innovation [countable]
►A new idea, method, or invention
--What are the recent innovations in Information Technology sector?

Innovation [uncountable]
►The introduction of new ideas or methods.
–-We must encourage innovation if the company is to remain competitive.
–-We need to encourage innovation in industry.

Innovate [intransitive]
►To start to use new ideas, methods, or inventions.
–-Their ability to innovate has allowed them to compete in world markets.

Innovate [transitive]
►To introduce (something new) for or as if for the first time.
–-Our core business is to innovate a computer into a fully automated computer whereby the PC does not require additional administrator to look after the operation.

Innovative / also innovatory [adjective]
►An innovative idea or way of doing something is new, different, and better than those that existed before.
–-The city has introduced an innovative system of traffic control.
►Using clever new ideas and method
–-20 years experience in graphic arts coupled with an innovative design team we can make you look good either online or in print.

Innovator [countable]
►Someone who introduces changes and new ideas
–-However, after examining the evidence, I’ve determined that Microsoft is not a substantial innovator.

Yearn (Word of the Day, 2010/1/6)

Yearn
►to have an earnest or strong desire; long:
--She yearned to visit the village where she was born.
--He yearned after letters from home.
--The slaves yearned for freedom.
►to feel tenderness; be moved or attracted:
--They yearned over their delicate child.

√ Verb Infinitive: to yearn
√ Third person singular: yearns
√ Simple past: yearned
√ Past participle: yearned
√ Present participle: yearning

Related forms (noun): yearner

Synonyms
√ desire
√ crave
√ long for
√ wish for
√ hope for
√ pine for

Remembrance (Word of the Day, 2009/12/2)

remembrance /rɪˋmɛmbrəns/
[singular, uncountable]
►A remembering or being remembered
►when people remember and give honour to someone who has died
--The Anglican church held a service in remembrance of September 11 victims on Sunday morning.
--President Obama gave the keynote address Thursday at a Holocaust (/ˋhɑləˏkɔst/大屠殺) remembrance ceremony at the US Capitol.

[uncountable and countable]
►a memory that you have of a person or event
--Miss Chen was torn between telling the truth and the remembrance of her promise to her headmistress.

►The power to remember
--The witness lost all remembrance of the accident.

►The extent of time over which one can remember
--He had a lively remembrance of his childhood.

►An object that serves to bring to mind or keep in mind some person, event, etc.; souvenir, gift, keepsake, memento, etc.
--He sent me a birthday remembrance.

►Greeting
--Give my remembrance to your father.

Remembrance Day / Remembrance Sunday
►November 11th or The Sunday nearest to it, when a ceremony is held in Britain to remember people who were killed in the two world wars.
--A Canadian soldier in Afghanistan marks Remembrance Day in Nov. 11, 2008, the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I.

Memory /ˋmɛmərɪ/
[countable usually plural]
►something that you remember from the past about a person, place, or experience
--She talked about her memories of the war.
--He has lots of happy memories of his stay in Japan.
--My most vivid memory is not the accident itself but being in the ambulance.
--One of my earliest childhood memories is of my mother reading stories to me by the fire.
--Those old songs bring back memories.

a walk/trip down memory lane
►When you spend some time remembering the past
--She returned to her old school yesterday for a trip down memory lane.

[uncountable]
►the total of what one remembers
--Fighting memory loss is not as difficult as you might imagine, and you definitely don't have to assume that simply because you're getting older you'll have memory issues.

[uncountable and countable]
►someone's ability to remember things, places, experiences etc
--His phone number has slipped my memory.

►the length of time over which remembering extends;
in/within memory
►during the time that people can remember
--The disaster was within the memory of many men still working at the station.

►commemoration or remembrance
in memory of somebody
►if something is done or made in memory of someone, it is done to remember them and remind other people of them after they have died
--She set up a charitable fund in her father's memory.

