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From "Tinderbox," written by Bernie Taupin and sung by Elton John: "We've been living in a tinderbox, and two sparks can set the whole thing off." Those lines pretty much tell you that a tinderbox is a dangerous, heated situation that's likely to erupt into flames.
So we use tinderbox as a metaphor, a metaphor that's three-dimensional: our situation is like a box, with length, width, and height. You might pick instead a one-dimensional metaphor for the same thing and call the same risky situation a _____point.
make your point with...
"TINDERBOX"
Tinder is little bits of dry material that you use to help start a fire, and you can store it in a tinderbox, which is a small, often rectangular case.
Figuratively, a tinderbox is a dangerous situation that could become violent.
Pronunciation:
TIN der box
Part of speech:
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 tinderbox or multiple tinderboxes.)
Other forms:
None, but some people use "tinderbox" like an adjective: "tinderbox conditions," "tinderbox issue," "tinderbox town."
How to use it:
In reference to forest fires, we'll use "tinderbox" almost literally: "The hot summer turned these forests into a tinderbox."
But usually we stick to the figurative usage. Simply call a situation or a conflict a tinderbox, possibly in a place or for a group of people: "The surprise election results created a tinderbox for the president-elect's supporters and detractors."
Or, call something a tinderbox of something: a tinderbox of desperation, a tinderbox of poverty, a tinderbox of public concern, a tinderbox of war.
examples:
Increasing work loads, unrealistic demands, and constant policy changes all turned the pharmacy into a tinderbox; at any moment, another tech might explode and walk off.
When she traveled to Kenya, Lindsey expected to find a tinderbox of desperation and poverty; instead she found a community of warmth and vibrancy.
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "tinderbox" means when you can explain it without saying "volatile situation" or "dangerous circumstances."
try it out:
Think of a tense, difficult, nearly explosive period of time in your own life or in history. Fill in the blanks: "In the tinderbox of (a certain time period), _____."
Example: "In the tinderbox of November 1983, the Cold War very nearly heated up."
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 KWIKORD, an addictive, challenging new word game for solo or group play, created by Wayne Ellice.
We're dipping our toes into the game this month, trying some simple challenges first and working our way toward harder tasks. (Check out my interview with the game's creator here, and order your own copy of the full version of KWIKORD here.) You'll see a sample answer to each puzzle the following day. Enjoy!
Yesterday, you took the letters STWAEO and arranged them into words to completely fill a 3x3 grid. Many solutions were possible. Here are two:
Try that again today with the letters BRGAEO. Draw a tic-tac-toe board on some scrap paper and go for it!
review today's word:
1. The closest opposite of TINDERBOX is
A. STATE OF HAPPINESS
B. STATE OF HARMONY
C. STATE OF HEALTH
2. The countries have always been hostile toward each other, but the recent misunderstanding threw a _____ into that tinderbox.
A. monkey wrench
B. slippery slope
C. spark
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. B
2. C
From "Tinderbox," written by Bernie Taupin and sung by Elton John: "We've been living in a tinderbox, and two sparks can set the whole thing off." Those lines pretty much tell you that a tinderbox is a dangerous, heated situation that's likely to erupt into flames.
"TINDERBOX" Tinder is little bits of dry material that you use to help start a fire, and you can store it in a tinderbox, which is a small, often rectangular case. Part of speech:
Increasing work loads, unrealistic demands, and constant policy changes all turned the pharmacy into a tinderbox; at any moment, another tech might explode and walk off.
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "tinderbox" means when you can explain it without saying "volatile situation" or "dangerous circumstances."
Think of a tense, difficult, nearly explosive period of time in your own life or in history. Fill in the blanks: "In the tinderbox of (a certain time period), _____."
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 closest opposite of TINDERBOX is
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com
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