nudge To nudge something is to move it a little bit. You can also nudge a person. The cat nudged the plate and it fell to the floor. Give the machine a nudge and it’ll start working again. You’ve got to give it a nudge. (This expression is often used with machines when they don’t work.) The line […]
nod If you move your head up and down or side to side, you are nodding your head. Up and down means “yes”; side to side means “no.” She’s nodding her head and saying “yes.” He’s nodding his head and saying “no.” Billy’s mother nodded her head no when Billy asked if he could have
nimble The word “nimble” is an adjective that is used to describe a person who does things quickly and skillfully. This word can apply to parts of the body, mainly the fingers, hands, feet, and legs, and it can apply to a person’s mind. A person with a nimble mind can complete a crossword puzzle
niche A niche is a special area of expertise or a skill. It may be limited to a small number of people or a small demographic* area. We often hear people finding their niche, which means to discover a talent within oneself. Abel found his niche as an importer of Peruvian-made jewelry. Charlene has finally found her
nibble The word “nibble” is used when taking small bites of food or when eating small amounts of food: The chipmunk is nibbling on an acorn. Tom nibbles on carrots and celery all day to keep his weight in check. Please stop nibbling on the food until our guests arrive. We nibbled on appetizers before the entrees were served.
intense The word “intense” is an adjective that describes something or someone that is very strong or has a strong emotional response to things: Joe is a very intense guy. He really works hard at everything he does. This is a very intense situation that requires the police and the fire department to be here.
limp If a person limps, he or she has pain in a leg or a problem with a leg. Wally is limping because he hurt his foot. The dog got something sharp in his paw and he limped all the way home. Yolanda’s limp got worse, so she went to the doctor. (This sentence uses “limp” as
guzzle To guzzle is to consume large quantities of liquid. Here are some examples of ways to use the word “guzzle.” After spending eight hours working under a hot sun, Frank guzzled a half gallon of water. People who watch football games on TV eat snacks and guzzle beer. College students have a reputation for guzzling beer
wander To wander is to walk around or do something without any direction or purpose. simple past past participle wander wandered wandered The high school kids had nothing to do, so they just wandered around the shopping mall all day. Todd wandered into the forest and got lost. A three-year-old boy was found wandering around in the
wage There are two different meanings and uses for the word “wage.” In the first set of examples, “wage” is a noun that refers to money paid to a person for doing a job: She makes a high hourly wage at her job. What’s your hourly wage? His wages over the course of a year