►the way you remember someone who has died
somebody's memory
--She died over 40 years ago but her memory lives on
--There's a bench to his memory in the local park.
--People always cherish the memory of the national hero.

remembrance vs. memory
Memory is the generic term, denoting the power by which we reproduce past impressions.
Remembrance is an exercise of that power when things occur spontaneously to our thoughts.

Memory is the faculty of retaining and reviving impressions or recalling past experiences.
Remembrance most often denotes the process or act of recalling.

memory is stored information about the unique and personal aspects.
Remembrance is the process of recalling and reliving of an experience.

Auspicious (Word of the Day, 2009/11/18)

auspicious/ɔ´spɪʃəs/adjective
►attended by favorable circumstances
►showing that something is likely to successful
--Her excellent recording is an auspicious start to what promises to be a distinguished musical career.
--An auspicious start is really half the battle won.

auspicious day/date
--November 11 is an especially auspicious day for those inclined to supernatural beliefs.
--We know well that any new business can only begin operations after the Feng Shui master has visited the premises and given the auspicious date for opening.

auspicious/ɔ´spɪʃəs/adjective
►tending to favor or bring good luck
--Served with a spicy-sweet mustard sauce, this was an auspicious beginning to our meal.

auspiciously/ɔ´spɪʃəslɪ/adverb
►in an auspicious way
--He started his new job auspiciously on his birthday.

auspiciousness/ɔ´spɪʃəsnɪs/noun
►The state or quality of being auspicious or successful
--This Chinese knots is decorated with auspiciousness and prosperity wood carving.

auspice/´ɔspɪs/noun
►A favorable omen
--He took that as an auspice of happiness.

omen/´omən/noun
►a sign of what will happen in the future
--It's a good omen for the future.

auspices/´ɔspɪsɪz/noun
under the auspices of somebody/something
►with the help and support of a particular organization or person
--The negotiations, held under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Program, produced a tentative agreement.

Carbon Offset (Word of the Day, 2009/11/4)

Offset/ˋɔfˏsɛt/[noun]
►A compensating equivalent
--Today's victory was an offset to yesterday's defeat.

Offset/ˋɔfˏsɛt/[adjective]
►relating to a method of printing in which ink is put onto rollers and the paper then passes between the rollers
--offset printing

Offset/ˋɔfˏsɛt/past tense and past participle, offset; present participle, offsetting/[transitive]
►if the cost or amount of something offsets another cost or amount, the two things have an opposite effect so that the situation remains the same
--Cuts in prices for milk, butter, and cheese will be offset by direct payments to farmers.

►to make something look better by being close to it and different
--Her blonde hair offset a deep tan.

►produce by offset printing
-- Offset printing is a commonly used printing technique where the inked image is offset from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface.

Carbon /ˋkɑrbən/[uncountable]
►a chemical substance that exists in a pure form as diamonds, graphite etc, or in an impure form as coal, petrol etc. It is a chemical element: symbol C

ˋcarbon ˏpaper [uncountable and countable]
►thin paper with a blue or black substance on one side, that you put between sheets of paper when typing on a typewriter in order to make a copy onto the second sheet of paper
--Carbonless paper coated with chemicals and dye which will produce copies without carbon paper.

ˏCarbon ˋcopy [countable]
►a copy, especially of something that has been typed using carbon paper
--To her annoyance Holly pushed the carbon copy on to Rain's desk and went away with the other.

►someone or something that is very similar to another person or thing
--It was a carbon copy of an attack 18 months ago.

ˏCarbon ˋdating [uncountable]
►a method of finding out the age of very old objects by measuring the amount of carbon in them
--Radio carbon dating determines the age of ancient objects by means of measuring the amount of carbon-14 there is left in an object.

ˏCarbon diˋoxide [uncountable]
►the gas produced when animals breathe out, when carbon is burned in air, or when animal or vegetable substances decay
--An increase in the amount of carbon dioxide is responsible for about half the total warming.

