rachel quin

Coffee Talk: the roots of the world’s favourite bean

Java. Bean juice. A cup of joe. Whatever you call it, coffee is arguably one of the most popular drinks worldwide, with a reported two billion cups consumed every day. Today’s coffee is able to trace its origins back to the ancient coffee forests of Ethiopia. Read More

Your essential guide to World Cup vocabulary

The weather outside is frightful, but for football fans the most delightful time of the year is upon us – admittedly a few months later than usual – as the 2022 World Cup kicks off in Qatar this November. First played in 1930, the World Cup is an international association… Read More

Soggy bottoms & baps: the proven glossary of The Great British Bake Off

With over 4 million viewers weekly, The Great British Bake Off (GBBO) is a great British institution, famous for baked Alaska controversies and the Paul Hollywood handshake. It also has its fair share of risqué innuendos, giving us a delightful range of soggy bottoms, baps and spotted dicks to keep… Read More

8 wonderful words to mark Dictionary Day

As Rudyard Kipling once said, “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” At Collins Dictionary, we pride ourselves on being the home of living language, and that means when an opportunity comes to celebrate it, we can’t resist joining in. This week we’re celebrating Dictionary Day,… Read More

The return to Westeros: the essential House of the Dragon glossary

The dragons have landed. HBO’s much-hyped Game of Thrones prequel launched in August, and we are ready for things to get lit. It’s been a while since we last spent time in the wild world of Westeros and given that we’ve travelled back 200 years before the lifetime of Daenerys… Read More

Coding Week: 9 key terms for your technology glossary

If the words Java and Python only make you think of a hot cup of coffee and a slithery creature, it’s time to expand your vocabulary. STEM is becoming increasingly popular, and people of all ages are taking an interest in learning the basics of coding. In honour of National… Read More

Divining the hallmarks of Gothic literature

Spooky season is rapidly approaching. With dark nights, cold weather and the golden hues of the season to look forward to, it’s the perfect time of year to curl up with the works of Bram Stoker, Edgar Ellan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft. Nothing marks this turn of the seasons –… Read More

Lucky number 7! Exploring the language of superstition

Are you very superstitious or do you take bad luck with a pinch of salt? Superstition is defined as a belief in things that are not real or possible, from bringing misfortune upon yourself by accidentally breaking a mirror to throwing salt over your shoulder to… Read More

Let the games begin: Tracking the etymology of the Commonwealth Games

It’s a year of sport ahead! We’re kicking off with the Commonwealth Games, an annual multi-sport international competition held every four years. This year, the event will be held in Birmingham, and it has grown from 11 countries and 400 athletes to over 4,600 people across 72 nations and territories… Read More