My Science School

Petrified

As a verb, petrified has two meanings: 1. to convert into stone or a stony substance; harden or become rigid. 2. to become numb or paralysed with fear.

Origin

The word petrified has been derived from the Middle French word petrifier, dating back to 1585 and 1595. In J.K. Rowling's, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" students who look at the basilisk in the eye go into a magical state of petrification. They become immobile and unresponsive, as if they had been turned into stone.

Use in a sentence

1. I stood petrified as the menacing looking dog came up to me.

2. She's petrified of being alone in the house at night.

Picture Credit : Google

Twitch

The word twitch is used both as a verb and as a noun. The verb form corresponds to give or cause to give a short, sudden jerking or convulsive movement. The noun form, meanwhile, denotes a short, sudden jerking or convulsive movement.

Origin

The verb form of the word has been around since the late 12th Century. The word is derived from to-twic-chen, meaning "pull apart with a quick jerk," which is related to Old English twiccian meaning "to pluck, gather, catch hold of" which in turn has a Proto-Germanic root. The noun form of the word has been in existence from the 1520s.

The word, which has seen steady usage through the centuries, saw an increased usage this century. The frequency of usage has been especially pronounced in the last decade or so, nearly doubling from before. This can be attributed to the popular American video live streaming service that shares the same name.

Usage

She tried to suppress her smile but felt a twitch in the corner of her mouth.

Picture Credit : Google

Credence

Meaning:

Used as a noun, credence means belief in or acceptance of something as true: belief in the facts or testimony of another. If something gives credence to a story, it makes it easier to believe. Credence also means a small table beside the altar on which the bread and wine are kept before being consecrated.

Origin:

The term entered English in the mid-14th Century. It is borrowed from Old French credence from Medieval Latin credentia ("belief, faith"), from Latin credere meaning "to believe".

Example sentences:

I could not give credence to his account of a robbery incident on his way home, as it was April 1.

The idea might seem absurd, but it is gaining credence among some bright people.

Picture Credit : Google

Impeccable

This adjective refers to anything or anyone free from fault or blame.

Origin:

Impeccable is derived from the Latin word impeccabilis, a combination of the Latin prefix in-, meaning "not" and the verb peccare, meaning "to sin". This word said to have been used in English since the 16th Century.

Example:

Her diction was impeccable.

Picture Credit : Google

Retreat

When you hear the word retreat, do you think of an army retreating or withdrawing from enemy forces owing to their inferior power; the act of moving back or withdrawing from a place or person; or moving to a quiet, secluded space? Irrespective of what meaning popped into your head, they are all correct.

The word retreat, which has been around since the 14th Century, has come to capsulate all these and a few more meanings as well in the 700-plus years of its existence. It is derived from Old French retreat, which is from Latin retrahere meaning "drawback, withdraw, call back". Retrahere can be split into re, for "back", and trahere, for "to draw". The word retreat has been used to mean "place of seclusion" from early 15th Century.

Usage:

After a taxing few weeks, the company decided to host a retreat for its employees.

Picture Credit : Google

Anguish

The word anguish can be used both as a noun and as a verb. While the noun form of the word can be used to mean mental or physical pain or suffering, the verb form denotes being extremely distressed about something.

Origin

The noun form of the word has been in use from around 1200. It is derived from Old French anguisse, angoisse meaning "choking sensation, distress, anxiety, rage", which is from Latin angustia for "tightness, narrowness". The verb form, meanwhile, has been around since the mid 14th Century.

Even though the word has been around for centuries, its usage saw a steady decline from 1800 till around the 1950s. While its usage was steady from then till about the turn of the century, it has again seen an increase in usage since then.

Usage

The COVID-19 pandemic has left several people in anguish throughout the world.

Picture Credit : Google

Resurgence

Resurgence means an increase in activity or interest in a particular subject that's been forgotten for a while, or something rising again into prominence.

Origin

The word 'resurgence' has been derived from the Latin word 'resurgere' meaning to rise again, lift oneself, or be restored.

Examples:

1. The IPL 2021 witnessed the resurgence of Chennai Super Kings.

2. The second wave saw a resurgence in the number of people testing positive for the coronavirus.

Picture Credit : Google

Travesty

Meaning:

Travesty means a debased likeness or a cheap imitation.

Origin:

The term entered English in the mid 17th Century to mean "dressed to appear ridiculous". It has its roots in theatre and cross-dressing. Travesty originates from the French travestir and the Italian travestire meaning "to disguise" which in turn came from the Latin trans meaning "across" + vestire meaning "to clothe". Travesty today is mostly used as a noun to mean "inferior imitation".

Usage:

The building is a pathetic travesty of the original design. Their claims are a complete travesty of the truth.

Picture Credit : Google

Jugaad

The noun refers to a flexible approach to problem-solving that uses limited resources in an innovative way. It can also refer to a vehicle made from different parts of other vehicles and used for carrying people, goods, etc. that is usually open at the front and the back

Origin:

The word has Indian origins, and is used in many north Indian States and languages, including Hindi, to refer to quick solutions found through limited means and creative ideas. To put it simply, it is a "hack. The word entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 2017.

Example:

With a bit of jugaad, my tailor turned my torn shirt into a bag!