ˏCarbon moˋnoxide [uncountable]
►a poisonous gas produced when carbon, especially in petrol, burns in a small amount of air
--Two workers are taken to hospital with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning after an incident at a helicopter company in Aberdeen.
--For example the formula for carbon monoxide is CO. It tells you that each molecule of carbonmonoxide consists of one carbon atom joined to one oxygen atom.

ˋCarbon sink [countable]
►a large area of forest that is believed to help the environment by taking in carbon from the air so that the effects of global warming are reduced
--A 40-year-study by the University of Leeds of African forests - which account for a third of the world's total tropical forest - demonstrates that Africa is, indeed, a significant carbon sink.

ˋCarbon ˏtax [uncountable and countable]
►a tax on businesses and industries which produce substances with a carbon base, that can damage the environment
--The carbon tax plans have already encountered stiff opposition across the political spectrum.

►Carbon footprint
A carbon footprint is "the total set of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event or product"
--Compared to home-grown apples they cost more and come with a larger carbon footprint because of the CO2 produced by their journey to the shops.

Carbon neutral
►A business or a process is described as carbon neutral if it doesn't add to the net amount of in the atmosphere.
--A city council plans to become carbon neutral with its green electricity supplies over the next 40 years.

Carbon offset
►a compensatory measure made by an individual or company for carbon emissions, usually through sponsoring activities or projects which increase carbon dioxide absorption, such as tree planting
--My advice is to save your carbon offset money and invest it yourself directly in carbon saving schemes, cut out the middle man and make better use of the cash.

Harvest (Word of the Day, 2009/10/21)

Nina Chou

harvest /ˋhɑrvɪst/
►[uncountable and countable] the season for crop gathering
--The strawberry harvest starts in April.
--The apple harvest has begun. 

►[countable] amount of crops gathered
--This year’s rice harvest was very poor.
--A good harvest of strawberry is expected this year.

►a result or consequence
--The new medicine is the harvest of thirty year’s research.
-- I’m now reaping the harvests of my wrong decisions.

harvest festival [countable]
►a church service held in the autumn to thank God for the harvest
--People used to come here at night at harvest festival time and pray and dance.

harvest moon
►the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox.
--Does the harvest moon always occur in September? No, It depends on the date of the full moon with relationship to the equinox.

harvest /ˋhɑrvɪst/ [intransitive and transitive]
►gather or reap
--Try to harvest the fruit before first frost.
--When will you harvest your wheat?

harvester /ˋhɑrvɪstɚ/
►someone who gathers crops
--And like the swallows that harvest the thin fields of air, we must become harvesters of ever more intangible fields.

combine harvester
►a machine used by farmers to cut grain, separate the seeds from it, and clean it
--Instead of driving a modern combine harvester, he's using a binder to cut the corn into sheaves.

Another useful examples :
--Bring in (reap) a good harvest 獲得豐收
--Yield a rich harvest 成果豐碩
--Expect a plentiful harvest 預期豐收
--An abundant [ an ample, a good, a large, a plentiful, a rich, a splendid] harvest豐收
--A bad [ poor, scanty, wretched ] harvest 歉收

Humor (World of the Day, 2009/9/16)

Humor / humour /ˋhjumɚ/ [uncountable]

►the ability or tendency to think that things are funny, or funny things you say that show you have this ability

˙sense of humor

--It’s vital to have a sense of humor in this job.

˙somebody’s brand of humor

--The host puts the contestants at ease with his own brand of humor.

˙black humor (=jokes, funny stories etc about the unpleasant parts of life)

--A little black humor never hurts.

˙Schoolboy humor (=jokes, funny stories etc that are silly and rude but not offensive)

--Isn't he a bit old for this type of schoolboy humor?

˙dry/deadpan humor (=when someone pretends to be serious when they are really joking)

--Some people find it harder to catch a deadpan humor, which makes it more charming.

˙wry humor (=when someone jokes about something bad or difficult)

--The film shows the challenges that confront teachers, but it does so with a subtle and wry humor.

