Make Your Point > Archived Issues > UNTETHER

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explore the archives: Today's "untether" means "to set free, as if from a leash." Could you recall a stronger word that means "to set free, as if from chains that bind the feet"? make your point with... "UNTETHER" A tether is a rope that ties an animal or a boat to something so it has to stay there. Figuratively, a tether is something that keeps you limited--and to tether people to something is to tie them to it with a rope, in a figurative way. So, to untether things or people is to set them free, as if you're untying the rope that had forced them to stay close to something. Pronunciation: un TETH er 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 untether something or someone.) Other forms: untethered, untethering How to use it: Often you'll talk about untethering someone from something, or talk about something that's untethered to or from something else: "I've finally untethered myself from my toddler at the playground; I let her run around freely." "The program is provided by an independent company untethered to any government subsidies." "She's completely snapped--she's untethered from any sense of personal responsibility." As you can see, untethering things or people can be good ("he's finally untethered from his abusive family;" "the research proceeds properly, untethered to corporate demands") or bad ("they're untethered to any sense of morality"). examples: Some reality show stars are actually rather untethered from reality. A really interesting young adult novel--I won't say which one, to avoid spoilers--comes untethered from the standards of storytelling when its narrator dies about a third of the way into the story. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "untether" means when you can explain it without saying "set loose" or "untie." try it out: Think of something that should really be totally separated from something else, and fill in the blanks: "(Something) has to be untethered from (something else) if we want to (satisfy a certain condition or achieve a certain goal)." Example: "The curriculum has to be untethered from this culture of constant testing and preparing for tests--that is, if we want kids to love learning for its own sake." 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. When it comes to word roots, everybody knows what some of them mean, like “ambi/amphi” (“both”) and “circum” (“around”) and “hetero” (“different”). This knowledge helps you explain why words like “automobile” and “autobiography” look similar—in this case, it’s because they both involve the concept of “self.” But what about some of the less obvious roots? Could you explain, for example, why “contain” looks so much like “sustain” by defining “tain”? This month, we're exploring the meanings underlying common words you know. You can usually figure these out by looking for an extremely basic concept common to all the words in each group. We’ll start with easier, more obvious roots and move on to trickier ones as the month goes on! Yesterday's question:  In adhere, adherent, and adhesive; cohere, coherent, and cohesive; and inherent, what does “her/hes” mean?  Answer: To stick. Try this one today: In alleviate, elevator, lever, and levitate, what does “lev” mean?  review today's word: 1. One opposite of UNTETHER is A. FASTEN B. CONSIDER C. REGULATE 2.  The untethered version of the app _____. A. doesn't have any music or other sounds B. doesn't require an Internet connection C. doesn't cost anything to download Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, 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. A 2. B