Make Your Point > Archived Issues > GRAVITATE

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explore the archives: Aside from "a force that pulls things near," gravity can also mean "heaviness of mood." In that sense, the opposite of gravity is ___ity, or lightness of mood. make your point with... "GRAVITATE" To gravitate toward something is to move that way naturally, as if it's pulling you by the force of gravity. Pronunciation: GRAV ih tate Part of speech: Intransitive verb. (Like "sleep," "skydive," and "succeed," all intransitive verbs show complete action on their own and do not do action to an object. You sleep, you skydive, you succeed, and that’s it. You don’t "sleep a bed," "skydive a plane," or "succeed a plan.” Likewise, something or someone gravitates, often toward something.) Other forms: gravitated, gravitating, gravitation How to use it: Talk about one person or thing gravitating toward (or to) a particular person, place, or thing: "she gravitates toward funny, easygoing men," "he gravitates to the quiet corners of the library," "we gravitate toward sources of information that confirm what we already believe," "these prices will gravitate toward the limit of what people will pay." examples: I think of New York City as this pulsing, frenetic cultural vortex that all kinds of people gravitate toward. Handheld devices got as small as they possibly could, but now they're gravitating toward larger screens. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "gravitate" means when you can explain it without saying "move to naturally" or "incline toward." try it out: Think of a time your preferences changed or matured. Fill in the blanks: "During/In/When _____, I eventually gravitated from (one thing) to (another)." Example: "In college, I eventually gravitated from t-shirts with cute things printed on them to blouses with buttons and collars." 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 KWIKORD, an addictive, challenging new word game for solo or group play, created by Wayne Ellice.  We're dipping our toes into the game this month, trying some simple challenges first and working our way toward harder tasks. (Check out my interview with the game's creator here, and order your own copy of the full version of KWIKORD here.) You'll see a sample answer to each puzzle the following day. Enjoy! Yesterday, you took the letters BRSEOU and arranged them into words to fill the perimeter of a 4x4 grid. Many solutions were possible. Here are two: Ready for a new variation? Using 2-, 3-, and 4-letter words, fill the grid with as many words as possible.  Here's an example using the letters CHNTAEEO: In the first solution above, for example, we made 8 words: across, ante, no, ta, & cent; and down, an, note, an, & et. The goal, again, is to maximize the number of words you can fit into the grid. Try it today with the letters NPSTAEIO. Draw three vertical and three horizontal lines on some scrap paper, and go for it! review today's word: 1. The literal opposite of GRAVITATE is LEVITATE, or float. But for our figurative meaning, GRAVITATE's opposite is A. WITHDRAW B. MOSEY C. AMUSE 2. Because she gravitates _____, it's been hard for her to ____. A. toward meals high in fat and carbs and low in protein .. lose weight B. in tradition .. question her own religious beliefs C. to new challenges .. break routine Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, 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. A