The Vocab Weekly

BADGER

BADGER The dictionary definitions for BADGER are as follows: 1. Any of several carnivorous burrowing mammals of the family Mustelidae, such as Melesmeles of Eurasia or Taxideataxus of North America, having short legs, long claws on the front feet, and a heavy grizzled coat. (noun) 2. To harass or pester persistently. (verb) Origin of the word Badger: Badger has a really interesting word origin story. But before we get to the story, let us have a look at badgerthe animal. This is what it looks like: How did this animal name come to be used as a verb? N the late 18th century, there was the common sport of badger-baiting in play. In this sport, dogs would be set upon badgersin an attempt to draw them from their burrows. The dogs would fight with them and eventually kill it. This harassment of innocent animals lent us the word badger. Thus, when a lawyer badgers a witness, he would force him or her into the corner till the time they agree to his version of events. Usage Examples for BADGER: 1. Lawyers are in the habit of badgering their witness. 2. Stubborn children can often badger their parents.

www.wordpandit.comApril22-April 28| Issue 28

The Vocab Weekly

DEBILITATE

Debil Debilitate Debilitate is simply to sap away ones energy and strength. A natural process that is meant to debilitate for sure is ageing, it does take away ones energy. Tip to learn Debilitate: Just equate Debilitate to: De+ability, that is someone who does not the ability to work, in other words a WEAK PERSON. The dictionary definitions for debilitate are as follows: 1. To make weak or take away the strength PLEASE NOTE: The following is an extract used for educational purposes: The BBC has been accused of acting "like a cheerleader for legalising assisted suicide", which it denies. Pratchett says: "Everybody possessed of a debilitating and incurable illness should be allowed to pick the hour of their death." Clearly, with him, the dignity of choice is paramount. However, while one has enormous sympathy for Pratchett suffering such a vile disease, the fact remains that he is a rich, powerful man and it is highly unlikely that his wishes would be ignored. With respect, euthanasia laws are not in place to protect people such as him. What of those who may have their "choice" taken away, even if they don't want to die?

www.wordpandit.comApril22-April 28| Issue 28

The Vocab Weekly

EUTHANASIA

EUTHANASIA Origin of the word EUTHANASIA: Euthanasia basically means an easy way of dying. This is at times a need of people who are suffering from extreme disease and have no chance of recovery. As a method to escape the suffering, they wish to be killed. In simple terms, this is known as Mercy Killing (to kill someone out of mercy for his condition). The dictionary definitions for EUTHANASIA are as follows: 1. The act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition, as by lethal injection or the suspension of extraordinary medical treatment (noun). 2. Painless death (noun). Masters Tip to remember EUTHANASIA: Learn this word from the syringe (as shown in the word poster). Make it the symbol of death for learning purposes. Usage Examples for EUTHANASIA: 1. However, the main reason most patients want euthanasia is not because of pain, which can often be managed these days through pharmaceuticals. - http://lawiscool.com 2. The word "euthanasia" was first used in a medical context by Francis Bacon in the 17th century, to refer to an easy, painless, happy death, during which it was a "physician's responsibility to alleviate the 'physical sufferings' of the body."- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia The Wikipedia link on euthanasia is a must read.

www.wordpandit.comApril22-April 28| Issue 28

The Vocab Weekly

GUILLOTINE

GUILLOTINE Origin of the word GUILLOTINE: The GUILLOTINE is something that was invented to replace older and harsher methods of execution but it became a terror in itself. It was in fact the device of execution during the French revolution. When the French revolution took place and the National assembly came into power, it ordered the setting up of a committee that would come up with a better method of execution and wished to replace decapitation with a sword or axe. The committee formed included Dr. Antoine Louis and Dr. Joespeh-IgnaceGuillotin as members of the committee. It is the latters name that the device guillotine borrows. The device chosen by the committee borrowed the traditional Italian and Scottish designs and added a very sharp and heavy blade to it. This blade, placed at a height, would decapitate instantly and with complete certainty. The dictionary definitions for GUILLOTINE are as follows: 1. A device for beheading a person by means of a heavy blade that is dropped between two posts serving as guides: widely used during the french Revolution. (noun) 2. An instrument for surgically removing the tonsils. (noun) 3. Any of various machines in which a vertical blade between two parallel uprights descends to cut or trim metal, stacks of paper, etc. (noun) 4. To behead by the guillotine. (verb) 5. To cut with or as if with a guillotine. (verb) Usage Examples for GUILLOTINE: 1. The guillotine of justice is something that the masses await: behead all who are corrupt. 2. The guillotine is a device to be feared: you do not want your head chopped off, do you?

