10 FASCINATING FOSSIL WORDS WE REALLY USE! || ADVANCED ENGLISH VOCABULARY C1/C2 WORDS

In this video, you will learn 10 useful and common English fossil words. This is advanced English vocabulary (C1/C2)
Not only are these words fascinating because they would have disappeared decades ago if they weren't used in common English idioms, but they are also extremely useful because they are used in real everyday modern English.
➡️ Give yourself the best chance possible of passing your Cambridge English exam. Check out my complete online B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency Cambridge English exam preparation courses... ttp-exam-academy-ben.thinkifi...
FREE Advanced Vocabulary Flash Cards! (revise words and phrases from my videos): subscribepage.io/advancedflas...
Now... don't run amok! 😀
Ben Gill
English teacher
Website: ttpenglish.com/
Instagram: to_the_point_English
Facebook page: Ben Gill English to the Point
0:00 What are fossil words?
1:06 Ado
2:08 Shebang
3:06 Bated
4:01 Fettle
4:39 Amok
5.23 Beck
6:33 Offing
7:19 Desserts
9:06 Umbrage
9:57 Loggerheads
10:51 Amy
#advancedenglishvocabulary #advancedvocabulary #advancedenglish #fossilwords #advancedenglishwords #englishidioms #britishenglish #britishaccent #tothepointenglish #bengill

[@markdonovan1540]

I'd say that almost all of these are used regularly. I hadn't realised they were fossilised words, so perhaps I've become an old fossil myself...

[@marieme5454]

🤣🤣🤣

[@ismaelrosa8091]

I think you have become a fossil over the years…Today’s young generations don’t speak like that or use those “fossil words”. Maybe, if the had lived in nineteen century, who knows… Not everybody moves along together the times. Times are changin’, as Bob Dylan sang.

[@kwkw5711]

Fossil here has meaning that what was once in common usage is now just used in once specialised sense so that specialised usage is in a sense a fossil of that wider usage in older times

[@glady9784]

Mark Donovan? Are you the bully from The Inbetweeners? :D haha, love your name mate

[@camillogiorgeschi9163]

Hi Ben, I just got my C1 Advanced result ... 189 !!!! Your suggestions have been of PARAMOUNT importance !!! Thank you so much !!! 😁😁😁

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Congratulations 👏

[@giovannaquilici2194]

Che bravo! Sei italiano anche tu? Trovo utilissimi questi specifici video di Ben! In quanto tempo hai preparato il c1? Grazie

[@camillogiorgeschi9163]

@@giovannaquilici2194 Ciao, si anche io sono italiano, ho preparato il C1 in un mesetto circa di studio ma considera che ho fatto Lingue. La cosa più Importante se posso darti un consiglio è studiare bene la modalità d’esame ed esercitati con le simulazioni d’esame reali e controllare bene il tempo (tutti consigli poi che offre anche Ben 💪🏼) … Good luck 🍀🎉

[@giovannaquilici2194]

@@camillogiorgeschi9163 grazie mille, gentilissimo, ogni consiglio è ben accetto!! Comunque non mi corre dietro nessuno, lo faccio per pura passione e interesse, grazie comunque 👍👌

[@memo6032]

I'm so happy I now know my English level. I had no idea about the language grading system before my IELTS exam, and it wouldn't have ever crossed my mind, anyway, that I'm this advanced aka C1. I used to watch other English teaching videos, but they were all tremendously easy to the point of boredom or unmotivation. Your videos, on the other hand, are very challenging. I genuinely benefit and enjoy myself watching them.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

That's great!

[@katelee6139]

Thank you so much ❤ it's always great to know something new 👍

[@MinkShmink]

Very useful video. Thank you Ben for enrich our vocabulary! Since my first language is russian I could find also fossil words for your expressions. Great!

[@ermelindalombardo1477]

Thank you, such an interesting video as usual!

[@user-iz1gu6wp1q]

As always THANK YOU!

[@emiliavizireanu1230]

Always the best ! All of this is important, constructive and helpful. There is a saying: "Little but good" and this is you. Bravo my favorite teacher! ! Thank you !

