Make Your Point > Archived Issues > OPINE

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

explore the archives: To opine is to express your opinion. But don't stop there. Sure, opine, but then ad___e, too: offer something as evidence or support for the idea you're expressing. make your point with... "OPINE" To opine is to say what your opinion is. Pronunciation: oh PINE Part of speech: Verb. It's both intransitive (you opine) and transitive (you opine things, or you opine that something is true). Other forms: opined, opining, opiner(s) (people who opine) How to use it: When you use "opine," you're either being quite serious and formal, or you're pretending to be quite serious and formal. Either way, compared to "said" or "explained," "opined" provides a sly reminder that a speaker is only giving an opinion rather than standing on the firm ground of fact. Talk about people, authors, editorials, publications, and so on who opine, or opine about a topic, or opine on a topic, or opine that something is true. You can also use "opine" to tag dialogue: "That's the worst idea you've had yet," he opined. This can sound stuffy, but it works well when you're joking and when you're trying to show that a speaker is pompous or has no credibility. examples: The cover of the book shows an armchair, which is appropriate, since the author frequently sits back and opines on things he hasn't researched. I thought this was a news channel. Why is there so much opining? study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "opine" means when you can explain it without saying "tell what you think" or "talk about your own view." try it out: Think of an opinion you heard or read about that strikes you as interesting, insightful, or important. Fill in the blanks: "As (a particular person or publication) opined, _____." Example: "As the New York Times editorial board opined, some states are not just worse than others at making sure their public schools get funded--they're practically in competition to be 'the most fiscally reckless.'" 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 anagrams: rearrangements of the letters in a word to form new words. (For example, “care” has two anagrams: “acre” and “race.”) Looking for these makes you a stronger player in other word games. But more importantly, it helps you practice thinking flexibly and methodically. Plus you get to giggle at potential non-words and discover new real words. We’ll work our way from shorter to longer anagrams. And at any point if you wonder why I left out a word you wanted to list, or why I included a word you think isn’t a real one, hold your fire: our authority for this game is ScrabbleWordFinder.org, which draws from a highly inclusive dictionary. Let’s play! From yesterday: What are the 3 anagrams for PERTNESS? Answer: PENSTERS, PRESENTS, and SERPENTS. A penster, like it sounds, is a hack writer. Try this one today: What are the 4 anagrams for TEARDROP? review today's word: 1. The opposite of OPINE is A. KEEP TRACK or MEASURE B. STAY STEADY or PERSEVERE C. REMAIN NEUTRAL or REMAIN SILENT 2. They opined that the new drug _____. A. has been approved by the FDA B. will be available to consumers next month C. will displace its competitors from the market Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, 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. C 2. C