Chattel is a noun for an item of movable personal property, the kind of possession a person could carry away: furniture, tools, a bicycle or livestock. In a sentence it usually appears in the plural… Read More »Chattel in a Sentence: Meaning, Grammar & Examples
Year vs calendar year comes down to this: use calendar year for the fixed period from January 1 to December 31, and use year for any twelve-month stretch, an age or a school or fiscal… Read More »Year vs Calendar Year: Which One Should You Use?
Treatise means a long, formal written work that examines one subject in an ordered, systematic way. To use treatise in a sentence, name the subject after on: “She published a treatise on Roman law.” The… Read More »Treatise in a Sentence: Meaning, Examples & Practice
Curt in a sentence describes a reply so short that it sounds rude or impatient. The adjective usually follows a linking verb, as in “his answer was curt,” or sits before a noun such as… Read More »Curt in a Sentence: Meaning, Examples & Practice
Generic means shared by a whole group rather than one particular member, or made and sold without a brand name. To use generic in a sentence, put it before the noun it classifies or after… Read More »Generic in a Sentence: Meaning, Examples & Practice
At the end of the day is a fixed phrase with two senses: literally when the working day finishes, or figuratively when everything has been considered. To use at the end of the day in… Read More »At the End of the Day in a Sentence: Meaning & Examples
The choice in tweak vs tweek is simple: tweak is the standard English word, and tweek is a misspelling that survives mainly as a surname. Use tweak for a small, careful adjustment to a plan,… Read More »Tweak vs Tweek: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Argot means the special vocabulary of a particular group, especially a closed or marginal one. To use argot in a sentence, name the group with an of-phrase: “The argot of the trading floor was full… Read More »Argot in a Sentence: Meaning, Examples & Practice
Hover over means to stay in one place just above something, or, on a screen, to rest a pointer on an item without clicking. To use hover over in a sentence, give the verb a… Read More »Hover Over in a Sentence: Meaning & Examples
Drop off is a phrasal verb with four everyday senses: to deliver someone or something, to fall asleep, to decline, and to become fewer. To use drop off in a sentence, decide which sense you… Read More »Drop Off in a Sentence: Meanings, Grammar & Examples
A canard is a false story or report that people repeat as though it were true. To use canard in a sentence, treat it as a countable noun for an untrue claim: “The editor dismissed… Read More »Canard in a Sentence: Meaning & Examples
Disaggregate means to split a whole into its separate parts, a verb used mostly with data, costs and populations. To use disaggregate in a sentence, name the whole and the dimension: “The report disaggregates spending… Read More »Disaggregate in a Sentence: Meaning, Examples & Practice
Rein in means to bring something under control, usually spending, behaviour or a group that has gone too far. To use rein in in a sentence, place the thing being curbed after the verb: “The… Read More »Rein In in a Sentence: Meaning, Examples & Practice
Epithet means a word or phrase that describes or names a person or thing. To use epithet in a sentence, give the phrase and the person it labels: “Critics gave the mayor the epithet ‘the… Read More »Epithet in a Sentence: Meaning, Uses & Examples
Faux means artificial or imitation, and it describes things made to look like something they are not. To use faux in a sentence, put it before the noun it describes: “She wore a faux fur… Read More »Faux in a Sentence: Meaning, Uses & Examples
Usury is the practice of lending money at an unreasonably high rate of interest, and in older use it meant charging any interest on a loan. To use usury in a sentence, name the lending… Read More »Usury in a Sentence: Meaning, Examples & Practice