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thanks, Emilia 🙂

[@bangjoeofficial]

I'm an Indonesian speaker and the word "amok" comes from Malay/Indo mengamuk which means to run around in a state of craziness. (more or less) In Malaysia and Indonesia they believe being in a state of amok or amuk means your body and mind is being control by a spirit of an evil tiger. It's one of 2 well known words that is derived from the Malay/Indo languages. The other being, ketchup... which comes from their word for a type of sauce, "kecap"

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thank you. Very interesting 👍

[@shohruxsh1786]

Hello Mr Ben! Your videos have great essence to my English speaking. Fingers crossed! 👨‍🎓😄

[@franciscopontesvelasco4315]

I find this video quite interesting and useful, thanks so much. 👏👏👏

[@moutace]

Great job, Ben.

[@miguelmelo8735]

THERE ARE MANY TEACHERS throughout The WORLD ......in The KZbin but you are my FAVOURITE TEACHER , BEN GILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thank you, Miguel. You've made day 🙂

[@franciscojose6496]

Tank you for your information ilumination teacher

[@phuongdinh7287]

thank you Ben

[@DVDY-ih8wi]

Very useful indeed! THX Ben!

[@cabdiwalikadiye8762]

Hi Ben your videos helped me more, i have watched you videos with bated breath & i wish we could understand in the offing due to our brainstorming may God rewards you your whole shebang you provide us.

[@muiragusgrian]

Excellent video!

[@dariuszkrupinski4996]

Hello, Mr. Ben. This video is quite interesting. I'm looking forward for more videos.

[@Thaispla]

I can hear you so clearly 🙂 love how you talk

[@francomarini560]

Great video, Ben! I already knew 'ado' from Shakespeare's play Much Ado about Nothing and the expression ' Take Umbrage' Cheers!

[@enoruevbuomwan6540]

Thanks for sharing the fossil words expressions.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome 🙂

[@cyruschang1904]

In addition to "without further ado", the phrase "much ado about nothing" is still quite alive and in use today "to desert" is a verb in modern use, which means "to abandon" 😃

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

'Much ado about nothing' is quite old fashioned.

[@cyruschang1904]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. It is more like a citation. For example, a colleague may explain to us about someone making a fuss about something trivial, instead of saying " I think he overreacted ", we just say " much ado about nothing". It is understood and funny.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

👍

[@user-mq3um5iu2q]

​@@tothepointenglishwithben. "Much Ado About Nothing" is a famous play by Shakespeare. Like Cyrus Chang says, if you're gossiping about a fuss that a third party has made, you might wryly say that it is, "much ado about nothing" to your friend. "To desert" is very commonly used when talking about the military: a soldier may "desert" his post. Edit: removed comma

[@timotheelegrincheux2204]

Much Ado About Nothing is a play by Shakespeare from around 1598.

[@cathyheckman7415]

Thank you! Very interesting.

[@ftm1953]

Excellent lesson, Ben. Thanks.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome 🙂

[@programmingfortheweb]

Nice to hear some of the older expressions. *"Fettle"* is still used in dialect, mainly Geordie, Pitmatic, Northumbrian and Eastern Cumbrian, and is a verb. As a verb it means _to make something._ It's also used as a greeting _"How's tha' fettle"_ to which the answer is usually _"Fair to middlin'"._

[@victororlandocuautlehernan5384]

Hi teacher! I like so much your videos! Thanks for teaching us your knowledges. Regards

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome 🙂

[@mariazomborszky6265]

Hi Ben, of late, I never miss your lessons. I like the elegance you put into them and so we are able to pick up the fine details from them and actually I love the whole shebangCheers.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

😃 Thanks, Maria! Excellent use of shebang!

[@risatedarte5366]

O didn't know these words. Thank you for sharing

[@inezgraer5482]

Thank you! This was fun.....glad to have found your site. Will go back and view the previous episodes and look forward to the next one.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Great 👍

[@alexolegov7457]

Ben, you make great examples !💪👍

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

👍

[@MrSupervivencia]

Ben, I just wanted to say to you that your videos have been very useful, especially those talking about useful vocabulary like this one and those about tips for the speaking part of the test. I just passed my C1 exam, so thank you very much, keep doing this amazing work!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thanks Luis! Glad you find the videos useful 🙂

[@lerg8557]

Each aspect of your content is exceptional: video editing, presentation, explanation, atmosphere... the whole shebang! After watching one of your videos for the very first time, I followed you without any further ado. I anxiously bated breath waiting for the admission process results to be released. It is in offing! My grandmom turned her seventies yesterday: she is not that healthy and young, but she is in comparatively fine fettle.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Very good!

