Monday, December 31, 2012

Metonymy


Metonymy denotes a word/phrase that is used as a substitute for another word, with which it is closely associated.

Crown –a person of royal blood.
Dish –plate of food.
Pen – written word.
Hollywood –US movie industry.  

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Litotes


Litotes denotes a figure of speech that consists of an understatement in which the affirmative is expressed by negating its contrary.

You will not regret getting involved in this business.
He is not a bad actor.  

Friday, December 28, 2012

Quantifiers


Quantifier is a word/phrase that provides information about the quantity/amount of something.

Ex: much, a bit, a large amount of, a great deal of, few, some, all, enough, lots of, several, plenty, not much, etc.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Epizeuxis


Epizeuxis (also known as Palilogia) refers to the repetition of a word or phrase (usually with no words in between) to emphasize something.

Those two businessmen always have just one thing on their minds: money, money, money!
Study, study, study! I am fed up of this word. Everyone says the same thing.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Idiom


Idiom refers to a word, phrase or an expression whose collective meaning differs from their individual (words) meaning.

Flash in the pan
Meaning: Short-lived success; promises much, but fails to deliver.
Ex.: Tom got an A+ grade, which was not just a flash in the pan.

Finding your feet
Meaning: Becoming familiar with a new situation, gaining confidence in a new scenario.
Ex.: Paul is yet to find his feet in the entertainment industry.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Idiom


Idiom refers to a word, phrase or an expression whose collective meaning differs from their individual (words) meaning.

Give it a shot
Meaning: To make an attempt, try.
Ex.: If you really want to set up your own business, give it a shot.

A dead end
Meaning: End of something, point beyond which no progress is possible.
Ex.: The cops got many leads, but they all led to a dead end.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Idiom


Idiom refers to a word, phrase or an expression whose collective meaning differs from their individual (words) meaning.

Drag one’s feet
Meaning: Make unnecessary delay in doing or completing something.
Ex.: The CEO was dragging his feet on the workers’ bonus issue.

Pull someone’s leg
Meaning: To tease, make a fool, or trick someone.
Ex.: Do you really want to help me or are you just pulling my leg?

Friday, December 21, 2012

Idiom


Idiom refers to a word, phrase or an expression whose collective meaning differs from their individual (words) meaning.

No stone unturned
Meaning: Make every possible effort, try all options.
Ex.: The cops left no stone unturned to catch hold of the crooks.

By hook or by crook
Meaning: By any means, using any way: right or wrong.
Ex.: Harry wanted that contract by hook or by crook.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Idiom


Idiom refers to a word, phrase or an expression whose collective meaning differs from their individual (words) meaning.

Turn over a new leaf
Meaning: To change for the better, try to improve, give up bad habits, etc.
Ex.: After his bullish behavior landed him in serious trouble with the cops, Tom turned over a new leaf.

Wild goose chase
Meaning: fruitless search or pursuit, unsuccessful search, etc.
Ex.: The robbers made the cops to go on a wild goose chase.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Idiom


Idiom refers to a word, phrase or an expression whose collective meaning differs from their individual (words) meaning.

Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Something that occurs very rarely.
Ex.: Since my friend went abroad, we talk only once in a blue moon.

Add fuel to the fire
Meaning: To make a situation much worse than what it originally was.
Ex.: The Principal’s indifferent attitude towards the students’ grievances added fuel to the fire.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Chiasmus


Chiasmus refers to a figure of speech in which words/phrases are sequenced in the reverse order, i.e., it denotes inverted parallelism.

         ·          Winners never quit; quitters never win.
         ·         “Men do not quit playing because they grow old;
           they grow old because they quit playing.” (Oliver Wendell Holmes)
         ·         Control your anger before your anger controls you.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Confused Nouns


Habit and Custom

Rule: Habit pertains to individuals; Custom refers to society as a whole.

Incorrect Usage: (a) Abusing others is a very bad custom.
                                (b) Indian marriages involve a lot of habits.

