Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PEREMPTORY

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connect today's word to others: Today's word has a legal flavor. If you'd like a synonym with a regal flavor instead, you might pick im______, which can mean "authoritative and commanding like an emperor." (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "PEREMPTORY" To perempt something is to get rid of it: to strike it down. (But we use "perempt" only in legal contexts, where you talk about a claim being perempted, or a suit being perempted.) After something has been perempted, you can't even argue about it or talk about it anymore--it's over and done with, decisively. Something peremptory, then, is so harsh, so forceful, or so certain that it's as if nobody is allowed to argue about it. And, peremptory people are way too confident, as if nobody is allowed to question them or tell them they're wrong. Pronunciation: puh REMP tuh ree Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "a peremptory thing" or "a peremptory statement." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was peremptory" or "He was peremptory.") Other common forms: peremptorily, peremptoriness How to use it: Talk about peremptory decisions and decrees, peremptory commands and orders, peremptory demands, a peremptory call for something, a peremptory dismissal of something, some peremptory terms in an agreement, etc. You can also say that people display a peremptory attitude, hold peremptory opinions, use a peremptory voice, speak or write in a peremptory style or tone, or make peremptory gestures or movements (like a peremptory knock on a door or a peremptory stomping across a hall). You can talk about peremptory people, too: "She's peremptory, shutting down our objections with a glare." examples: She spent the whole dinner party trumpeting her peremptory opinions, then wondered why she wasn't invited to the next one. Before Mary blossoms into an agreeable child, she's bratty and peremptory, unable to get along with other children her age. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "peremptory" means when you can explain it without saying "dogmatic" or "tyrannical." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Someone) (hears or sees something) and immediately (reacts somehow), as if in response to a peremptory command." Example: "I hear the notification chime and immediately turn to my phone, as if in response to a peremptory command." 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 The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. It's a collection of silly, sarcastic, satirical definitions of everyday words, and--lucky us!--it's in the public domain. In each issue this month, I'll give you one of Bierce's definitions and, if it's a tough one, I'll give you the word's first letter. And you try to come up with the word. From our previous issue: Bierce defines it as "a person whom we know well enough to borrow from, but not well enough to lend to. A degree of friendship called slight when its object is poor or obscure, and intimate when he is rich or famous." It's a noun. It starts with A. What is it? Answer: Acquaintance. Try this today: Bierce defines it as "a woman with a fine prospect of happiness behind her." It's a noun. It starts with B. What is it? review today's word: 1. One opposite of PEREMPTORY is A. MANDATORY B. SLUGGISH C. YIELDING 2. Attempting a peremptory tone, he _____, "_____." A. admitted .. I just might B. barked .. Put it down C. stated .. Maybe not 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. C 2. B