Collins Dictionaries is out with its top 10 words of the year, with first place going to "Binge-watch": "To watch a large number of television programmes (especially all the shows from one series) in succession". Also included, the term shaming: "The act or practice of attempting to embarrass a person or group by drawing attention to their perceived offence, esp on social media", and ghosting, described as "the act or an instance of ending a romantic relationship by not responding to attempts to communicate by the other party" and swipe - "to move a finger across a touchscreen on an electronic device". Full list here...
More awkward moments
1. Anne writes: "Many years ago I was telling a colleague that a priest would be returning to collect some paperwork only to look up from the counter to see him standing in front of me. 'Talk of the devil,' I said ... oops!"
2. Colleen Coyle, of Tairua, recalls the time she walked into a craft shop and asked the man behind the counter if he had polystyrene balls.
3. My co-worker asked what I was eating for lunch. I said placenta, but meant polenta.
4. Passed gas in the copier room at work. Co-worker walked in. I blamed the radiator. Co-worker called maintenance.
5. I was leading a conference call with more than 100 people. I referred to them as "super losers" rather than "super users".
6. Back in the 80s when water beds became popular, the one my parents had bought developed a leak in the sac that holds the water (called a bladder). My mother calls up the furniture store, and with no other introduction or context, tells them "Hi, this is Mrs Graham, and I have a leaky bladder." I'm not sure she could hear his reply, because my dad and all of us kids were laughing so hard in the background. (Source: Sideswipe readers/Twitter @Thebloggess/Buzzfeed)
"The ultimate irony?" writes Roy Lilley, of Orewa. "Officially licensed All Black gear is actually made in Australia. For sale at The Warehouse.
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