CCC Synonyms-2005 Jul-Sep

CLOSE SYNONYMS OF THE WEEK

2005

July-September
(most recent first)

SEPTEMBER 26, 2005

DEPARTURE / DEVIATION

DEPARTURE(noun)— a change from the usual way of doing something; taking leave of a place (Typically neutral in connotation.)
DEPART—verb

DEVIATION(noun)—a change from normal or standard (Note that DEVIATION can have a strong negative connotation depending on context; the noun and adjective form, DEVIANT, virtually always has a negative connotation.)
DEVIATE—verb; DEVIANT—noun/adj

In other words, DEPARTURE simply has the meaning of leaving the main or common way; whereas DEVIATE can imply an element of perversion.

SAMPLE SENTENCES:

For a bit of a departure from the usual, we’ll hold next week’s meeting on Tuesday instead of Wednesday.

His deviation from the plan was regarded by some as innovative—but most of the staff considered it off-base.

Hardened criminals often exhibit many forms of deviant behavior.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2005

AVERAGE / MEDIAN / MODE

For a bit of a departure from the usual, this edition focuses on some mathematical terms commonly used in everyday publications, but often misunderstood even by native speakers.

As an example:

Given the following set of numbers: 2, 4, 9, 1, 2, 3, 7

AVERAGE (or "MEAN") = 4 (2+4+9+1+2+3+7) / 7)

MEDIAN = 3 [the first three numbers in the set (in order of value: 1, 2, 2) are less than 3, and the last three (in order of value: 4, 7, 9) are greater]

MODE = 2 (the most commonly occurring number in the set)

SEPTEMBER 12, 2005

EXHIBIT / EXHIBITION

EXHIBIT(verb/noun)—to display something; a display of related items, a document or object presented as evidence in a legal proceeding

EXHIBITION(noun)—a public showing or demonstration, often including the display of EXHIBITS

Note that it is a change in suffix that alters the meaning.

SAMPLE SENTENCES:

I saw an exhibit of early photographs of this town in the lobby of the hotel.

The ‘Impressionists in Winter’ show was one of the best art exhibitions I’ve ever attended.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2005

LABOR

For a bit of a departure from the usual, in honor of the Labor Day holiday (wherein everyone who may have been vacationing for awhile during the summer returns to work), this edition focuses on various forms of the word LABOR.

LABOR(verb/noun)—v: to physically exert oneself to work; to struggle or have difficulty doing something; n: physical work, effort (sometimes used in the plural); a class of (mid and lower level) working people and/or their representatives; a supply of workers for a job; [also: the exertion of childbirth]

Note that while people of different socio-economic stations in life may go to work, they do so in accordance with the following structural and linguistic divisions: most are laborers, some are managers, and a few are executives (in ascending order in terms of amount of remuneration and control of the workplace).

LABORER(noun)—one who labors

LABORIOUS(adj)—requiring much labor, tedious

LABORIOUSLY(adv)

LABORIOUSNESS(noun)

LABORED(adj)—accomplished with difficulty or strain

LABORITE(noun)—one who supports organized labor

LABORATORY(noun)

LABOR FORCE(noun)

LABOR UNION(noun)

LABOR-INTENSIVE (adj)

AUGUST 29, 2005

FRANK / BLUNT

FRANK(adj)—honest, candid
FRANKLY—adv; FRANKNESS—noun

BLUNT(adj)—exceedingly direct, possibly insensitive (Note that BLUNT has the additional meaning of ‘dull’ and, as a verb, ‘to make dull or to deaden’.)
BLUNTLY—adv; BLUNTNESS—noun

Note that both words have the meaning of DIRECT or FORTHRIGHT; however BLUNT has a somewhat negative connotation, whereas FRANK has a rather positive connotation.

Related synonyms:

CANDID
DIRECT
FORTHRIGHT
STRAIGHTFORWARD

SAMPLE SENTENCE:

I appreciated the frankness of his assessment of my performance, but felt he needn’t have been so blunt in the way he expressed it.

AUGUST 22, 2005

ANIMALS and MEAT

For a bit of a departure from the usual, this edition focuses on the different words used to describe various animals and the meats that come from them.

It is interesting to note that the derivation of these words follows the socio-economic development of the English language in that the terms used for the various animals derive from the (originally Germanic) Old English used by the English serfs who raised and butchered them. Whereas, the terms used for the various meats prepared from those animals derive from the new French vocabulary of the occupying Norman nobility (having conquered the British Isles in 1066) who dined on them.

ENGLISH FRENCH

COW / CATTLE BEEF

CALF VEAL

PIG PORK

SHEEP MUTTON

DEER VENISON

(CHICKEN) (POULTRY)

AUGUST 15, 2005

UN-AMERICAN / NON-AMERICAN

UN-AMERICAN(adj)—not conforming to ideals or practices associated with the American way of life: strong negative connotation of disloyalty or treason

NON-AMERICAN(adj)—not American: neutral connotation

Note that these words, with different negative prefixes, have very different applications due to connotation.

