`make no bones about it’

When you say that someone makes no bones about something, what you mean is that the person is very frank about it; he speaks plainly, and does not attempt to hide the truth. For example, if a person makes no bones about a scandal in his past, he talks about it candidly — at times, leaving the listener embarrassed!

Examples: The teachers made no bones about their dissatisfaction with the contents of the article. * Radha made no bones about her dislike for crossword puzzles.

Some scholars believe that the idiom comes from games played with `dice’. During the early 14th century, dice were made from bones; therefore, it comes as no surprise that the slang term for these small cubes was `bones’. I understand that even today, it is common practice among gamblers to talk to their dice and blow kisses on them before throwing them on the table. When a person makes `no bones about it’, he rolls the dice without really doing any of these things. In other words, he doesn’t plead with the dice to give him a particular number. This is just one of the explanations for the origin of the idiom.

Source: ‘Know Your English’ ( The Hindu) – March 05, 2007.

Which is correct? - I think the team has a good chance of winning the tournament or ... the team have a good chance………?

Both are correct. It depends on how you view the team. If you think of the team as consisting of several individuals, then you use the plural `are’. If, on the other hand, you think of the members of the team as forming a single unit, then you use the singular `is’. `Committee’, `jury’, and `public’ are examples of nouns that can be used with both singular and plural verbs. Here are two more.

The government are hoping to lower the interest rates by next month. * My family wants me to go abroad and do a PhD.

‘Scintilla’

Scintilla means `an extremely small amount’.

The first syllable `scin’ is pronounced like the word `sin’, and the second is pronounced like the word `till’. The final `a’ is like the `a’ in `china’, and the main stress is on the second syllable.

Example: “I wouldn’t worry if I were you. There isn’t a scintilla of truth in what he is saying”.

Source: ‘Know Your English’ ( The Hindu) – March 05, 2007.

Chunky

When you say that someone is `chunky’, what you mean is that the person is rather short and heavy. In other words, he is stocky.

For example, according to the coach, some of our superstars are chunky.

The word is normally used in informal contexts.

Source: ‘Know Your English’ ( The Hindu) – February 26, 2007

teeming with

When you say that the river is teeming with fish, what you mean is that the river is full of fish.* “In other words, `teeming with’ means in great numbers. It also means that the people or animals are moving around quite a bit.
Examples: ” I’m told that during summer, most hill stations are usually teeming with tourists.”

“It is also possible to use the expression `teem with’ figuratively. For example, Sujatha says her mind is teeming with ideas.”

Source: ‘Know Your English’ ( The Hindu) – February 26, 2007

8 August - Words I don't know starting With A - 7

Annuity - An annual allowance, payment or income
Annunciation - proclamation
anode - a point where or path by which a voltaic current enters an electrolyte of the like
anodyne - something that calms or soothes pain
anoint - to apply oil to esp. as a sacred rite
antagonism - mutual opposition or resistance or counteracting forces, principles or person
ante - in the game of poker, to put up a stake before the cards are dealt
antecede - to precede
antechamber - a waiting room for those who seek audience
antediluvian - prehistoric, ancient beyond measure
antemeridian - before noon
antemundane - pertaining to time before the world's creation
antepenultimate - third from last
anteroom - a room situated before and opening into another, usually larger
anthology - collection of literary works
anthracite - hard coal ...see more for  other forms of coals
antic - a grotesque, ludicrous or fantastic action
anticyclone - an atmospheric condition of high central pressure, with currents flowing outward
antilogy - inconsistency or contradiction in terms or ideas
antipathize - to show or feel a feeling of antagonism, dislike
antiphon - a response or alteration of response generally musical
antiphony - an anthem or other composition sung responsively
antipodes - a place or region on the opposite side of the earth
antiquary - one who collects and examines old things as coins, books, medals or weapons, etc
antiquate - to make old or out of date
antiquity - ancient times
antispasmodic - tending to prevent non inflammatory spasmodic affections

Variety of coal

Peat - Precursor of coal
lignite or brown coal - geographically youngest coal, with low carbon content
Sub-bituminous - coal with 35-40% carbon, but also causes low pollution due to low sulphur content
Bituminous -  is a dense sedimentary rock, usually black but sometimes dark brown , used in steel plants and electricity production
Steam coal is a grade between bituminous coal and anthracite
anthracite - coal with high carbon content (86% +) ...and is very hard coal

Another form of carbons -
graphite - technically the highest rank in carbon content, is difficult to ignite and is not commonly used as fuel — it is mostly used in pencils and, when powdered, as a lubricant.
diamond -