Make Your Point > Archived Issues > LAMBASTE

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connect today's word to others: Wow, really? Really? Another synonym of scold, berate, censure, chastise, castigate, reprehend, vituperate, and so on? Yup, another one: lambaste. I've skipped over this word a bunch of times, reluctant to share it with you, but I just have to. English offers us a salmagundi of synonyms for this same idea of thrashing people with words, and I feel like we should be familiar with every single option. Do you agree with me in calling all those synonyms a salmagundi, or should we call it an arsenal? Maybe a kaleidoscope? Or something else? Mark, a subscriber, made a great suggestion: it's a panoply. make your point with... "LAMBASTE" The old verb "lam" means "to beat someone harshly." And one meaning of the verb "baste" is "to beat something harshly, as if with a stick."  Yes, that makes our word "lambaste" one of those weird ones that seems redundant but probably formed to let people be extra-emphatic, like "irregardless." To lambaste people or things is to scold them harshly, as if you're beating them with words.     Pronunciation: lam BASTE (rhymes with "jam TASTE") Part of speech: Transitive verb. (Like "eat," "try," and "want," all transitive verbs do something to an object. You eat a banana, try a game, and want a new phone. Likewise, you lambaste something or someone.) Other forms: Lambasted, lambasting. "Lambast," with no "e" at the end, is an alternate form. (Pronounce it like it sounds: "lam BAST.") Not every dictionary recognizes "lambast," and it's less common, so I recommend sticking with "lambaste." How to use it: This word is formal and has a very harsh tone. Talk about people lambasting other people (or groups of people), often for the bad things they did: "On Twitter, he immediately lambastes anyone who disagrees with him," "In the editorial, she lambasted the mayor for spending $19,000 on a swanky new desk." We can also lambaste things: he lambasted their foolish mistake, she lambasted their rash decision, we lambasted their irresponsibility. examples: In her book, the lexicographer Kory Stamper recalls being lambasted by strangers after updating the definition of "marriage." Cognitive behavioral therapy helps you see your mistakes realistically, instead of blowing them out of proportion and mentally lambasting yourself for them. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "lambaste" means when you can explain it without saying "to cudgel with words" or "to give a verbal beat-down." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "The critics can lambaste it all they want, pointing out how _____. I still love _____." Example: "The critics can lambaste it all they want, pointing out how it's way too dark for kids. I still love Return to Oz." 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. Our game this month is "The Meanings of Maladies." I'll share a tidbit about the word for a particular symptom, disease, or condition, and you try to name it. We'll start with common maladies and work our way toward the rare and strange. From our previous issue: The Latin word for "rage, fury, or madness" gave us the name of this disease, which tends to affect impoverished areas. According to the World Health Organization, we're working to see zero human deaths from it by the year 2030. What is it? Answer: Rabies, the basis of our word rabidity. Try this today: The word for this condition, which makes it hard for people to interact with others, comes from the Greek for "self." What is it? review today's word: 1. One opposite of LAMBASTE is A. ADULATE. B. BRANDISH. C. CAVIL. 2. Although they could have lambasted _____, the curators kept the placards _____, allowing the artifacts to speak for themselves. A. every detail of interest .. brief B. those responsible for the atrocities .. factual C. their own difficulties in acquiring the items .. relevant Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's 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. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. B