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"CANDOR" Meaning: If you're candid, or if you speak with candor, it means you're telling the honest truth in an open, sincere way. It can also mean you're telling the truth in a brutally honest way. (Also, in candid photos, people are doing things naturally instead of posing.) Pronunciation: CAN der Part of speech: Uncountable noun. (Like “milk,” “rice,” and “education,” uncountable nouns are words for stuff that can’t be broken into exact units. You talk about “some milk,” “the rice,” and “a lot of education,” but you don’t say “a milk,” “three rices,” or “many educations.” Likewise, talk about “the candor,” “such candor,” “a lot of candor,” “no candor,” and so on, but don’t say “candors.”) Other forms: Our British friends spell it "candour." The adjective is "candid;" the adverb, "candidly." How to use it: Talk about someone's candor (or the candor of someone, or the candor of a statement;) speaking, writing, and expressing yourself with candor; asking for or appreciating someone's candor; complaining about or suspecting a lack of candor, etc. Personally, I'd rather be known for tact than candor. How about you? I appreciated my students' candor on their anonymous feedback forms: they're an opportunity for improvement, not an ego boost. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "candor" means when you can explain it without saying "outspokenness" or "freedom from holding back what you really think." Think of someone you know who's always straightforward and honest, and fill in the blanks: "(Person) speaks with candor about (a certain topic,) never sugarcoating _____."  Example: "He spoke with candor about his own illness, never sugarcoating its severity." 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, we're playing with song lyrics that include words featured in issues of Make Your Point. I’ll give you a few lines from the song, with a blank where our word appears, along with its definition. See if you can come up with it! You can follow the link to see the right answer right away, or just wait until the following day’s issue. Have fun! Yesterday's lyrics: Artist: Fiona Apple Title: On the Bound Lyrics:    No thing I do     don't do no thing     but bring me    more to do,     It's true,     I do _____ my blue     unto myself,     I make it bitter. Definition: to fill completely and deeply Answer: imbue Try this one today: Artist: Bad Religion Title: Progress Lyrics:    It's progress 'til there's nothing left to gain    As the _____ of new ideas    Makes us wallow in our shame Definition: a shortage of something important and needed Peek at the answer... A Point Well Made: Francis Bacon:  “The world’s a bubble, and the life of man  Less than a span.” 1. The best opposite of CANDOR is A. DETAIL B. DECEIT C. CRUELTY 2. In a moment of uncharacteristic candor, she _____. A. outlined her entire business plan B. admitted where she had gone wrong and how C. explained exactly how to use the new computer system 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. B 2. B Exploring the archives: "Candid" is a specific kind of honest, the kind where you say everything you mean, even if it might hurt someone's feelings. ("Candid" is the adjective, like "honest," and "candor" is the noun, like "honesty.") Could you recall another kind of honest: the kind where you're very open about what you do and how, so that everyone can see that you're playing by the rules?