SAMPLE SENTENCES:

In the mid-20th century, a congressional committee, the House Un-American Activities Committee, was (and is now) widely regarded as an anti-democratic witch-hunt and a shameful episode in U.S. history.

American governmental agencies are supporting changes in the program. However, several non-American governmental agencies have stated they will not support the changes.

AUGUST 8, 2005

WET WEATHER

For a bit of a departure from the usual, this edition focuses on various descriptions of wet weather (all terms function as both nouns and verbs, in order of increasing wetness and severity—freezing at the end).

MIST—light and superficial moisture (adj: misty)

DRIZZLE—light RAIN, enough to make things somewhat wet (adj: drizzly)

SHOWER(S)—brief, and typically rather light, RAIN (often used in the plural)

RAIN—water vapor condensing and falling from clouds in drops (adj: rainy)

DOWNPOUR—heavy and typically sustained RAIN (verb: pour, as in ‘It is pouring.’)

STORM—heavy RAIN (SNOW or HAIL) accompanied by wind (adj: stormy)

THUNDERSTORM—rainstorm typically accompanied by lightning and thunder

‘RAINING CATS AND DOGS’—idiomatic expression more colorful than DOWNPOUR, as in ‘It’s raining cats and dogs.’)

SLEET—frozen or partially frozen RAINDROPS (adj: icy)

HAIL—hardened snow that falls like RAIN (harder than SLEET)

SNOW—water vapor frozen into flakey ice crystals (adj: snowy)

AUGUST 1, 2005

APPROBATION / OPPROBRIUM

This edition focuses on some CLOSE HOMONYMS: words that are the same or similar in sound but not necessarily the same in meaning.

APPROBATION(noun)—approval

OPPROBRIUM(noun)—contempt

Note that both of these words are rather abstract and tend to be used in more formal or academic (particularly social science) contexts.

SAMPLE SENTENCES:

In both traditional and modern societies, the approbation of one’s peers is regarded as important and desirable.

Certain crimes, such as child abuse, elicit more social opprobrium than others, such as petty theft.

JULY 25, 2005

INGENIOUS / INGENUOUS

This edition focuses on some CLOSE HOMONYMS: words that are the same or similar in sound but not necessarily the same in meaning.

INGENIOUS(adj)—clever and imaginative
INGENIOUSLY—adv; INGENUITY—noun

INGENUOUS(adj)—without cunning or experience of the world
INGENUOUSLY—adv; INGENUOUSNESS—noun

Note that it is a change in the spelling of one letter that alters the meaning.

Related word:

INGENUE (noun)

SAMPLE SENTENCES:

It was the kind of ingenious design only a truly innovative mind could come up with.

Once you get to know her, you’ll see she’s not as ingenuous as she appears, but is in fact rather calculating.

JULY 18, 2005

COMPREHENSIVE / COMPREHENSIBLE

This edition focuses on some CLOSE HOMONYMS: words that are the same or similar in sound but not necessarily the same in meaning.

COMPREHENSIVE(adj)—including a great many things or aspects
COMPREHENSIVELY—adv

COMPREHENSIBLE(adj)—able to be understood
COMPREHENSIBLY—adv; COMPREHENSION—noun, COMPREHENSIBILITY—noun; COMPREHEND—verb

Note that it is a change in suffix that alters the meaning.

SAMPLE SENTENCES:

The scope of his report was quite comprehensive, including everything I wanted to know.

His command of the language is very limited and most of what he said was unfortunately incomprehensible.

JULY 11, 2005

TRY (verb)

The following is an example of a single word having more than one distinct usage, such as to constitute multiple meanings within itself.

TRY 1—to attempt (in this case TRY is also used as a noun); to test

TRY 2—to tax the patience of, to subject someone (or something) to strain
TRYING—adj

(Note that TRY can also mean to hear a case in a court of law.)

SAMPLE SENTENCE:

As a teacher friend once jokingly said about a student of his who was sincere but lazy: “She is trying (1), very trying (2).”

JULY 4, 2005

FORMS OF RULE

For a bit of a departure from the usual, in recognition of the current holiday, this edition focuses on various forms of political rulership.

oligarchy—rule by an elite few
plutocracy—rule by the rich
aristocracy—rule by ‘nobility’
monarchy—rule by ‘royalty’
theocracy—rule in accordance with a religious doctrine
dictatorship—rule by a demagogue (one who rules by means of lying to, manipulating and terrorizing the populace)
democracy—rule by the majority

Related forms:

technocracy—rule by social science and engineering technicians
meritocracy—rule by those of merit
anarchy—no (hierarchical) rule

Slang forms:

mobocracy—rule by the mob
kleptocracy—rule by corrupt (kleptomaniac) officials