Make Your Point > Archived Issues > TIMOROUS
Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.
explore the archives:
Hands down, the best figurative synonym of fearful and timid is today's word, timorous. It aptly describes anything that reveals or implies fear and timidity, from haste to a governmental policy to an entire way of thinking.
Just be careful to avoid mixing timorous up with temerarious--they're nearly opposites. (Could you recall what it means to behave with temerity?)
make your point with...
"TIMOROUS"
Someone or something timorous is afraid, with no confidence or courage.
Pronunciation:
TIM er us
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 timorous thing" or "a timorous person."
2. After a linking verb, as in "It was timorous" or "He was timorous.")
Other forms:
timorousness, timorously
How to use it:
Although you can be literal and talk about a timorous little mouse or a timorous employee on her first day of work, I suggest using the simpler "timid" and "fearful" for literal descriptions. Let's save "timorous" for formal, figurative descriptions of things that are caused by fear and timidity, or things that reveal fear and timidity.
Such as: timorous euphemisms and suggestions, a timorous acceptance of something or a timorous attack on someone or something, or even timorous haste, a timorous way of thinking, or a timorous feeling of curiosity or wonderment.
examples:
That timorous policy about the customer always being right seems to be on the wane: too many people have abused it to get things for free, and plenty of customer service providers are taking a stand.
He tried to weasel out with a timorous objection: that the other participants might be mean to him.
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "timorous" means when you can explain it without saying "revealing no confidence" or "revealing no courage."
try it out:
Think of a time you lacked confidence as you started something new or set a new goal. Fill in the blanks: "(Doing something) was my first timorous step toward _____."
Example: "Updating my resume was my first timorous step toward applying to graduate schools."
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 rhyming puzzles as we review previous words.
Examples: Someone who belts out songs in church with great gusto has ____ ___. Answer: hymn vim. And the barbecue place where you always meet up with your friends from Dallas and Houston is your _____ _____. Answer: Texas nexus. The puzzles, and their answers, will get longer and sillier as the month goes on. Click or mouse-over the link to the clue if you need it, and see each answer the following day. Enjoy!
From yesterday: At work, the higher-ups have suddenly made all sorts of changes, moving employees from department to department willy-nilly. It's caused confusion, commotion, and crankiness. It's a _________ _________. (Two words, three syllables each. Clue: use this word.)
Answer: reshuffle kerfuffle.
Try this today: Tired of the cheesy, pandering, overly emotional tone found in the final passages of books, a group of readers got together and made a list of ten commandments for authors to follow when they write these passages. That list is the ________ _________. (Two words, three syllables each. Clue: use this word.)
review today's word:
1. The opposite of TIMOROUS is
A. VICIOUS
B. CAUTIOUS
C. BOLD
2. _____ timorously emphasized the request.
A. Three thick lines beneath it
B. An obnoxiously neon green highlighter
C. An ellipsis (three dots) before the question mark
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
Hands down, the best figurative synonym of fearful and timid is today's word, timorous. It aptly describes anything that reveals or implies fear and timidity, from haste to a governmental policy to an entire way of thinking.
"TIMOROUS" Someone or something timorous is afraid, with no confidence or courage. Part of speech:
That timorous policy about the customer always being right seems to be on the wane: too many people have abused it to get things for free, and plenty of customer service providers are taking a stand.
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "timorous" means when you can explain it without saying "revealing no confidence" or "revealing no courage."
Think of a time you lacked confidence as you started something new or set a new goal. Fill in the blanks: "(Doing something) was my first timorous step toward _____."
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.
1. The opposite of TIMOROUS is
To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
|