[@injujuan8993]

I wish I had as excellent command of English as you do, Ler G! Great examples 👍👍👍🌷☀️🍀

[@user-hd3tq9ef6m]

Thanks a lot

[@deeptiverma2032]

These are fossils that make soil lively . They help the soil to rejuvenate and produce a new life . Similarly beauty of English literature lies in these fossil (radicle for me ) words . Great words !

[@jadegd9650]

Hi Ben ! Can you make a video or just explain to me the difference between that/this, those/these. I've already got a lot of explanations but I feel like that it is much more complicated than just "if the thing is far you say that" :) Thank you!

[@sureshveeraraghavan5963]

It was very helpful, Ben. And, the examples made the usage very clear. Thank you

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome 🙂

[@Sumuelelinsanito]

Wow! Really interesting info. Thanks a lot!!!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome 🙂

[@sunshine-vj6ln]

Thanks a lot for your useful videos!👏👍🙏🌹

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome 🙂

[@AlineWelch]

I really like that! I'll watch it again writing down on my notebook ☺️ Thanks, Ben!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

😃👍

[@zlataplakhtiy7417]

Hi Ben! Thank you for video! Can you please make a video about maths (different mathematical signs and operations)

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

I'll look into it 👍

[@deigamohamed707]

Thank you. I learned alot ❤

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

I'm glad 🙂

[@meeyeeyu7706]

In praise gratitude and compassion

[@fabriciogarcia3196]

I really enjoy this lesson i love it the fossil word .you rock

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

🤘

[@agahoktayacar5616]

Thanks a lot🤚These words which you've taught us will be efficent largely. Sometimes i couldn't understand the film or video which i watch. They seem beneficial

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

👍

[@sorana6831]

Thanks

[@factorylad5071]

FAINT lines FAINT heartbeats FAINT everything Ben.

[@cheburapin]

Thanks! I heard only the first expression. Really helpful video 😃

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

👍

[@petelobl]

Nice difference between British & US English is the phrase “at weekends”. US speakers would never use this, it’d be “on weekends”. Interesting video - thank you!

[@Crisguig]

Have never heard about fossil words, have just discovered you and I am delighted, trying to catch up. Thanks for your videos.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome 🙂

[@soniamayrink3295]

Just loved this video. Without too much ado you taught us a lot of good vocab. I call this, TEACHING.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

👍

[@soniamayrink3295]

Sir, is that sentence correct?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Yes

[@nabilel-adly7871]

My God. These were really surprising and useful. I knew 3 or 4 but some others blew my mind. Especially "just deserts". Thank you . I was so impressed I subscribed

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Welcome 🙂

[@marconatrix]

"'Bated" is short for "abated". To abate is to die down, to cease, as in "He waited for the uproar to abate before he spoke".

[@giovannaquilici2194]

I didn't know any of them, but all the explanations you did were so clear that I can try to go over them thank you, another useful tip for c1 exam!!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome 🙂

[@jesussanchezherrero5659]

Great video. Please keep it up

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

I will. Thanks 👍

[@michaelbooth2890]

Ado is also used in another expression "much ado about nothing." It has the same meaning though as in a lot of fuss about nothing.

[@Thomas-qf6bf]

“At my beck and call” I heard this phrase years ago in the movie “Pretty Woman”. I believe that’s what Julia Robert’s character, Vivienne, was telling Richard Gere’s character. That was almost 30 years ago:). Great class! Many thanks!❤️

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Good memory 🙂

[@annamiller9153]

I 'came across' your YT channel yesterday and straight away I subscribed it, shared it, and I absolutely loved IT

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

😃 Great!

[@timotheelegrincheux2204]

To answer your question at the end, I do indeed share your fascination with fossil words. I had never heard of this term before, but as a native speaker of American English (despite my name) I knew the whole expression in each of the ten cases as the word flashed on the screen, but I was unaware of the origin. Please give us more fossil words, without further ado.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

😀 I'll prepare another video on fossil words soon! (Although, I'm not at your beck and call, you know 😆)

[@jimaanders7527]

This is very interesting! I'm from Texas. I know all these words and use many of them but I hadn't thought about their use being limited to only a few phrases. You left out my number one most despised word in English: RAZE as in "RAZE to the ground". This word (at least around here) is pronounced the same as RAISE which is essentially the opposite meaning. I advocate deleting "raze" from English. Maybe there's a difference between British and American English: In your expression: " The CEO expects his assistant to be at his beck and call even AT weekends." I would say: "...even ON weekends." Excellent video. I'm looking forward to more with bated breath 🙂.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Yes, in British English we say AT the weekend. 👍

[@user-se4lv6mf3p]

fossil wordsかぁ～面白いね

[@zeynepozcelebi8462]

I cannot like this video enough hahah :D Love your advanced explanation about vocabs

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Glad you liked the video 🙂

[@frances6827]

Most I never heard of, used by me or anyone. Only the first two were commonly heard. "Desert" I thought was like the Sahara or to abandon, only.

