(informal) A person who enjoys reading and spends a lot of time doing it.
SERIAL vs. CEREAL
The Lighthouse2018-12-03T23:09:39+01:00These two words have the same pronunciation: /ˈsɪərɪəl/ but they mean different things... serial as an adjective means 'consisting of or being part of a series'; cereal is a noun and means a grain used for food, such as wheat, rye, oats, rice, corn, etc.
WHINE vs. WINE
The Lighthouse2018-11-27T12:21:01+01:00TO WHINE - to cry, to whimper, to complain about something; The noun form is the same, and A WHINE can also refer to the sound a dog produces when it wants your attention. vs WINE - an alcoholic drink made from fermented grape juice. The two words are pronounced in exactly the same way, but they mean completely different things, so mind your spelling in writing and pay attention to the context when reading or listening
ON THE WRONG END OF
The Lighthouse2018-11-22T19:41:15+01:00If you are on the wrong end of a bad situation, e.g. a defeat, you are the person or side that suffers or loses.
DESSERT vs. DESERT
The Lighthouse2018-11-14T13:27:15+01:00Be careful about these two words - They look similar, but they have a different meaning and are pronounced differently
FAN THE FLAMES
The Lighthouse2018-11-16T13:51:18+01:00To fan the flames (of something) - to make a situation worse, to make something more intense
DO THE DONKEY WORK
The Lighthouse2018-11-16T23:19:18+01:00If you do the donkey work, you do the hard work or the less interesting part of the work that needs to be done.
(GET A) WINDFALL
The Lighthouse2018-11-02T13:22:42+01:00a windfall: a sudden and unexpected piece of good fortune or an advantage that you gain, or an amount of money that you win or receive unexpectedly
PASSED vs. PAST
The Lighthouse2018-10-31T21:53:17+01:00PASSED is the Past Simple tense of the verb 'to pass' and PAST is a preposition
Take heart (from)
The Lighthouse2018-10-26T13:05:58+02:00Take heart (from something) - feel encouraged by something or have more confidence because of something. In the picture: Even when you don't win the fight, you should take heart from the fact that you did your best.