Make Your Point > Archived Issues > CAPITULATE

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explore the archives: Today's "capitulate" describes giving in after there's been some sort of battle. You capitulate when you lay down your weapons, literally or figuratively. And when you're giving in by simply being passive, or quiet, you're not exactly capitulating; you're acq_____ing. make your point with... "CAPITULATE" To capitulate is to surrender or give in. This word was originally used for military surrenders, so we still use it now to hint that we're officially accepting defeat, sometimes on some specific terms. Pronunciation: kuh PITCH yuh late Part of speech: Usually an intransitive verb. (Like "sleep," "skydive," and "succeed," all intransitive verbs show complete action on their own and do not do action to an object. You sleep, you skydive, you succeed, and that’s it. Likewise, someone capitulates.) Other forms: Capitulated, capitulating, capitulation, capitulatory. A note on roots:  In a crazy twist, "recapitulate" (or "recap") means "summarize," not "surrender again." The history of meanings went like this: "capitulate" = "negotiate terms" = "arrange terms into headings;" "recapitulate" = "restate according to all the headings." This madness also explains why our word looks like "capital:" all these words go back to the root for "related to the head" or "the main part." How to use it: Pick "capitulate" instead of "yield" or "give in" when you're hinting that there's been some sort of warfare or conflict beforehand. You can talk about a situation in which someone simply capitulates. Someone might be forced to capitulate, or refuse to capitulate, or decide to capitulate now but fight again later. Or, talk about capitulating to someone or something: "she capitulated to the home buyers," "they capitulated to our every demand."  You can capitulate on certain terms or conditions: "He capitulated only on fair and dignified terms." And of course, you can be figurative: "I won't capitulate to despair." Lastly, though it's less common, you can treat "capitulate" as a transitive verb and talk about capitulating the thing that you're giving up: "They were forced to capitulate the city," "She won't capitulate her visitation rights." examples: The comedian we watched this evening poked fun at orange juice companies for capitulating to our silly demands for various degrees of pulp.  Banned Books Week is fantastic. Because some institution capitulated to conservatives who wanted the books out of readers' hands, more readers than ever are inspired to snag them. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "capitulate" means when you can explain it without saying "give way" or "accept defeat." try it out: Think of a time someone was trying to push you into something, either seriously or lightheartedly, and fill in the blanks: "I (refused to / was forced to) capitulate when _____." Example: "I was forced to capitulate when the server actually brought out the dessert tray." 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. Well-Named Creatures: Some names for animals and other creatures define themselves instantly or after a brief moment’s thought: anteater, grasshopper, hummingbird, seahorse, octopus (eight-foot). But other names deserve some exploration; they hold hidden clues about what the animals look like or what they do. And sometimes the names reveal how baffled people were when they first caught a glimpse of the creatures and tried to name them. This month, I’ll give you the literal meaning of a creature's name, and you come up with what it is. Answers will appear in alphabetical order this month. (Oh, and the answers might be animals, birds, insects, or even extinct creatures.) Enjoy! From yesterday: An "arm lizard" is a b________. Answer: This is a brachiosaurus, so named because its front legs were longer than the back ones. Try this one today: A "wild ox" is a b________. review today's word: 1. One opposite of CAPITULATE is A. CEDE B. CONQUER C. SECEDE 2. I _____ her until she capitulated. A. assisted B. pestered C. doubted 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. B 2. B