[@dereniaaa8311]

As always , the best lesson, the most useful information ! Hello from Ukraine ✨

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thanks. 🇺🇦❤️

[@frankhooper7871]

The one that came to my mind before watching was "fro" as in "the pendulum swung to and fro".

[@marcomoschitti5341]

hi ben, i would wonder if i could use these words in a cambridge exam, even if the answer is prolly not, but i want to make sure about this

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

It really depends on the task

[@Poehee77]

To the point English with Ben = English with Ben without further ado😁

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

😃

[@Samtasticlife37]

So, I have always understood the phrase to be said: Under your beckon call.... not beck and call... they sound very similar so there is that... I'll listen closer the next time I hear someone use the phrase... thank you. I did enjoy the entire list, but offing was very interesting to learn.

[@teresalorenzini1241]

Ben, you know, as soon as I watched this video, I found the expression with "Beck" in a book about the life of a medieval queen.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Ha! That's great 😃

[@user-pc2uv9pt9b]

Thank you teacher Ben I have learnt so many words from your channel so far,you are so skillful teacher may God bless you

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

I'm glad my videos are useful 🙂

[@1965dsk]

Sir Please clarify whether "IN FINE FETTLE." & " AS FIT AS A FIDDLE " are same or different ?

[@c.s.2523]

Much ado about nothing📚 Beautiful english literature❤

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Indeed 👍

[@thomaswhite6866]

There are also the expressions “ comes into the offing / enters the offing” which mean appear or present as a possibility. Example - I will let you know of the possible date of our next meeting when one comes into the offing. Perhaps this word is not as “fossilised” as you suggested. How about a similar presentation about “resurrected” words, or words which have taken on new meanings.

[@roberto1697]

The word shebang got a new lease on life by computing. It's the name of the character sequence #! which is commonly put in the first line of a computer script, followed by the location of the program that should be used to execute the instructions below it.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Interesting. I didn't know that 👍

[@user-dn1bl6hz8o]

Thanks a lot for the interesting Video ! Kate-Well, without further ado I’ll tell you everything : Ann- Ann waited for the story/news with bated breath. Kate-The party seemed to be a great success, lovely decorations, delicious food, music the whole shebang…,but suddenly one of the guests, John, began to run amok. He cried violently and broke glasses…then he got his just deserts and was taken out by the club guards. A-It seems Tom is not at the director’s beck and call any longer. B-Maybe, Tom has taken umbrage at his remarks. A-If so, some staff changes will be in the offing.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Excellent examples!

[@user-dn1bl6hz8o]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. Thanks a lot ! I tried my best to ,,squeeze'' several fossil words into my example sentences. Thanks once again !

[@marcelo1756]

Can I use all those words in a formal writing?

[@ritagreco3359]

It pains me a little to think that these words, once used as expressions of sentiment, are now forgotten, or little used or considered fossil words 😢. I liked it and still like it so much to repeat "much ado about nothing" 😅but I'm glad (very glad) to have learned that I'm in fine fettle despite my age and that I never, ever will take umbrage at your suggestions 😅😅ciao ciao

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

It makes me think of all the words that didn't survive! 😏

[@kwkw5711]

Glad to hear you are in fine fettle despite your age!

[@ritagreco3359]

@@kwkw5711 👍😊

[@alexclement7221]

I'm an American, and I've never heard the word "fettle" used by anybody other than an English person. Perhaps it's become obsolete in American standard English? And as for 'loggerheads', in American English (especially in New England coastal dialects), a loggerhead is a thick wooden bollard used to tie a boat up to a pier. How this meaning could be associated with "being at loggerheads", I'm not certain.

[@Cor6196]

It might depend on your age or where you live in the US. I’ve lived in or near Boston all my life, and “He’s in fine fettle” is a phrase I grew up with, but I don’t think I hear it anymore.👍

[@soniamayrink3295]

Hope they never, ever do. Love them.

[@aram5642]

Yes, I do! Esp the beck and call may come in handy! Also, will I sound like a fossil man if I use ado by quoting the famous title? "...and, inagine, she made an argument out of it! Much ado about nothing!"

