Make Your Point > Archived Issues > TINCTURE

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explore the archives: Originally a colored dye or pigment, a tincture is a shade of a certain color, or a little smattering or light touch of any quality. Could you recall these other color-inspired terms? 1. A range of different colors, or a range of different talents or techniques, is a p____te. 2. Something with spots or patches of different colors, or something lively and diverse, is v_____ated. 3. Something colorless (dull and hard to describe) is non________. make your point with... "TINCTURE" Among other meanings, a tincture is a shade of a certain color, or a little trace of any quality. Pronunciation: TEENK chure Part of speech: First, it's a countable noun. (Countable nouns, like "bottle," "piece," and "decision," are words for things that can be broken into exact units. You talk about "a bottle," "three pieces," and "many decisions." Likewise, talk about one tincture or multiple tinctures.) Second, it's a transitive verb: to tincture something is to give it a little shade or trace of some quality. Other common forms: tinctures, tinctured, tincturing How to use it: When you use "tincture" abstractly, you're comparing some quality to a dab of color. For the noun, talk about a tincture of something: a tincture of a certain feeling or thought or mood ("a tincture of optimism," "a tincture of melancholy"), a tincture of a certain taste or smell ("a tincture of sweetness"), or a tincture of any other quality or element or idea ("a tincture of elegance," "a tincture of irony," "a tincture of Paganism"). You can also talk about something that's been tinctured, often with a certain quality: "the memory was tinctured with regret." examples: His stories of early childhood, all with a tincture of mischief, have entertained us for years. Though his intentions were clearly honorable, his comments were tinctured with benevolent sexism--with that assumption that women are so weak that they need men to protect them. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "tincture" means when you can explain it without saying "trace" or "imbue." try it out: Think of something that impressed you by being better than expected--or better than it had to be. Fill in the blanks: "(Something) not only (was great in some way) but also had a tincture of (some extra-good quality)." Example: "The ninth grade chorus's rendition of 'Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming' not only gave me the chills with their well-rehearsed harmonies but also had a tincture of sincerity, as if the words sung were earnestly believed." 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: You needed a certain random little tool for the kitchen (let's say, a funnel or a pineapple corer--it doesn't matter), so your buddy Rodney let you borrow one. It works fine and you don't care that it doesn't match any of your other kitchen stuff. It's your ___-____ _______. (Two words of two syllables each. The first word has a hyphen. Clue: use this word.) Answer: Rod-lent oddment. Try this today: Your waiter is zipping around on roller skates, getting his work done twice as fast as the other waiters. You're very impressed by this _____-______ ______ _______. (Three words: the first word has four syllables and a hyphen, and the second and third words each have two syllables. Clue: use this word.) review today's word: 1. One opposite of TINCTURE is A. PAUCITY B. PREFERENCE C. PROFUSION 2. He became a fluent English speaker in his early teens, his speech now tinctured _____ the slightest accent. A. beyond B. of C. with Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, 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