Make Your Point > Archived Issues > BRASSBOUND

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connect today's word to others: Brassbound people are rigid and inflexible. They might also be h___bound, keeping a desperate grip on their own narrow opinions. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "BRASSBOUND" Of course, literally brassbound objects are bound in brass, like brassbound boxes or brassbound staircases. More generally speaking, brassbound people and things seem like they're bound (tied up or locked together) by brass (a type of metal). That is, to be brassbound is to be very hard and rigid, unable to change even a little bit. Pronunciation: BRASS bound Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "a brassbound thing" or "a brassbound person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was brassbound" or "He was brassbound.") Other forms: None. You sometimes see it hyphenated: "brass-bound," but the compound word is more common: "brassbound." How to use it: "Brassbound" is a colorful, fun-to-say alternative to "rigid," "ironclad," "uncompromising" and so on. Talk about brassbound people and personalities, brassbound opinions and ideas, brassbound processes and regulations, brassbound plans, brassbound traditions, etc. examples: From watching HGTV, you'd think there were no brassbound regulations in the world of real estate, that you could buy or sell a house with a quick phone call instead of a ream of paperwork. When it comes to how to load spoons into the dishwasher, my opinions are brassbound. I'd be an unbearable roommate. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "brassbound" means when you can explain it without saying "inflexible" or "set in your ways." try it out: Fill in the blank: "Thankfully, there's no longer a brassbound tradition dictating how we _____." Example: "Thankfully, there's no longer a brassbound tradition dictating how we plan weddings." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Our game this month is called Felicitous Names.  A felicitous name for a fictional character is a highly appropriate name, a name that fits that character so perfectly that you just know the writer picked it on purpose. This month, draw on your knowledge of both vocabulary and fiction to pick out the right name for the character described. Enjoy! From our previous issue: What's the most felicitous name for a villain who starts out being goofy and harmless, then descends deeper and deeper into cruelty: Derrick, Theodore, or Warren? Why? Answer: Warren is an increasingly dark villain in Joss Whedon’s show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And a warren is a system of deep underground tunnels where rabbits live. Try this today: Your character basically controls the world in your novel. What's the most felicitous name for him: Bernard Marx, Mustapha Mond, or Helmholtz Watson? Why? review today's word: 1. One opposite of BRASSBOUND is A. AMBITIOUS B. MALLEABLE C. PLEXIFORM 2. He's known for his brassbound _____. A. insistence on Robert's Rules of Order B. collection of witticisms C. belly laugh Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. A