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Words for Life: To Boost Every Day of the Year
Whatever you need, Susie Dent has a word for it.
Do you know the name for someone who loves reading in bed, or what a binfluencer does? How about the medieval invention of Lubberland as a place for lazy teenagers, or the story of Mayday as a request for help? Lexicographer extraordinaire and Queen of Countdown's Dictionary Corner, Susie Dent does and here are her greatest discoveries.
From wabbit to dust bunnies, and from the strange history of arse to the best ways to describe moonlight, Words for Life offers a full year's supply of verbal vitamins guaranteed to brighten and boost every day. Here you will learn of the Mother-in-Law's Dream as well as the Yuleshard, and discover expressions that can fix (or at least nail) the problems of modern life, whether dealing with unrequited love or unsatisfactory politicians, eating a whole packet of biscuits or forgetting someone's name.
From starting January 1 with your best foot forward (qualtagh) to leaping happily into the unknown (with a drink in your hand) on 31 December, here is the perfect guide to ensure your best year yet - and 365 words you'll want to keep for life.
Do you know the name for someone who loves reading in bed, or what a binfluencer does? How about the medieval invention of Lubberland as a place for lazy teenagers, or the story of Mayday as a request for help? Lexicographer extraordinaire and Queen of Countdown's Dictionary Corner, Susie Dent does and here are her greatest discoveries.
From wabbit to dust bunnies, and from the strange history of arse to the best ways to describe moonlight, Words for Life offers a full year's supply of verbal vitamins guaranteed to brighten and boost every day. Here you will learn of the Mother-in-Law's Dream as well as the Yuleshard, and discover expressions that can fix (or at least nail) the problems of modern life, whether dealing with unrequited love or unsatisfactory politicians, eating a whole packet of biscuits or forgetting someone's name.
From starting January 1 with your best foot forward (qualtagh) to leaping happily into the unknown (with a drink in your hand) on 31 December, here is the perfect guide to ensure your best year yet - and 365 words you'll want to keep for life.
- GenresNonfiction
318 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 11, 2025
154 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Susie Dent
27 books544 followersDent was educated at the Marist Convent in Ascot, an independent Roman Catholic day school. She went on to Somerville College, Oxford for her B.A. in modern languages, then to Princeton University for her master's degree in German.
Dent is serves as the resident lexicographer and adjudicator for the letters rounds on long-running British game show Countdown. At the time she began work on Countdown in 1992, she had just started working for the Oxford University Press on producing English dictionaries, having previously worked on bilingual dictionaries.
Dent is serves as the resident lexicographer and adjudicator for the letters rounds on long-running British game show Countdown. At the time she began work on Countdown in 1992, she had just started working for the Oxford University Press on producing English dictionaries, having previously worked on bilingual dictionaries.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 1, 2026
A perfectly charming way to ring out the old year! Susie Dent’s extensive linguistic knowledge is always interesting, and the collective etymology of the words presented here make for an excellent read.
April 13, 2026
This book is a dream and a nightmare because I want to memorize all the words... I did and didn't enjoy it at the same time.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews