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synthesis
sIn thə sihs
noun
1. the combining of discrete elements into a unified compound or entity, or the unified whole formed by such a combining. (Cf. analysis.)
Her newest work of art is a synthesis of all her techniques.
2. in chemistry, the formation of a chemical compound from simpler compounds or elements.
3. a process of reasoning by deduction from given propositions and principles.
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yield
yild
transitive verb
definition 1: to give forth or produce (a product, result, or quantity).
example: The business yielded huge profits that year.
example: This bread recipe yields two loaves.
intransitive verb
definition 1: to surrender, esp. to a pressure, force, or emotion.
example: In the end, he yielded to the temptation to place a bet.
definition 2: to give way; to move or be moved as a response to persuasion or force.
example: He begged her to reconsider, but she would not yield.
example: After much ramming, the locked door yielded.
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kod
noun
definition 1: a set of rules, laws, or regulations.
example: The knights pledged to live by a code of honor.
example: New structures must be built in accordance with the town’s building code.
definition 2: a system of symbols used for secret or privileged communications.
example: The plans for the invasion were communicated by means of a secret code.
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- flaet fU tihd
- adjective
- 1. pertaining to or having flat feet.
A lady should never waltz if she feels dizzy. It is a sign of disease of the heart, and has brought on death. Neither should she step flat-footed, and make her partner carry her round; but must do her part of the work, and dance lightly and well, or not at all. (Mrs. John M. E. W. Sherwood , Manners and Social Usages)
- 2. off one’s guard; unprepared.
Mining companies were caught flat-footed by cyber attacks.
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continuously vs. continually
Continually and Continuously. It seems that these words should have the same meaning, but in their use by good writers there is a difference. What is done continually is not done all the time, but continuous action is without interruption. A loquacious fellow, who nevertheless finds time to eat and sleep, is continually talking; but a great river flows continuously. (Ambrose Bierce, Write It Right: A Little Blacklist of Literary Faults, 1909)
It’s not a shocker that these two adjectives are frequently confused. They differ in spelling only by a letter, and they both mean, broadly speaking, “opposed to.” Digging deeper into their etymology only reveals more similarity: the same Latin verb, versare, meaning “to turn,” is at the root of both.
To keep the memorizing simple, here’s a tip:
The word “averse” always applies to a person. It describes a person’s feeling or attitude of being against or opposed to something. Examples: She was averse to violent movies. Are you averse to attending this costume party?
The word “adverse” applies to outside forces and conditions that affect people, usually in a way opposed to or harmful to people’s needs or interests. Examples: A blizzard creates adverse driving conditions. This study concludes that violent movies have an adverse effect on children.
You’ll notice, too, that “averse” is almost always used with the preposition “to.” Examples: I am not averse to change; it just takes me a while to adjust to new things.
By contrast, “adverse” usually precedes a noun that it modifies: adverse side-effects, adverse winds
Get this distinction down, and then learn the more precise meanings of these two words by looking up the dictionary entries. And, finally, if you are familiar with “aversion” and “adversity,” which are the nouns formed from “averse” and “adverse,” knowing this quartet of words will strengthen your command of all of them.
P.S. If you come up with a mnemonic device based on the extra “d” in “adverse,” let us know.
Wordsmyth offers a free school subscription for 2013-14 school year
Wordsmyth loves teachers. Teachers make up a significant portion of our user base, and developing literacy and vocabulary tools and resources that serve the needs of classrooms motivates much of what Wordsmyth is planning for the future.
Earlier this year, we introduced a paid subscription option for individual users who want the benefit of premium features. A paid educational group subscription is in the pipeline, but to allow teachers and their students to try the premium subscription features, we are offering a free educational group subscription for the 2013-14 school year. Members of a subscribed school will have access to an ad-free site with a dedicated school URL, and other premium features such as unlimited saving and sharing of activities, use of up to 50 words in activities, Spanish support, and more.
In addition, subscribed schools will also have free use of new content and tools that will become available in the next few months: the extensive Wordsmyth Word Parts (roots and affixes) reference integrated with dictionary entries, and powerful search filters that allow users to perform focused dictionary searches to more easily generate subsets of the dictionary for specific purposes.
Enrollment in the free educational group subscription is a quick, easy process. Send us a request right now, or view a list of subscription features here.
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