Make Your Point > Archived Issues > GAMBIT
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pronounce
GAMBIT:
Say it "GAM bit."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
I love a good title.
Take The Queen's Gambit, the miniseries on Netflix. To me, it's a good title because, after you figure out what it means, you get to figure out what else it means. And what else.
Here are some other titles that strike me as especially good. See if you can offer two or three possible meanings for each:
1. The Stand, Stephen King's 1978 novel about a post-apocalyptic world.
2. The Revenant, Alejandro G. Iñárritu's 2015 movie about a frontiersman's survival.
3. The Luminaries, Claire McCarthy's 2020 miniseries about drama during the Gold Rush.
definition:
Our word "gambit" may have come from an Italian one meaning "a tripping up," which traces back to a Latin word meaning "leg."
In chess, a gambit is a move where the player gives up one of the pieces, usually a pawn, in order to get an advantage. (Thanks to Tim at Tactics Time, and also Mark, for helping me fine-tune this definition!)
In general, a gambit is something you say to start a conversation, or some trick or strategy that helps you get an advantage.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Noun, the countable kind: "that was her gambit," "it was an odd gambit," "one of those Hollywood marketing gambits (Salon)."
Other forms:
Just the plural, "gambits."
how to use it:
Pick the semi-common word "gambit" (instead of synonyms like "ploy," "gimmick," and "maneuver") when you want to imply that someone's move is planned and strategic, as if taking place in a game of chess.
Although a gambit is almost always a way to open something, we still often say "opening gambit." If that phrase strikes you as redundant, avoid it.
You might talk about someone's gambit, meaning the way they begin a talk, a speech, a song, a poem, a book, a movie or episode, a marketing campaign, etc.
And you might talk about some gambit impressing us, entertaining us, catching our interest, or encouraging us to buy or to trust--or failing to.
Finally, you might talk about "a gambit to accomplish something," as in "a gambit to rally support," "a gambit to drum up publicity," or "a gambit to boost ratings."
examples:
"What self-respecting genre writer can begin a book with a murder anymore? Or with the discovery of a corpse? These standard openers have been done to death... A new, improved opening gambit is an absolute must for any author who wants your attention."
— Janet Maslin, New York Times, 27 May 2015
"His most common gambit was to juxtapose a drummer's focused face and blurred hand, suggesting both mental concentration and physical commotion."
— Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 20 June 2014
has this page helped you understand "gambit"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "gambit" without saying "ploy" or "opening maneuver."
try it out:
In the Guardian, Stuart Heritage describes a Netflix reality show called "Dating Around." On a first date, one character's opening gambit is "Guess how old I am?"
Could you think of a worse opening gambit for a first date? If so, what is it? If not, talk about why the "guess-my-age" gambit is so bad.
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 February is "Piece It Together."
Use your knowledge of the given terms to define a related, ultra-rare term.
For example, you could use your knowledge of CELLULAR and MULTUM IN PARVO ("a lot in a little") to define the ultra-rare PARVOCELLULAR as "small-celled."
To see the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
Try this one today:
With a high five to Rolland for suggesting this one, use FISSURE and PARITY to define FISSIPARITY.
review this word:
A. WAR, BLITZ CHESS, and SPEED DATING.
B. CLINCHER, LAST WORD, and COUP DE GRACE.
C. ZUGZWANG, ROCK AND A HARD PLACE, and SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS.
2. A writer at Salon described a show's "_____ gambit," which might sound at first like a contradiction in terms--but makes more sense when you think of a gambit as any _____ at all.
A. first-choice .. option
B. second-best .. choice
C. last-ditch .. maneuver
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:
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.
Our word "gambit" may have come from an Italian one meaning "a tripping up," which traces back to a Latin word meaning "leg."
Part of speech:
Pick the semi-common word "gambit" (instead of synonyms like "ploy," "gimmick," and "maneuver") when you want to imply that someone's move is planned and strategic, as if taking place in a game of chess.
"What self-respecting genre writer can begin a book with a murder anymore? Or with the discovery of a corpse? These standard openers have been done to death... A new, improved opening gambit is an absolute must for any author who wants your attention."
Explain the meaning of "gambit" without saying "ploy" or "opening maneuver."
In the Guardian, Stuart Heritage describes a Netflix reality show called "Dating Around." On a first date, one character's opening gambit is "Guess how old I am?"
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.
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