Correct Usage: (a) Abusing others is a very bad habit.
                             (b) Indian marriages involve a lot of customs.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Commonly Used Foreign Terms


Adieu (French): Farewell, goodbye.
Sans (French): Without, absent, minus.
In situ (Latin): In the same place, original position.
Ex gratia (Latin): Doing a favour morally, not compelled to do it legally.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Commonly Used Foreign Terms


Ad hoc (Latin): Arranged, done or dealing with a particular/specific purpose.
Per se (Latin): By itself, oneself or themselves.
Bon voyage (French): Farewell wishes for having a good trip or journey.
Modus operandi (Latin): A particular way of doing something, operating or functioning.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Double Negative


Double negative refers to a clause in which two negatives are used instead of one to give emphasis.

Incorrect Usage: The audience could not barely hear the speech.
Correct Usage: “The audience could barely hear the speech” or “The audience could not hear the speech”.

Incorrect Usage: He does not know nothing about this deal.
Correct Usage: “He does not know about this deal” or “He knows nothing about this deal”.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Hyperbole


Hyperbole is a figure of speech, which makes use of exaggeration to emphasize something or make a strong impression.

We nearly died laughing at the clown’s antics.
I called him a thousand times.
Tom has got tons and tons of money.
It’s raining cats and dogs.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Hyperbole


Hyperbole is a figure of speech, which makes use of exaggeration to emphasize something or make a strong impression.

My school bag weighs a ton.
It took him ages to cross the crowded street.
I have told you a million times not to be so careless.
She has hundreds of dresses, but, still wants more.
I was so tired that I could sleep for a year.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Phonestheme


Phonestheme refers to a particular sound or its sequence, which implies a certain meaning.

sn-phonestheme is usually related to the nose.
Examples: Snort, Snuff, Sniff, Sneeze, Snoop, etc.

sl-phonestheme suggests slipperiness.
Examples: Slide, Slime, Sludge, Slip, etc.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Phonestheme


Phonestheme refers to a particular sound or its sequence, which implies a certain meaning.

gl-phonestheme is related to reflection, vision, or light.
Examples: Glare, Glaze, Glitter, Glisten, Glimmer, etc.

fl-phonestheme is related to movement.
Examples: Flight, Flurry, Flow, Flock, Float, Flash, etc.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Simile


Simile is a figure of speech in which a comparison is made between two things to emphasize the description. Usually ‘like’ and ‘as’ are used for this purpose.

He is as poor as a church mouse.
She is as busy as a bee.
Tom is as brave as a lion.
She performed like a professional artiste.
He slept like a log.
They treated him like an alien.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Anagram


Anagram is a word/phrase that is made up of the same letters as another word/phrase.

           ·         Rite – Tier – Tire
           ·         Part – Trap
           ·         Conversationalists – Conservationalists
           ·         Team – Tame – Mate – Meat
           ·         Nest – Sent – Tens – Nets
           ·         Won – Now – Own

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Anagram


Anagram is a word/phrase that is made up of the same letters as another word/phrase.
          ·         Alert – Alter – Later
          ·         Expect – Except
          ·         Lump – Plum
          ·         Hustle – Sleuth
          ·         Limped – Dimple
          ·         Below – Bowel – Elbow
          ·         Demo – Dome – Mode
          ·         Evil – Veil – Vile – Live
          ·         Opt – Pot – Top
          ·         Star – Arts – Rats – Tars

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Palindrome


Palindrome is a word or phrase that reads the same (forward or backward).

Words: Madam, peep, bib, radar, refer, rotator, kayak, deed, reviver, nun, stats, etc.
Phrases: Don’t nod; race car; no lemon, no melon; never odd or even; Madam I’m Adam, etc. 

Monday, December 3, 2012

Oxymoron


Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms are combined.

Climb down: Jack climbed down the ladder in a jiffy.
Seriously funny: The clown’s antics were seriously funny.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Oxymoron


Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms are combined.

Small crowd: A small crowd had gathered to watch the rescue operation.
Original copy: I forgot where I had kept the original copy of the legal documents.