A koan is a story, dialogue, question or statement used in the practice of Zen Buddhism. It contains aspects that are generally inaccessible to normal or logical understanding, but which are be accessible at a spiritual level. Koans originate in the sayings and doings of sages, holy persons and legendary figures who are usually teachers subscribing to Buddhism. Koans are …

A lame duck session is conducted after election of new members but before they are installed. Hence, in such a session participants vote for the last time as elected officials because of their failure to get re-elected or because they are retiring voluntarily. In the US, it is a term for a person or legislature that continues to hold office …

It seems such a shame to talk about hate on a day of love. Nevertheless, a hate date is one in which a man dates a woman with the express intention of cheating on her just to feel good about himself. Seems a rather despicable way to boost one’s ego, but apparently it’s quite the done thing among misogynists and …

A greenshank is a little bird with a long beak and olive-green legs – a member of a group of birds known as sandpipers. The greenshank breeds in Scotland, Norway, Sweden and Finland. It builds its nest on the ground, being content usually to settle in a small hollow, lined with heather or dry grass. The eggs are pale buff …

A green collar job involves working to better the environment, and is created by firms and organizations whose mission is to improve environmental quality. Work could include policies related to waste, energy and water conservation, solar energy, whole home performance and strengthening local food systems. These jobs are generated by sectors that produce goods which may need a green angle, …

A golden parachute is a lucrative contract given to top executives in the event of the company being taken over by another corporation, resulting in job losses. The contract usually includes a large severance pay, stock options and a bonus. Golden parachutes are usually a part of an anti-takeover strategy.

It’s a mutual fund that invests in highly risky but potentially rewarding stocks. During the 1960s, many go-go funds shot up in value, only to fall dramatically. In some cases, they even went out of business.

A ghost word is one that has entered the language through the perpetuation of an error. It is a term invented by lexicographer W W Skeat in 1886 to denote words that are not real words. Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable revised by Adrian Room describes ghost words as “spurious terms, the result of errors made by authors, typists, …

A gazebo is a pavilion structure, often octagonal, commonly found in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are generally freestanding at the open space, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, basic shelter, ornamental features in a landscape and a place to rest.

Fossils are the remains, moulds, traces or impressions of prehistoric animals and plants found in the ground. The word comes from the Latin fodere, meaning ‘to dig’, and originally meant any old, curious object dug out of the earth. But since about the middle of the 16th century, fossils have been regarded specifically as hard objects showing evidence of earlier …