˙a flash/trace/touch of humor (=a small amount of humor)

--He showed flashes of humor that delighted the audience.

►the quality in something that makes it funny and makes people laugh

--He failed to see the humor of the situation.

˙in a good/an ill/a bad humor (= in a good or bad mood)

--At eighty her eyes still sparkled with good humor.

Humor / humour /ˋhjumɚ/ [transitive]

►to do what someone wants or to pretend to agree with them so that they do not become upset

--'Of course,' he said, humoring her.

--Children go through defined periods of oppositional behavior and may need humoring out of them.

Humorous /ˋhjumərəs/ [adjective]

►funny and enjoyable

--The film has some mildly humorous moments.

Humorously /ˋhjumərəslɪ/ [adverb]

Humorless /ˋhjumɚlɪs/ [adjective]

►too serious and not able to laugh at things that other people think are funny

Humorlessly /ˋhjumɚlɪslɪ/ [adverb]

Humorist / ˋhjumərɪst/ [countable]

►someone, especially a writer, who tells funny stories

--Her brother is quite a humorist.

Conflict (Word of the Day, 2009/9/2)

By Jessie Tseng

conflict (verb) /kən'flɪkt/ (used without object)

conflict(s) – conflicted – conflicted

► to come into disagreement; be contradictory, at variance, or in opposition

-- The account of one eyewitness conflicted ith that of the other.

-- My class conflicts with my going to the concert.

► to fight or contend; do battle

-- Companies often conflicts over the interests.

conflict (noun) /'kɑnflɪkt/

► a fight, battle, or struggle, esp. a prolonged struggle.

-- the Arab-Israeli conflict

► controversy; quarrel

-- conflicts between parties

► discord of action, feeling, or effect; antagonism or opposition, as of interests or principles: a conflict of ideas.

-- She found herself in conflict with her parents over her future career.

-- John often comes into conflict with his boss.

► incompatibility or interference, as of one idea, desire, event, or activity with another

-- a conflict in the schedule.

► [Psychiatry] a mental struggle arising from opposing demands or impulses.

-- There is a conflict between two sides of his personality.

-- Her diary was a record of her inner conflicts

Related forms

confliction (noun)

conflicted (adj)

►unable to decide what your feelings or opinions are about something.

-- I am ___________ to make the right decision.

conflicting(adj)

►similar with contradictory

-- It’s a ___________ findings with earlier results.

Phrases

conflict of interest(s)

► a situation in which someone cannot make a fair decision because they will be affected by the results.

► a situation in which something that is good for one person, but is bad for another person

-- In the conflict of interests, we often could see the cruel side of human nature.

conflict diamond

► It’s similar with blood diamond. Some countries in Africa in battles situation(belligerent交戰國),they will sell the diamond they exploit in their land in the national markets for raising the fighting funds.

Comparison

conflict vs. battle vs. fight

conflict

► "Conflict" usually happened when there are more than one individual who have different opinions, and they all disagree with other people's thoughts it can be used between two persons, groups or countries. The usage range is widest of three.

-- This is an irreconcilable conflict.

-- Armed conflict is likely to break out between the two countries.

battle

► The main differences is often used to describe a situation that using real swords, guns, or other weapons.

-- The ringleader (元兇）was shot to death in a gun battle.

-- His younger brother died in battle during World War II.

fight

► It’s usually used in person-person body or opinions argument. The usage is narrowest and not formal.

-- Who won the fight?

-- Their fights were always over money.

-- He has plenty of fight (戰鬥力) in him.

role conflict vs. role strain

► Role conflict is a special form of social conflict that takes place when one is forced to take on two different and incompatible roles at the same time. Consider the example of a doctor who is himself a patient, or who must decide whether he should be present for his daughter's birthday party (in his role as "father") or attend an ailing patient (as "doctor"). (Also compare the psychological concept of cognitive dissonance.)

