Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SALLY
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SALLY:
Say it "SAL ee."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Separate from the name "Sally," which arose as a pet name of "Sarah," our word sally comes from the Latin word for "leap," salire.
Salire also gave us the words sal___ ("leaping to the attention") and so___sa__t ("a leaping roll"). Can you recall both?
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
"Sally" came through French and traces back to the Latin word for "leap."
In English, "sally" first meant "a sudden rushing out, often to attack an enemy," and then also grew to mean "any act of heading outward, possibility to attack or just to explore." We still use the word that way today.
And we use some even looser meanings. A sally is any sudden beginning, or any act of heading out into a new area, literally or figuratively. Or even verbally: a sally can also be a sudden sharp or witty comment.
It's a verb, too: you can sally forth, meaning you suddenly head out into a new area.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Often a noun, the countable kind: "She's known for her hilarious sallies."
Also a verb, the intransitive kind: "We sallied forth;" "They'll sally west;" "Let's sally off into the sunrise."
Other forms:
Sallied, sallying; sallies.
how to use it:
Use the formal, semi-common word "sally" when you're going for a tone that's stylish, militaristic, and/or old-fashioned.
You can use it to mean "a comment that pops out like an attack," like this: "News reporters clamor around him, waiting for him to drop one of his trademark sallies."
And you can use it to mean "strut, stride, or swagger," like this: "They strapped into their boots, buckled into their skis, and sallied forth up the hill;" "We watched their sally from the porch and wondered how long it would take them to stop walking uphill with their skis on."
examples:
"I was ready to sally forth into the countryside, but there were only two jeeps for hire, I learned, and both were broken."
— Tony Perrottet, New York Times, 2 January 2018
"The steps toward a duel are highly codified, starting with a real or imagined insult to a lady or one's personal honor... When the two adversaries finally meet on the field of honor... a witty sally or quip is never amiss as a demonstration of one's style and self-command."
— Michael Dirda, reviewing the book The Duel in Literature by John Leigh, Washington Post, 8 July 2015
has this page helped you understand "sally"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "sally" without saying "sortie" or "venture forth."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "It's hard to sally forth confidently (into some new or difficult situation) (unless you have some kind of help or preparation)."
Example 1: "It's hard to sally forth confidently into your first job interview without some kind of rehearsal."
Example 2: "Though we may want your son to sally forth into high school with nary a worry, he probably needs you to help structure his time and his assignments" (Washington Post).
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our new game for May: "Country Song, or Springer Episode?"
Be warned: this month's game is in poor taste. I had so much fun creating it, so what does that say about me? And if you're good at it, what does that say about you? Oh, snap.
Country songs and Jerry Springer episodes have something in common: their self-aware, over-the-top titles. It's clear that the creators of both enjoyed poking fun at their genre. In each round of the game this month, check out a handful of titles, and see if you can decide whether each belongs to a country song or a Jerry Springer episode. For the answers, scroll all the way down.
Try these today:
1. Everyone Knows But You
2. I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You
3. I Was a Mambo Dancer for the FBI
review this word:
A. CRASH.
B. RETREAT.
C. CHARLIE.
2.
A writer for Slate commented on some often-_____ sallies at a modern art exhibit, such as _____.
A. employed .. skylights
B. overheard .. "I could do that"
C. spotted .. sculptures of everyday objects
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my 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.
Separate from the name "Sally," which arose as a pet name of "Sarah," our word sally comes from the Latin word for "leap," salire.
"Sally" came through French and traces back to the Latin word for "leap."
Part of speech:
Use the formal, semi-common word "sally" when you're going for a tone that's stylish, militaristic, and/or old-fashioned.
"I was ready to sally forth into the countryside, but there were only two jeeps for hire, I learned, and both were broken."
Explain the meaning of "sally" without saying "sortie" or "venture forth."
Fill in the blanks: "It's hard to sally forth confidently (into some new or difficult situation) (unless you have some kind of help or preparation)."
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
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