Lucy Mangan looks at your first word submissions of 2016

8th Jan 2016

Happy New Year to you all! I trust you all had a lovely break and are now enjoying unparalleled success with your chosen resolutions. I am not. But in a crazy twist no one saw coming, I have conceived another one which renders any guilt or fretting about this impossible. Read More

Winning words to help you play like a Scrabble champ this Christmas

11th Dec 2015

It’s Christmas, you are mid Scrabble game, the tension is high, you’ve eaten a whole box of mince pies, Only Fools and Horses is on again, and your rack is offering up no distinguishable word options. Fear not, Craig Beevers, the World Scrabble Champion reveals his top words to save… Read More

Scrabble tips for a Triple Word Score of a Christmas

11th Dec 2015

It’s Christmas which means Scrabble against the family. World Scrabble Champion Craig Beevers Shares his top tips to play like a pro this Christmas. Short and sweet(scoring)Two and three letter words can enable you to score 20-30 points move after move without any big plays. Once they’re second nature… Read More

Christmas etymology corner – ‘Eggnog’, ‘Hot Toddy’ and the trusty ‘Regmaker’

9th Dec 2015

It is the party season, and you might be intrigued to know what is behind the names of some of the drinks you could be offered this Christmas. One drink that is especially associated with the festive season is eggnog, whose name comes from nog, an old dialect word for… Read More

‘Black Friday’, ‘Moon Hitler’ and ‘Cyber Monday’: the Christmas madness begins with November’s words in the news

7th Dec 2015

You know, it seems like the Christmas season starts earlier every year. But I’m not talking about seeing Christmas decorations in a shop in late August (which, by the way, actually happened). I’m referring to the fact that people couldn’t wait until 27 November to start talking about Black Friday. Read More

Lucy Mangan’s ‘awesomesauce’ take on your new word submissions

20th Nov 2015

A bumper crop of delights this week, thank you, and from a wealth of new contributors as well as doughty old timers! Thank you, everyone – it feels like Christmas has come early. Welcome to Willow, first of all, a newcomer who gives us “awesomesauce”, which I love almost as… Read More

The Power of Love: 10 Romantic Words for #BFILoveFest

19th Nov 2015

In honour of the #BFILoveFest this weekend – a UK-wide celebration of LOVE in TV and film – this week we take a look at the etymology of 10 commonly used romantic words. Drawing on #BFILoveFest’s themes of The Power of Love, Fools for Love and Fatal… Read More

‘Hoverboards’, ‘pastebin’ and ‘Norwegian option’: October’s Words in the News

13th Nov 2015

October brought us Back to the Future Day. The popular time-travelling film trilogy began (on-screen) when Marty McFly drove a Delorean from 26 October 1985 to 5 November 1955. In the sequel (released in 1990), he and Doc Brown flew the Delorean from what was now the past… Read More

Collins Word of the Year 2015 Q & A

5th Nov 2015

What is Collins’ Word of the Year? Collins’ Word of the Year is a word that our lexicographers have identified as having been notably more visible in the last year. It may be a brand new word or an existing one that has seen its popularity increase because of current… Read More