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connect this word to others:
The word inspire literally means "to breathe into." The word instill literally means "to drop into." The word animate literally means "to give life to." And the word kindle literally means "to set fire to."
All these are beautiful metaphors. The fire metaphor, in particular, abounds in our language. Can you recall each word below?
1. A t_nd_rb_x is a small, often rectangular case containing bits of dry material for starting fires--or, it's a dangerous situation that could become violent.
2. To _gn_t_ something is to set it on fire, or to get it going: to bring it into brilliant, passionate existence.
3. A fl_shp__nt is the specific temperature that causes a vapor to catch on fire in the air--or the place or time when something becomes extremely violent or extremely emotional.
4. Related to the word candle is _nc_ns_, meaning to make people so angry that it's like they're on fire. (Or, used as a noun, it's fragrant sticks for burning.)
5. To _mm_l_t_ things or people is to sacrifice them: to destroy them as if by burning them.
6. To sl_k_ something, like a fire, is to pour liquid on it to put it out--or to quench or satisfy it in a cool, refreshing, relieving way, as if the "fire" is being put out.
7. _mb_rs are the little glowing pieces of coal or wood left over from a fire--or, the little leftover pieces of something that seem to be fading or dying, but are still glowing.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
make your point with...
"KINDLE"
To kindle a fire is to get it started, to light it. (And if we're talking about rabbits, they kindle their young, meaning they give birth to them. Either way, the idea is about creating something, bringing something into being.)
In general, to kindle something (like a feeling or an interest) is to cause it, to bring it into being, as if you're lighting a fire.
Pronunciation:
KIN dull
Part of speech:
Verb, usually the transitive kind: "the book kindled his love of poetry," "the film kindled his imagination."
Other forms:
Kindled, kindling, kindler(s);
rekindle, rekindled, rekindling, rekindler(s), rekindlement.
As you'll already know if you're a camper, "kindling" can also mean "material used to start a fire."
And in older texts, you might see the verb "enkindle," simply meaning "kindle."
How to use it:
Use this common but beautiful word to talk about the people, things, ideas, and events that kindle hopes, interests, memories, ambitions, romances, relationships, imagination, social movements, etc.
So far I've listed good things that get kindled, but you can also talk about things that kindle rage, jealousy, bitter debates, feuds, wars, etc.
examples:
"Of...concern is the book's title, 'Supernormal.' Were this merely a case of alighting on a single, spectacular word to both signal the subject matter within and kindle the curiosity to explore it, it would merit little comment. The title, however, encodes the book's deep muddle."
— Hara Estroff Marano, The New York Times, 12 January 2018
"Before him stooped the old figure, white, shining now as if with some light kindled within, bent, laden with years, but holding a power beyond the strength of kings."
— J. R. R. Tolkien, The Two Towers, 1954
has this page helped you understand "kindle"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "kindle" without saying "ignite" or "inspire."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "When _____, it rekindled my old (desire to, interest in, ambition to, curiosity about, or enthusiasm for) _____."
Example: "When a vivid dream brought me to a mountaintop observatory, it rekindled my old interest in constellations."
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.
In August, we're playing the time-honored Game of Venery!
We're inventing terms for groups of things: terms that James Lipton, the author of An Exaltation of Larks, calls "shards of poetry and truth." Example terms of venery include lovely ones like "a conflagration of fireflies" and silly ones like "a myopia of umpires," "a rash of dermatologists," and "an unemployment of graduates."
In each issue this month, I'll offer two templates. Have fun filling them in and sharing your inventions with your family, being as lofty, silly, or bawdy as you like. In each subsequent issue, I'll list the actual terms that appear in Lipton's book.
From the previous issue:
1. An ostentation of _____
2. A _____ of appliances
The terms listed in the book are "an ostentation of portents" and "a obsolescence of appliances."
Try these today:
1. A bromide of _____
2. A _____ of the haute bourgeoisie (the upper middle class)
review this word:
1. The opposite of KINDLE is
A. DAB.
B. DOUSE.
C. DOCUMENT.
2. Of the forty-ish poems that Collins had submitted, sixteen or so returned, paperclipped together by the publisher, along with a note to the effect of: "Only these are any good." This note kindled Collins's _____.
A. first tidbit of valuable, if brief, feedback from a publisher
B. desire to bring all of his work up to the standards set by his best work
C. long-held distinction between poems that catalogue past experiences and poems that are experiences
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.
The word inspire literally means "to breathe into." The word instill literally means "to drop into." The word animate literally means "to give life to." And the word kindle literally means "to set fire to."
"KINDLE" To kindle a fire is to get it started, to light it. (And if we're talking about rabbits, they kindle their young, meaning they give birth to them. Either way, the idea is about creating something, bringing something into being.)
"Of...concern is the book's title, 'Supernormal.' Were this merely a case of alighting on a single, spectacular word to both signal the subject matter within and kindle the curiosity to explore it, it would merit little comment. The title, however, encodes the book's deep muddle."
Explain the meaning of "kindle" without saying "ignite" or "inspire."
Fill in the blanks: "When _____, it rekindled my old (desire to, interest in, ambition to, curiosity about, or enthusiasm for) _____."
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
1. The opposite of KINDLE is
|