Make Your Point > Archived Issues > HARANGUE

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"HARANGUE" Meaning: A harangue is a long, angry speech that tells people what they should do. Also, to harangue is to give a speech like that (a long, angry one that tells people what they ought to do.) And to harangue people is to speak to them like that. Pronunciation: huh RANG Part of speech: It's both a countable noun ("a harangue," "two harangues," "lots of harangues") and a verb: both the transitive kind ("to harangue somebody") and the intransitive kind ("to harangue for a straight hour.") Other forms: harangues, harangued, haranguing, haranguer How to use it: For the noun, talk about someone's harangue(s), someone delivering or issuing harangues, someone enduring or being subjected to or ignoring public harangues, and so on. For the verb, talk about haranguing somebody or haranguing them on or over some topic or for some unacceptable behavior, as in "She won't quit haranguing me on/over the 'inappropriate' color of my nail polish. Sheesh." and "She won't quit haranguing me for wearing bright blue nail polish." Instead of haranguing someone, you can just plain harangue: "If you'd stop haranguing for a moment, we could move forward." If you need an adjective, use "haranguing," as in "haranguing condemnation" and "haranguing song lyrics." Teachers hate wasting class time haranguing the kids, but otherwise the kids' behavior will get worse and worse. You don't need to launch into a full-blown harangue over this mistake--just tell your employees how you'd like them to handle the same situation in the future, and move on. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "harangue" means when you can explain it without saying "lecture" or "verbally punish." Think of something you used to get in trouble for when you were younger, and fill in the blanks: "(Person) would always harangue me on/over/for _____."  Example: "My P.E. teacher would always harangue me for hanging back and trying to avoid participating in the game." Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Playing With Words: This month, with the gracious permission of author Dr. Barbara Ann Kipfer, we’re sampling some English language trivia from Word Nerd: More Than 17,000 Fascinating Facts about Words. Dr. Kipfer’s book is a hearty 570-page feast that I’ve been gleefully devouring for the past few months. We’re starting off with easy questions, then working our way toward some whoppers at the end of the month, all the while focusing on funny, unusual words; surprising word histories; and cool tidbits about the language.  Yesterday's question: This word comes from Persian shahmat, meaning “the king is dead.” What is it? Answer: Checkmate. (If you’re a fan of Tim Brennan’s books and newsletter, you probably knew that!)  Try this one today. It should feel rather difficult:   “Blow-ins” or “bound-ins.” What are these?  A Point Well Made: Francis Bacon: "The human understanding supposes a greater degree of order and equality in things than it really finds." 1. The opposite of HARANGUE is A. PUBLICIZE B. FEATURE C. PRAISE 2. They issued a well-deserved harangue over _____. A. how confusing the return policy is at that store B. how those journalists often intentionally misrepresent ideas C. how the college limits the number of freshmen it can accept each year Answers are below. To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.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. B