Make Your Point > Archived Issues > GRANDEUR

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explore the archives: While something with grandeur impresses you with its beauty, greatness, or lofty style, something with éc___ impresses you with its dazzling brilliance. The two are not perfect synonyms, but they both come to English through French. So, you know, they're fancy. :) make your point with... "GRANDEUR" Something grand is great, wonderful, famous, noble, and/or magnificent. You can use "grandness" or "grandeur" as the noun, but "grandeur" has those French vowels and a fancier, more magnificent tone. Grandeur is splendor, magnificence, or greatness. Pronunciation: Many ways are correct. I prefer "GRAND yur." Part of speech: Uncountable noun. (Like "milk," "rice," and "education," uncountable nouns are words for stuff that can’t be broken into exact units. You talk about "some milk," "the rice," and "a lot of education," but you don’t say "a milk," "three rices," or "many educations." Likewise, talk about "the grandeur," "such grandeur," "much grandeur," "no grandeur," and so on, but don’t say "grandeurs.") Other forms: none How to use it: When "splendor" and "magnificence" seem too cheesy, "grandeur" often works just fine. Talk about the grandeur of something, or something's grandeur: the grandeur of a winding staircase, the grandeur of Chinese history, the city's former grandeur, this river's enduring grandeur. We often point out how people suffer from "delusions of grandeur" (when they incorrectly believe themselves to be amazingly important), but that phrase is both harsh and cliched. examples: On Rehab Addict, Nicole Curtis restores the grandeur of old, neglected houses. It's a common fallacy to assume the distant past was full of moral grandeur, infallible leaders, or polite, grateful children. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "grandeur" means when you can explain it without saying "grandness" or "nobility." try it out: Think of something from art, history, literature, or nature that strikes you as especially beautiful and amazing. Fill in the blanks: "(Seeing, doing, or learning something in particular) helped me appreciate the grandeur of _____." Example: "Seeing the Lincoln Memorial in person helped me appreciate the grandeur of his legacy." 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 "You Know, That Thing!" This game challenges your powers of recall. Start a timer: twenty seconds if you're an adult, longer if you're a kid or an English language learner. Read the description of each thing, and come up with its name. Try to name all three before your timer runs out. (Scroll all the way down for the answers.) Ready? Go! 1. Often found in the back of a book, a list of special terms and what they mean is a… 2. After a deadline, the extra time that you're given to do what you're supposed to (like pay a bill) without being penalized is the… 3. A polygon with 9 sides is a… review today's word: 1. One opposite of GRANDEUR is A. DULLNESS B. ELOQUENCE C. RESPLENDENCE 2. The play's _____ trades grandeur for _____. A. set dressing .. breathtaking backdrops B. only violent scene amid all the comedy .. tension C. modern translation .. comprehension 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. A 2. C Answers to game questions: 1. glossary, clavis, or vocabulary 2. grace period 3. nonagon, enneagon, or 9-gon