Picture Credit : Google

Gaze

Meaning:

Used as a noun and verb, "gaze" means a long look or looking intently at someone or something with curiosity, wonder or interest.

Origin:

First recorded in the late 14th Century in Middle English, gasen or gazen means "to stare, look steadily and intently." It was probably of Scandinavian origin, from a Swedish dialect gasa meaning "to gape".

Usage

1. He gazed admiringly at her when she spoke.
2. As I looked out of the car, my gaze fell on a child selling books at the traffic junction.
3. She stood gazing at herself in the mirror.

Picture Credit : Google

Pique

The word pique can be used as a noun as well as a verb. As a noun, pique means anger or irritation or resentment arising from wounded pride. When used as a verb, pique has two meanings 1) to cause to feel resentment and 2) to excite or cause interest.

Origin

Pique comes from Middle French pique to mean "a prick, sting, irritation."

Usage

1. After being denied captaincy, he left the meeting abruptly in art of pique.

2. A science camp was organised by the school to pique students' interest in ecology.

Picture Credit : Google

Sheen

The word sheen denotes smooth shine, brightness and soft lustre. While it is predominantly used for surfaces that can exhibit these qualities, it is also used in other contexts.

Origin

The first attested use of the word is from Shakespeare's "Hamlet' in 1602. It is derived from the Old English word scene, sciene meaning beautiful, bright, brilliant, which is from the Proto-Germanic skauniz, meaning conspicuous.

The word sheen is also used these days to correspond to "a film of oil on water". This usage has been around only from the 1970s.

Usage

His haughty demeanour at the end of the show took some sheen off his splendid performance.

Picture Credit : Google

Sequester

Meaning:

Sequester means to isolate, segregate, seclude, set apart or hide away. Separate and store something harmful in a way that keeps it safe from causing harm. In legal parlance, it means to confiscate or take temporary possession of a property.

Origin:

The term first appeared in English in the 14th Century. It is derived from the Late Latin sequestrare "to place in safekeeping or to handover to a trustee" from the Latin sequester "trustee."

Usage:

A forest sequesters carbon and gives out oxygen. Coal plants should be closed if they do not find a way to sequester the carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, they emit. She sequesters herself in her room to write her speech.

Picture Credit : Google

Uncanny

This word is an adjective that refers to an aspect of something that is beyond what is normal or expected. It could also point to something seeming to have a supernatural character or origin.

Origin:

It is interesting to note that uncanny in present usage is not the opposite of the word canny. Back in Scotland in the 16th Century, canny meant trustworthy, and initially uncanny was used to refer to something malicious and so, not trustworthy. But by the 18th Century, uncanny is said to have meant 'not safe to trust because of connections to the supernatural, and gradually took on its modern meaning of referring to something strange or mysterious.

Example:

My new neighbour had an uncanny resemblance to my great grandmother.

Picture Credit : Google

Have you ever come across phrases such as deafening silence or seriously funny? These words seem to contradict each other, don't they? And yet, they are not grammatically incorrect. They are deliberately used to create a striking effect, and the literary technique employed to do that is called an oxymoron.

A figure of speech, oxymoron combines words with contradictory definitions to coin a new word or phrase. An oxymoron can seem absurd yet make perfect sense at the same time. For example, words and phrases such as "virtual reality" and "bittersweet"' consist of contrasting words.

In fact, the word "oxymoron" itself is derived from the Greek words "oxys" (meaning "sharp") and "moros" (meaning "dull"). So, the word "oxymoron" is an oxymoron!

Not a paradox

Although they might sound, similar, an "oxymoron" is not the same as a "paradox." A paradox consists of a statement or a group of statements, while an oxymoron consists of two contradictory terms.

Why they are used

The words used in an oxymoron seem to negate one another. So why are they used in literature?

It's simple, they are used for dramatic effect. An oxymoron amplifies the meaning of the second word. For instance, in the phrase "absolutely unsure" the first word is putting an emphasis on the second, highlighting the degree of uncertainty. Using oxymorons also adds a dash of humour and wit to writing. They also help in expressing complex ideas and reveal deeper meanings. It makes the reader pause and think.

For example, the phrase "original copy" is a pairing of opposing words that contradict each other. If something is original, then it is not a copy. In turn, if something is a copy, then it is not original. Yet, original copy as an oxymoron commonly and figuratively means that the content of the copy is original.

Satire and Irony

Oxymorons can also be satirical or ironical. They are composed of words that are not inherently contradictory but express the opinion that the two do not go together. For example, "business ethics" or "just war".

In literature

Oxymorons have been used in literature for centuries. Here are some famous examples:

• “Romeo and Juliet” - One of the most famous lines of William Shakespeare's classic "Romeo and Juliet" is an oxymoron: "Parting is such sweet sorrow." He also used oxymorons to express Romeo's inner conflict through the contradictions of his words: "Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate! O anything, of nothing first create!"
• "Call of the Wild": Author Jack London cleverly uses oxymorons to describe the beautiful, yet brutal landscape of the Canadian Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. London describes the Aurora Borealis, which lights up the sky as "flaming coldly."
• "Don Juan": In this poem, Lord Byron uses the oxymoron "melancholy merriment" to describe the feelings and connections between sadness and joy.

Picture Credit : Google