English Vocabulary and Idioms

Someone who is bull-headed is determined to do exactly what they want to do, and does not think about what other people want.....i.e obstinate/stubborn.

The idiom 'dark horse' refers to a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds. It describes someone whose chances of success have been overlooked or underestimated by others.

The idiom 'couch potato' refers to someone who spends excessive time watching television, typically while sitting or lying down. It describes a person with a sedentary lifestyle focused on TV consumption.

A diamond wedding anniversary celebrates 60 years of marriage. Silver is 25th, golden is 50th, and diamond is 60th. This is a traditional milestone anniversary designation.

Hagiology is the branch of literature or study dealing with the lives and writings of saints. It comes from the Greek 'hagios' meaning holy and 'logia' meaning study or writing.

A dog-eared book has pages with turned-down corners from frequent use, like how a dog's ears flop down. This is a common term for a well-read book marked by folding page corners.

Culinary relates to cooking or the practice of food preparation. It comes from the Latin 'culina' meaning kitchen. The term encompasses all aspects of cooking and food arts.

 A gourmet is a connoisseur of good food; a person with a discerning palate.

 Lilliputian refers to a small, tiny person of either stature, intelligence and/or morals.

Coiffeur is a French loanword adopted into English, specifically meaning a hairdresser - someone who cuts and styles hair professionally. The term comes from the French verb 'coiffer' meaning to arrange or cover hair.

Horse-sense is an idiom that means ordinary, practical wisdom or common sense - not literal knowledge about horses. It refers to sound, practical judgment gained from experience rather than specialized knowledge.

Forte (pronounced 'fort') means a person's strong point, special talent, or area of expertise. The sentence 'Singing is my forte' means singing is my special talent or strength, not necessarily my profession.

Achilles' heel refers to a singular weakness or vulnerable point that can lead to downfall, originating from Greek mythology where Achilles was invulnerable except for his heel. Saying 'Grammar is my Achilles' heel' means grammar is the one specific weakness that could undermine the person.

A septuagenarian refers to a person aged between 70-79 years. The term comes from Latin 'septuageni' meaning 'containing seventy' - septua (seven) plus geni (tens of years). Similarly, sexagenarian is 60-69, octogenarian is 80-89, and nonagenarian is 90-99.

An upholsterer deals with furniture. The upholsterer is the one who attaches the fabric to chairs, seats and cushions.

Philistine originally referred to the ancient Philistines, but in modern usage means someone uncultured, materialistic, and lacking appreciation for art, intellectual pursuits, or aesthetic values. A philistine person is anti-intellectual and indifferent to cultural refinement.

Comeuppance means a deserved punishment, fate, or misfortune that someone receives - especially for past wrongdoing or bad behavior. It implies justice being served and someone facing the consequences they earned through their actions.

A white elephant refers to a costly, burdensome possession that is useless or difficult to dispose of - often expensive to maintain but providing little value. Originating from Thai kings giving sacred white elephants to courtiers, the gift would ruin the recipient through maintenance costs.

Dog-days refers to the hottest, most sultry period of summer, traditionally July 3 to August 11 in the Northern Hemisphere. The term comes from the ancient belief that the rising of Sirius (the Dog Star) during this time intensified the sun's heat, not actual meteorological phenomena caused by dogs.

White-livered means cowardly or lacking courage, originating from the old physiological belief that courage came from red blood and a pale liver indicated timidity. A white-livered person is characterized by fearfulness and lack of bravery, not physical illness or immorality.

Machiavellian refers to cunning, unscrupulous, and manipulative behavior in pursuit of power or material gain - named after Niccolo Machiavelli, author of 'The Prince,' which advocated strategic pragmatism over moral principles. A Machiavellian person uses deceit and ruthlessness to achieve goals.

Faux pas is a French term literally meaning 'false step' that refers to a social blunder or breach of etiquette. It describes an embarrassing or tactless act that violates social norms or expected behavior. Option B correctly identifies this as a social blunder, while the other options represent positive concepts (tradition, asset) or behavioral compliance (according to rules) that are opposite to the meaning.

Bohemian describes someone who lives an unconventional lifestyle, often in contrast to societal norms and expectations. Option A correctly captures this as 'not living a life considered socially normal'. Option C (ascetic) is incorrect because bohemians are typically associated with artistic freedom and non-conformity rather than strict self-denial. Option D is unrelated to the concept.

Claustrophobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by fear of confined spaces. The term derives from Latin 'claustrum' (enclosed space) and Greek 'phobos' (fear). Option B 'lack of space' correctly identifies this fear of being trapped in small, enclosed areas. Option A (open space) is actually agoraphobia, while options C and D refer to different specific phobias (zoophobia and hydrophobia respectively).