Make Your Point > Archived Issues > CARP

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explore the archives: When it comes to complaints, complaining, and complainers, we've got a vast vocabulary. Today we add to it with carp, meaning to complain about insignificant stuff. We've also checked out c_pt___s (complaining about minor faults or flaws), qu_r_l__s (complaining a lot in a whiny way), qu_bbl_ (to fuss about something as if it's a big deal when it's not), y_mm_r (to talk in a whiny, complaining way), and y__p (to complain in a fussy, annoying way). make your point with... "CARP" To carp, or to carp about things, is to complain about things that aren't important. Pronunciation: CARP Part of speech: 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. You don’t "sleep a bed," "skydive a plane," or "succeed a plan.” Likewise, someone carps.) Other forms: carped, carping How to use it: Pick "carp" when you need a short, harsh-sounding, easy-to-understand synonym for "complain." People can just plain carp. And, people can:    carp about something,    carp on something,    carp on about something,    and carp at things or other people. You might carp at someone for doing something, or carp at someone to do something: "she carped at him for leaving the door unlocked;" "he carped at her to lock the door." Sometimes we use "carp" in dialogue attribution: "Ugh, this is is medium rare, not medium," she carped. (However, as I've mentioned before, I personally suggest writing "said" instead of "carped" or anything else.) examples: She keeps carping at the kids for talking too much during class, and all that carping wastes even more time. Instead of commenting on their performance, the judge carped about the athletes' outfits. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "carp" means when you can explain it without saying "criticize in a petty way" or "make cranky complaints." try it out: Think of a situation in which it's pretty easy to fix what's bothering you. Fill in the blanks: "Carping on about _____ won't fix the problem; all you have to do is _____." Example: "Carping on about a slow computer won't fix the problem; all you have to do is run some anti-virus checks and clean it 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 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: On Reddit, the "petty revenge" forum is where you share stories about silly little things you did to get back at people for their equally tiny offenses. ("Oh, you want to be rude? Enjoy your longer-than-necessary wait time.") These are tales of ___________ ___________. (Two words of four syllables each. Clue: use this word.) Answer: lilliputian retribution. Try this last one today: You have a devoted seeing-eye dog, but he's a surprisingly narrow-minded pooch: he steers you clear of certain neighbors he dislikes, and no matter how well you reason with him to give these folks another chance, he clings to his low opinion of them. He's your _________ _____ _____. (Three words: a two-syllable word followed by two one-syllable words. Clue: use this word.) review today's word: 1. A close opposite of CARP is A. APPROACH B. APPRAISE C. APPLAUD 2. The _____ amount to little more than carping. A. oddly specific coupons B. riddles on the back of the cereal box C. contents of the car dealership's suggestion box 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