Make Your Point > Archived Issues > WATERSHED

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

"WATERSHED" Pronunciation: Just as it sounds. "WOT er shed." 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 watershed or multiple watersheds.) Meaning: An actual watershed is a place where the land bumps upward and water sheds down from it in opposite directions: If you know the original creator(s) of this image, please let me know. It's widely used online without attribution. So, an abstract watershed is an important event or turning point. Everything changes starting from that point. Other forms: Watersheds. "Watershed" is also an adjective. How to use it: This word usually has a positive meaning. Call something a watershed if it's a factor or event or time period or line that totally changes something. You can have a watershed moment, a watershed experience, a watershed decision or resolution or court ruling, a watershed speech or report, and so on. You might talk about a watershed movie or novel or work of art, if it's an entirely new development that influences everything else created afterward. Note that in all the examples above, you could interpret "watershed" as a noun or an adjective. To use the word strictly as a noun, simply call something a watershed: "the change was praised as a watershed," "the meeting proved to be a watershed in the club's history," "we have absolutely reached a watershed," etc. The use of the Confederate flag as a symbol of either historic pride or racist hatred has recently come to a watershed in our country. Seinfeld is widely acknowledged as a watershed show, one that influenced the style and content of practically every sitcom that came afterward. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "watershed" means when you can explain it without saying “dividing line" or "point of no return." Think of a moment that changed your life, and fill in the blanks: "_____ was a watershed moment for me; from that point on, I _____." Example: "Making the full leap from teaching for a company to teaching independently was a watershed moment for me; from that point on, I've enjoyed the freedom but missed the camaraderie with fellow teachers." Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Playing With Words: Our game for July is called A Verbal Tour of the US. I’ll ask you a trivia question each day this month about the names of US cities, states, geographic features, etc. Try it out each day, and see the right answer the next day. Happy verbal trails to you! From yesterday:  If you heard the name of this place and went there expecting to see lots of boutiques and department stores, you might be disappointed to find that it’s actually a large grassy lawn full of memorials and a monument. What is this place called?  Answer: The National Mall, in Washington, D.C. “Mall” means both “retail complex” and “large outdoor public space to walk” (in addition to other meanings.) Try this one today: This famous island got its name from the Portuguese word for “pelican,” and that word is related to “albatross,” which as you probably know is often used as a metaphor for whatever burdens us and brings us misfortune. And that’s really appropriate for this island, which is not only a home to pelicans but is also the site of a historical prison, where misfortunes and burdens probably abounded! What’s the name of the island? A Point Well Made: Junichiro Tanizaki: “It has been said of Japanese food that it is a cuisine to be looked at rather than eaten. I would go further and say that it is to be meditated upon, a kind of silent music evoked by the combination of lacquerware and the light of a candle flickering in the dark. [...] With Japanese food, a brightly lighted room and shining tableware cut the appetite in half.” 1. The opposite of WATERSHED could be A. LANDMARK DAY B. VOLCANIC ACTIVITY C. BUSINESS AS USUAL 2. The public outrage is a watershed for the company, which _____. A. was absolutely floundering already B. will see few consequences yet still should react C. could respond appropriately to actually come out on top Answers are below. To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.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