Winter is coming

By Rachel Rowland ( ABC School’s Academic Coordinator )

With December swiftly approaching and the temperatures set to drop even further, many people are preparing themselves for the long, dark winter months. Winter in the U.K can dampen yourspirits, especially if you do not like the cold climate, but this can also be a wonderful time of year, filled with fun and laughter.

How do you feel about the winter season? Are you ready to face the cold? Although you may not be ready for the cold weather, your English can certainly continue to improve over the coming months. As you probably already know, British people love to talk about the weather, and even more so when the weather is horrible. We certainly do love to moan about the cold!

There are lots of words and phrases in English associated with winter, some of which you will hear when out and about in London, so it would be useful to learn a few of them.

Cold snap

A cold snap, also cold spell, is a sudden short period of unusually cold weather. It is very unusual to have a cold snap in June or July but very common from November to March. In 2018, we had the coldest February week in five years. Temperatures fell as low as -5.5 degrees celsius in parts of Wales and the freezing air, which arrived from Russia, postponed Spring across the U.K, leaving us all experiencing the big freeze until March!

Chilly

Chilly is an adjective meaning to cause a sensation of cold. When a person is chilly, they are not feeling very cold but mildly cold. You might feel a bit chilly if you have left a window open for too long and the room has become cold. We can also refer to people as chilly. A warm person is loving and kind, but a chilly person is unemotional, distant, and quiet.

Cosy

This is a lovely adjective which conjures up images of sitting by a log fire whilst the snow is falling outside on a cold, winter’s day. Cosy means enjoying or experiencing comforting warmth and shelter, especially in a small space. Clothes can also be described as cosy. Think about a soft, comfortable dressing gown or pair of slippers! A similar word or synonym for cosy is snug.

Brisk

This adjective can be used in various ways. Firstly, we can refer to the wind as being brisk. Used in this context, the word brisk is describing the wind as being sharp and stimulating. We can also say that the weather is brisk. Another use of brisk is when describing activity. For example, if somebody is going for a brisk walk, this means they are walking quickly and in a lively manner.

Winter warmer

A winter warmer is a food or drink which is designed to warm you up! Traditionally, this refers to a traditional, strong ale or beer that is brewed during the winter months. Nowadays, a winter warmer can be anything, from a hot chocolate to a beef stew! Here is a link to some fantastic recipes which can help to keep you warm this winter - https://www.bbc.com/food/collections/winter_warmers.

As you can see, there are many words and phrases in English that we use during the winter months. In this article, I have only written about a few but there are so many more to discover! Winter certainly is a great time to learn new vocabulary and there will not be a shortage of opportunities for you to practise using the language with all the social events going on this season!