Make Your Point > Archived Issues > BROAD-BRUSH

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connect today's word to others: Today's broad-brush comes from the idiom "to paint something with a broad brush," meaning to describe something in vague or general terms, especially to stereotype something. And it's a pretty new word: it first showed up in print in 1967. Could you recall another term that originated in the 1960s? It starts with K, and it means "anything that works effectively but is put together in a sloppy and complicated way." make your point with... "BROAD-BRUSH" Broad-brush things remind you of the stroke of a broad brush because they're overall, general, and sweeping, NOT focused and NOT detailed. Pronunciation: BROD brush 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 broad-brush thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was broad-brush.") Other forms: "Broad-brush" is also a verb, the transitive kind; it means "to have or give a big, sweeping, general view of things:" "He broad-brushed his plans for us;" "You can't broad-brush an entire culture like that." How to use it: Although some writers leave out the hyphen and write "broadbrush," I recommend sticking with the hyphen for now ("broad-brush"), since that way is more common. "Broad-brush" often has a negative tone: it can imply that people are rushing, being vague, doing a perfunctory job, or trying to solve a complex problem with a simplistic solution. Here's Nicholas Rothwell: "[The government intervention] was broad-brush and uncalibrated." But "broad-brush" can be positive, too: it can imply that people are being ambitious or comprehensive, trying to grasp or share the big picture, or trying to create new connections and new meaning. Here's Andrew Alexander Macintosh: "His teaching was broad-brush, cosmic, and sweeping." You might talk about broad-brush thinking; broad-brush plans, policies, approaches, and strategies; broad-brush efforts and attempts; broad-brush labels, descriptions, diagnoses, and generalizations; broad-brush studies and discussions; broad-brush rules and regulations; broad-brush pictures, images, representations, and indications; and so on. examples: In public schools, when students fall behind, we start with broad-brush interventions before investing time in a tailored approach. Missing from his broad-brush description of Ruby Payne's scholarship is the heavy criticism that other academics have leveled at her. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "broad-brush" means when you can explain it without saying "like an incomplete, rough outline" or "covering the main parts but not the details." try it out: Fill in the blank: "I've acquired a hazy and broad-brush understanding of _____." Example: "I've acquired a hazy and broad-brush understanding of Korean grammar." 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. This month, see if you can associate a snippet of song lyrics with a word we’ve studied before. For example, here's Dave Matthews: "Wasting time, let the hours roll by doing nothing for the fun. A little taste of the good life." Those lyrics call to mind the word LOTUS-EATING. From our previous issue:  In "December, 1963," the Four Seasons sing:   "Oh, what a night Late December, back in '63 What a very special time for me As I remember, what a night." Do those lyrics call to mind the word BRIC-A-BRAC, HARD-BITTEN, or RED-LETTER? Why? Answer: RED-LETTER. Something red-letter, like a holiday represented in red letters on a calendar, is important and memorable in a happy way. "Sweet surrender, what a night." Try this today: In "More Than Words," Extreme sings:   "More than words is all I ever needed you to show  Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me  'Cause I'd already know." Do those lyrics call to mind the word SCRUPLE, TACIT, or USURIOUS? Why? review today's word: 1. A close opposite of BROAD-BRUSH is A. METICULOUS. B. EMBRACIVE. C. RIGID. 2. The first few days of training are broad-brush, emphasizing _____. A. strength, discipline, and a sense of pride in the work to be done B. the scripts and procedures to be followed throughout a shift C. safety precautions and HIPAA regulations Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. 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. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. A