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

We don't really use that as an expression in real English

[@erminiafedeli4173]

“Hoist with his own petard”: I heard this phrase a couple of times on the radio 😃

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Yes! 'Petard' is also a fossil word 👍

[@teresalorenzini1241]

Ben, just a clarification : "The whole shebang" is the same as the "full monty"?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Yes, in many contexts

[@MrRwilczek]

So is it 'to take no umbrage' or 'not to take umbrage' if you want to negate the expression?

[@risatedarte5366]

Ado Is the same of "Much ado about nothing" ?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Yes. The Shakespeare play

[@lucias1276]

These are used in which context?

[@michiiinacht]

In german to run amok means to be mentally confused and shooting guns with the intention to kill people. I don't think I will use it in english for that reason but it's interesting to know 😁

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

😳

[@licausa]

5:00 don't ever say that in German haha, the literal German translation is "Amok laufen", it means "to massacre" [Der Amoklauf (n) = (mass) shooting/massacre], well but I think you could say it in a very informal and joking way to a friend, but it would definitely sound macabre😂

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

😬

[@LCCVR1975]

Is "in the offing" the same as "just around the corner"?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

No. 'In the offing' means 'LIKELY to happen soon'. 'Just around the corner' means 'happening soon'

[@teresalorenzini1241]

Take umbrage, in italian: adombrarsi same latin rooot, same meaning, languages are too fascinating!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Indeed!

[@edgarcma]

Has 'whole shebang' the same meaning of 'the whole nine'?

[@kuncororathariw4548]

Fossil word

[@teresalorenzini1241]

I mean to be at someone's beck and call.

[@martinjokes1610]

Without further ado I would like to talk business field

[@abooswalehmosafeer173]

Fossil words.

[@blackalien6873]

Fine fettle isn't an expression in America. At least I have never in my life heard it. The rest are used regularly.

[@johnlambie2369]

Not sure "amok" is a fossil word. It's a loan word from Malay/Indonesian

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

It's both 👍

[@indiraanubis]

You are smart and handsome, what a pleasure!

[@DykyKryl]

Foccil words for not an old foccils )))

[@marinafromer4711]

Yes, I do share your approach and appreciate your teaching methods. Lots of new things for me. Very grateful.

[@factorylad5071]

Wrong about fettle , verb , transitive it means , to knock the sprue off iron castings hence it is onamatapaic aswell. Another interesting word is doctor , also a verb , which was well in use at the time that doctors were known as either physicians or surgeons but not doctors. The meaning of the word is to modify the surface and properties of metal by plating using the metal's own electrical nature.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Wrong about fettle? In what way?

[@kwkw5711]

I think he was saying fettle is still used in other ways than the phrase 'in fine fettle'. In steel making it is used as a technical term also fettle used in sense the to fix/tinker with something. I suppose that usage might be dialect.

[@factorylad5071]

@@kwkw5711 thank you

[@factorylad5071]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. With no disrespect I am pointing out you are misinformed about the origin meaning, and part of speech. Fettle does not mean health that is a misuse not a fossil and you should have pointed that out to your audience but I am not clear about whether that maybe people with broken English or people who already know a slight amount of English? My favourite fossil word , if it turns out to be that , is smuggler in direct comparison to the Dutch word _Schmuklaar_

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

With all due respect, it appears you don't know what a fossil word is. 'Smuggler' is definitely not one

[@manhdinhtran6416]

- without further/more ado ​(old-fashioned) without delaying; immediately We set to work without further ado - the whole shebang ​(informal) the whole thing; everything - with bated breath (C2) ​(formal) feeling very anxious or excited We waited with bated breath for the winner to be announced. - in fine/good fettle ​(old-fashioned, informal) healthy; in good condition The team is in fine fettle. - run amok do sth in an uncontrolled manner Some drunken students had run amok in the college car park. - at somebody’s beck and call ​always ready to obey somebody’s orders She is constantly at the beck and call of her invalid father. - in the offing ​(informal) likely to appear or happen soon I hear there are more staff changes in the offing. - somebody’s (just) deserts ​what somebody deserves, especially when it is something bad The family of the victim said that the killer had got his just deserts when he was jailed for life. - take umbrage (at something) ​(formal or humorous) to feel offended, hurt or upset by something, often without a good reason SYNONYM offence (2) He took umbrage at her remarks. - Idioms at loggerheads (with somebody) (over something) (C2) ​in strong disagreement The two governments are still at loggerheads over the island.