► Role strain characterises a situation where fulfilling a certain role has a conflict with fulfilling another role. For example, you found your teacher made a mistake and should you report that? If you did, you might disgrace him and if you didn't, you might not fulfill your role as student. While role conflict takes place across different role sets, role strain happens within the same role set.

Candor / Candour (Word of the Day, 2009/8/19)

by Grace Lee

Candor/Candour(n)

►the quality of saying what you think openly and honestly

►synonym：Frankness

-- “I don’t trust him,” he said, in a rare moment of candor.

--He talked with unusual candor.

1a. whiteness, brilliance

--The sun poured with a more golden candor.(Christopher Morley)

1b. obs.：unstained purity and innocence

--a young prince of valor and candor

2. disposition to open mindedness：freedom free bias, prejudice and malice：FAIRNESS, IMPARTIALITY

--A heavy accusation …from a gentleman of your talents, liberality, and candor.(Noah Webster)

3. archaic：KINDLINESS

--candor in pardoning errors

4. unreserved, honest, or sincere expression：FRANKNESS CANDIDNESS

--The candor with which he acknowledged a weakness in his own case.

--Candor and courtesy, the desire to please and perfect openness, are mutually inimical.(W.C. Brownell)

Candid(Adj.)

►saying what you think openly and honestly; not hiding your thoughts

--A candid statement /interview

--To be candid, I don't like your hairstyle.

--This is really a candid decision.

►a candid photograph is one that is taken without the person in it knowing that they are being photographed.

►Candid camera

►synonym：Frank

1. white

--A welding blast of candid flame(E.C. Stedman)

2. free from bias, prejudice, or malice：marked by concern for truth and justice：fairly disposed：DISINTERESTED, FAIR, JUST

--In the back of his candid mind…he knew that ….the charged against him were true.(Irwin Edman)

3. archaic：free from stain：CLEAR, PURE

4a. marked by honest sincere expression：uttered or given out as fair and unbiased：free from expedient reservation and modification

--To tell you my private and candid opinion…I think he’s a man from the other camp.

4b. indicating or suggesting sincere honestly and absence of deception and duplicity

--His candid eyes took on an expression of genuine sympathy.(Archibald Marashell)

4c. performed, expressed, or acknowledged without concealment or reservation

--her eyes burning with a candid excitement(Edith Wharton)

4d. disposed to criticize severely：BLUNT, FORTH-RIGHT

--as a leader…I have never lacked candid critics in my own ranks.(Clement Attlee)

5. relating to photograph or other presentation or recording of subjects acting naturally informally, or spontaneously without being posed, rehearsed, or inhibited

--a candid picture

--a candid microphone interview

--candid camera

a. usu. small camera equipped with a fast lens and used for taking informal photographs of unposed subjects often without their acknowledge

b. a miniature camera

candor (n)

Candidly (adv.) In a candid manner

Candidness (n) the quality or state of being candid

Stringency (Word of the Day, 2009/8/5)

By Nina Chou

Stringency [noun] / stringencies [pl.]

►the quality or state of being stringent; strictness; severity

Stringent [adj.]

Usage Example:

(1) in these days of financial stringency

(2) short-term economic stringencies

(3) Preposition: of

˙requirement:

The stringency of the requirements reflects the course’s popularity with applicants rather than its ‘value’ to employers.

˙control:

Mr. Maclean should not have permitted the MLC advertisements to claim that with the stringency of controls even the remotest perceived risk was avoided.

(4) Converse of object

˙increase:

Other millions must have taken refuge behind the British and American lines, thus increasing the food stringency in our sector.

˙cause:

The colony successfully surmounted the financial stringency caused by the withdrawal of the imperial troops in 1905.

(5) Adjective modifier

˙economic:

We live in a wasteful society at a time of economic stringency.

Epidemic Influenza

By Oliver Wen & Alan Lin

Influenza/ˎɪnflu′enzə / [uncountable]

►an infectious disease that is like a very bad cold

►= flu

►a common illness that makes you feel very tired and weak, gives you a sore throat, and makes you cough and have to clear your nose a lot

--Steven's still in bed with flu.

