Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SATE

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"SATE" Meaning: To sate something (like, to sate an appetite or sate a desire) is to satisfy it completely, or to over-satisfy it. Pronunciation: SATE 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 sate something.) Other forms: sated, sating How to use it: Talk about sating a desire or emotion, sating your hunger or thirst, sating an appetite or craving, sating your curiosity, sating a demand for something, sating the heart or the soul, and so on. Probably the two most common phrases you'll hear and use are "to sate someone's appetite for something" and "to sate someone's hunger for something." Because "sate" basically means "to stuff full," you can talk about sating someone with something ("her curiosity about the issue was sated with an entire evening of research into it") or sating someone to a certain point ("we were sated to nausea.") The adjective, "sated," is particularly useful: talk about someone's sated appetite, someone's sated senses, or a particular type of sated person, like sated movie-goers, sated readers, sated constituents, etc. Or just use "sated" to describe how someone feels: "Sated, they put down their forks;" "Sated, they stopped attending the events." Apparently there's no sating the public's appetite for more horror movies. Demand for the Furby toys was eventually sated, meaning, among kids, that it wasn't impressive anymore to have one. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "sate" means when you can explain it without saying "feed" or "over-feed." Think of a time you got plenty (or more than plenty) of what you wanted, and fill in the blanks: "_____ sated my (interest in / need for / need to / desire for) _____." Example: "A very lazy summer finally sated my desire to catch up on sleep." 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, challenge your powers of memory and recall (or just get ready to reign supreme on Wheel of Fortune) as we play with two-word phrases that you’ll find in a dictionary. We’ll start off with easy tasks and advance to harder ones as the month goes on. See the right answer to each question the following day. You might even see a new phrase that inspires your curiosity and makes you look it up. Have fun! (Note: Every dictionary recognizes a different set of two-word phrases. I used the OED to make these game questions.) Yesterday's question: What word fits into each phrase below? aided ? free ? product ? beyond ? total ? Answer: recall. Try this one today: What word fits into each phrase below? ? gloss ? microphone ? pencil ? service ? stud A Point Well Made: W. C. Fields: “It ain’t what they call you, it’s what you answer to.” 1. The opposite of SATE is A. DEPRIVE B. DEPOSE C. DETRACT 2. The sixth installment of the series _____ sated readers. A. earned a pretty good reception from B. was eagerly awaited by C. was just overkill for 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. A 2. C Exploring the archives: Today's "sate" joins a host of other powerful, zippy, single-syllable verbs, like bate, tamp, and yawp. Could you recall what each means?