Make Your Point > Archived Issues > LITANY

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explore the archives: Originally, a litany was a long, repetitive prayer, and today we use it to mean "any long, repetitive list."  But bene_______, also originally a prayer, has held onto its positive tone: today we use it to mean "any kind wish for someone else's success or happiness." Can you recall it? make your point with... "LITANY" A litany is a long, repetitive prayer. More generally, a litany is a long, tiresome list. Pronunciation: LIT 'n ee. It rhymes with "kitten-y." (Sure, "kittenish" is the real word, but you knew how to pronounce "kitten-y.") Part of speech: Countable noun. (Countable nouns, like "bottle," "piece," and "decision," are words for things that can be broken into exact units. You talk about "a bottle," "three pieces," and "many decisions." Likewise, talk about one litany or multiple litanies.) Other forms: Just the plural, "litanies." How to use it: "Litany" has a negative tone: a litany is usually long, boring, and tiresome, full of things we've already heard so many times before. Usually you talk about a litany of things: a litany of concerns or worries, a litany of problems or issues or troubles, a litany of symptoms or woes, a litany of lies or empty promises, a litany of complaints or objections, a litany of grievances or allegations, a litany of mistakes or failures or violations, etc. People can cite or recite a litany, run down a litany, launch into a litany, issue a litany, read or write a litany, recount a litany, respond with a litany, repeat a litany, and so on. In recent years, some people have started using "litany" with a neutral or positive tone to mean "any list or any series." Here's Daniel White, writing for TIME.com: "Prince died in late April... prompting a litany of award show tribute performances." Maybe this kind of usage strikes you as logical: surely the tributes to Prince were prayer-like. Or maybe this usage strikes you as imprecise. Go with it, or don't. Your choice. :) examples: Keep asking questions about her grandchildren! Maybe we can avoid hearing her litany of aches and pains again. Without going into my litany of complaints, let me just say that no, I can't recommend that landscaping company. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "litany" means when you can explain it without saying "tedious list" or "dull series." try it out: Fill in the blank: "I've prepared a litany of excuses for avoiding (some particular chore or activity you dislike)." Example: "I've prepared a litany of excuses for avoiding crowded parties." 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 called One-Word Titles! Rely on your cultural knowledge, your vocabulary, or both as we consider the power and simplicity of one-word titles. We'll recall movies, songs, books, television shows, and musicals with brief, meaningful, well-chosen titles of only one word each. Let's play! From yesterday: The title of this 1818 book by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was, at the time, simply a character's last name. But soon afterward, it entered dictionaries with these meanings: "a terrible monster" and "to create something out of mismatched parts." The title is ____________.  Answer: Frankenstein. (Yes, there's also that subtitle often left out: "The Modern Prometheus.") Try this today: The title of this 1516 book by Sir Thomas More means "a perfect or ideal society." In fact, with this book, More invented and popularized that word. The word, and the book’s title, is __________. review today's word: 1. The closest opposite of LITANY is A. SINGLE URGENT ISSUE B. CATALOGUE OF ERRORS C. PILE OF ROUGH SKETCHES 2. With a litany of _____, the building _____. A. famous residents .. required a constant police presence B. fire safety issues .. was condemned C. funding .. was renovated 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. B