--She's got the flu.

--I couldn't go because I had flu.

--Flu shots are recommended for people 55 and older.

Flu Types

˙There are three basic types of flu viruses: A, B, and C.

˙Influenza A is divided into subtypes based upon two proteins found on the virus itself: hemagglutinin [ˌhiməˈglutənən] (H, 紅血球凝集素) and the neuraminidase [ˌnjurəˈmɪnəˌdes ] (N, 神經胺酸水解酶). The flu pandemic of 1918 was a type A flu.

˙A-type influenza affects both animals and humans.

˙B-types affect only humans.

˙C-types result in mild respiratory(呼吸的) illnesses and are not believed to cause flu outbreaks.

˙A and B cause the majority of the flu seen today, although there is a C type, which is much less severe.

Subtypes of flu A viruses

˙H3N2
˙H1N1 (Swine flu)
˙H5N1 (Bird flu)

New H1N1 Flu

˙This new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs.
˙It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and avian(鳥類的) genes and human genes.

Epidemic /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk / [countable]

►a large number of cases of a disease that happen at the same time

--50 to 100 million people died during the flu epidemic of 1918.

--An epidemic of hepatitis (肝炎)is terrible.

Epidemic /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk / [countable]

►a sudden increase in the number of times that something bad happens

--The recent epidemic of car thefts has been blamed on bored teenagers.

Epidemic /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk / adjective [only before noun]

►of disease or anything resembling a disease

--The epidemic disease could be wiped out.

►attacking or affecting many individuals in a community or a population at the same time

--Epidemic Influenza A H1N1 Spreads in 20 Countries.

--Violent crime is reaching epidemic proportions in some cities.

--Buying goods on the installment plan has become epidemic in recent years.

►= epidemical

Epidemical/ɛpəˈdɛmɪkl/ adjective

--The swine flu is epidemical, and its symptom is similar to influenza.

Epidemiology/ˈɛpɪˌdimɪˈɑlədʒɪ/[uncountable]

►the study of the way diseases spread, and how to control them

--Epidemiology is the compulsory credit of medical students.

Epidemiologist/ˌɛpɪˌdimɪˈɑlədʒɪst/[countable]

--The epidemiologist who is the representative of Taiwan suffered a protest abruptly.

Epidemiological/ˈɛpɪˌdimɪrˈlɑdʒɪkl/ adjective

--Recently, the HINI flu has become an outbreak in Japan, however, the domestic epidemiological experts were resentful about the quarantine and efforts of Japan.

Conquer (Word of the Day, 2009/5/6)

By C.F. Hsu

conquer (v)

1. Defeat or overcome (enemies, bad habits, etc)
e.g. conquer the enemy
e.g. conquer bad habits
e.g. conquer passions

2. Take possession of by force
e.g. conquer a country

conqueror (n) 
One who conquers (征服者)

conquest (n) 
1. Conquering (e.g. a country and its people)
2. Something got by conquering (戰利品)

Reference: Toastmaster March 2009
1. The Courage to Conquer the Next Step

By Jana Barnhill (International President)

2. How I Conquered My Contest Fears

By Angie Palmer

Prank (Word of the Day, 2009/4/1)

prank /præŋk/ noun [countable]

►a trick, especially one which is played on someone to make them look silly

--Pushing her in the river seemed like a harmless prank, but it ended in tragedy.

Verb used with “prank”: play, pull

Play/pull a prank on sb.

--Every year, the older kids pull pranks on new students.

--If you like to play pranks on people, then you'll love April Fools' Day.

 

prank /præŋk/ verb

►dress or decorate showily or gaudily

--Roses were pranking the lawn.

►dress up showily

--He pranked himself out in his best clothes.

 

prankster /’præŋkstə/ noun [countable]

►someone who plays tricks on people to make them look silly

--Is it an emergency, or just a midnight prankster?

