Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PERUSE

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connect today's word to others: As a teenager, I learned the hard way that arguing about the meaning of words doesn't make you popular. So I sympathize with the people who love to argue about peruse, which means both "to read carefully" and "to read casually:" some of them insist that it means only "to read carefully." When it comes to arguments like this one, the Oxford English Dictionary is a wonderful authority, a settler of semantic squabbles. Here's what it has to say about peruse: "Modern dictionaries and usage guides, perhaps influenced by the word's earlier history in English, have sometimes claimed that the only 'correct' usage is in reference to reading closely or thoroughly. However, peruse has been a broad synonym for read since the 16th century, encompassing both careful and cursory reading." Mic drop. See if you can recall these other two words that also put language purists on the warpath: 1. R_____e means "tense, impatient, and eager for the situation to change." (It no longer means "uncooperative and disobedient.") 2. D_______t means "to make people confused, nervous, embarrassed, and/or uncomfortable." (It no longer means "to thwart in battle.") (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "PERUSE" To peruse something is to read through it or browse through it, either in a careful and thorough way, OR in a quick or casual way. Pronunciation: puh RUZE Part of speech: Verb, the transitive kind: "we perused the book," "he's perusing the shelves," "I'll peruse a few more sites." Other forms: perused, perusing, perusal, perusable, peruser(s) How to use it: This word is a bit formal and can seem stuffy. So when you need a serious word, or a mock-serious word, it's a good choice compared to "read," "skim," "browse," "study" and so on. Talk about people perusing texts, such as books, menus, websites, newspapers, magazines, social media, legal documents, medical records, etc.  We also peruse individual sections and features of texts: peruse the index, peruse the glossary, peruse the table of contents, peruse the headings and subheadings, peruse the executive summary, peruse just these two chapters. Perusing is usually reading, but it can also be browsing, shopping, or viewing: we peruse shops, shelves, aisles, offerings, galleries, museums, etc. Finally, you can peruse something for some item or some piece of information, and you can peruse something to accomplish something. examples: Call it curiosity or nosiness: if you have a bookshelf, I automatically peruse it. "There was a hushed sense of awe among the spectators perusing the nearly 1,600 items prepared for auction at Christie’s in Manhattan."    —The Guardian, 4 May 2018 study it now: Look away from the screen to define "peruse" without saying "pore over" or "glance over." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "A quick perusal of _____ (reveals, suggests, or confirms) that _____." Example: "A quick perusal of their menu suggests that vegetarians are going to have a bad time here." 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. Complete the Clichés! In each issue this month, I'll present a general theme and a handful of common expressions that apply to it--but only the first few words of each expression. See if you can complete them!  To keep things interesting, I've picked a mixture of phrases both new and familiar to me. I hope some will pique your curiosity and inspire you to Google them for their meanings and backstories. (Please try that first, and if your search turns up empty, email me for help.) If you're playing this game with the kids in your family or your class, you might enjoy talking together about what the phrases mean. Enjoy! In the previous issue, the theme was "Wasting time:" A. The game isn't worth... B. Gild the... C. Go around Robin... D. Grasp at... E. Preach to... Answers: A. The game isn't worth the candle B. Gild the lily C. Go around Robin Hood's barn D. Grasp at straws E. Preach to the converted (or, to the choir) Try these today. The theme is "Human nature:" A. The bigger they come... B. You can catch more flies... C. Distance lends... D. Hide your light... E. Old habits... F. A rotten apple... review today's word: 1. A close opposite of PERUSE is A. IGNORE. B. OFFEND. C. RELINQUISH. 2. When it comes to _____, I'm just a peruser; I don't have the _____ to be a _____. A. household repairs .. skill .. handyman B. rare books .. budget .. collector C. music .. desire .. performer 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. A 2. B