iqdigest

English Edification Enrichment- What does `viz' stand for? Viz. is the abbreviated form of the Latin "videlicet". The "i" in "viz" is pronounced like the "i" in "bit", "it" and "pit". The word is normally employed in formal writing and is used to expand on or clarify what has already been said. The word can be replaced by "namely", and in speech most people tend to say "namely" rather than "viz". Here are a few examples. * The Department offers two modules in Teaching English as a Second Language, viz. Applied Linguistics, and Principles of Language Teaching. * I want to talk about a major threat facing our society, viz. global warming.

English Edification Enrichment- What is the meaning of "drive someone round the bend"? When you "drive" or "send someone round the bend" you make him really angry by doing something which annoys him. It is an expression mostly used in informal contexts. It is also possible to say "round the twist". Here are a few examples. * His wife's constant whining was driving Rajeev round the bend. * The heat and the frequent power cuts were driving Neha round the bend. * The leaky faucet was sending Chaitra round the bend.

English Edification Enrichment- What is the meaning of "Would you like to powder your nose"? This is a question that is often asked of ladies. When somebody asks a woman whether she would like to powder her nose, what the person wants to know is whether she would like to use the bathroom. Native speakers of English don't ask you directly whether you would like to use the bathroom. It is considered impolite to do so. As a result, they ask the question in a roundabout way. "Would you like to freshen up" "Would you like to wash your hands" Unlike the earlier question, these can be posed to both men and women. What is the difference between "due to" and "owing to"? As far as the meaning is concerned there is no difference. Both "due to" and "owing to" can be used to mean "because of". Many people use the two words interchangeably. Here are a few examples. * Owing to/Due to bad weather, all flights were canc...