Relax, Refresh your English knowledge 160
What is the meaning of `murfing'?
Very often when we surf the Net for information, we end up visiting sites that we don't really need to. We spend a lot of time moving from one site to another because we find the contents rather interesting — though they may not provide us with the information that we actually need! This aimless surfing of the Net that we indulge in is called `murfing'.
*Uma spent the afternoon murfing `diabetes', and ended up learning more about dowry deaths. Today, the word has taken on an additional meaning. `Murfing' is seen as a combination of `mobile' and `surfing'. With advances in technology, it is now possible to surf the Net on your mobile phone.
How is the word `brusque' pronounced?
There are different ways of pronouncing this word. The Americans pronounce the `u' like the `u' in `cut', `hut', and `but', while the British pronounce it like the `oo' in `cool', `fool', and `pool'. The final `que', in both cases, is pronounced like the `sk' in `mask', `task', and `flask'. When you say that someone's behaviour is `brusque', what you mean is that the person is rather curt — in other words, rude or rough. The person doesn't say much, but when he speaks, he sounds rude. *Don't worry! I'm not going to be put off by his brusque replies. The word `brusque' comes from the Italian `brusco' meaning `sour' or `sharp'. The same word was also used to refer to a prickly plant (`butcher's broom'). Perhaps it was in this sense that `brusque' was used when it was borrowed into English — someone as disagreeable as the butcher's broom.
What is the meaning of `nook and cranny'?
The word `nook' rhymes with `hook', `book', and `cook'. Since the 14th century, the word has been used to refer to a remote corner or secluded spot. The `a' in `cranny' is like the `a' in `apple', `ant', and `add'. A `cranny' is a crack or an opening of some kind — for example, a crack in the wall can be referred to as a `cranny'. When you say that you have looked for something in every nook and cranny, what you mean is that you have looked for it everywhere. *The children looked for the ball in every nook and cranny, but they couldn't find it.
A collection from the Open Page Supplement of The Hindu Newspaper
Courtesy: Sri Upendra, the writer of the above
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