Make Your Point > Archived Issues > CAUSTIC
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connect today's word to others:
Caustic comes from a Latin word for "burning:" if you're being caustic about something, you're practically setting it on fire with your wit or sarcasm.
See if you can recall these other red-hot words:
To in_____ people is to make them so angry that it's like they're on fire.
To ig____ something is to set it on fire, or get it going--bring it into brilliant, passionate existence.
And e____s are little leftover pieces of something that seem to be fading or dying, as if they were once on fire.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
make your point with...
"CAUSTIC"
"Caustic" has specific meanings in math, chemistry, and medicine. But we'll focus on its general meaning.
Caustic people and things seem to burn or sting others with sharp humor, sharp bitterness, or sharp sarcasm.
Pronunciation:
KOSS tick
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 caustic thing" or "a caustic person."
2. After a linking verb, as in "It was caustic" or "He was caustic.")
Other forms:
The adverb form is rare. If you need one, pick "causticly" or "caustically;" both are correct.
The noun is "causticity." (koss TIH suh tee)
How to use it:
Talk about caustic people, caustic speech and writing, a caustic tone or style, caustic comments and jokes, caustic nicknames and labels, caustic exchanges and debates, caustic attacks and fights, caustic rhetoric and criticism, caustic humor and comedy, caustic satire, caustic wit, and so on.
We sometimes use "caustic" more loosely to mean "stinging or burning:" talk about caustic effects or results, caustic mixtures or combinations, etc.
examples:
He's not usually so caustic, so I'm still laughing over what he said: "She looks melted, like she opened the Ark of the Covenant and peeked inside."
Unfortunately we can't banish from the language those caustic insults: "deplorables" and "libtards."
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "caustic" means when you can explain it without saying "sharp" or "corrosive."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "(Some particular artist, author, singer, writer, comedian, politician, etc.) has gotten even more caustic about (someone or something)."
Example: "Stephen Colbert has gotten even more caustic about the president."
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.
Our game this month is called Felicitous Names.
A felicitous name for a fictional character is a highly appropriate name, a name that fits that character so perfectly that you just know the writer picked it on purpose. This month, draw on your knowledge of both vocabulary and fiction to pick out the right name for the character described. Enjoy!
From our previous issue: Your character basically controls the world in your novel. What's the most felicitous name for him: Bernard Marx, Mustapha Mond, or Helmholtz Watson? Why?
Answer: Mustapha Mond. "Mond" is very similar to the Latin for "world," mundus. It’s a connection we notice in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World.
Try this today: Your main character loves rocket ships and astronomy but struggles to keep his grip on reality. You need a supporting character who brings him back down to earth. Is the most felicitous name for her Tamara, Theresa, or Terra? Why?
review today's word:
1. One opposite of CAUSTIC is
A. NOBLE
B. GENTLE
C. SPECIFIC
2. In a caustic _____, she _____.
A. apology .. delicately avoided saying who was really at fault
B. letter .. stuck to the facts, then asked for a full refund
C. editorial .. let loose
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. B
2. C
Caustic comes from a Latin word for "burning:" if you're being caustic about something, you're practically setting it on fire with your wit or sarcasm.
"CAUSTIC" "Caustic" has specific meanings in math, chemistry, and medicine. But we'll focus on its general meaning. Part of speech: Other forms:
He's not usually so caustic, so I'm still laughing over what he said: "She looks melted, like she opened the Ark of the Covenant and peeked inside."
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "caustic" means when you can explain it without saying "sharp" or "corrosive."
Fill in the blanks: "(Some particular artist, author, singer, writer, comedian, politician, etc.) has gotten even more caustic about (someone or something)."
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.
1. One opposite of CAUSTIC is
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. |