Daily Words from Other Days: August 2020

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1st/2nd August

And the word was...  harass /hə'ræs/ from Serious Business
Look at these examples, then choose the correct definition below:


  • "If you don't stop harassing me, I'm gonna complain to management."
  • "Since she admitted to being a Brexit supporter, she's constantly being harassed by people on social media."
  • "Harass me all you like - I'm not going to be intimidated by a bunch of bullies."
A) bother someone continually with small, repeated attacks
B) spread false rumours about someone to discredit them
C) send messages to someone, threatening to expose personal information about their private life

Answer: A) If you harass someone, you bother them continually, with small, repeated attacks.

Lukey Tip: From the context, see what other words are related to the main word.

So here, with ‘harass’ we can see:

  • complain
  • admit
  • intimidate
  • bully

3rd August

And the word was...  beverage /'bevrɪdʒ/ from Food and Drink
Look at these examples, then choose the correct definition below:


  • "Do you mind if I have some of your tasty beverage to wash this down?" (from Pulp Fiction)
  • "Alcoholic beverages are only on sale at the bar from 7pm-11pm. Please call hotel reception to order drinks outside these hours."
  • "Did you hear about the guy who got hit on the head by a flying beverage? He was lucky it was just a soft drink!"
A) bottle or other container for liquid
B) alcoholic drink
C) any drink other than water

Answer: C) A beverage is any drink, but commercially, water is sold as ‘water’ and not as a ‘beverage’.

Lukey Tip: Check the sound again, and think of other words you know that sound similar to ‘beverage’.
For example, ‘average’ which also has a silent ‘e’ between ‘v’ and ‘r’ and finishes with the sound /ɪdʒ/.

4th August

And the word was...  sweatshop /'sweʔʃɑp/ from Trade and Commerce
Look at these examples, then choose the correct definition below:


  • "He's just back from that sweatshop, poor dear. Look at him. It's unhuman, it really is."
  • "The company vehemently denies the use of sweatshops in the manufacture of its leisurewear, and has sought our legal advice in light of these completely unfounded allegations."
  • "Come on, to be that cheap it had to be made in a sweatshop. And look, it's even hand-stitched."
A) workplace with poor working conditions, long hours, low pay and often using child labour
B) shop selling casual clothes and sportswear
C) another word for a commercial gym, especially one with a spa

Answer: A) A sweatshop is a workplace with poor working conditions…

Lukey Tip: Notice collocations (words that often go together). In the sentences above, we can see
  • ‘vehemently deny’
  • ‘legal advice’
  • ‘unfounded allegations’
  • ‘hand-stitched’

5th August

And the word was...  aware /ə'weə/ from Creativity and Invention
Look at these examples, then choose the correct definition below:


  • "I'm so sorry! I wasn't aware it was your birthday. I would have got you a present."
  • "Did you know that most people with the coronavirus aren't even aware they've got it?"
  • "If you'd been aware of how she feels about her cats, I'm sure you wouldn't have joked about putting them on the BBQ!"
A) remember something
B) know (of/about) something
C) forget (about) something

Answer: B) If you are aware, you know something and are conscious of/about it

Lukey Tip: Notice words that surround a vocabulary item. In the sentences above, we can see how ‘aware’ can be followed by a clause: ‘it was your birthday’ or ‘of’ and a noun phrase: ‘how she fees about her cats’. When we don’t use ‘of’ after ‘aware’, we are really saying ‘aware of the fact that…’.

6th August

And the word was...  outrage /'aʊʔreɪdʒ/ from Sensation, Emotion, and Reaction
Look at these examples, then choose the correct definition below:


  • "A sense of outrage quickly spread through the community when the mayor admitted to stealing public funds."
  • "It's an absolute outrage that they shut down the factory, considering it's the only source of employment for the vast majority of workers in this town."
  • "She couldn't contain her outrage at his dishonesty, and swore to kill him at the first opportunity!"
A) public panic caused by a sudden extreme event
B) shock and extreme anger caused by an offensive act
C) extreme sense of loss resulting in shocked silence

Answer: B) Outrage is a feeling of shock and extreme anger caused by an offensive act

Lukey Tip: Notice language that goes before nouns related to feelings.
In the examples above, we have ‘a sense of…’, ‘absolute…’, and ‘couldn’t contain her…’ .

7th August

And the word was...  drought /draʊt/ from Weather
Look at these examples, then choose the correct definition below:


  • "The continuing drought in Namibia has already cost the lives of some 20,000 children, reports the Red Cross, amid growing calls for the government Minister for Water and Agriculture to resign."
  • "In the rainy season, as little as four millimetres of rain can be expected, marking the region as one of continuous drought."
  • "If the drought continues into the spring, there are fears of widespread food shortages, as crops fail for the third year in a row."
A) less rain than normal, for three consecutive months
B) heavy rain in one area resulting in no rain in another
C) long period of little or no rain, resulting in a shortage of water

Answer: C) A drought is a long period of time with little or no rainfall, resulting in a water shortage

Lukey Tip: make a list of words with ‘ough’ spelling, according to their sound.
‘Drought’ is pronounced like ‘out’ making it different from similar words like ‘fought’ (fort) and ‘through’ (threw).

8th/9th August

And the word was...  hedge /hedʒ/ from Town and Country
Look at these examples, then choose the correct definition below:


  • "We've repeatedly asked them to cut their side of the hedge, but look at it, it's an absolute mess."
  • "When the hedge gets big enough, we won't be overlooked by the neighbours."
  • "I think a hedge would give the garden that country feel I'm looking for. Fences are ugly."
A) area of grass that forms part of the surface of a garden
B) trees that grow close together to form a small wood
C) closely growing bushes that form a boundary

Answer: C) A hedge is a group of bushes that grow close together to form a boundary

Lukey Tip: Make a list of words or phrases (in your language) you associate with the word you are studying. Then check to see if we have the same associations with the word in English.
Do you use ‘cut’ with ‘hedge’? And how about ‘overlooked’, ‘boundary’ and ‘fences’?
Doing this, you can learn more vocabulary and expressions in English, and avoid direct translation when using the word in a sentence.

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