Learning English

Session 1

loanwords
words from one language used in another language

sushi
a kind of Japanese food made from rice balls and raw fish, eggs or vegetable

vodka
a strong, clear alcoholic drink from Russia

cognates
words in different languages that have the same origin

Proto-Indo-European
an ancient language which experts think many European and Asian languages came from

false friends
words which look similar or the same in two languages but have different meanings

embarrassed
ashamed and shy

tsunami
large waves caused by a movement of the earth under the sea (from Japanese)

nouveau riche
people who have recently become rich (from French)

zeitgeist
spirit of the times (from German)

to run amok
to behave in an uncontrolled and sometimes violent way (from Malay and Indonesian)

dim sum
Cantonese steamed snack (from Cantonese)

to kowtow
to show too much respect to someone in authority (from Chinese)

manifestation
a sign of something existing

sensible
showing good sense

handy
convenient

pyjamas
sleeping clothes

costume
set of clothes from a particular period of history, or a set of clothes which someone wears so that they look like someone else

bungalow
a one-storey house

Session 3

got her work cut out
has a lot to do

to handle
to deal with

consequences
result of an action

sacked
removed from your job

sales target
how much you are expected to sell

brainstorm
thinking of lots of ideas quickly but not in much detail

accounted for
added the financial details for

Session 4

sickie
a day when someone uses sickness as a false excuse for missing work or school

white lie
a lie which is harmless

porky
british slang for a lie

skiving off
missing work or school without a good reason

assignment
task

legendary
very well known

sinister
related to evil things that might happen

fibbers
a polite word for liars

welfare benefits
payments that people receive from the state to help raise their standard of living

con
trick or cheat (someone)

on the dole
british slang for claiming unemployment benefit

garden shed
a building that is in a garden and is used to store things

alibi
(here) an excuse for doing something bad

Session 5

Jamaica Inn - episode 10

horror
great fear or shock

wrecks
ships that are destroyed at sea

orders
instructions given and which you are expected to obey

companion
a person you spend time with

blacksmith
a person who makes and repairs horseshoes

marshes
areas of soft wet land

drift in and out
to move slowly without control of which direction you are going in

drag
pull something along the ground with difficulty

long for
to want something very much

threat
warning of danger or harm

breed
keep animals and produce young from them

obstinate
not wanting to do something even though it may be the right thing to do