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When I shared the word obviate, several readers replied to say, basically, "What?! I thought obviate meant to make something obvious."
Nope. But today's denote does mean to make something obvious.
What about obviate? Could you recall what it really does mean? Bonus points if you can explain why it looks so much like obvious. You can check out the explanation on that page, under the heading "Meaning."
make your point with...
"DENOTE"
When a thing denotes something, it's indicating it, symbolizing it, or making it obvious.
In other words, to denote something is to make it known, to stand for it as a symbol, or to be the obvious sign of it.
Pronunciation:
dih NOTE (or "dee NOTE")
Part of speech:
Transitive verb.
(Like "eat," "try," and "want," all transitive verbs do something to an object.
You eat a banana, try a game, and want a new phone.
Likewise, one thing denotes another thing.)
Other forms:
denoted, denoting, denotation(s)
How to use it:
To be literal, talk about a line, a letter, a word, a picture, a shape, and so on that denotes something: a line denoting the border between two properties on a map; a blue line denoting the route we should take on Google Maps; a letter H denoting a nearby hospital; an asterisk denoting that certain terms and conditions apply; a word or phrase denoting its meaning (as in "'bunny slope' denotes the easiest, smoothest hills"), and so on.
To be more figurative, talk about a symptom denoting a disease, a gesture denoting approval or disapproval, an attitude or facial expression denoting a particular emotion, a medal or ribbon or sash denoting service or status, and so on.
examples:
Though "aloha" is a greeting and a farewell, it also denotes a philosophy: a way of treating others with consideration and compassion.
Her offer to meet with us and discuss the problem denotes her willingness to solve it.
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "denote" means when you can explain it without saying "indicate" or "stand for."
try it out:
Think of your line of work, or a hobby of yours, or your school. What's a word or phrase with a special meaning there? Fill in the blanks: "'(Word or phrase)' denotes _____."
Example: "'English language learner,' or ELL, denotes someone learning English as a non-native language. It's a better term than 'English as a second language' or ESL, which denotes, often incorrectly, that these learners only know one other language."
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, we’re playing with anagrams: rearrangements of the letters in a word to form new words. (For example, “care” has two anagrams: “acre” and “race.”) Looking for these makes you a stronger player in other word games. But more importantly, it helps you practice thinking flexibly and methodically. Plus you get to giggle at potential non-words and discover new real words. We’ll work our way from shorter to longer anagrams. And at any point if you wonder why I left out a word you wanted to list, or why I included a word you think isn’t a real one, hold your fire: our authority for this game is ScrabbleWordFinder.org, which draws from a highly inclusive dictionary. Let’s play!
From yesterday: What are the 2 anagrams for RIGHTS?
Answer: GIRTHS and GRITHS. Griths are certain kinds of protections and sanctuaries.
Try this one today: What are the 2 anagrams for WATERED?
review today's word:
1. One opposite of DENOTE is
A. STOP
B. MARK
C. HIDE
2. You walk in and get assaulted by a "WELCOME TO SUBWAY" that denotes both _____.
A. sandwiches and wraps
B. customers and management
C. surliness and compliance with the employee handbook
Answers are below.
a final word:
To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, 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. C
2. C
When I shared the word obviate, several readers replied to say, basically, "What?! I thought obviate meant to make something obvious."
"DENOTE" When a thing denotes something, it's indicating it, symbolizing it, or making it obvious. Pronunciation: Part of speech:
Though "aloha" is a greeting and a farewell, it also denotes a philosophy: a way of treating others with consideration and compassion.
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "denote" means when you can explain it without saying "indicate" or "stand for."
Think of your line of work, or a hobby of yours, or your school. What's a word or phrase with a special meaning there? Fill in the blanks: "'(Word or phrase)' denotes _____."
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.
1. One opposite of DENOTE is
To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
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