 

prankish /’præŋkɪʃ/ adjective

►naughtily or annoyingly playful

--A prankish husband was mistaken for armed robber.

 

Synonyms

Joke /ʤok/ noun [countable]

►something that you say or do to make people laugh, especially a funny story or trick

--She wondered if the others were playing a joke on her.

practical joke /ˏpræktɪkl ‘ʤok/ noun [countable]

-- a trick that is intended to give someone a surprise or shock, or to make them look stupid

 

trick /trɪk/ noun [countable]

►something you do in order to deceive someone

--Pretending he doesn't remember is an old trick of his.

►something you do to surprise someone and to make other people laugh

--I'm getting tired of your silly tricks.

►something that makes things appear to be different from the way really are

--After walking for hours in the hot sun, his mind began playing tricks on him.

►an unkind of unfair thing to do: a dirty/rotten/mean trick

--He didn't turn up? What a dirty trick!

►if something does the trick, it solves a problem or provides what is needed to get a good result: do the trick

--A bit more flour should do the trick.

►a skillful set of actions that seem like magic, done to entertain people : card trick/magic trick

--My uncle was always showing me card tricks when I was a kid.

►a way of doing something that works very well but may not be easy to notice / clever method

--The trick is to bend your knees as you catch the ball.

 

Word Usage:

►Magic done as entertainment

trick

--For my final trick, I will make this elephant disappear.

►Method/plan/system

trick

--In college, I learned a trick to remember names.

►something that deceives somebody

trick

--Don't send her any money - it might be a trick.

►something that makes things appear different

trick

--At first he thought someone was coming towards him, but it was just a trick of the light.

►something that you do to make people laugh

Joke, practical joke, prank, play a trick/joke/prank

--The girls were playing tricks/jokes/pranks on their teacher.

--I haven’t played any special April fools’ pranks in last couple of years. But when we were kids then, we did really use those regular tricks like tying a string to a wallet and leaving it on the middle of a busy road.

►something you say or write in order to be funny

joke

--Do you want to hear a good joke?

Chaos (Word of the Day, 2009/1/7)

chaos /ˋkeɑs/(noun)

►A state of extreme confusion and disorder

--The country was plunged into economic chaos.

--There was chaos in the town after the hurricane had struck.

--Without rules, people would live in a state of chaos

►The formless and disordered state of matter before the creation of the cosmos

--The Greeks explained in their history that the Universe was created out of chaos.

Chaos (noun)

--In Greek mythology, Chaos (Xάος) or Khaos is the original state of existence from which the first gods appeared.

chaos(physics/mathematics)

►A dynamical system that is extremely sensitive to its initial conditions

-- The "chaos theory" is named after the fact that the systems which the theory describes are apparently disordered, but the theory is really about finding the underlying order in apparently random data.

Phrases

complete/utter/absolute etc chaos

--There was total chaos on the road

in chaos

--The kitchen was in chaos.

--The global economy is in chaos because of the greed of a few on Wall Street.

descent into chaos

--They attempt to balance excessive change with stability to prevent descent into chaos.

throw into chaos

►to make people feel very confused and not certain about what they should do

--The transport industry has been thrown into chaos by the strike.

Verbs used with chaos

bring, cause, control, create, end, lead, plunge, result, throw

--Human beings have themselves been responsible for bringing chaos and pain back to a world of ordered beauty.

--Flooding and snow have caused chaos in much of the Central South area.

--What would that do except create chaos?

--Unprepared liberalization can lead to economic chaos.

--Wholesale chaos occasionally results in selective progress.

chaotic/keˋɑtɪk/(adjective)

►Lacking a visible order or organization

►Completely unordered and unpredictable and confusing

--The city traffic was chaotic.

--The chaotic social and economic conditions could lead to civil war.

►Of or relating to a sensitive dependence on initial conditions

--Everyday examples of chaotic systems include weather and climate.