www.wordpandit.comApril22-April 28| Issue 28

The Vocab Weekly

MALEDICTION

MALEDICTION Origin of the word Malediction: Malediction comes from the word root mal/malus, meaning bad, evil or harsh or harmful. Malediction is the sum of Mal and Diction. Diction means the manner in which something is expressed in words. Hence, malediction means the bad manner in which something is expressed in words. Learn a few more words from this root with the help of this root diagram: The dictionary definitions for malediction are as follows: 1. The calling down of a curse /A curse. 2. Slander Masters Tip to remember Malediction: MALEDICTION=USING BAD DICTION (in other words, using bad words) Usage Examples for Malediction: 1. The best maledictions are uttered by witches. 2. Elders say that to utter a malediction brings some upon ones own self.

www.wordpandit.comApril22-April 28| Issue 28

The Vocab Weekly

SPARSE

Sparse Sparse is word conveying a very simple sentiment: that of scarcity and shortage. For example, 1. Rain and trees are sparse in a desert. 2. Food is sparse is draught hit areas. 3. Life forms are sparse in the arctic region. 4. Time is sparse when one works in the modern day corporate world. Each of the above conveys the sentiment of shortage. The dictionary definitions for Sparse are as follows: 1. Occurring, growing, or settled at widely spaced intervals; not thick or dense. (adjective) Another word that is used in a similar way in the paragraph is iota. Iota means A tiny or scarcely detectable amount. It has another meaning: DO LOOK IT UP! PLEASE NOTE: The following is an extract from The Guardian used for educational purposes: It is over 40 years since the tiger came to tea, and two generations have now grown up on this and other Judith Kerr tales, and with the books still selling well a third is in the making. Her drawings spring from the page, and fit beautifully with sparse words which relay everything that needs to be said, and not one iota more. She launches into incredible imaginative flights: the idea of the tiger who drops by unexpectedly, and eats a family out of house and home, grew out of an idle daydream.

www.wordpandit.comApril22-April 28| Issue 28

The Vocab Weekly

TRANCHE

Tranche Tranche is a slice or a portion or a section. But what kind of a section, portion or slice is it? Lets have a look: 1. Greece needs a tranche of 12 billion euros before mid July or else it faces a meltdown in its economy. 2. The institutional tranche of the offering was four times oversubscribed and the retail tranche, accounting for 10% of the offer, was slightly oversubscribed, another person familiar with the situation said. -The Wall Street Journal: Samsonite Prices IPO at Bottom of Range 3. Yields on Portugal's government debt continue to rise despite the receipt of the first tranche of a 78 billion bailout package from the European Union and International Monetary Fund. -The Wall Street Journal: Moody's Warns on Portuguese Banks Tranche in Context: Can you now easily co-relate the meaning of tranche in the given context? In fact, in this small extract, there are a couple of words worth consideration other than tranche. The meanings of these words are listed below (kindly try to make sense of them in the given context): Afloat: Float on water. In the given case, it means not to sink. Bailout: Coming to the rescue, financially in this case.

www.wordpandit.comApril22-April 28| Issue 28

The Vocab Weekly

Work Out Zone

Work Out 1: Match the following words with their respective meanings or synonyms. Word 1 Badger 2 Debilitate 3 Euthanasia 4 Guillotine 5 Malediction 6 Sparse 7 Tranche Meaning or Synonym A Behead B Pester C Enfeeble D Imprecation E Mercy killing F Share G Meagre

Work Out 2: Did you really understand the word? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. People who badger others are a nuisance. Accidents debilitate people. Euthanasia can provide relief to those in need. Guillotines are gruesome. Maledictions should not be uttered. Children like to maintain sparse collection of toys. People like tranches of pastries. yes yes yes yes yes yes yes no no no no no no no

www.wordpandit.comApril22-April 28| Issue 28

The Vocab Weekly

Answers: Work Out Zone

Work Out 1 1-B, 2-C, 3-E, 4-A, 5-D, 6-G, 7-F Work Out 2 1-yes, 2- yes, 3-yes, 4- yes, 5-yes, 6-no, 7-yes

www.wordpandit.comApril22-April 28| Issue 28