Make Your Point > Archived Issues > RANCOROUS

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"RANCOROUS" Meaning: Rancor is bitter hatred that has been felt for a very long time. So, someone or something rancorous is full of that feeling: that deep, long-held, hateful resentment. Pronunciation: RANG ker us Spelling note: Our British friends use "rancour" and "rancorous." 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 rancorous comment.” 2. After a linking verb, as in "The comment was rancorous.”) Other forms: rancor, rancorously How to use it: Talk about rancorous comments, a rancorous debate, rancorous divisions or rancorous tension, rancorous differences of opinion, a rancorous campaign, rancorous meetings or discussions, a rancorous process, a rancorous relationship, and so on. People and their attitudes can also be called rancorous: "a rancorous customer," "her rancorous temper," "his rancorous soul."  You could also say that an entire mood, tone, atmosphere, or situation is rancorous. We completely avoid a certain topic... because we don't want to get sucked into a rancorous debate over it and say all sorts of things we'll regret. Most folks in the academic world tend to avoid open displays of rancor, but they're great at expressing it indirectly. Saying "your theory still awaits practical applications" is more acceptable than saying "your work is stupid and useless and everyone has always hated it." Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "rancorous" means when you can explain it without saying "bitter" or "hatred." Think of something you used to feel angry or bitter about until you got over it, and fill in the blank: "I don't harbor any rancor about/over _____, although I can see how it would make some people hold a grudge." Example: "I don't harbor any rancor over the stolen money, although I can see how it would make some people hold a grudge." 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: Our October game references some material that may be protected by copyright. I appreciate your understanding as I err on the side of caution by not publishing it here! A Point Well Made: Dante Alighieri:  "Consider your origin; you were not born to live like brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge." 1. The opposite of RANCOROUS is A. EFFECTIVE B. SIMPLE C. KIND 2. Celebrity gossip magazines reveled in the rancorous _____. A. engagement B. birth C. divorce 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. C Exploring the archives: Recently we considered how to use rancid figuratively. You might immediately think of rancid meat or rancid vegetables, but could you recall how to use the word more abstractly? (What could be rancid that you can't actually see or touch?) Today's word is very closely related to "rancid," but see if you can explain why "rancid" and "rancorous" are not perfect synonyms.