Make Your Point > Archived Issues > APPRISE
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pronounce
APPRISE:
Say it "uh PRIZE."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Our word apprise (meaning "to tell, to inform, to keep updated") is close cousins with apprehensive, which we checked out recently. Which might surprise you, because their meanings are entirely different.
Both words have Latin bits meaning "to grasp: to grab hold of." But to apprise someone is to help them grasp the most recent information, while to feel apprehensive is to be grasping tightly onto your fears or worries. Not too much in common there. Just the grasping.
Also, surprise! That's another cousin of apprise and apprehensive. A surprise is, literally speaking, an overtaking: a grasping, or a seizing.
See if you can recall one more close cousin of apprise: it's _____prising, meaning "bold, creative, willing to take risks, and eager to start new projects--as if readily grasping onto challenges, adventures, and opportunities; boldly going where no man has gone before."
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
"Apprise" comes from Latin bits meaning "to take hold of." From Latin, it went through French, where it came to mean "to take hold of in the mind: to teach, to instruct." So when it came into English, "apprise" first meant "something you've learned: information, or instructions."
Over time, the meaning changed a bit. Today, when someone apprises you of something, they're telling you about it or informing you about it, as if to educate you, advise you, warn you, or keep you updated.
In other words, to apprise people of something is to officially inform them about it or update them about it.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Verb, the transitive kind: "Please apprise me of any changes." "By law, when they make arrests, police officers apprise suspects of their rights."
Other forms:
Apprised, apprising.
If you need a noun, you could use "apprisal." It sounds natural to me, since it rhymes with "reprisal," a close relative of "apprise." But very few dictionaries recognize "apprisal." Maybe your best bet is to go with a synonym instead, something like "alert," "warning," "report," "notice," or "notification."
how to use it:
"Apprise" is a common word and very formal, even cold.
We talk about people (and things) apprising other people, usually of some fact, change, situation, requirement, etc. "This letter is to apprise you of our regulations." "When working from home, keep your boss apprised of your progress." "The monitors in the terminal keep travelers apprised of arrival and departure times."
In fact, because "apprise" has such a stiff, formal, businesslike tone, it can sound funny in casual conversation. "I'm going to the bathroom." "Okey dokey, keep me apprised."
examples:
"Each day seemed hotter and drier than the day before. Though I didn't own a thermometer, Karl had kept me apprised of the temperature."
— Kirby Larson, Hattie Big Sky, 2006
"I am in my forties and have an older child in high school, and she keeps me apprised of important information like who Fifth Harmony is and what that button on my phone does."
— Mary Elizabeth Williams, Salon, 1 April 2015
has this page helped you understand "apprise"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "apprise" without saying "notify" or "inform."
try it out:
"Apprise" is such a cold word that it's perfect for sarcasm, or for putting some distance between you and your listener. Or both!
Fill in the blanks: "Dear _____: Thank you for apprising me of _____."
For example: "Dear HOA: Thank you for apprising me of the dime-sized smudge of dirt on my mailbox."
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game for this month: MYP Anagrams!
Rearrange the letters in the given word to form a word we've studied before. For example, if I give you THREAD, you give me DEARTH. To see the answer, scroll all the way down.
Try this one today:
Rearrange the letters in DENUDE to make a noun.
To peek at the clues, highlight the hidden white text below.
The definition is… the spirit, passion, or inspiration that fills an artist or musician.
The first letter is… D.
review this word:
A. UNPRICED.
B. DOWNTRODDEN.
C. KEPT IN THE DARK.
2.
If you spot the atrociously cold and wordy phrase "_____," scratch it out and write "_____."
A. is apprised of the fact that .. learns
B. in spite of the apprisal that .. although
C. by its very appearance apprises .. startles
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Our word apprise (meaning "to tell, to inform, to keep updated") is close cousins with apprehensive, which we checked out recently. Which might surprise you, because their meanings are entirely different.
"Apprise" comes from Latin bits meaning "to take hold of." From Latin, it went through French, where it came to mean "to take hold of in the mind: to teach, to instruct." So when it came into English, "apprise" first meant "something you've learned: information, or instructions."
Part of speech:
"Apprise" is a common word and very formal, even cold.
"Each day seemed hotter and drier than the day before. Though I didn't own a thermometer, Karl had kept me apprised of the temperature."
Explain the meaning of "apprise" without saying "notify" or "inform."
"Apprise" is such a cold word that it's perfect for sarcasm, or for putting some distance between you and your listener. Or both!
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |