Make Your Point > Archived Issues > FLASHPOINT

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

explore the archives: Today's flashpoint will remind you of ig____, meaning to catch on fire, or to explode into brilliant, passionate existence. Here's one way to define flashpoint: "the moment when a situation is ready to ig____." make your point with... "FLASHPOINT" A literal flashpoint is the specific temperature that causes a vapor to catch on fire in the air. And a figurative flashpoint is the place or time when something becomes extremely violent or extremely emotional. Pronunciation: FLASH point 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 flashpoint or multiple flashpoints.) Other forms: None, but you can write this as two words ("flash point") if you prefer. Because "flashpoint," the compound word, is slightly more common, that's how I write it. How to use it: This word usually has a strong negative tone. Think of the "point" in "flashpoint" as indicating a specific spot in either time or space. In other words, a flashpoint can be a time, an event, a thing, or a place. Talk about the flashpoint of a relationship or of a longstanding situation: "the flashpoint of U.S.-Russian relations."  Or, talk about something that's a flashpoint for or between certain people or things: "a flashpoint for the highly divisive country," "the flashpoint for social unrest," "a flashpoint between police and citizens." You can also call something the flashpoint in or of a situation: "a flashpoint in the war," "a flashpoint of the backlash against standardized testing." Events and situations can be or become flashpoints, approach or reach flashpoints, represent flashpoints, pass their flashpoints, etc. examples: The release of candidates' tax returns has long been a flashpoint in elections. Disagreements about how to split the bills became a flashpoint in their already-tense romance, which ultimately cooled. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "flashpoint" means when you can explain it without saying "when the situation catches fire" or "the point at which something could explode." try it out: Think of a time when a fight or controversy got even worse. Fill in the blank: "When _____, tensions rose almost to a flashpoint." Example: "When consequences for dress code violations grew vastly inconsistent--expulsion for a boy with sagging pants, a verbal warning for a girl in a micro-miniskirt--tensions among the students rose almost to a flashpoint." 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 KWIKORD, an addictive, challenging new word game for solo or group play, created by Wayne Ellice.  We're dipping our toes into the game this month, trying some simple challenges first and working our way toward harder tasks. (Check out my interview with the game's creator here, and order your own copy of the full version of KWIKORD here.) You'll see a sample answer to each puzzle the following day. Enjoy! Yesterday, you took the letters WMVAIO and arranged them into words that fill the perimeter of a 3x3 grid. Many solutions were possible. Here are two: Try this again today with the letters RRTAEO. Draw a tic-tac-toe board on some scrap paper and go for it! review today's word: 1. The closest opposite of FLASHPOINT is A. TIME OF HOPE B. TIME OF HARVEST C. TIME OF PEACE 2. I admit it's more colorful to use WWII slang and talk about when "_____," but when you need to be polite and proper, "when the situation reached a flashpoint" will do just fine. A. garbage hits the fan B. there's a tough row of buttons to shine C. you and your buddies are doing nothing but sandpapering the anchor 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. A