Make Your Point > Archived Issues > RIFE

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connect today's word to others: Rife means full, filled, abundant, overflowing, teeming, rep____. (Can you recall that last one? It literally means "filled again.") It's a Germanic word, one that's been around since the days of Old English, when we wrote things like "Balu wes on folke dæð þer wes rife." (Looks to me like it's saying "Evil in folks was rife," but I'm guessing recklessly--let me know if you can translate it!) Anyway, I love the word rife for its brevity and power. And another short, potent word from Old English is d__: "a loud, harsh sound (that's usually made by lots of things at once)."  (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "RIFE" To be rife with things is to be filled with things. In other words, "rife" means "frequent, abundant, common, or widespread." Pronunciation: RIFE (rhymes with "life") Part of speech: Adjective: "holiday cheer is rife," "a message rife with exclamation points." Other forms: rifely, rifeness How to use it: Most often, we talk about something being rife with something else, whether that's a good, bad, or neutral thing. For example: a paper rife with errors, a movie rife with hilarious jokes, a country rife with anger and bitterness, an era rife with cultural and artistic achievements. But we can also simply say that something is rife--often in some particular place, time period, situation, etc. "Rumors about him are still rife." "In the days of Napster, music piracy was rife." examples: His cheerful chatter is rife with references to video games, anime characters, and quirky YouTube stars. "In China and other Asian countries rife with young smartphone users, mobile payments are routine."    — Liz Alderman, The New York Times, 21 November 2018 study it: Explain the meaning of "rife" without saying "abounding" or "prevalent." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(A particular book or movie) is rife with (some element, like tension, action, suspense, dark humor, historical inaccuracies, etc.)." Example: "East of Eden is rife with wisdom." 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. Controversial Catchphrases! This month, let's consider all kinds of important, ongoing controversies in our world. I'll give you a handful of key phrases that people use when they argue over a controversial question, and you try to pinpoint what that question is. I'll be drawing these issues and phrases from ProCon.org, a fantastic resource for understanding controversial issues (and for introducing those issues to your kids). From the previous issue: People who argue "yes" say things like "dignity," "personal choice," and "unbearable symptoms." People who argue "no" say things like "societal risks," "ethical prohibition," and "incompatible with the physician's role." What's the question? The question is, "Should euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide be legal?" (Explore this issue at ProCon.org.) Try this one today: People who argue "yes" say things like "clean," "green jobs," and "independence." People who argue "no" say things like "panacea," "no replacement," and "fraction of our needs." What's the question? review today's word: 1. The opposite of RIFE WITH is A. DEVOID OF. B. SAFE FROM. C. COVERED IN. 2. The opening scene is _____, rife with _____. A. chaotic .. shouts and explosions B. beautiful .. a soft melody in the background C. awkward .. a teenager who never makes eye contact 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. A