Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PANACEA

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"PANACEA" Pronunciation: pan uh SEE uh Part of speech: Countable noun. (Countable nouns, like “bottle,” “piece,” and “decision,” are words for things that can be broken into exact units. You talk about “a bottle,” “three pieces,” and “many decisions.” Likewise, talk about one panacea or multiple panaceas.) Meaning: A panacea is something that fixes ALL the problems. In other words, a panacea cures EVERYTHING that's wrong with something. Other forms: panaceas, panacean (the adjective) How to use it: Talk about a method, an approach, a philosophy, a drug, a remedy or solution, a feature or aspect, an activity, an improvement, a change, and so on being a panacea. You'll often say something is a panacea for a situation or for some difficulties. Of course, in real life, there's really no such thing as a panacea, so we most often use this word in a negative way: "This isn't a panacea, you know." "It only seems like a panacea." "They're acting like this is a panacea for poverty." "It won't be the panacea for crime that everyone is hoping for." "Anyone trying to sell you a panacea for your health issues is either lying or delusional." I suggest avoiding repetitive phrases like "panacea for all problems" or "panacea for every ill." We appreciate political candidates who admit to nuances and complexities in solving national problems rather than offering vague panaceas. I have more than one talented yet jobless friend with a Ph.D., so clearly, just earning an advanced degree is no panacea for employment difficulties. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "panacea" means when you can explain it without saying “cure-all" or "perfect remedy." Think of a time when you had high hopes that a particular solution would work, and fill in the blanks: "_____ was/is not exactly a panacea for _____, because _____." Example: "Shopping at the local farmers' market is not exactly a panacea for the exorbitantly high price of food here in Hawaii, because many of the veggies we'd like to get, like lettuce, are just not available there." 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: Our game for July is called A Verbal Tour of the US. I’ll ask you a trivia question each day this month about the names of US cities, states, geographic features, etc. Try it out each day, and see the right answer the next day. Happy verbal trails to you! From yesterday:  This beautiful bridge isn’t the color you’d expect it to be from its name. What is it called, and what color is it? Answer: The Golden Gate Bridge is kind of a reddish orange, not gold. It’s named after the Golden Gate Strait, where the Pacific flows into the San Francisco Bay. Try this one today: The name of this picturesque southern city sometimes gets affectionately dressed down to “Chucktown,” especially by college students. What is it really called? A Point Well Made: Jay Heinrichs: “Argument … forms a real-life Matrix, the supreme software that drives our social lives.” 1. The closest opposite of PANACEA is A. PANIC ATTACK B. WONDER DRUG C. DISEASE 2. Even the best ____ will not be a panacea for _____. A. design principles .. beauty B. cost-saving measures .. debt C. musical talent .. concerts 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. C 2. B