Make Your Point > Archived Issues > BELEAGUER
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pronounce
BELEAGUER:
Say it "buh LEE gur."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
As we check out the violent word beleaguer--meaning to besiege, to badger, to plague, to annoy--see if you can recall a similar word. To ba___ge someone is to immobilize them with a wall of bullets--or a "wall" of anything annoying.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
"Beleaguer" comes from a Dutch word that literally means "to camp around," or less literally, "to blockade, to besiege."
That was the original meaning of "beleaguer" in English: we'd talk about armies beleaguering castles or cities, surrounding them so that no one could go in or out, and attacking them.
Although we can still use that literal meaning today, it's more common to get figurative. When things beleaguer you, they bother you intensely, as if they've completely surrounded you, keeping you trapped as they attack you.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Verb, the transitive kind: "The army beleaguered the city;" "These worries beleaguered his mind."
Other forms:
Beleaguered, beleaguering, beleaguerer(s).
If you prefer a more formal noun than "beleaguering," there's also the rare "beleaguerment."
how to use it:
Pick the formal, semi-common word "beleaguer"--instead of synonyms like "annoy," "irritate," and "pester"--when you want to express a suffocating, constant, everywhere-you-turn kind of problem that seems to trap you and assault you until you surrender.
You might talk about things (or people) that beleaguer someone, maybe with some complaint or demand: "Mosquitoes beleaguered us;" "From the back seat, we beleaguered our parents with complaints."
Or, flip your comment around: talk about someone being beleaguered by things (or people). "We were beleaguered by mosquitoes." "In the front seat, they were beleaguered by all the whining and complaining."
It doesn't have to be complaints or demands that beleaguer you. It could be some equally irksome, painful, or destructive series of thoughts, worries, bad memories, anxieties, etc.
I recommend that you keep in mind the metaphor here. Specifically, it's an army surrounding its enemy. So, it makes sense to say that a "troop" of worries beleaguer you, but it would make less sense to say that a "mountain" of worries beleaguer you.
Finally, "beleaguered" is a handy adjective on its own, too: "They sent aid to the beleaguered city." "The debt-forgiveness program helps beleaguered graduates." "Feeling beleaguered, he sighed and let the kids eat Snickers bars for breakfast."
examples:
"Florida's Orange Groves Have Drowned... Florida's beleaguered citrus fruit growers are reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which hit the state two weeks ago."
— Venessa Wong, BuzzFeed News, 26 September 2017
"'Game Of Thrones' Running Out Of Unkempt Old Men To Cast... The crisis is the latest in a series of casting woes to beleaguer HBO, which in March announced it had already used up its annual allocation of Steve Buscemi."
— The Onion, 14 May 2012
has this page helped you understand "beleaguer"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "beleaguer" without saying "harass" or "plague."
try it out:
In the media, you'll often read about a "beleaguered town" (one that's suffering from the constant pains of global warming), or a "beleaguered celebrity" (one who's getting bashed online for doing something criminal or politically correct), or a "beleaguered company" (one that's getting sued left and right for its shady business practices).
See if you can name a current example of any beleaguered town, celebrity, or company. Who or what is beleaguering them? Why is it happening? Do they deserve it?
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 game this month is Crossword Clues: Defining by Rhyming!
Check out the given term, and try to complete the definition by supplying a missing rhyming word. For example, if I give you "bevy = _ _ _ _ herd," then you give me "bird," because a bevy is a bird herd. To peek at the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
apostrophe = _ _ _ _ _ rage
(Not the punctuation mark: the other kind of apostrophe.)
review this word:
1.
The opposite of BELEAGUER could be
A. AID, SOOTHE, or DELIGHT.
B. GRANT, AGREE, or APPROVE.
C. SPLIT, FRACTURE, or DISINTEGRATE.
2.
Despite the signs saying "no soliciting," the neighborhood gets beleaguered by _____ of door-to-door salespeople.
A. armies
B. swarms
C. tidal waves
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:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
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A 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.
As we check out the violent word beleaguer--meaning to besiege, to badger, to plague, to annoy--see if you can recall a similar word. To ba___ge someone is to immobilize them with a wall of bullets--or a "wall" of anything annoying.
"Beleaguer" comes from a Dutch word that literally means "to camp around," or less literally, "to blockade, to besiege."
Part of speech:
Pick the formal, semi-common word "beleaguer"--instead of synonyms like "annoy," "irritate," and "pester"--when you want to express a suffocating, constant, everywhere-you-turn kind of problem that seems to trap you and assault you until you surrender.
"Florida's Orange Groves Have Drowned... Florida's beleaguered citrus fruit growers are reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which hit the state two weeks ago."
Explain the meaning of "beleaguer" without saying "harass" or "plague."
In the media, you'll often read about a "beleaguered town" (one that's suffering from the constant pains of global warming), or a "beleaguered celebrity" (one who's getting bashed online for doing something criminal or politically correct), or a "beleaguered company" (one that's getting sued left and right for its shady business practices).
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. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |