Make Your Point > Archived Issues > DÉGAGÉ

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"DÉGAGÉ" Meaning: Someone or something dégagé is very relaxed, not at all nervous, and not at all emotional. Pronunciation: day gah ZHAY Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like “large” or “late.” They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in “a dégagé attitude.” 2. After a linking verb, as in "Their attitude was dégagé.”) Other forms: none How to use it: We took this word from French, where it literally means "at ease" or "disengaged." You use it to describe people who are so chill that it's as if they don't care at all. So, you talk about people who look, seem, or appear dégagé, people who feel dégagé, people who act dégagé or pretend to be dégagé, etc. You can also have a dégagé attitude, manner, air, personality, pose or posture, and so on--sometimes toward or about something: "He's oddly dégagé about his new fame." After calling out the speaker for his lack of preparation, she dismissed his stammering reply with a dégagé wave of her hand. In his cover letters, he seems to have adopted a dégagé tone that might not go over well with potential employers. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "dégagé" means when you can explain it without saying "casual" or "unconstrained." Think of someone you know who doesn't care what other people think about him or her, and fill in the blanks: "With his/her usual dégagé attitude, (Person) _____." Example: "With his usual dégagé attitude, he pulled out his checkbook and began carefully writing, deaf to the impatient grumbles in the line of shoppers behind him." 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: This month, challenge your powers of memory and recall (or just get ready to reign supreme on Wheel of Fortune) as we play with two-word phrases that you’ll find in a dictionary. We’ll start off with easy tasks and advance to harder ones as the month goes on. See the right answer to each question the following day. You might even see a new phrase that inspires your curiosity and makes you look it up. Have fun! (Note: Every dictionary recognizes a different set of two-word phrases. I used the OED to make these game questions.) Yesterday's question: You’ll see the first word of each phrase, along with a few letters in the second word. See how many of them you can think of: prison ce__ prison ch______ prison di________ prison dr___ prison gr____ prison gu___ prison of_____ prison re____ prison wa__ prison wa____ prison ya__ Answers: prison cell prison chaplain prison discipline prison dress prison ground prison guard prison officer prison reform prison wall prison warden prison yard Try this one today: You’ll see the first word of each phrase, along with a few letters in the second word. See how many of them you can think of: food ca__ food fa_____ food gu___ food in______ food in____ food pr_____ food sa____ food sh______ food su____ food tr___ A Point Well Made: Fran Lebowitz: “Remember that as a teenager you are at the last stage of your life when you will be happy to hear that the phone is for you.” 1. The opposite of DÉGAGÉ is A. FORGOTTEN B. FEARFUL C. FRENZIED 2. He entered the room with a dégagé _____. A. limp B. swagger C. shout 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. B Exploring the archives: Today we check out "dégagé," a French borrowing for talking about looking and acting chill or dismissive. It's a bit fancy. For when you need to speak more plainly, we also checked out a word meaning "cool, calm, and not nervous, and not letting anything freak you out:" "un____able."