Make Your Point > Archived Issues > EVINCE

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connect today's word to others: It may have been Caesar who first said in Latin "Veni, vidi, vici:" "I came, I saw, I conquered." We're checking out the word evince today, which means "to show," "to make things easy to see." So is evince more closely related to vidi ("saw") or vici ("conquered")? The answer surprised me: vici, not vidi. Even though the word evince looks like a shortened form of the word evidence, and even though to evince something means to show it or prove it or give evidence for it, the two words are like distant relatives--they're both from Latin, but they're based on different roots. Evidence is based on videre, Latin for "to see." Evident things are plainly seen. Evidence, then, is close cousins with words like video, vision, revise, and vis__ ("a long view of something, or a long stretch of time or events"). But evince is based on vincere, "to conquer, to overcome." Originally, to evince things meant to beat them, to overcome them, and then it meant to force things via persuasion or argument. The meaning weakened, and today, to evince things means to prove them or reveal them. Still, evince is close cousins with words that suggest literal or figurative conquering, like victory, convince, evict, and vinc____ ("able to be conquered").  So, if it aids your memory to think of evince as "to be evidence for," that's cool: the similarity between the words is a convenient coincidence. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "EVINCE" To evince something is to show it, reveal it, demonstrate it, make it obvious, or make it easy to see. Pronunciation: ih VINS Part of speech: Verb, the transitive kind: "this evinces it," "a smile that evinced confidence," "her face evinced no shock." Other forms: Evinced, evincing; evincible, evincibly; evincive. (To use "evincive," add "of:" "this is evincive of that." Seriously though, why not just say "this evinces that"?) How to use it: This is a formal word. It's very useful as a more precise alternative to the overworked verb "show." Talk about one thing evincing another thing. That is, say that    a person,    an expression,    a gesture,    a statement,    an action,    or an event, etc., evinces    a fact,    a truth,    a need,    an opinion,    a mindset,    a feeling,    a desire,    a goal,    a talent,    an interest,    a quality,    a characteristic,    a relationship,    a cause,    or an effect, etc. We can also say "something evinces that something is true," or "something evinces how something really is." And, often we use the passive voice, talking about something evinced by something else. "She frowns, her nervousness evinced by her constant pacing back and forth." Here's Science Magazine: "[The extinct fish Piranhamesodon pinnatomus] apparently used its long, dagger-shaped teeth to slice into other fish...as evinced by the slashed tailfins of some victims found nearby." examples: His slow deliberate handwriting and his frequent frenzied swiping of the eraser evince a deep discomfort with the essay topic. "Ralph Breaks the Internet evinces a winsome cleverness in its lampooning of online culture today."    — Inkoo Kang, Slate, 16 November 2018 study it: Explain the meaning of "evince" without saying "display" or "indicate." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Someone, or some group) has long evinced (a desire, an intention, or an eagerness) to _____." Example: "Universal Studios has long evinced an intention to unseat Walt Disney World as the number one entertainment destination in Florida." before you review, play: Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first. Controversial Catchphrases! This month, let's consider all kinds of important, ongoing controversies in our world. I'll give you a handful of key phrases that people use when they argue over a controversial question, and you try to pinpoint what that question is. I'll be drawing these issues and phrases from ProCon.org, a fantastic resource for understanding controversial issues (and for introducing those issues to your kids). From the previous issue: People who argue "yes" say things like "school pride," "student safety," and "focused on education." People who argue "no" say things like "conformity," "extra expense," and "freedom of expression." What's the question? The question is, "Should students have to wear school uniforms?" (Explore this issue at ProCon.org.) Try this one today: People who argue "yes" say things like "discipline," "boundaries," and "moderation." People who argue "no" say things like "unsafe and violent," "inappropriate," and "physical and mental harm." What's the question? review today's word: 1. The opposite of EVINCE is A. YIELD. B. CONCEAL. C. PERSUADE. 2. He remained _____; if he had _____, he didn't evince them. A. composed .. any worries B. respectful .. combative competitors  C. forthright .. critical comments to share 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. B 2. A