5 tips for making long words in word games

One night in the late 1960s, the members of the British band Fairport Convention were travelling back to London after a gig. To while away the long hours on the motorway, they played a game in which each person had to add another letter to a… Read More

French word of the week: venir

This series of weekly blogs takes a closer look at words from our French dictionaries. The word we're focusing on this week is the French verb 'venir'. Read More

What’s the difference between accept and except?

This week we are looking at two words which are sometimes confused: accept and except. accept Accept /əkˈsept/ is a verb. If someone offers you something and you accept it, you agree to take it. I never accept presents from clients. Your old clothes will be gratefully accepted… Read More

100% faithful: The Traitors unofficial glossary

Just when you think we’ve had enough of reality TV, the entertainment industry comes swooping in with a brand-new show that has millions of viewers in the palm of its hand. The Traitors is the latest offering, moving away from sun-drenched love affairs and jungle antics to a spooky castle. Read More

French word of the week: laisser

This series of weekly blogs takes a closer look at words from our French dictionaries. The word we're focusing on this week is the French word 'laisser'. Read More

National Backwards Day

Able was I ere I saw Elba.  !Day Backwards National of anniversary sixtieth the for piece this writing am I. That’s right. This day of fun and pranks, National Backwards Day, 31 January, intended to get children in particular thinking creatively and box proverbial the outside, was inaugurated in 3691. Read More

What’s the difference between borrow and lend?

This week we are looking at two words which are sometimes confused: borrow and lend. borrow If you borrow something that belongs to someone else, you use it for a period of time and then return it. Could I borrow your car? I borrowed this book from the… Read More

7 top spots from the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch

The last weekend in January sees the return of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, a project dubbed “the world’s largest wildlife survey”. Originally conceived as a collaboration with the BBC’s Blue Peter in 1979, the aim of the Big Garden Birdwatch is to encourage participants to set aside an hour… Read More
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