Words August 2026 Week 4

Choucroute is the French word for sauerkraut. (Choucroute garnie (shoo·kroot gaar·nee) is fermented cabbage slow cooked with white wine, various sausages, smoked meats, and potatoes.)

He was gaining weight. (He was putting on weight.)

We have the same homebuilder as our niece, so we can imagine what our new house will look like. (She will have her father-in-law’s old house and build a new one next year.)

SCUBA stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. (SCUBA was an acronym but is now a word.)

Skin diving is swimming underwater using a face mask, fins, and a snorkel, but without using a scuba air tank. (If god wanted me to swim underwater, he would have given me gills.)

A parasol is used to block the sun and provide shade, whereas an umbrella is built to keep you dry in the rain. (New style lightweight umbrellas are designed for both.)

A bitch is a female dog, wolf or fox but the word is mostly used among animal breeders. (The word bitch usually has a bad meaning, so I recommend not using it.)

The test was a bitch. (The test was difficult.)

I was a couch potato all day. (I laid on the couch doing nothing but watching TV and napping.)

My daughter asked me to buy a book for her. (He looked everywhere but couldn’t find it.)

Our water heater broke and will be replaced at the end of the month. (This was very inconvenient.)

The King of Na gold seal was accidentally unearthed by a farmer on Shikanoshima Island in 1784.

(A solid-gold imperial seal from the Chinese Han dynasty in 57 AD was inscribed with "King of the Na state of Wa".)

Around 670–702 CE, the Yamato court in Japan rejected the old Chinese designation, Wa,” due to its derogatory connotations and officially transitioned their foreign diplomatic identity to Nihon / Nippon. (The Chinese word “wa” meant barbarian, etc.)

Effective home remedies include honey for a cough, ginger for an upset stomach or nausea, saltwater gargles for a sore throat, etc. (Both folk remedy and home remedy are common terms.)

You should limit your sugar intake if you have diabetes. (You should also cut down on sugar to lose weight.)

It was as good as I expected. (She was pleased with their performance.)

Autumn is in the air. (The temperature is cooling down a little.)

He was found not guilty because of self-defense. (The third little piggy was accused of killing the wolf.)

She said that she feels no pain. (She is 88 years old and goes to the gym almost every day.)

The story of the third little pig brought to trial for killing the wolf is used in mock trials. (A mock trial is not a real trial and is used to teach how the court system works.)

I’m in my 70s but next week I will be in my 80s. (Happy Birthday!)

The resort had several types of water slides and a lazy river pool. (It is a great place to bring your grandchildren.)

My grandchildren are picky eaters. (Eating at buffets is best for them.)

The fire alarm went off again and again. (It was irritating, but the hotel staff finally fixed the problem.)

Twice a week I get physical therapy and acupuncture. (He had a knee-replacement surgery.)

One of his heart valves was replaced by a pig’s heart valve. (He has had many surgeries on his heart since he was in his 20s.)

My groin is sore, possibly because of a pulled muscle. (The groin in in the lower part of the abdomen.)

Wild boars are destroying many gardens. (Very young boars are sweet and tasty, but old boars have a strong bad taste.)

The following prefectures are landlocked: Gifu, Gunma, Tochigi, Saitama, Yamanashi, Shiga and Nara. (These prefectures do not touch the sea which is surprising since Japan is an island nation.)

This is a photo of the Sumida Hokusai Museum. (This museum has a very unique design.)