Make Your Point > Archived Issues > FLETCHERIZE

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connect today's word to others: To fletch an arrow is to fit it with feathers, and a fletcher makes arrows, so if you guessed that fletcherize means "to strike with an arrow," your guess is totally logical. But wrong. (However, while we're talking about arrows and feathers, see if you can recall what it means to be full-fledged or just a fledgling.) When you do as Horace Fletcher recommended and chew every bite of your food perhaps thirty to a hundred times before swallowing, basically liquefying it, you're fletcherizing it. (We usually refer to Fletcher [1849–1919] as a health food enthusiast, not an expert--which is such a kind and quaint label--so no, I'm not recommending that we fletcherize our food!) Fletcherize is one of those words that might make you hate dictionaries. If you look it up in the OED, you'll see the literal meaning ("to masticate thoroughly") followed by the note "also fig." Also figurative. And that's extremely unhelpful if you can't connect the dots between literally fletcherizing something and figuratively fletcherizing something. But don't worry, connecting the dots is what these emails are for. We might encounter the same frustration with ossify (how does something figuratively ossify?), tamp (how do you figuratively tamp something?), and varnish (how do you figuratively varnish something?).  If you're not sure how to use those words figuratively, follow the links, and I'll help you connect those dots. Let's go back to Horace Fletcher and his enthusiasm for healthy eating. His name gave us the word fletcherize, of course. Could you describe the people whose names gave us the words maudlin and martinet? make your point with... "FLETCHERIZE" To fletcherize food is to chew it for so long that it turns into liquid. More generally, to fletcherize something is to read it over and over, to think about it over and over, or to talk or write about it over and over, until it's been processed so much that it can't possibly be processed any further. Pronunciation: FLETCH ur ize Part of speech: Transitive verb. (Like "eat," "try," and "want," all transitive verbs do something to an object. You eat a banana, try a game, and want a new phone. Likewise, you fletcherize something--or someone, yikes.) Other forms: There's "fletcherized" and "fletcherizing." (And, followers of literal "Fletcherism" are called "Fletcherites.") How to use it: The word "fletcherize" is ugly, clunky, and unusual, but it's totally perfect for describing how useless and extreme our behavior is when, like a dog with a bone, we just can't let something go. Talk about people fletcherizing books and articles, ideas and topics, plans and possibilities, wishes and memories, etc. examples: Ninth graders probably hate To Kill a Mockingbird by now. We should stop making them fletcherize it. On the first day of statistics class, as I skimmed the syllabus and saw how few topics we'd be covering, I realized it wasn't necessary to have fletcherized the textbook like I did. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "fletcherize" means when you can explain it without saying "chew the cud" or "beat a dead horse." try it out: Fill in the blank: "Regarding _____, I've chewed it over; in fact, I've fletcherized it." Example: "Regarding the plot holes in A Year Without a Santa Claus, we've chewed them over; in fact, we've fletcherized them." 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 "Game of Games!" Guess the one-word title of each board game, using your knowledge of vocabulary. From our previous issue:  Designed by Fréderic Moyersoen, this game has players working together to mine for gold. But one player is assigned to be, let's say, the traitor. Players keep their roles secret, then aim to find out which among them is responsible for secretly wrecking the group's adventure. The game's title means "someone who damages something or completely messes it up on purpose." It's pictured below, with the title blurred out. What game is this? Answer: Saboteur. Check out the game here and the word here. Try this today:  Designed by Robert Harris, this game takes place in a fantasy world where players work to build their strength, hoping to endure the trials that will conclude the game. The title means "anything that protects you or brings you good luck." It's pictured below, with the title blurred out. What game is this? review today's word: 1. A close opposite of FLETCHERIZE is A. ANALYZE. B. CLEAN. C. WOLF. 2. We risk warping a memory every time we recall it. I've fletcherized the memories of our first summer together--they're probably _____. A. accurate B. a bit askew C. wildly inaccurate Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. 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. Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. C