word

en-noun

word (countable and uncountable, plural words)

desc

Chinese Pidgin English: word, 𭉉 (Chinese spelling)

From Middle English word, from Old English word, from Proto-West Germanic *word, from Proto-Germanic *wurdą, from Proto-Indo-European *wr̥dʰh₁om. Doublet of verb and verve; further related to vrata.

you get more with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone

I had a word with him about it.


might

en-verb

might (third-person singular simple present might, no present participle, simple past might, no past participle)

might (present singular third-person)
might (past)

From Old English meahte and mihte, inflections of magan, whence English may.

Yeah, I think we might need something a bit sturdier.

(auxiliary, UK, meiosis) Used to express certainty.


maybe

From an ellipsis of Middle English it may be, equivalent to may + be. Compare mayhap.

Maybe not the best idea.


words

After she found out the truth, she had words with him, to tell him how she felt.

(meiosis) Angry debate or conversation; argument.


somewhat

Two of the coaches are still on the site of the line; one, a first class observation coach carrying the S.R. number 6991, is at Snapper Halt, where it still stands, in fair condition but somewhat weatherbeaten […]

1942 September and October, “Notes and News: Lynton & Barnstaple Stock”, in Railway Magazine, page 309:


a little

It's a little big, don't you think?

It could do with a little work, that's for sure.


scratch

en-noun

scratch (countable and uncountable, plural scratches)

From Middle English scracchen, of uncertain origin. Probably a blend of Middle English scratten (“to scratch”) and cracchen (“to scratch”). More at scrat and cratch.

It's just a scratch!


a bit

That hat seems a bit small for him.

It rained a bit last night.


a bit

Q: How much trouble did you stir up last night? A: Just a bit.

(especially UK, meiosis) A large amount.


have a word

en-verb

have a word (third-person singular simple present has a word, present participle having a word, simple past and past participle had a word)

has a word (present singular third-person)
having a word (participle present)
had a word (participle past)
had a word (past)

I think we should have a word.

She knew she was in big trouble when the teacher asked to have a word with her after class.

(idiomatic, meiosis) To speak to someone, usually and especially in private, often in order to admonish.


God's gift

He thinks he's God's gift to music lovers.

They're acting as if his new album is God's gift to all music lovers.

(idiomatic, ironic or meiosis) Said of someone with an inflated sense of self-importance, or (occasionally) something that is overvalued.


require improvement

require improvement (third-person singular simple present requires improvement, present participle requiring improvement, simple past and past participle required improvement)

requires improvement (present singular third-person)
requiring improvement (participle present)
required improvement (participle past)
required improvement (past)

(stative, UK, meiosis) To be in a state of failing.